Forums for July

July 3--Inherent worth. Glen Lakes leads the Forum this morning on a part of the UU Statement of Principles which says: We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In A New Guide to Rational Living, Albert Ellis states “that calling oneself good because one had aliveness merely amounted to a tautology: it remained true by definition but could not be confirmed empirically.” So what evidence is there that we are good just because we have aliveness; could we not say just as well that we are bad because we have aliveness? Do agree with our UU principle? What evidence do you see in your personal life that it is true -- or not?


July 10--Pets & Spirituality. Led by Anita Huntley & Sara Banner. Pets play an important role in our lives. Have you ever wondered about their spirituality & their effect on ours? Come share your thoughts on this topic. Below are two links to short articles to get your thinking about this topic started.

* Animals Teach Us Spirituality
http://innerself.com/content/articles/leisure-and-creativity/pets/5790-animals-teach-us-spirituality.html
* What Pets Can Teach Us About Spirituality
http://thepetwiki.com/wiki/What_Pets_Can_Teach_Us_about_Spirituality


July 17--Abortion. Rod Franz leads a Forum on this typically controversial subject. Full and open access to women's health care services has fallen under attack in recent years, with Kansas, as well as other states restricting access; and in some cases, effectively prohibiting access to abortion services in almost any circumstances. Access to abortion services has been one of the most divisive issues in our society, with apparently no room for common ground or compromise among the groups. Consider these facts.

* Roe vs. Wade was predicated on a woman's right to privacy in making her health care decisions -- not on the moral or ethical issues surrounding whether or not an abortion take a human life.
* 90% of all abortions occur within the first trimester. This is a relatively low risk procedure for the woman.
* 9% of all abortions occur within the second trimester. The risk at this time is somewhat higher, but still low.
* 1% (or less) of all abortions occur in the third trimester, and are limited to cases where the woman's health is severely compromised by the pregnancy, or where the fetus is so seriously deformed as to make survival beyond a few hours or days after birth improbable. The risks of these procedures are somewhat higher still.

What are the moral, ethical and legal issues involved? Does the woman’s right to privacy, her right to choose; trump the "right to life"? In all cases? If not, then what are the exceptions? Who should decide? Is abortion equivalent to the taking of a human life? If so, when does “human life” begin? Is there a neutral way of making this determination? What about the case of minors? Should parental notification be required? The Ontario Consultants on Religious Toleration have collected a set of essays addressing various aspects of the topic.


July 24--Art/Religion. Freddie Elliot’s plans are to deal with: definitions, history, politics, controversies and anything else that might come up spontaneously.

July 31--What Do You Do? This is the phrase often used when people are introduced to each other. Glen Lakes says, “As a fairly recently retired person I wonder how much of my self-worth still depends on jobs I had and degrees I earned. Would others (and me!) feel that I had just as much value if I had made my living harvesting garlic in a California field? It has always amused me to hear ex-governors addressed as governor years after they held the position. Is that how they view themselves or is it a simple show of respect?” How much does your self-esteem depend on your job or your position in the community?