Re: [UUPoly-L] HERESY AND POLYAMORY -- SERMON

["William Mohn" <wmohn@charter.net>]

I think that it should be noted that Servetus was not burned at the stake by
the Inquisition, but rather by the Protestant Calvinists in Geneva.  Some
years later Calvin said that they shouldn't have done it (probably), but, as
with all death sentences, it was not possible to undo the deed!

In the interest of fairness in reporting,

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Haslam [mailto:haslamk@gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 1:51 PM
To: uupoly-l@uupa.org
Subject: [UUPoly-L] HERESY AND POLYAMORY -- SERMON


Sorry for the length of the post.

Here is my sermon on Heresy and Polyamory.  Note that I did not spend a lot
of time on Polyamory and it seemed to be a smaller pill to swallow which
went down more easily.

IMHO sermons should just touch on polyamory to  introduce to concept of
consensual multipartnering as most of the congregants don't know anything
about it and it really pushes boundaries in the vertical world.  The sermon
should then be followed up in a month or so by a discussion group on
Polyamory with lots of time for questions and answers.  And I strongly
recommend asking for some written questions for those too embarrassed to ask
directly.

You are free to reproduce but please credit it (mistakes and all) to
me.   NO IT IS NOT COPYRIGHTED.

Note to those at UUPA and the UU Poly list.   If you think this is
worth putting up on the UUPA web site you have my permission to post.  I
will also send it along to the president and secretary of UUPA directly.

Ken Haslam

IT IS HARD BEING A HERETIC

A SERMON GIVEN TO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS OF THE CHESTER RIVER,
CHESTERTOWN, MD.   BY KENNETH R. HASLAM MD

20 MAY 2007

Start by quoting Aldous Huxley's famous aphorism: "All great truths began as
heresy."

   And Unitarian Universalists have a long history of seeking the
truth  as well being heretics.   Today's sermon is about heresy.

SHOW BLACK TEE SHIRT HERE PURCHASED AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

HERETIC (IN LARGE PRINT) FOLLOWED BY A BACKGROUND OF A COUPLE OF DOZEN
FAMOUS HERETICS..


The mission of UUCR

The mission of the UUCR is
to foster liberal religious
ideals through public
worship, study, service, and
fellowship; to provide a
public forum to address
religious, ethical, and moral
issues; to support
individual freedom of belief
and caring human
relationships; to become an
intentionally diverse
community; and to engage
in promoting a just and
humane social order.

(Ad lib a statement about having mission statements and not always paying
attention to them.)



ON OCTOBER 26, 1553 A BRILLIANT SCHOLAR DIED IN THE FLAMES. HE WAS
TRULY A RENAISSANCE MAN AT THE TIME OF THE RENAISSANCE.   HE DIED FOR
WHAT HE BELIEVED AND HIS LEGACY HAS LED TO YOU AND ME BEING IN THIS
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS FELLOWSHIP TODAY. THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION OF HIS
DEATH IS UNASHAMEDLY PLAGIARIZED AND ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ""OUT OF THE
FLAMES BY LAWRENCE AND NANCY GOLDSTONE PUBLISHED IN 2002 AND SHOULD BE
REQUIRED READING FOR ALL UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS.
	"HIS SHABBY APPEARANCE BELIED HIS STATUS AS ONE OF EUROPE"S LEADING
GEOGRAPHERS, PHYSICIANS, AND THEOLOGIANS AND HIS CRIME WAS PUBLISHING A BOOK
THAT REDEFINED CHRISTIANITY IN A MORE TOLERANT AND INCLUSIVE WAY

AT THE TIME OF THE INQUISITION TORTURE AND CRUELTY WERE NO STRANGERS TO
SIXTEENTH CENTURY JUSTICE.  THERE WAS A STRICT HIERARCHY OF PUNISHMENT, FROM
RELATIVELY PAINLESS TO THE GRUESOMELY AGONIZING DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF
THE CRIME.  BUT OF ALL THE PUNISHMENTS, THE VERY WORST WAS TO BE BURNED
ALIVE.  THE CONDEMNED WAS SUBJECTED TO PROLONGED, HORRIBLE AND UNENDURABLE
PAIN. AND THIS WAS RESERVED FOR THE MOST TERRIBLE OF ALL CRIMES  - HERESY.
	HERESY WAS ESPECIALLY LOATHED BECAUSE IT PUT NOT ONLY THE SOUL OF
THE HERETIC IN MORTAL JEOPARDY, BUT ALSO THOSE OF THE OTHERWISE INNOCENT
PEOPLE INFECTED BY THEIR TEACHINGS.   THE HERETICS TEACHINGS HAD TO BE
WIPED AWAY BY BURNING THE MAN AND  BURNING THE BOOKS.  BOOKS, BTW, WERE THE
INTERNET OF THE 16TH CENTURY.  KNOWLEDGE AND HERETICAL IDEAS COULD NOW BE
EASILY TRANSPORTED TO THE NEXT VILLAGE IN THE SADDLEBAG OF A HORSE.
	FOR THIS SOCIAL EVENT THAT WAS THE 16TH CENTURY EQUIVALENT OF NASCAR
RACES THE STAGE WAS A STAKE AND PYRE MADE OF FRESH, GREEN WOOD WITH
NEWLY CUT BRANCHES WITH THE LEAVES STILL ATTACHED.   THEY SAT THIS
INTELLIGENT BUT RECALCITRANT HERETIC DOWN ON A LOG AND CHAINED HIM TO A
POST.  HIS NECK WAS BOUND WITH A THICK ROPE AND ON HIS HEAD THEY PLACED A
CROWN MADE OF STRAW DOUSED IN SULPHUR.  CHAINED TO HIS SIDE WAS WHAT WAS
THOUGHT TO BE THE LAST AVAILABLE COPY OF HIS HERETICAL BOOK,  DE TRINITATIS
ERRORIBUS OR ON THE ERRORS OF THE TRINITY  -- HIS EXPLORATION OF WHY HE
THOUGHT THE HOLY TRINITY, A FABRICATION OF MEN, WAS JUST SO MUCH BS.  ALL
REMAINING COPIES OF THIS BOOK WERE THOUGHT, WRONGLY, TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED
AND SO ALL HIS HERETICAL IDEAS WERE TO BE BURNED ALONG WITH THE MAN.
	THE FIRE WAS LIT.  NOW GREEN WOOD DOES NOT BURN EASILY, IT BURNS
SLOWLY AND UNEVENLY AND SMOKES AND SPUTTERS.  HE WAS ROASTED SLOWLY,
AGONIZINGLY CONSCIOUS THE ENTIRE TIME WITH SULFUR DRIPPING INTO HIS
EYES FOR A FULL HALF HOUR.   HE WAS HEARD TO SAY "POOR ME WHO CANNOT
FINISH MY LIFE IN THIS FIRE",   "OH GOD, OH GOD" HE SCREAMED AND HIS
ASHES COMMINGLED WITH THOSE OF HIS HERETICAL BOOK-ON THE ERRORS OF THE
TRINITY.

AND SO DIED MICHAEL SERVETUS. HIS CRIME WAS HERESY.



SHOW TEE SHIRT PURCHASED AS GENERAL ASSEMBLY HERE
SERVETUS ON  FRONT,   "CELEBRATING 45O YEARS OF HERESY" ON THE BACK.

SHOW BOOK OUT OF THE FLAMES HERE
ON HERESY

	IT IS DAMNED HARD TO BE A HERETIC.  NOT A PLEASANT LIFE.  BUT
HERETICS SEEM TO BE DRIVEN BY A SPIRIT THAT, AS YOU HAVE JUST HEARD,
SOMETIMES CAUSES THEIR DEATHS.  THE STRENGTH OF BELIEF AND NEED TO PASS ON
WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THE TRUTH CAN BE A POWERFUL GOAD TO DEFY SOCIETY AND
CONFRONT THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES EXPERTS AND ALSO HAPPEN TO BE IN
CONTROL.

HERESY CAN ALSO GET YOU SHUNNED OR  BANISHED.


	LETS MOVE AWAY FROM BURNING GREEN WOOD PYRES AND TAKE AN
INTELLECTUAL LOOK AT HERESY.

SO WHAT IS HERESY?


IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM HERESY MEANS "CHOICE".

THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFINITIONS BUT ONE IS:  THE HOLDING OF AN UNORTHODOX
OPINION THAT IS IN CONFLICT WITH ESTABLISHED OR TRADITIONAL
THEORY.  WELL, GEE, WHAT IS ORTHODOX.   IT IS DEFINED AS "FOLLOWING
THE ESTABLISHED OR TRADITIONAL RULES OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, A PHILOSOPHY OR A
FAITH".

  THERE ARE SOME WHO SAY ORTHODOXY IS JUST "COMMON SENSE".   A FOR -
INSTANCE OF COMMON SENSE IS "THE STARS AND SUN MOVE ACROSS THE SKY AND
SO THE EARTH STANDS STILL AND THE HEAVENS MOVE".   IT JUST MAKES
PERFECT SENSE OR COMMON SENSE - ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IT LOOK.

AN ORTHODOX STATEMENT OFTEN BEGINS WITH  "WELL, EVERY BODY KNOWS.... BEWARE
SOMEONE WHO SAYS  "EVERYONE KNOWS".

ORTHODOXY IS RIGHT THINKING.   IT IS WHAT WE LEARN FROM OUR PARENTS,
AND FROM OUR TEACHERS, AND FROM FATHER TIMOTHY.   IT IS THE RIGHT WAY
OF DOING AND THINKING ABOUT THINGS.

AND BTW  ""WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY" IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ORTHODOX
THINKING.


	HERESY CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT ORTHODOXY.  AND THERE IS NO RIGHT
THINKING UNLESS THERE IS WRONG THINKING.   SO ORTHODOXY AND HERESY
MUST GO HAND IN HAND.  PROBABLY THE POPE AND MARTIN LUTHER THOUGHT OF
EACH OTHER AS HERETICS.   AND AS DID JOHN CALVIN WHO BURNED MICHAEL
SERVETUS

	WE ALL GROW UP BEING TAUGHT THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK AND THE RIGHT WAY
TO ACT.  AND FOR MANY THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT.   YOU JUST
ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING AND YOU THINK THE RIGHT THOUGHTS.  THINKING WITHIN
THE  BOX  -- IT IS NICE AND COMFORTABLE IN THAT BOX, AND WHEN FOLKS COME
ALONG AND ASK YOU TO BECOME UNCOMFORTABLE BY THINKING OUT OF THE BOX YOU
REBEL.  YOU CAN REBEL BY DENYING, DISCREDITING, REINTERPRETING OR JUST PLAIN
OLD FORGETTING THE NEW AND UNCOMFORTABLE THOUGHTS.

	THERE IS ALWAYS SOME HERETIC OUT THERE WHO THINKS DIFFERENTLY AND
THANK GOD FOR HERETICS, FOR WITHOUT HERETICS I BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE NO
PROGRESS IN THE WORLD.  THEY ARE THE IRRITANTS THAT KEEP PEOPLE ON THEIR
TOES AND THEY ARE THE GUYS AND GALS ORTHODOX THINKERS WISH WOULD
JUST GO AWAY.   THEY ARE THE TROUBLEMAKERS AND THOUGHT LEADERS AND THE
VISIONARIES.   THOSE PESKY HERETICS ARE THE CAUSES OF SOCIAL AND
SCIENTIFIC CHANGE.

THINK OF HERESIES AS DARWINIAN MUTATIONS.  HERESIES ARE THOUGHT MUTATIONS
AND THESE MUTATIONS INTRODUCE NEW IDEAS INTO SOCIETY. THEN NATURAL SELECTION
CAUSES THESE NEW IDEAS TO TAKE HOLD OR DIE OUT IF THEY JUST DON'T WORK.
WITHOUT MUTATIONS OF THOUGHT - HERESIES -- THERE IS NO EVOLUTION OF ANY
KIND.

	LETS TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW OF MY FAVORITE HERETICS AND SOME OF THEIR
IDEAS.

JUST 5 YEARS AFTER POOR MICHAEL SERVETUS PROVIDED AN AFTERNOONS
ENTERTAINMENT GIORDANO BRUNO WAS BORN.  HE CAME ALONG ABOUT THE TIME THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS HAVING REAL TROUBLE WITH THE LIKES OF MARTIN LUTHER AND
THE GROWING PROTESTANT MOVEMENT CALLED THE REFORMATION. BRUNO LIKED THE
IDEAS OF COPERNICUS  WHO THOUGHT THE EARTH REVOLVED AROUND THE SUN.  CAN YOU
IMAGINE ANYTHING AS CRAZY AT THAT?  BRUNO SUGGESTED THAT, CAN YOU IMAGINE,
EVERY STAR IN THE SKY WAS A DISTANT SUN AND EVEN MORE HERETICAL, WAS THAT
EACH STAR HAD ORBITING PLANETS. NOW I WILL ADMIT IT ONLY TOOK 450 YEARS TO
DISCOVER THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE STARS IN THE HEAVENS DO INDEED HAVE
ORBITING PLANETS, BUT YOU HAVE GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR BEING A THOUGHT
LEADER OF HIS DAY. WHAT REALLY IRRITATED THE ORTHODOX THINKERS WAS THAT HE
THOUGHT THE
UNIVERSE WAS INFINITE.   AND IF THE UNIVERSE WAS INFINITE, JUST
EXACTLY WHERE COULD GOD LIVE SINCE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY INSISTED THAT THE
CREATOR IS DISTINCT FROM HIS CREATION.  BRUNO THOUGHT THAT GOD DWELLS
EVERYWHERE AND THEREFORE COMMITTED THE HERESY OF PANTHEISM. AND TO MAKE
MATTERS WORSE HE THOUGHT SERVETUS WAS RIGHT - THE TRINITY
WAS AN ERROR IN THINKING.   THE INQUISITION HAD DESIGNS ON HIS BODY
AND CARDINAL BELLARMINO HAD HIM ROASTED IN 1600. AND BTW, CARDINAL
BELLARMINO WAS DECLARED A SAINT IN 1930.

GALILEO SAW MOONS GOING AROUND JUPITER AND DEMONSTRATED BEYOND DOUBT THAT WE
LIVE IN A HELIOCENTRIC UNIVERSE AND IT GOT HIM HOUSE ARREST
	
 	NOW SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF JESUS OF NAZARETH  --   AN OBSCURE
JEWISH HIPPIE LIBERAL HERETIC.
THE ORTHODOX THINKERS OF THE DAY TAUGHT THAT RIGID CONFORMITY WITH JEWISH
LAW WAS PARAMOUNT BUT JESUS DISAGREED.  HE TAUGHT INSTEAD THAT NOTHING WAS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE LOVE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. THE LAWS
SHOULD BE VIOLATED IF THEY INTERFERED WITH ONES ACTING LOVINGLY.  JESUS
CHALLENGED ORTHODOXY AND SO PROVIDED ANOTHER AFTERNOON OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR
THE LOCAL POPULACE.  THIS HERESY 2000 YEARS AGO LED TO A WORLD WIDE
RELIGION.

.

DIANNE TURPIN [A CONGREGANT] REMINDED ME OF THE FOLLOWING UU HERETIC
-- RALPH WALDO EMMERSON.
EMMERSON LIVED IN THE MID 1800S AND WAS AN ESSAYIST, PUBIC SPEAKER, SCHOOL
MASTER, AND UNITARIAN MINISTER.  EMERSON OUTRAGED THE CHRISTIAN UNITARIAN
COMMUNITY WITH HIS BELIEFS THAT WHILE JESUS WAS A GREAT MAN, HE WAS NOT GOD:
HE REJECTED THE HISTORICAL MIRACLES OF JESUS;  AND HE PREACHED THAT MORAL
INTUITION IS A BETTER GUIDE TO THE MORAL SENTIMENT
THAN RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.   AT THIS TIME SUCH STATEMENTS WERE UNHEARD
OF AND CERTAINLY NOT WELCOMED.  FOR THIS, HE WAS DENOUNCED AS AN ATHEIST, A
POISONER OF YOUNG MEN'S MINDS, AND A HERETIC.

FORTY YEARS LATER HIS POSITION HAD BECOME STANDARD UNITARIAN DOCTRINE.

"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and
leave a trail."
-	Ralph Waldo Emerson



EVEN OUR OWN REV. DAN HIGGINS IS IN MY OPINION, A BIT OF A HERETIC HAVING
RUN AFOUL OF CHRISTIAN CHURCH POLITICS AND CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES AND JUMPED
THE FENCE TO BECOME A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS MINISTER.

	NOT   ALL HERESY IS THEOLOGICAL AND BEING A PHYSICIAN I WILL BRIEFLY
MENTION A COUPLE OF MEDICAL HERETICS.
	THE FIRST IS IGNAZ SIMMELWEISS, AN OBSTETRICIAN IN VIENNA IN THE
MIDDLE 1800S.  HE THOUGHT THAT WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER DOING AUTOPSIES AND
BEFORE DOING PELVIC EXAMINATIONS OF MOTHERS WHO HAD JUST GIVEN BIRTH WAS A
GOOD IDEA.  THROUGH THIS SIMPLE ACT OF HANDWASHING HE MARKEDLY DECREASED
CHILDBED FEVER AND DEATH BUT THE ORTHODOX PHYSICIANS OF THE DAY REJECTED HIS
HERETICAL IDEAS ON HANDWASHING AND IT WAS A GENERATION BEFORE THE GERM
THEORY CAUGHT ON AND DOCTORS BEGAN TO WASH THEIR HANDS AND USE RUBBER
GLOVES. IGNAZ EVENTUALLY DIED IN AN INSANE ASYLUM. HOW MANY WOMEN DIED OF
PUREPERAL FEVER BECAUSE IGNAZ WAS A HERETIC AND HIS ADVANCED THINKING WAS
REJECTED BY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY?

	WHEN I WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL BACK IN THE DARK AGES OF THE 1950S THE
ORTHODOX THINKING OF THE DAY WAS THAT THE INSIDE OF THE STOMACH WAS STERILE.
EVERYONE KNEW THAT GERMS COULDN'T LIVE IN THE HIGH ACID ENVIRONMENT.
PERIOD. IN THE 1980S A COUPLE OF GUYS FROM AUSTRALIA, BARRY MARSHAL AND J.
ROBIN WARREN, DISCOVERED GERMS ACTUALLY DOING QUITE NICELY IN THAT ACID
ENVIRONMENT  AND WERE PROBABLY CAUSING
ULCERS.   AND, YOU KNOW WHAT, NOBODY BELIEVED THEM.  OF COURSE THEY
WERE RIGHT.  BTW THOSE TWO HERETICS WON THE NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE IN 2005.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT HERE THAT SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL CHANGE OFTEN SEEMS
TO TAKE A GENERATION OR TWO TO BE ADOPTED -20 TO 40 YEARS-SOMETIMES YOU JUST
HAVE TO WAIT FOR ALL OLD ORTHODOX THINKERS TO DIE OFF.

THERE IS A PRESENT DAY HERESY THAT IS, IN MY OPINION, JUST ON THE VERGE OF
GAINING WIDER SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY.  IT HAS BEEN AROUND IN ITS MODERN FORM
FOR SOME 20 TO 30 YEARS AND, WITH THE HELP OF THE INTERNET IS SPREADING
WORLDWIDE.

  THE SOCIAL CHANGE I AM TALKING ABOUT IS CALLED POLYAMORY.

THE WORD POLYAMORY IS NOW PART OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAVING BEEN ADDED TO
BOTH THE MERRIAM WEBSTER AND OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARIES IN 2006

THE OED DEFINES POLYAMORY AS:
POLYAMORY, N.

1)	THE FACT OF HAVING SIMULTANEOUS CLOSE EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH
TWO OR MORE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, VIEWED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO MONOGAMY, ESP. IN
REGARD TO MATTERS OF SEXUAL FIDELITY;
2)	THE CUSTOM OR PRACTICE OF ENGAGING IN MULTIPLE SEXUAL/EMOTIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND CONSENT OF ALL PARTNERS CONCERNED.



 IT WAS WITH GREAT TREPIDATION I GAVE ONE OF THE FIRST SERMONS TO ANY
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION  ON POLYAMORY IN OUR QUAKER MEETING
HOUSE SOME 6 YEARS AGO. THIS MOVEMENT HAS GROWN AND THERE IS NOW A 401C3
ORGANIZATION (TAX DEDUCTABLE RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION JUST LIKE
THIS FELLOWSHIP) ""UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS FOR POLYAMORY AWARENESS WITH
SEVREAL LOCAL CHAPTERS,  OVER A HUNDRED DUES PAID MEMBERS AND SEVERAL,
ALBEIT CLOSETED, UU POLYAMOROUS CLERGY.

THIS HERETICAL MOVEMENT IS NOW, THANKS TO THE INTERNET, WORLDWIDE IN MOST OF
THE WESTERN NATIONS AS WELL AS ONE OR TWO MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES.

SO WHAT IS THE ORTHODOXY/HERESY THING HERE?

   ORTHODOX THINKING IS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO MARRY OUR CHILDHOOD
SWEETHEARTS, HAVE BABIES, AND LIVE HAPPILY MONOGAMOUSLY TILL DEATH DO
US PART 60 YEARS LATER.    THE REALITY IS THAT WE DON'T. THE REALITY
IS SOME MARRY, DIVORCE, CHEAT, CHANGE PARTNERS, PRACTICE ADULTERY, SERIAL
MONOGAMY, AND ON AND ON. ORTHODOX THINKING SAYS WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE ONLY
ONE. YET WE KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE PRACTICE MULTIPLE PARTNERING.  MULTIPLE
PARTNERING IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM THAT WE JUST WON'T RECOGNIZE
OR TALK ABOUT.  IN POLITE SOCIETY THERE IS A CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE ABOUT
MULTIPARTNERING.

AS I LIKE TO SAY:   LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT PEOPLE DO.



THE HERESY HERE IS THAT, IN CONTRAST TO ORTHODOX THINKING, POLYAMORISTS
RECOGNIZE, EMBRACE, AND ACCEPT OUR TRUE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND TRY TO
INCORPORATE THIS BEHAVIOR INTO THEIR LIVES IN A VERY OPEN AND HONEST WAY.
AUTHENTICY, HONESTY AND COMMUNICATION IN SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE MAIN
PRINIPLES OF POLY THOUGHT. POLYAMORISTS BELIEVE THAT LIVES LIVED WITHOUT
DECEIPT AND WITHOUT REPRESSION OF THOUGHTS ARE MORE HEALTHY AND IN THE LONG
RUN LEAD TO STRONGER AND HAPPIER RELATIONSHIPS AND AUTHENTIC LIVES.

POLY FOLKS ARE STRONG BELIEVERS THAT EACH OF US SHOULD CHOOSE OUR OWN PATH
IN FORMING OUR FAMILIES, FORMING RELATIONSHIPS, AND BEING AUTHENTIC IN OUR
SEXUALITY.  AND YES, POLYAMORISTS BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN LOVE MORE THAN ONE.

TRADITIONAL MONOGAMY IS WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED.   IT IS ALL THAT WE
KNOW.  THE HERESY OF POLYAMORY REQUIRES A LOT OF THINKING OUT OF THE BOX.
IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE ARE MANY PATHWAYS TO BUILDING LOVING RELATIONSHIPS.

I PREDICT THAT THIS MODERN HERESY WILL BE MUCH BETTER UNDERSTOOD AND
ACCEPTED IN ANOTHER GENERATION.  WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR ALL THE OLD TIME
ORTHODOX THINKERS TO DIE.

[SHOW TEE SHIRT PURCHASED AT UU GA:

FRONT:  "UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST DIVERSITY"   "NOT ALWAYS EASY, NOT
ALWAYS OBVIOUS;  BUT ALWAYS WORTH THE EFFORT."

BACK:   "SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE BOTH UU AND POLYAMOROUS"..

.

I WILL FINISH UP WITH A SHORT LOOK AT UNITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND HOW THEY
RELATE TO HERESY.


THE INHERENT WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON  --  HERETICS ARE PERSONS.
ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THEIR THINKING, USE THE HERETIC AS LEARNING
EXPERIENCE.  ASK THEM TO EXPLAIN THEIR HERESY. AS A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
HERETIC, YOU DO HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO HEAR OUT THE HERETIC AND MAKE A FULL
FAITH ATTEMPT AT UNDERSTANDING. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

A FREE AND RESPONSIBLE SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND MEANING  --  NEVER FORGET THAT
ONE OF OUR PRINCIPLES REQUIRES US TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SEEK THE TRUTH.  AND
THIS REQUIRES THAT WE LEARN OF INDIVIDUAL (AND HERETICAL) TRUTHS AS WELL AS
THE ORTHODOXY OR SOCIALLY ACCEPTIBLE TRUTHS.

WHEN DEALING WITH HERETICS, ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO HAVE A DIALOGUE THAT LEADS TO
UNDERSTANDING AND NOT A DEBATE THAT TENDS TO POLARIZE.


I'LL CLOSE WITH A QUOTATION FROM SCHOPENHAUER

ALL TRUTH PASSES THROUGH THREE STAGES.
FIRST, IT IS RIDICULED.
SECOND, IT IS VIOLENTLY OPPOSED.
THIRD, IT IS ACCEPTED AS BEING SELF-EVIDENT.

IT TAKES A HERETIC TO START THE PROCESS GOING.


	
Kenneth R. Haslam MD
20 May 2007