Category Archives: Building Your Own Theology (UU): II

Ethical wills are an increasing trend. This kind of will passes along spiritual insights rather than material wealth. How would you sum up a lifetime of learning? An ethical will is a living legacy of the intangible. We decided to pick an audience for our ethical wills. A person or people to address our thoughtsContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 8 : My Ethical Will”

12. What is your source of authority in religion? I am willing to be guided by historical religious texts and I find value in them but I also believe in the ability of sober and mature minds of the modern age to model ethical authority and guide their fellow men and women toward good behaviorContinueContinue reading “UU 2: 7: UU Catechism Qs 12-15”

6. Is there life after death? Explain This one is complicated for me and you can blame my parents. As much as I like taking things on faith, as much as faith in the unexplained is important to me, as much as I believe in God who can’t be proven in any empirical way, IContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 6: UU Catechism Qs 6-11”

Define “good” as you understand it. I’m going to go with kindness toward our fellows, kindness toward the earth, and even kindness toward yourself. The UUs are huge on the word Love. That’s a good word but in my own definition I’m going to rely on kindness instead. Define “evil” as you understand it. ThisContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 5: Good and Evil Questionnaire”

One of the exercises that builds on itself throughout the course of the class is the development of a catechism for Unitarian Universalists. Super fun. Here’s the introduction and my work on the first 5 questions: Traditionally, a catechism is a manual of instruction, in question and answer form, for indoctrination into a particular beliefContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 4: UU Catechism Qs 1-5”

What sins and virtues would you eliminate for the twenty-first century? What sins and virtues would you add for the twenty-first century? Here are the original lists: The Seven Deadly Sins Vainglory or pride Covetousness Lust Envy Gluttony Anger Sloth The Seven Virtues Prudence Temperance Fortitude Justice Faith Hope Love OK, so here’s my take.ContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 3: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Virtues”

Below is a list of 20 values. Your task is to arrange them in order of their importance to you as guiding principles in your life. Work slowly and think carefully. Character Justice Joy Mindfulness Salvation Meaning (belief that your life has significance in the great scheme of things) Equanimity (spiritual poise in the faceContinueContinue reading “BYOT 2: 2: Values Survey”