Forums for February
February 6--Polyamory. Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness (UUPA) is an organization for UUs with an interest in polyamory. UUPA defines polyamory as the philosophy and practice of loving or relating intimately to more than one other person at a time with honesty and integrity. What do you think of this approach?
February 13--Mourning PTSD. In “Surviving,” (UU World, Winter 2010, “Reflections,” page 21), Cynthia Orange describes her feelings of loss at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. She also describes the loss she has experienced through her veteran husband’s post-traumatic stress disorder. At least the deaths have a tangible memorial, she writes. “Physical deaths can be mourned through ritual and in community, and the grief of those who mourn runs deep as family and friends gather to shed tears and memorialize their lost loved one. But Michael and millions of other trauma survivors did not die.” How have you or people close to you acknowledged traumatic experiences? Can you imagine ritual or communal settings that would help you grieve? Are there things you wish society did to acknowledge these losses?
February 20--Nationalism. Several hundred years ago most people would have described themselves as subjects of some king or chief or warlord. Now most would instead say they are citizens of some country. In fact, a strong case can be made that nationalism is the real religion of the world; far more widespread and stronger than Christianity or Islam or any of the others. Do you agree? If you do, is this a good thing or a bad thing?
February 27--Immigration tragedy. Margaret Regan’s book The Death of Josseline tells the story of a 14-year-old Mexican girl who dies crossing the desert on the U.S.-Mexican border. Regan shares the story of her own great-grandparents, who emigrated from Ireland in 1872 only to die penniless in Philadelphia at the ages of 36 and 34. “We sometimes forget,” she writes, “that the American immigration saga, cheerfully celebrated every Thanksgiving, does not always have a happy ending for those who risk everything to cross the sea or desert, though it may have for their descendants.” (UU World, Winter 2010, “A Nation of Immigrants,” page 21) What is your family’s immigration story? When did your immigrant ancestors’ descendants begin to enjoy a better life?
February 13--Mourning PTSD. In “Surviving,” (UU World, Winter 2010, “Reflections,” page 21), Cynthia Orange describes her feelings of loss at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. She also describes the loss she has experienced through her veteran husband’s post-traumatic stress disorder. At least the deaths have a tangible memorial, she writes. “Physical deaths can be mourned through ritual and in community, and the grief of those who mourn runs deep as family and friends gather to shed tears and memorialize their lost loved one. But Michael and millions of other trauma survivors did not die.” How have you or people close to you acknowledged traumatic experiences? Can you imagine ritual or communal settings that would help you grieve? Are there things you wish society did to acknowledge these losses?
February 20--Nationalism. Several hundred years ago most people would have described themselves as subjects of some king or chief or warlord. Now most would instead say they are citizens of some country. In fact, a strong case can be made that nationalism is the real religion of the world; far more widespread and stronger than Christianity or Islam or any of the others. Do you agree? If you do, is this a good thing or a bad thing?
February 27--Immigration tragedy. Margaret Regan’s book The Death of Josseline tells the story of a 14-year-old Mexican girl who dies crossing the desert on the U.S.-Mexican border. Regan shares the story of her own great-grandparents, who emigrated from Ireland in 1872 only to die penniless in Philadelphia at the ages of 36 and 34. “We sometimes forget,” she writes, “that the American immigration saga, cheerfully celebrated every Thanksgiving, does not always have a happy ending for those who risk everything to cross the sea or desert, though it may have for their descendants.” (UU World, Winter 2010, “A Nation of Immigrants,” page 21) What is your family’s immigration story? When did your immigrant ancestors’ descendants begin to enjoy a better life?
posted by Donna | 4:01 PM
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