Spill the Basket - Letters to the Editor
The YRUU Fish
Editor’s Note: This letter refers to the symbol on the new Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU) t-shirt, released in 2004. Besides Emily, there are many other Unitarian Universalist (UU) Christian and/or Catholic identified folks out there, including Youth Office Staffer Betty Jeanne Rueters-Ward!
Dear Synapse,
My parents divorced when I was very young. Although my father practiced UUism for most of my life, I gravitated to the more unified Catholic Church, not only because we (Catholics) generally believe the same things, but because I felt more supported there.
I have been the brunt of much abuse at the UU Church because I call myself Catholic. I have been called "an idiot" and "brainwashed," among other things, for my faith in Jesus Christ. Although I realize that the UU church is often a safe haven for those who feel betrayed by their former religions, especially the Catholic Church, I could not allow myself to suffer the same discrimination many claimed my church perpetuates, and I decided to leave the UU church, rather than deny my faith in Jesus. I have not attended a service there since May.
However, this symbol of unification and non-descrimination being put forth by the group that used to shun me is very powerful. I appreciate the open-mindedness and the scholarship in searching for the symbol in the first place. I thank you for using it. I will be going to a 10:30 service tomorrow morning.
Emily Ripsom
Countryside
Congregation UUs
P.S. The [fish symbol] in its present form (two semi-circles) comes from the days of persecution in the early Christian Church. When coming upon a stranger, a person might draw a semi-circle in the dirt. To those outside the Christian circle (no pun intended) this means nothing, but a Christian would know to draw another half circle to make a fish, the symbol of their Provider. It has been resurrected to show that Christians no longer need to hide their faith.
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
