The Last Lecture and Evangelical UUism

Randy Pausch, who gave the “Last Lecture” and became an internet sensation, died recently. I learned that he was a UU when it was posted on the UUA’s website. I suspected he might be a UU while reading his book of the Last Lecture, however. Sadly, the reasons I suspected it were that he mentioned his church but didn’t say what his church was, and he mentioned his faith, but didn’t mention what his faith was. He says in the book, “I was raised by parents who believed that faith was something very personal. I didn’t discuss my specific religion in my lecture because I wanted to talk about universal principles that apply to all faiths–to share things I had learned through my relationships with all people.” I think if he was Christian and his faith had helped him in his battle with cancer, he wouldn’t hesitate to say so.

It’s a sad commentary on our faith when you suspect someone is a UU because they specifically don’t say so.

This is not to be disparaging at all to Pausch. He had every right to speak about his religion or not speak about it, in keeping with what felt comfortable for him. But I am saying that we need to, as a whole, be a bit more evangelical about our faith. After all, our faith does address universal principles that apply to all faiths. And it’s a lost opportunity for our faith when someone in the public eye like Pausch doesn’t identify publically with our religion, especially when, again like Pausch, he’s addressing and embodying universal principles that our faith stands for.

I don’t agree with everything Pausch said in his lecture. And I found myself somewhat disliking him while reading the book. Perhaps that is because he is a Tigger and was someone disparaging towards what he referred to as “a sad sack Eeyore.” I know and love the Tiggers of this world–my husband is one–but I am an Eeyore, so I resented his characterization. But Pausch’s overwhelming optimism is infectious, even if I think he doesn’t cut enough slack to the people who have experienced brick walls as true barriers, not as, as he puts it, there to separate out the ones who truly want it from the ones who don’t. His engaging honesty when he calls himself a reformed jerk, and the life lessons he imparts about how we should really treat each other are worth listening to.

Pausch is Emersonian self-reliance at its best. But if he just left it there, I would have to take more issue with him. He doesn’t. One of his points is “Be a Communitarian,” in which he says, “Everyone has to contribute to the common good. To not do so can be described in one word: selfish.”

It’s clear from watching and reading Pausch he lived by these words, and that his death is a loss to the world, to our faith, and most importantly, to those that he loved.

If you haven’t seen the last lecture, you can view it here:

Hope and Love in the Response to Hatred and Tragedy

The first draft of an editorial I’ve submitted to the Jackson Citizen Patriot. An edited version is scheduled to appear on Sunday, August 10.

By now most people have heard about the shootings that occurred on Sunday, July 27 in the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Knoxville, Tennessee. Two people were killed and seven other wounded or injured when a gunman began shooting during an intergenerational service featuring a production of “Annie.” People responded immediately with shock, grief, and anger. That was news.

But what people often don’t hear about is what happens afterwards—the small gestures, the work of a church community to pull itself together, the reaching out of the larger community. The responses we have as time goes on are of healing, love, and hope. These things are not news. But they are the important pieces of our lives as we respond to tragedy.

The next day after the tragedy, members of the Tennessee Valley congregation gathered at the nearby Presbyterian church for a vigil. The children and adults, who only a day before had witnessed horror and tragedy, sang out the words from Annie’s “Tomorrow.” While surely they were still experiencing shock, anger, denial, and grief, they raised their voices in a song about hope, and looking to the future.

The Knoxville congregation members couldn’t know it yet, but that night they were joined by churches across the nation in vigils—on that same Monday evening, voices were being raised in prayer and song in our congregation here, and in at least fifty other Unitarian Universalist congregations across the nation. By middle of the week, over 200 vigils would be held or scheduled—an amazing outpouring of love from a denomination with only a little over a thousand congregations.

A few years ago, the world watched in awe as the Amish people responded to a shooting in one of their schoolhouses. The Amish taught the world about their faith as they responded with love and forgiveness. Today, we learn about a very different faith community, but again the response is love and forgiveness. When UUA President William Sinkford was asked if he believed the shooter was going to Hell, he responded, “In my religious tradition, we would say that that person had been living in a hell here on earth, for years.”

Over time, we learned that the shooting was born out of hate—hatred for liberals, hatred aimed at a Unitarian Universalist congregation for their open acceptance of gays and lesbians, and their work against oppression and discrimination. One of the greatest tragedies is that if Jim Adkission had entered the doors of the church in peace, looking for help, he would have found a wonderful community willing to help him in his struggles. But the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation won’t let hatred and anger and tragedy be their last word. Their message of hope, their message of acceptance, their message of universal love will be heard louder than ever.

The sun’ll come out Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There’ll be sun!

What Is a Milestone?

I recently submitted this letter to the editor. So far, it has not been printed, but that may be due to the editorial page being taken up by election issues.

Dear Editor,

I have recently been informed that the Citizen Patriot misguidedly refuses to print wedding announcements for same-sex couples in the “milestones” section alongside other wedding announcements, because they are not legal in the state of Michigan.

You do not discriminate based on where the wedding is, as in Sunday’s paper there are notices of weddings in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and Ohio. I assume you would also print weddings that take place in Massachusetts and California between a man and a woman. In those states same-sex weddings are also legal. If you were merely reporting legal transactions, this would go in a different section of the paper—with the legal notices. Anniversaries and Engagements are not legal procedures, either. Legality is not the issue.

Furthermore, there are two types of weddings: civil and religious. It is not uncommon for civil and religious ceremonies to be done separately. If a heterosexual couple was having only their religious ceremony in Jackson and wanted to announce it, but a legal ceremony was done at another time, you would print it. You do not ask for copies of the license with your submissions. Religious services for same-sex weddings are every bit as valid.

In short, sometimes the legal ceremony takes place elsewhere, and sometimes it is only a religious ceremony, but same-sex marriage ceremonies happen in this state, and to people connected to this community. They are milestones—every bit as much as the weddings, engagements, and anniversaries you print.

Please recognize that your milestones page is not about legalese, or what is state-recognized. It is about honoring and acknowledging the “milestones” in people’s lives. Many respected newspapers are printing same-sex wedding announcements, recognizing this. It’s time for you to do the same.

Sincerely,

Rev. Cynthia Landrum
Universalist Unitarian Church of East Liberty