Principle Seven:
"What Does Honoring the Interdependent Web of All Existence Mean?"

Margo McKenna - Dec. 2, 2001

As we finish with our 7th principle today, we connect the strands of our previous 6 principles, and conclude our series.  This series has taken us from "honoring the worth and dignity of all human beings," our first principle, to this afternoon's sermon on the last principle: honoring the interdependent web of all existence.

In the 1800's there was a commitment by both Unitarians and Universalists to issues of social justice and the need to work for improvement of communities, as well as individuals.  Last week I shared the names of a few of our famous forebears who were committed to bringing equality to society, and who recognized that one hurting and hungry person hurts all humanity.  I would like to name several more this afternoon.  Unitarians, or Universalists, such as Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author, lecturer, and abolitionist, Louisa May Alcott, author of literature challenging gender and social norms of her day, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, working to broaden the narrow and literal interpretation of the law, Emily Greene Balch, Nobel Peace Laureate, and Arthur Altmeyer, called "the father of social security."

During these years, however, there was a shift in our focus, by both groups, toward Transcendentalist thought, accredited to Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller, and others.  This radically individualistic stand of belief influenced both Unitarians and Universalists into the 1960's.  During this period, which extended for over 100 years, many UUs moved into spiritual or philosophical introspection, self-exploration, and radical freedom. 

It was only by the late 1960's that UUism began to reconnect to its earliest roots by recognizing the need to honor not only the individual, but also the community.  Thus, the 7th principle, our most recent addition to the principles was the result of our awareness that UUs had become focused on the individual search for meaning and truth and meaning, that we had lost sight of our commitment to the larger community. 

During the 1980's we took a look at what we might need to remember in our spiritual and philosophical journeys.  That look resulted in a clear statement of responsibility, not only to other people, other societies, other religious communities, but even the environment.  This principle honors the earth, along with all faith traditions that worship the earth, the sky, and the universe.  This principle moved to include those among us who are pagan, neo-pagan, first American, aboriginal, mystical, earth-centered, ecological, and any other "earth honoring" system of belief.  It was our first public acknowledgement that we not only honor the journey of the intellectual, the scientist, the humanist, the atheist, and the skeptic, but also the journey of the mystic, the spiritualist, the theist, and all journeys between these divergent views of the world.

The 7th principle is an illustration of our ability as a religious movement to transform itself, to grow and change, as needed.  We do not adopt creeds, we do not consider our principles mandatory beliefs, we simply meet together as an association of congregations and vote on principles we believe we hold in common.  This principle represents another part of our common values, one we have grown into as we have come to realize that balance is needed in our spiritual and philosophical journeys.  We must not only honor the individual, and his or her mind, we must also honor the entire earth, and its soul.

It has been the recognition within science that every particle is in relation to another, it has been the recognition within economics that every world market and dollar is tied in with the other, it has been the recognition within sociology that every society arises from another and impacts another, it is the recognition of parents that their relationship with their children is tied in to their children's chances of being emotionally healthy as adults, and it is the recognition that my country's policies can either feed a child in Africa or cause them to starve to death, that has brought us to the commitment, as UUs, to put this principle into place.  We are no longer naïve enough to believe that what we do does not impact others.  We know that our individual search for truth and meaning occurs within the context of honoring the worth and dignity of those around us.  We are moving toward, I believe, an ever-greater maturity in relation to others, in relation to our world, and in relation to our religious community's responsibility in that world.

But, let me turn, for a moment, to what occurs when we forget that our universe is a place of interdependence, when we forget our world is a place of interdependence, and when we forget our congregation is a place of interdependence. We end up living with the results of ignoring this principle. 

We can start by taking a look at space, a place where we are clearly living with the results of ignoring interdependence.  We believed that space was limitless and empty, so we were thoughtless.  The result can be seen with the increasing number of incidences in space where shuttles, satellites, etc. are damaged by space debris.  Our habit, from the past, of abandoning material in space, and throwing garbage there, is now having an effect on our ability to maneuver and in the ability to keep space safe for those who travel there.

We can see the results of ignoring interdependence right here on earth.  This can be seen in the decimation of the rainforest and its impact on global climate change. Or the huge consumer appetite of several nations at the expense of the many nations who live with less consumerism. Or the nations that choose war and nationalism over peace and globalism.  Or the policies of our own nation, which gives arms to one country, withholds aid from another, and has even developed a term for unforeseen consequences of its policies, called "blow-back."

We can see the results of ignoring interdependence right here at Chalice.  We spent many years apart, as two separate congregations, not realizing that the things we hold in common are stronger than the things we hold which are different.  We struggled with independence, and we needed to do that, but we came to place where interdependence was the next step.  As this congregation merged almost two years ago, we became stronger.  We honored the need to function together, as a whole, rather than in two parts, or even many individual parts.  And we continue this struggle as individuals who choose to be in community with one another.  What we do individually impacts the whole community.  What the whole community chooses impacts each individual.  This is a huge responsibility, yet one we have come to believe cannot be ignored.  We are living in a universe, we are living in a world, we are living in a community, where all is interdependent.

Our common journey, both as humans and as Unitarian Universalists, has been toward an understanding that more than any other human need, perhaps even more than food and shelter, we human beings, who are born of other human beings, nurtured by and connected to them, need to touch one another.  We need to stay in contact and acknowledge our interdependence in order to live in a more meaningful way.

 Think about your own life, the times that you have deeply touched another person and what that has meant to you; the times of difficulty when you have allowed another person to touch you, to help you.  It is not with our righteousness, or our activism, or our ideas that we help solve the ills of the world, but with the power of our kindness and our capacity to be intimate with one another.  By seeing through the veils of our own stories, our own joys, and our own dramas, we come to know the stories, the joys, and the dramas of others.  This is our journey here at Chalice. 

Recognition of our place in the larger whole brings compassion, and compassion is that singular quality of heart that has the power to transform resentment into forgiveness, hatred into friendliness, anger into loving-kindness.  It is that most precious quality of our being that allows us to extend warmth, sensitivity, and openness to the world around us and to ourselves rather than being burdened by prejudice, hostility, and resentment.  The quality of compassion is far more profound than pity; it is a deep, heartfelt caring for the dignity, well being, and integrity of every single life in our world - from the smallest creature to the most powerful person.  We honor this inter- dependent existence of life when we live with this kind of compassion.

Living with the recognition that we are all interconnected, is not for cowards; this recognition is not a weakness but a great strength.  At times, our own pain and difficulty make it feel as if we do not have enough compassion to connect with ourselves, never mind others.  Yet life continues to present us with countless moments that call for us to find greater and greater depths of compassion.  The realization of our interdependence and the resulting compassion that is possible can come from unexpected sources; from the wind, a sunset, our pets, a kind word offered by a stranger, a job completed with a group of people, a hike, and time with a friend.  Or, we may lose our sense of interdependence with busyness, ambition, or pride, and then find it again when we stumble and touch the earth.  This sense of connection is really very simple, it just calls for us to live mindfully, aware, and ready to receive what life has to offer.  When it is pain that comes, be ready to accept love, support, and sympathy.  When it is abundance that comes, be ready to offer it back to the world.  We need to be willing to offer a kind touch to others, and we need to be open to the kind touch of others in return.  In this manner of living, with a sense of the larger whole, with the compassion that can be awakened by our sense of place within the larger whole, remarkable transformation occurs.

The story is told:  A priest asked Abba Matoes, "What shall I do?  My tongue causes me trouble and whenever I am among people, I cannot control it and I condemn them in all their good deeds and I contradict them.  What, therefore, shall I do?"  Abba Matoes replied, "If you cannot control yourself, go away from people and live alone.  For this is a weakness.  Those who live together with others ought not be square, but round, in order to turn toward all in the world."  Abba Matoes concluded by telling the astonished priest, "I live alone, not because of my virtue and wisdom, rather because of my weakness.  You see, those who live among people, those who will truly live in the world, are the strong ones."