The Living Community: Core Principles

[_John Larsen]

The Living Community, like all communities is centered around shared values. These values are what define “us” and make us united in purpose. The follow are proposed as the Core Principles of the community. These principles should help everyone understand our intent and purpose and what makes us different from other religious organizations or social clubs.

These principles will form the core of our charter, which we will sign as our foundational document at our first services on June 26th, 2011 in Salt Lake City (location TBD). We invite all to attend.

We welcome all to participate in the community who honor these values and are willing to support the principles. We also affirm the right of each person to their own beliefs. Participation in the community in any capacity does not require conversion to our community beliefs, but one must agree to honor and abide these principles in our auspice.

We invite all comments and suggestion.

The Principles
6/9/11 Published for Open comment

1. We have faith in the power, creativity and ability of human beings to work together democratically for the common good.
2. We acknowledge that reason, empirical evidence and the scientific method are the most effective tools for discovering knowledge, ethics and moral behavior. We embrace all truth and commit to updating any conclusions as better information becomes available.
3. We hold that living a good life requires neither fear of punishment nor promise of reward.
4. We believe in the inherent equality of all human beings.
5. We believe in compassion and charity and our responsibility to assist one another.
6. We value love, kindness, honesty, creativity, authenticity, integrity, tolerance, respect, gratitude, patience, optimism, and forgiveness.
7. We commit to investing in the future of the planet and humanity on a timescale longer than our own.

www.thelivingcommunity.org

[_Simon Belmont]

The Living Community, like all communities is centered around shared values. These values are what define “us” and make us united in purpose. The follow are proposed as the Core Principles of the community. These principles should help everyone understand our intent and purpose and what makes us different from other religious organizations or social clubs.

These principles will form the core of our charter, which we will sign as our foundational document at our first services on June 26th, 2011 in Salt Lake City (location TBD). We invite all to attend.

We welcome all to participate in the community who honor these values and are willing to support the principles. We also affirm the right of each person to their own beliefs. Participation in the community in any capacity does not require conversion to our community beliefs, but one must agree to honor and abide these principles in our auspice.

We invite all comments and suggestion.

The Principles
6/9/11 Published for Open comment

1. We have faith in the power, creativity and ability of human beings to work together democratically for the common good.
2. We acknowledge that reason, empirical evidence and the scientific method are the most effective tools for discovering knowledge, ethics and moral behavior. We embrace all truth and commit to updating any conclusions as better information becomes available.
3. We hold that living a good life requires neither fear of punishment nor promise of reward.
4. We believe in the inherent equality of all human beings.
5. We believe in compassion and charity and our responsibility to assist one another.
6. We value love, kindness, honesty, creativity, authenticity, integrity, tolerance, respect, gratitude, patience, optimism, and forgiveness.
7. We commit to investing in the future of the planet and humanity on a timescale longer than our own.

http://www.thelivingcommunity.org

OK, but, you do realize that this has already been done, right?

Also, I'm assuming Mormons aren't allowed?

[_Buffalo]

The Living Community, like all communities is centered around shared values. These values are what define “us” and make us united in purpose. The follow are proposed as the Core Principles of the community. These principles should help everyone understand our intent and purpose and what makes us different from other religious organizations or social clubs.

These principles will form the core of our charter, which we will sign as our foundational document at our first services on June 26th, 2011 in Salt Lake City (location TBD). We invite all to attend.

We welcome all to participate in the community who honor these values and are willing to support the principles. We also affirm the right of each person to their own beliefs. Participation in the community in any capacity does not require conversion to our community beliefs, but one must agree to honor and abide these principles in our auspice.

We invite all comments and suggestion.

The Principles
6/9/11 Published for Open comment

1. We have faith in the power, creativity and ability of human beings to work together democratically for the common good.
2. We acknowledge that reason, empirical evidence and the scientific method are the most effective tools for discovering knowledge, ethics and moral behavior. We embrace all truth and commit to updating any conclusions as better information becomes available.
3. We hold that living a good life requires neither fear of punishment nor promise of reward.
4. We believe in the inherent equality of all human beings.
5. We believe in compassion and charity and our responsibility to assist one another.
6. We value love, kindness, honesty, creativity, authenticity, integrity, tolerance, respect, gratitude, patience, optimism, and forgiveness.
7. We commit to investing in the future of the planet and humanity on a timescale longer than our own.

http://www.thelivingcommunity.org

OK, but, you do realize that this has already been done, right?

Also, I'm assuming Mormons aren't allowed?

Why would you assume Mormons aren't allowed?

[Guest]

The Principles
6/9/11 Published for Open comment

1. We have faith in the power, creativity and ability of human beings to work together democratically for the common good.
2. We acknowledge that reason, empirical evidence and the scientific method are the most effective tools for discovering knowledge, ethics and moral behavior. We embrace all truth and commit to updating any conclusions as better information becomes available.
3. We hold that living a good life requires neither fear of punishment nor promise of reward.
4. We believe in the inherent equality of all human beings.
5. We believe in compassion and charity and our responsibility to assist one another.
6. We value love, kindness, honesty, creativity, authenticity, integrity, tolerance, respect, gratitude, patience, optimism, and forgiveness.
7. We commit to investing in the future of the planet and humanity on a timescale longer than our own.

http://www.thelivingcommunity.org

Interesting. Your principles are very similar to the Unitarian Universalist Principles...

Unitarian Universalists Articles of Faith:

1. We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop a personal theology, and to openly present their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal.
2. We believe in tolerance of religious ideas. The religions of every age and culture have something to teach those who listen.
3. We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, a document, or an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual.
4. We believe in the search for truth. With an open mind and heart, there is no end to the fruitful and exciting revelations that the human spirit can find.
5. We believe in the unity of experience. There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge; religion and the world; the sacred and the secular.
6. We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice; no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life.
7. We believe in the ethical application of religion. Inner grace and faith finds completion in social and community involvement.
8. We believe in the force of love, that the governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which seeks to help and heal, never to hurt or destroy.
9. We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism, so that people might govern themselves.
10. We believe in the importance of a religious community. Peers confirm and validate experience, and provide a critical platform, as well as a network of mutual support.

There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Unitarian Universalism (UU) draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

These principles and sources of faith are the backbone of our religious community.

Daniel2

[_Daniel2]

After browsing your website even more, John, you may want to check out the UU congregations in the area. It basically sounds like that your goals are the same that they promote:

http://www.slcuu.org/

http://www.svuus.org/

Daniel2

[_John Larsen]

After browsing your website even more, John, you may want to check out the UU congregations in the area. It basically sounds like that your goals are the same that they promote:

http://www.slcuu.org/

http://www.svuus.org/

Daniel2

Why are you proselyting so hard for the Unitarians?

In fact, I was a Unitarian for about 5 years. We have some fundamental disagreements with the Unitarians. Namely:

1. We reject a profession clergy. They do not.
2. We reject religious tradition and are non-theist. As you pointed out above the UU site one of their sources as "Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves". We also reject "prophets" or any other kind of metaphysical sage. They do not.
3. They are pluralistic. We reject all religion as anything other than tradition. They embrace all relgions all all religious thought: "We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop a personal theology, and to openly present their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. ".

Anyway, I could go on, but you should get the idea.

[_John Larsen]

OK, but, you do realize that this has already been done, right?

Also, I'm assuming Mormons aren't allowed?

Why would you assume Mormons aren't allowed?

All are welcome, but they must leave their religion at the door.

[_John Larsen]

The Living Community, like all communities is centered around shared values. These values are what define “us” and make us united in purpose. The follow are proposed as the Core Principles of the community. These principles should help everyone understand our intent and purpose and what makes us different from other religious organizations or social clubs.

These principles will form the core of our charter, which we will sign as our foundational document at our first services on June 26th, 2011 in Salt Lake City (location TBD). We invite all to attend.

We welcome all to participate in the community who honor these values and are willing to support the principles. We also affirm the right of each person to their own beliefs. Participation in the community in any capacity does not require conversion to our community beliefs, but one must agree to honor and abide these principles in our auspice.

We invite all comments and suggestion.

The Principles
6/9/11 Published for Open comment

1. We have faith in the power, creativity and ability of human beings to work together democratically for the common good.
2. We acknowledge that reason, empirical evidence and the scientific method are the most effective tools for discovering knowledge, ethics and moral behavior. We embrace all truth and commit to updating any conclusions as better information becomes available.
3. We hold that living a good life requires neither fear of punishment nor promise of reward.
4. We believe in the inherent equality of all human beings.
5. We believe in compassion and charity and our responsibility to assist one another.
6. We value love, kindness, honesty, creativity, authenticity, integrity, tolerance, respect, gratitude, patience, optimism, and forgiveness.
7. We commit to investing in the future of the planet and humanity on a timescale longer than our own.

http://www.thelivingcommunity.org

OK, but, you do realize that this has already been done, right?

Also, I'm assuming Mormons aren't allowed?

I have actually been to a few Humanist organizations in my day to. Humanists seem to be devoted to the propagation of their ideals--in other words they tend to focus on skepticism over religion. We are about a community. We are about youth programs, weddings and funerals--if that helps you understand the difference.

But yes, there are many, many who share our views. But we are about the community.

[_moksha]

A COVENANT FOR CIVILITY: Come Let Us Reason Together

How good and pleasant it is when the people of God live together in unity.—Psalm 133:1

As Christian pastors and leaders with diverse theological and political beliefs, we have come together to make this covenant with each other, and to commend it to the church, faith-based organizations, and individuals, so that together we can contribute to a more civil national discourse. The church in the United States can offer a message of hope and reconciliation to a nation that is deeply divided by political and cultural differences. Too often, however, we have reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ. We come together to urge those who claim the name of Christ to “ put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

1) We commit that our dialogue with each other will reflect the spirit of the Scriptures, where our posture toward each other is to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).

2) We believe that each of us, and our fellow human beings, are created in the image of God. The respect we owe to God should be reflected in the honor and respect we show to each other in our common humanity, particularly in how we speak to each other. “With the tongue we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God …. this ought not to be so” (James 3:9, 10).

3) We pledge that when we disagree, we will do so respectfully, without falsely impugning the other’s motives, attacking the other’s character, or questioning the other’s faith, and recognizing in humility that in our limited, human opinions, “we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror” (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will therefore “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

4) We will ever be mindful of the language we use in expressing our disagreements, being neither arrogant nor boastful in our beliefs: “Before destruction one’s heart is haughty, but humility goes before honor” (Proverbs 18:12).

5) We recognize that we cannot function together as citizens of the same community, whether local or national, unless we are mindful of how we treat each other in pursuit of the common good in the common life we share together. Each of us must therefore “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25).

6) We commit to pray for our political leaders—those with whom we may agree, as well as those with whom we may disagree. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made … for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

7) We believe that it is more difficult to hate others, even our adversaries and our enemies, when we are praying for them. We commit to pray for each other, those with whom we agree and those with whom we may disagree, so that together we may strive to be faithful witnesses to our Lord, who prayed “ that they may be one” (John 17:22).

We pledge to God and to each other that we will lead by example in a country where civil discourse seems to have broken down. We will work to model a better way in how we treat each other in our many faith communities, even across religious and political lines. We will strive to create in our congregations safe and sacred spaces for common prayer and community discussion as we come together to seek God’s will for our nation and our world.

http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=action.display&item=100308-civility-covenant

[_Simon Belmont]

Edit: Didn't realize you'd already replied.