 The Religious Naturalism website religiousnaturalism.org has just been beautifully updated. Its subtitle clearly sets out what religious naturalism essentially is: "a worldview grounded in the sciences, humanities, and arts." Ursula Goodenough, president of the Religious Naturalist Association, further explains her testimony:
"I profess my Faith. For me, the existence of all this complexity and awareness and intent and beauty, and my ability to apprehend it, serves as the ultimate meaning and the ultimate value. The continuation of life reaches around, grabs its own tail, and forms a sacred circle that requires no further justification, no Creator, no super-ordinate meaning of meaning, no purpose other than that the continuation continue until the sun collapses or the final meteor collides. I confess a credo of continuation. And in so doing, I confess as well a credo of human continuation." "If religious emotions can be elicited by natural reality—and I believe that they can—then the story of Nature has the potential to serve as the cosmos for the global ethos that we need to articulate." The front page of the website also provides a straight-forward answer to the often-asked question: why bother with "religion"/"religious" at all? Why "Religious" Naturalism? "Religious," as it is used here, is not based on belief in a deity or involvement with an organized religion. It refers to personal attitudes, values, and ways of living that reflect a deep reverence for life, a sense of awe at the wonder of nature, and a desire to act in ways that reflect this.
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 photo by Alex on 13 Dec 2016 Recently the global banking giant Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has put up two replicas of their pair of mascot lions in rainbow colors outside their headquarters in Hong Kong to celebrate the coming holidays in Winter.
The pair of lions are the creation of a local artist made for the bank in a move to express it's corporate citizenship in the 21st century, in a modern and diverse society, where people, regardless of their ethnicity, beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity are to be treated with respect and fairness. Apparently the colorful big cats have drawn the ire of some anti-LGBT groups who claimed that the display of the artwork, at the bank's own property, "offended the customers and shareholders." Unitarian Universalists Hong Kong (UUHK) thought that it is great to have a bank which has its roots in Hong Kong to express their support of diversity, inclusion, compassion and be good to one another, which are the core values of this holiday season. UUHK found the idea of the artwork being "offensive" absurd and supports HSBC's genuine initiative to express tolerance, inclusion and diversity. Regardless of your faith, or the lack of it, we should commend HSBC's action and disapprove that of those anti-LGBT groups. 尋道會聲明：支持匯豐彩虹獅 最近，國際大型銀行香港上海匯豐銀行（匯豐）在香港總部以外放置了兩頭彩虹色彩的吉祥物獅子複製品，以慶祝即將到來的冬季節日。 這對獅子是一個本地藝術家的創作，為銀行在廿一世紀表達它的企業公民身份，確認在一個多元化的現代社會，人們無論種族、信仰、性傾向或性別認同，都應得到尊重和公平對待。 顯然，兩頭色彩繽紛的大貓惹怒了一些反同團體。它們批評銀行在自己的物業上所展示的藝術品「冒犯客戶和股東」。 尋道會欣賞一間植根香港的國際銀行表達支持多元、包容、同情和善良等核心價值。 尋道會認為批評藝術品是「冒犯」的講法荒謬，並支持匯豐對寬容、包容和多元的倡議。 不論信仰（或無信仰），我們都應該讚揚匯豐的行動，而譴責那些反同團體的行為。   The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), shares this pastoral message:
The horrific terrorist attacks in France fill all good people with the deepest sadness. May we all rededicate ourselves to waging peace based on compassion and respect. Hatred must not triumph. I share the following prayer written by the Rev. Eric Cherry, director of the UUA’s International Office: Holy One, our hearts are torn, broken, and battered. Even across an ocean from the City of Light; Such pain, such violence, such suffering. The trauma is immense, nearly unspeakable. We know that we are called to feel the pain of humanity, to hear the cry of the soul, the innocent soul. So we shall. May it help us turn to love in spite of hate. May it help us turn to trust in spite of fear. May it help us turn to each other, people of all faiths and none, in spite of intolerance. May it help us turn to our neighbors in need. May it help us turn our care to the vulnerable near us. May it help us turn our spirits to the grieving, the injured, and the traumatized. May it help us turn to the recovery, And to our work of becoming a world of justice and compassion. Turn us. Guide our feet and hands. Bring us to peace. Amen  Rev Silas Wong at ICUU Conference 2014, New York by Rev Silas Wong, Treasurer, UUHK
This is the article I shared with the Blessed Minority Christian Fellowship (BMCF) lately. The content relates to my trip to the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) Conference in New York (as delegate for UUHK) and the history of Unitarian Universalism. Sorry, only in Chinese language. 基恩家書（二O一四年二月） 黃國堯 紐約的天氣雪冷時晴，冬日之美景盡現。剛巧舊曆新年來至，我就如遊子般書寫今次家書，以慰藉在遠方的親友。這次來美參加尋道會的國際會議（ICUU ), 遇到不少友善同志的牧者及信徒領袖，也遇上了同志的弟兄牧友，實在喜出望外。UU (Unitarian Universalist) 起源於特蘭西瓦尼亞（Transylvania），現為羅馬尼亞的一部份，卻為昔日匈牙利的領土。由於十六世紀宗教改革，他們卻因自成一派（不接受三位一體，祗信獨一的上帝）地不受天主教甚至抗羅宗（Protestant), 亦即改革派的基督徒的接納而被迫逼。然時至今日，全世界各地都有UU的成立。我在離開傳統教會服事後，便遇到在港成立尋道會的前宣道會弟兄，於是便與他們結緣。他們的存在對我而言便是如LGBT信徒受排斥和傷害，甚至被判為異端，重則被火燒死，輕則打入冷宮。然他們視同志及跨性人士卻情同手足，令我動容。若果要我說三位一體重要抑或獨一真神重要，後者無疑才是信仰的重心，不過透過主耶穌貫通新舊約的時代和聖靈的入住及更新。我想三位一體這教義充滿著奧秘，連神學家也不易理解，我們卻去對不接受者大反特反，如對耶和華見證會及猶太教等的討伐，這是否有點矯枉過正？！ 然而，我想更重要的，除以認識獨一真神外，對人類尊嚴和差異者的尊重豈不更為重要嗎？！我想大部份所謂正統的教牧信徒對同志及跨性社群都誤解重重，更常恃勢凌人，凌辱傷害同志信徒不計其數。他們所傳講的所謂愛心是與真實的情況背道而馳，我們難道能視而不見，還要跪地求饒嗎？！因此，為免我們也陷入律法主義的漫漫長夜，我們不得不起來對抗。當然，對抗同時也可以對話，但如在戰爭之中也可進行談判，關鍵便在雙方的誠意。例如現在本港正進行性傾向歧視的立法討論，結果便視乎大家有多少體會和珍視對方，若果各持己見的話，那麼兩敗俱傷便在所難免；故此豁免條例才在考慮之例。 在這馬年新春中，唯願我們自己不自相殘害，也不為反抗傳統教會而彼此動刀兵。我們是君子，不是暴民，不是講佔中要玉石俱焚。我們乃是講道理和道德，但不是祗有你講沒人講的那種自以為是的作風。在此祝大家馬年靈命一馬當先，性傾向立法馬到功成！  A tragic ferry accident in Hong Kong killed more than 30! CNN's report here. It was supposed to be a happy day. It was the 63rd anniversary of the People's Republic of China, a public holiday. It was an "open day" of the Hong Kong Electric, one of the two major local power suppliers. The electric company arranged a family day for her staff. More than one hundred and twenty staff and family, many being children, had visited the power facilities on Lamma Island. After dinner, the ferry was carrying them back to Victoria Harbor to watch the firework show there. Just 5 minutes after departure, however, the ferry was hit at one side of her tail by another public ferry. She sank within 2 minutes, with her tail hitting the sea bed vertically. All passengers fell into water. Many were rescued swiftly but still more than 30 were registered dead! UUHK mourns with the whole city.
十一國慶撞船慘劇，超過三十人死亡，全港哀悼！  Kate Braestrup by Alex
Starting 3 September, we are very pleased to have the interfaith minister Peter Lloyd to lead a series of monthly UU worships for us. The theme of the first one is Forgiveness. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks Peter for putting together this fantastic worship service. Only after the worship did I find out that, incidentally, the theme of the September issue of Quest is forgiveness! Quest is a monthly publication of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, a "church" serving isolated UUs worldwide. The format of Quest is two sermons followed by other content. Needless to say, both sermons are on forgiveness. What struck me most, however, is a short story told by Kate Braestrup. Kate's two children were badly burnt in an explosion caused by the gasoline Kate's cousin George, an adult, used to ignite a pile of backyard brush. Those few simple yet astounding words from one of her burnt child Zach to George, who was blaming himself, fully illustrates the divine quality of forgiveness: "It's all right, George. We love you." Kate's final remark is so true: "If you are living in love, you are in heaven no matter where you are. May heaven hold you. May you always, always, live in love." This story and the two sermons in this issue of Quest beautifully complete our worship service. Read Quest September 2011 here 跨宗教牧師 Peter Lloyd 開始為尋道會帶領一系列 UU 崇拜。第一次崇拜的主題是「寬恕」。我十分有得著；感謝 Peter。無獨有偶，Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) 出版的月刊 Quest 九月份的主題也是「寬恕」。CLF 專為世界各地沒有教會可去的 UU 個人及家庭而設。它的月刊都有兩篇很好的講道。今次最令我感受深刻的反而是 Kate Braestrup 牧師鈙述的事件。她的表親喬治，大人，用汽油點燃後院樹枝堆時，發生爆炸，燒傷她的兩名孩子。當喬治非常自責的時候，她兒子的一句話最令人明白寬恕的神聖，他以燒傷了的手搭在喬治的肩上，安慰說：「沒事的。我們都愛您！」 讓我們記取 Braestrup 牧師的一番話：只要你心中有愛，無論身處何方，你就是在天國裡。願你常活在愛中，願天國擁抱你。 East Africa, especially Somalia, is in a devastating famine. This is the world's worst food security crisis in the last 20 years. Lives, especially children, are loss every second right now. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has just launched a UUSC Somalia and East Africa Relief Fund. Please help. Details here.
東非，尤其索馬里，正經歷一場慘絕人寰的饑荒。這是世界二十年來最嚴重的一次地區糧食危機。每秒都有人，尤其兒童，餓死。UU服務委員會已成立「UU服務委員會索馬里及東非賑災基金」。請出一分力吧！詳情請看此（英語）。  Progressive Christian Fellowship (PCF) gathering May 21: "church-state relations in HK" by radio host "Fast Beat" (Cantonese). Video recording can be found in "Videos" section of our website.
進思基督徒團契五月廿一日之聚會請來《宗教右派》作者之一「快必」生鬼大談香港政教關係，得罪人多，稱呼人少，嚇得我們也快快在內容撮要之下加句卸責聲明：「講者個人意見」。內容撮要如下，重溫錄影可到本網「短片」區，不看走寶自誤！ 上半場：國家神學維護國家極權主義 香港的「全球禱告日」承傳自南非。快必以南非八五年批判種族隔離政策的基督教《契機文件》（Kairos Document）切入，剖析香港的政教關係。文件批評，國家神學協助維持國家極權主義現狀。這仍然適用於當今香港教會。例子包括：播道會港褔堂吳宗文引用羅馬書十三章叫人順服掌權者。馬時亨與「全球禱告日」強調法律與秩序（law & order），保護建制秩序，無視法律與秩序也可以不公義。《時代論壇》李錦洪鼓吹中立討論國民教育，便容許了政權以洗腦教育壓迫人民。明光社蔡志森對民主存戒心，認為性小眾打著民主旗號爭取權益。相對地，基督徒民主教室（秘書處性文化學會（關啟文））更支持民主，但這亦意味教室須容忍性文化學會打壓性小眾（這是性政治）。 下半場：折衷式政教分離站在統治者一邊 上年「五區公投」時，播道會港褔堂吳宗文叫人「投白票」打壓，快必於是在港褔堂外搞了個露天崇拜，更寫公開信問播道會吳宗文有否違反會章中之政教分離原則。播道會陳黔開等與快必對話，說吳宗文講的是道德問題，趕不禮貌出議會。這樣，教會以為堅持保守道德，無形中與建制合作。第二件事。回歸基督精神同盟去了兩次「全球禱告日」。第二次和平靜默參與也被暴力驅趕，保安施行暴力時還不斷喊著「耶穌愛你」。事後快必與主辦單位全城更新對話，對方只重申法律與秩序（law & order），快必則指出法律與秩序也可以不公義地保護政權。從以上兩件事顯示，香港政教關係是一種折衷式的政教分離，以道德秩序為名，維護建制政權，拒絕負起信徒責任批評政府之不義。教會應自問，在替人民充權，或在支持統治者把人民去權。 （內容屬講者個人意見，並不代表尋道會或進思基督徒團契之立場） 伸延閱讀： 肥醫生：全球禱告日與信仰皮質盲 http://doctorfat.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/1656/ 《基督教正在培育文革時代紅衞兵：拳頭祈禱日》 http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1007173 林忌：吳宗文是賣主的猶大 http://plastichk.blogspot.com/2010/04/blog-post_09.html 張國棟：香港教會會因為政治立場而分裂嗎？ http://www.brilliantforum.org/?p=545 回歸基督精神同盟 http://backtochrist.xanga.com 青台 http://www.hkgreenradio.org  Extremely sad! On March 11, a terrible magnitude 9 earthquake, followed by a devastating 10-m high tsunami, mercilessly destroyed most of North-Eastern coast of Japan. Over ten thousand were killed. Many more have lost their families, homes, and all they have. Those in relief camps are facing shortage of electricity, food, water, and shivering in sub-zero temperatures; some of the victims actually died in the camps! The deadly nuclear disaster in the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant continues to unfold. Radioactive contaminants were detected in vegetables, milk, other foods, and even in the tap water of Tokyo. The catastrophes are still going on, countless Japanese are still suffering. Japan, our hearts are with you, we support you!
The Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee have jointly set up a UUA/UUSC Japan Relief Fund, click here for details and to donate. Thank you! Our Progressive Christian Fellowship (PCF) reads the book "Religious Right" 「進思基督徒團契」討論《宗教右派》19/2/2011 by Rev Silas Wong 黃國堯牧師
Progressive Christian Fellowship (PCF) 進思基督徒團契 http://www.hkflash.com/diary/read.asp?id=silaswong&aid=18800101 今午，我到了旺角香港基督徒學會會址出席了進思基督徒團契舉行的《宗教右派》一書的討論會。這是近期該團契每月一次聚會研讀的書藉。今次請了其中一位作者秦晞輝來分享，他寫的一篇為「宗教霸權關注行動」，內中提及他在二ＯＯ九年在臉書發起遊行，由恩福堂走至明光社，並引起當時社會關注宗教右派的所為。秦現為中大政治與行政學系二年級學生，中小學時都在基督教學校讀書，故對基督教中的權威和順服教導不以為然。另外，團契也請了尋道會人文組召集人虞瑋倩（貓姐）作主持，她曾是浸信會多年會友，後來毅然離教，並成為反對基督教霸權的先鋒之一。 在是次分享中，大家都把焦點放在基督教叫信徒順服執政掌權的文化，因為權柄是出於神，因此信徒便理所當然地順從。問題是沒有公義和傷害人的宗教及政府權柄，信徒仍要愚忠地順從嗎？就如希德拉殺害無數猶太人及侵略歐洲各國也要接受嗎？所以，要有獨立思考，而不服膺權威，並且要忍受強大的壓力，這才能作個真正敢言的信徒呀！很多教內的人都為著得到政府的利益或地產商的好處而不敢出聲批評，這種埋沒良知的情況比比皆是。 秦晞輝在文章中講說：宗教右派之所以有巨大的影響力，並不是一兩個人的文章，而是因為教會日夜無間的佈道感召。這話一語道破教會洗腦式的訓示，叫信徒失去了敏銳性，就連教會在社會上應有的公義也不顧了。秦在改正教會這般狀況不表樂觀，但世事無絕對，就如今天非洲和中東地區多國的政治變化，也始料不及。 |
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