"Last Sunday morning marked the first time since the Second World War that Unitarian Universalists were martyred..."
By The Rev. Richard Weston-Jones
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Hillsborough, NC
July 31, 2008
Last Sunday morning marked the first time since the Second World War that Unitarian Universalists were martyred because of their activity in one of our churches—and the only time that members of our faith have been singled out to be killed in one of our churches anywhere in the world for the faith that we share.
Apparently the man who entered the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church bent on slaughter acted alone, with no connection to any hate group. He said he chose it because he hated “liberals” of all kinds and believed our church to be an apt symbol for everything he hated.
It would be easy to see him as a solitary villain, but he also appears to be a victim of the ferocious polarism that has plagued our nation in recent years. Some religious people, especially those on the far right, have fomented intolerance and fear of others who see the world differently from them. Their vitriol has infected our society with distrust and disrespect, leading vulnerable people to act irresponsibly and violently towards those with whom they disagree.
This is a time to acknowledge our loss as a religious community in this violence that led to deaths and injuries. It is also a time to commit ourselves to go forward in love, trusting the core values of our religious movement. When an individual acts in a way that denigrates our belief in “the inherent worth and dignity of every person,” we are called upon to reaffirm that belief—even in the terribly misguided person who attacked us. This was a challenge to all of us and to what our churches stand for. We will not quietly allow it to pass.
Last updated on Wednesday, November 12, 2008.
