Coffee Hour

What should the UUism of the near future look like? Paul Wilczynski (admidst a train of nice meaty posts) reposts a hefty listserv message by Doug Rogers. Doug makes some bold claims:

• Over the last century, we've moved from 10% of the US population to 0.1%. Yikes.
• We've been following Apple's pre-iPod strategy: an elite nitch market. What we need is a UU iPod strategy.
• Defining the movement by its lack of theology is a bad start.
• Political influence ain't gonna happen with our current numbers. Period.
• We need an organizational overhaul to allow change to happen.

Along the way, he puts forward Buddhism (and the Dalai Lama in particular) as a good example for us to follow. And then brings up Mike Durall's "The Almost Church."

The helpful folks at Community Activators provide might provide some general direction. As part of the "Rules We Live By" (PDF) along the "greased path to eventual success," they suggest:

• “Big change is easier than small change.”
• “A good, honest question either reduces or increases suffering.”
• “[Volunteers] will not, in the long run, give to others what they are not getting for themselves.”

But even little change can be pretty hard. ChaliceChick tells us how to run a church committee meeting, and from where I sit, I'm not sure whether implementing her suggestions would feel like a big or a little change for your typical UU committee.

So it's time to put your imagination caps on. Think big about what "big changes" you'd want to see in UUism. What would your "iPod strategy" for UUism look like? What would it take to get there? And would any of your "iPod buyers" end up "making the switch" (and give up their old PCs for new "UU Macs"). Or would that even matter? Would a bunch of new "UU iPod" owners be enough?

Ok, ok, the links are fixed.

The great UU bible discussion had broadened its scope a bit, but continues at Peacebang, The Socinian, Transparent Eye, Unity, and Boy in the Bands. Oh, and My blog, too.

Also, iBeth had been elected president of her homeowner’s association. Anybody remember the X-Files episode with the planned community?

Yeah, that was a good one.

Phil’s Little Blog on the Prarie is talking about faith development among people my age. Always a scary topic.

At Radical Hapa the question of the day is “What is an American?”

Yet another UU blog is talkin’ Trancendentalism.

Left Coast UU is talking about an anarchist who was raised UU.

Oh, and Chutney's back.

Tom Schade and Fausto are having an interesting exchange about the place of the bible in arguements made by religious liberals. CC plans to weigh it at some point, but hasn't. The Revealer has, though. Returning, too.

Boy In the Bands has a purty new look.

Jess's Journal is a nifty blog that is new to my blogosphere. It looks like she's had a rough week.

Yet another UU Blog has discussions of slumber parties and bookstores.

CC

CC is just sick as a dog, and by that she means a really sick dog, and has been for several days. And it is also fundraising season. So blog reviews ain't happening this week or at least right now this week.

Usually when she's sick, she goes over and picks a fight at The AUC or The CFUU. She's done a little of that at the CFUU, but Joel Monka sort of spoiled her efforts by being too reasonable.

So she's going to go curl up on the couch and watch some CSI reruns or something, knowing that the healing hotness of Grissom before he had the beard will be healthy for her soul.

CC