The Fifth Principle Project has been granted permission to post the video below – Unitarian Universalism is at Risk of Losing its Soul. Susan McWethy, from Atlanta, created the video and originally posted her work on the Save the 7 Principles website.
Susan’s 16-minute video delivers a compelling message outlining the threat of the proposed changes to Article II to the core values of Unitarian Universalism. We at the Fifth Principle Project encourage you to watch the entire video. You may share the video link with others and on your social media. We have also provided a transcript that you are also free to share.
What Can I Do?
A second vote is scheduled at the June 2024 UUA General Assembly to determine if the proposed changes by the Article II Study Commission should be made permanent. Changes include the elimination of the Seven Principles, removing the Six Sources, and abandoning our denomination’s commitment to individual freedom of belief.
A two-thirds vote of delegates attending the General Assembly is required to finalize these changes.
If you wish to participate in saving the Seven Principles and become involved in this crucial vote next year, please sign up for the Save the 7 Principles mailing list. This mailing list is different from the Fifth Principle Project mailing list.
The Save the 7 Principles mailing list will send you occasional emails so you can be informed and, hopefully, actively engage in saving the soul of Unitarian Universalism.
Great job, Susan! The film effectively portrays my perspective on how the new leadership at UUA has taken control of our faith and implemented an authoritarian approach to leadership.
Fantastic film, Susan. Really drives home the points about the dangers of what UUA is doing.
UU used to be about individual development and attempting to find meaning in life. Now it seems individual growth has been shelved, and replaced with covenant or group think. Accountability? I am accountable to myself. That’s why I found myself drawn to UUism some 40 years ago. I am now appalled by what has happened. When an organization fails to be responsive and misuses the power of governance, one can respond by fighting it within the organization, by ignoring it, dropping out, etc. This is already happening. However, the most effective method ( usually resulting in a quick response) is… Read more »
When an half our nation is blind to Trump’s vision for the future, we err and focus on Trump rather than how our country fails to recognize the risk he poses. I fear we make a similar error focusing on the authoritarian path present UU leaders have chosen rather than asking why UUs no longer value our principles and sources. I fail to see how those who are blind to the march to authoritarian fascism will suddenly awaken save our country from Trump or UU from the Woke UUA.
Alas, the congregations take the brunt of it, because the UUA money goes through them. The problems at the top in Boston are negatively impacting congregations.
Yes, the congregations are negatively impacted. While many congregations will not vote to “defund the UUA”, the loss of membership ( many long time mbrs) will force them to cutback on UUA funding or face insolvency themselves. The question in my mind is whether the Veach Fund will bail them (UUA) again. Woke progressives are not known for fiduciary or financial responsibility.
Content is excellent, but AI voices still feel like they’re emotionless, which i guess is true. We need to hire Morgan Freeman
there has been good discussion of what the uua has done and is doing. this film and other discussions on this site illuminates the crisis. yet the frustration over the uua’s intent to do ‘good’… the latest edition of the suun is a ‘white wash’ of the issues presented here in this forum…is building. i don’t expect good to flow from the intentions of the uua…but with the bad consequences i expect, there will be an attempt to justify them with ‘good intentions’. i struggle to keep my wits aout me. i think the uua has lost their’s
baptist
In my local church I did not see much left worth fighting for, as we were almost alone in questioning the insidious oppressive new orthodoxy, so we voted with our feet. We are now very happy attending Friends Meeting. We have found a warmth. diversity, and surprising both intellectual and spiritual depth and curiosity that has been sadly absent among UUs for decades now in our experience. We had been UUs for 57 years!
We voted with our feet and left the Unitarian Universalist of Vancouver (Washington) a couple of years ago. The new home is with the Humanists of Greater Portland. It’s not as satisfying as the old UU church but it’s a home that we can philosophically live with. We are still members of UUCV but only to be able to vote in congratulation meetings. I’m not sure that is now worth anything.
This video covered much of my experience and concerns. The point that was missing for me was that in response to the “either/or” choice the UUA has posed for us, the video responded with an either/or answer. This assumes that we were not, in fact, broken. No institution is perfect and working towards a more perfect state is honorable. However, the 8th principle and Article II movement endorsed a “dismantling” strategy, even though it is bundled in bubble wrap. (If you want an alternative approach, consider Appreciative Inquiry.) I’ve been UU for 10 years, so don’t have the deep history… Read more »
One comment, re. “The frequent use of covenants throughout the rewrite is troubling. The dictionary defines covenants as promises, or commitments. In religious settings, covenants are indistinguishable from religious dogma or creed.” That’s a completely off-the-mark viewpoint. We are at heart, a covenantal faith – if there’s anything that we have in common at all, it’s that we are bound together, in our congregations, by CONGREGATIONAL COVENANTS – essentially partnership agreements that link us in congregational polity, the way marriage vows (theoretically) bind a couple. In reality, of course, most of our congregations have lost that sense of intimate connection… Read more »
Miles, thanks for your thoughtful comments on Congregational Covenants. I offer this link to an earlier November 4, 2021, Discussion post, Correction: Ours is a Liberal Religion, not a Covenantal One. The comments in that post explore the topic of your comment here. You make a very good point: “most of our congregations have lost that sense of intimate connection.” We, as congregations, once had closer connections with one another due to the District structure. Prior to 2012, there were 19 Districts. That structure created a sense of community among congregations. Within the district structure, annual District meetings were convened, people… Read more »
Susan McWethy’s fine video covers well the recent actions taken by the UUA. As a long time UU I agree that the proposed changes to Article 2 may push me out the door. One issue not addressed in the video but brought up by one commenter is tension in some congregations among members who have different views on the adoption of Article 2. It feels like those of us who are not in favor of going along with whatever the UUA feeds us and are vocal about it are branded as troublemakers. What happened to freedom of thought, tolerance and… Read more »
We ARE the troublemakers. What we need to do, to get beyond the obstructve leadership, is as John Lewis told us, “Make good trouble.” I would love to have others share how you are getting the message to your congregations: that these amendments are a radical shift from our liberal religion to being another social justice organization. And if it’s a social justice group, why are we paying for property upkeep and salaries and all the rest that we pledge as dues each year? I want to use my 7 Principles and redirect my treasure, talent, and time to global… Read more »