First Principle guides us towards the At-One-Ment

This first day of June, 2014, the UU A Way Of Life on-line magazine will begin the month long study of the first principle of Unitarian Universalism, the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Homo Sapiens is a long way from incorporating this principal into our daily lives and our social policies. Slavery is a part of our American history, and racial discrimination, misogyny, homophobia, anti-semitism are still parts of our daily lives. Religious denominations practice exclusionary policies damning unbelievers to hell to attract passionate believers to their churches. Perhaps it is good sign that church membership in the United States and Europe is dropping because these dysfunctional practices no longer retain adherents.

How slavery and anti-semitism can not only occur but flourish in the cradle of civilization and Christian countries is a question about mysterious forces in our individual and collective psyches which we have not made conscious and managed in healthy ways. Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In order to do this, we need to understand these unconscious forces in ourselves and in our collective groups better so that we can change them for the better. How can we do this?

It is the premise of the UU A Way of Life that there are ways to move ourselves and humanity closer to the At-One-Ment, the realization of what Christians have called "the Communion Of Saints" and which the Universalists believe includes all of humanity, everyone. When we achieve the oneness with Life we will have arrived home. Let us continue on our quest for At-One-Ment by practicing what Jesus suggested, "Love one another."