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You Gotta Believe

Many years ago I was a regular member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Durham. Now I am a very irregular member. Actually, I am not really an official member at all. But I do attend the Men’s Group there every other Thursday night and I identify with the values of many past and present Unitarians.

About twenty years ago the Fellowship had a practice of inviting individual members to deliver short statements during the Sunday morning services. The purpose of this practice was to give individuals an opportunity to tell the congregation what they truly believed. I always thought this was a great idea. Since Unitarians are not restricted by dogma every individual can believe whatever he or she chooses. So how could any of us know what our fellow travelers really believe about life, death, God, or no god, etc. if we didn’t ask and didn’t tell? 

In the early 90’s I was recruited to deliver my “credo” as they called it. I actually appreciated being asked because I thought the exercise might be interesting. Over the years I had sat through quite a few credo presentations of other people. In a way they were all interesting. Yet, I thought they usually represented missed opportunities. Most people just read biographical statements about growing up as a Catholic (or whatever), giving up their original religion and discovering a more comfortable experience as a Unitarian. After they spoke I still did not know what they really believed about anything important.

So when it was my turn I prepared a list of sentences that all started with the words “I believe.” I think I wrote about sixteen statements of belief back then. Sadly, I did not keep a copy. I do remember a few of the statements. The list below includes the statements I remember and a few updates for 2015.
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I believe that stating what I believe in public is harder than I expected.

I believe in the power of paradox. That means I believe that two seemingly opposite experiences of reality can co-exist at the same time. Sometimes these opposing experiences can even support each other. The Tao is a great representation of this idea. I believe my marriage is another.

I believe that everything vibrates. This is really more than a belief. I believe it is a fact. I wonder if the expansion and contraction of the Universe is a really big example.

I believe in the force that keeps my heart beating (vibrating) even though I am not paying attention to it. I believe that the same force keeps my brain waves oscillating and my thoughts flowing.  

 I believe that I usually experience reality on only one narrow, egocentric channel. I have occasionally stumbled onto another channel that seems to have much more band width.

I believe we all have more in common than we realize - a lot more.

I believe there is something important - maybe even spiritual - about the ability to witness ourselves acting in the world.

I believe I frequently forget what I believe and I appreciate being reminded.

I believe that it is valuable to test out what I really believe within the context of a group. This also allows me to learn what others really believe. I suspect that is why so many of us keep coming back here every week.

I believe that when I die my mind, body, and everything else that I identify as Michael will be dead. I also believe that nothing in the universe can ever be completely destroyed, thus we are all (much like the IRS) just frequently changing forms.

I believe I frequently forget what I believe and I appreciate being reminded.

I believe we are fortunate if we have the curiosity and courage to ask and share with others the question, “What do I really believe?”

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