Leader Resource 5: Outstanding UUs
Part of Riddle and Mystery
Use these descriptions to prepare youth to role-play a prominent historical Unitarian Universalist on the WCUU advice panel (Activity 3).
Susan B. Anthony
You were a famous Unitarian who was born in 1820 and died in 1906. You fought hard for women's rights—especially the right to vote. You never gave up, but you died before that battle was won. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas:
- People are equal. Period.
- Do not follow unjust laws. Do not pay unjust fines.
- Never, ever give up. Failure is impossible.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.
Rachel Carson
You were a famous Unitarian Universalist scientist and environmentalist. You wrote a book called Silent Spring that helped convince the world chemical pesticides were destroying nature. You did much to change and improve the world. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas:
- Humans have damaged up the world and humans can help save the world.
- Be brave and strong enough to fight against enemies like the big companies that try to defeat you and your ideas.
- Science is wonderful but it can do both good and bad things.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.
Sophia Fahs
You were a famous Unitarian religious educator who lived from 1876 to 1978. You grew up and worked in Christian congregations, but became a Unitarian later in your life, when you were 61. You were even older when you became a minister—82. You were the mother of four children, two of whom died at young ages. You developed the religious education programs that UU children did at their congregations for many years. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas:
- Children and youth should learn from their own experience, from reason and science, and from the wisdom of many religions and cultures including Hebrew and Christian scriptures and our own Unitarian Universalist faith.
- Children and youth should be free to develop their own ideas about religion, not just follow the ideas of others.
- Science and nature are among the very best sources of information and knowledge.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.
James Reeb
You were a famous Unitarian minister who was born in 1927 and died in 1965. You were killed by angry white men when you went to Alabama to demonstrate for the rights of black people. Partly because of your death, the United States Congress passed some great civil rights laws. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas.
- Some things are worth risking your life for. Some things are worth dying for.
- People are equal. Period.
- People can solve the problems that people create.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.
Adlai Stevenson
You were a famous life-long Unitarian and politician who lived from 1900 to 1961. You ran for president of the United States as a Democrat, but lost both times. You served the country under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. You were intelligent and funny and honest. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas:
- People should let nothing stop them in their search for peace.
- Great problems can be turned into great opportunities.
- There is nothing to fear in being different.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.
Whitney Young
You were an important civil rights leader and Unitarian Universalist who lived from 1921 to 1971. A black man, you were head of the National Urban League and a key assistant to the Rev. Martin Luther King. You managed to be very effective working with white people against racism, at a time when the nation was very divided. Some blacks said you should not be part of Unitarian Universalism because it was so white. You replied that your congregation needed you to help change it. If you were alive today, you would probably agree with ideas many Unitarian Universalists now have about what people should do with their lives. People should . . .
- Find and follow your individual calling.
- Do what is right—actions that affirm the UU Principles and the Golden Rule.
- Respect and help everybody else, but do what is right, not just what others say.
- Be honest about who you are and what you want to do.
- Live what you think and live what you say.
- Practice the religious faith that feels right to you.
- Believe and act in love, freedom and dignity for all.
- Honor the independent web of all existence.
Here are a few of your ideas:
- You do not have to be the loudest or the mightiest, but you should use the talent you have to try and create a better world.
- You should respect but not give in to people who disagree with you, no matter how important they are.
- You should stand up for what you know is right, even if your friends disagree.
Today you will be on a WCUU guest panel answering young people's questions about what to do with their lives. Use the above information when you answer. These guidelines will not answer every question exactly. You will have to think about how to apply them.