Touchstones a monthly journal of Unitarian Universalism December 2018 Peace Wisdom Story An old Grandfather said to his grand- A Drop of Honey son, who came to him with anger at a adapted from a Thai folk tale friend who had done him an injustice, Once upon a time, a queen sat on her “Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, balcony eating rice have felt a great hate for those that have cakes and honey taken so much, with no sorrow for what with her chief ad- they do. But hate wears you down, and visor. As they ate, does not hurt your enemy. It is like tak- they gazed down While on tour in New Zealand in the ing poison and wishing your enemy at the busy street 1970s singer/songwriter Tom Paxton would die. I have struggled with these below. The queen wrote the lyrics to the song Peace Will feelings many times.” pointed to some- Come. He was in the back seat of a taxi- He continued, “It is as if there are thing in the distance. As she did, a drop cab in route to his hotel when the lyrics two wolves inside me. One is good and of honey from her rice cake landed on started to come to him. By the time he does no harm. He lives in harmony with the balcony railing. arrived at the hotel the lyrics were all around him, and does not take “My Queen, you have spilled a drop done. He rushed to his room and offense when no offense was intended. of honey,” observed the advisor. “Shall I worked on the tune. His muse was in He will only fight when it is right to do call a servant to come and clean it up?” overdrive because the tune came as so, and in the right way. But the other But the queen laughed, “A little drop quickly as the lyrics. The song begins, wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest of honey is not MY problem. Someone “Peace/ Peace will/ Peace will come.” thing will set him into a fit of temper. will clean it later.” While peace is not inevitable, Paxton’s He fights everyone, all the time, for no They went on eating and talking as lyrics suggest that peace is imminently reason. He cannot think because his the drop of honey warmed in the sun possible. His optimism was grounded anger and hate are so great. It is help- and began to slowly drip down the side in his own choice as he also wrote, “and less anger, for his anger will change of railing until it landed in the street be- let it begin with me.” nothing. Sometimes, it is hard to live low with a plop! There is a Cherokee legend that illus- with these two wolves inside me, for “Your Highness,” the advisor said, trates the way in which peace can begin. (Continued on page 6) “that drop of honey has now fallen into the street, where it is attracting flies. Peace & Letting Your Life Speak Shouldn’t we call a servant to come and Parker Palmer writes, “The soul is like a wild animal—tough, resilient, savvy, self- clean it up?” sufficient, and yet exceedingly shy. If we want to see a wild animal, the last thing But again the queen yawned lazily we should do is to go crashing through the woods, shouting for the creature to and replied, “A little drop of honey and a come out.” The question becomes, “How do you tame the soul?” A kind of taming few flies are not MY problem. Someone was the artistic vocation of 19th century artist Edward Hicks who was obsessed will deal with it later.” with the idea of a Peaceable Kingdom, that place where the lion would lay down Soon a lizard darted out from under- with the lamb. Human aggression is real. It has both saved us, and harmed us and neath the palace wall to catch the flies on others terribly. Our task is, as Thích Nhất Hạnh wrote, to “be peace.” This does not her tongue. Then a cat sprang from the happen by accident or by wishing for it to be so. It is the result of ongoing spiritual baker’s shop and began to bat the lizard practice. As Thích Nhất Hạnh said, it happens by making peace every step. back and forth like a toy. Just then a dog charged out from the butcher’s shop and Touchstones is committed to exploring liberal theology. This journal is supported by began to bite the cat on the neck. subscriptions from Unitarian Universalist congregations. For daily meditations, pho- tos, and more visit/like Touchstones at https://www.facebook.com/Touchpossibility/ (Continued on page 2) Let Your Life Speak It is Your Problem Creating Peace The Distant Shore

(Continued from page 1) Wisdom Story Seeking Peace Unity

Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland E.B. White “Your Highness,” the advisor im- There has been a historic focus on In the spring of 1960, E.B. White wrote plored, “now the flies have attracted a peace among Universalists and an essay entitled, Unity, in which he ex- lizard, which attracted a cat, which is Unitarians. The following are notable. plored peace and disarmament in the now being attacked by a dog. Shouldn’t In 1790, Universalists declared, context of the Cold War. He knew that we call someone to stop the fight?” “Although a defensive war may be con- peace was not just a matter of this or that But the Queen only stretched, and sidered lawful, yet we believe there is a treaty, but of a unity that the world has shook her head at her advisor, “Won’t time coming, when the light and uni- never known. Following are excerpts you relax. A silly animal fight is not MY versal love of the gospel shall put an from that essay. Maria Popova included problem. Someone will surely see to it.” end to all wars.” them in a piece that she wrote about In fact, the baker did see to it. She saw In response to the War of 1812, Uni- White and his essay. the dog attacking her cat and ran out tarian Minister Noah Worcester found- “Most people think of peace as a state with her rolling pin and began to hit the ed the Massachusetts Peace Society. of Nothing Bad Happening, or Nothing dog. And then the butcher heard his dog One of the organizing meetings was Much Happening. Yet if peace is to over- howling and ran out with his broom and held at the invitation of the Rev. take us and make us the gift of serenity began to hit the cat. Soon the butcher and William Ellery Channing in his study at and well-being, it will have to be the baker were hitting each other. Then the the Federal Street parsonage. state of Something Good Happening. neighboring shopkeepers began to take In 1816, Channing in his Sermon on What is this good thing? I think it is the sides, joining in the fight. Then some sol- War noted that “the principles of justice evolution of community, community diers came along, but some knew the receive a shock which many years of slowly and surely invested with the butcher and some knew the baker. So the peace are not able to repair.” robes of government by the consent of soldiers, too, took sides and the battle In 1846, Unitarian minister Adin the governed. grew. It grew and grew until a great Ballou published Christian Non- … battle waged in the streets. People were Resistance, which would influence Tol- “We cannot conceivably achieve a throwing rocks through windows and stoy and Gandhi. peaceful life merely by relaxing the ten- tipping over vendor carts. Someone Universalist minister Clarence sions of sovereign nations; there is an picked up a torch from the wall and Russell Skinner and Unitarian minister unending supply of them. We may gain hurled it through a window. Fire raged, John Haynes Holmes were reviled for a breather by relaxing a tension here and and eventually it spread to the palace. being pacifists. Of 15 Unitarian minis- there, but I think it a fallacy that a mere The next thing they knew, the queen ters who were pacifists during World easement, or diplomacy triumphant, can and her advisor were being escorted War I, only six were still serving their ever be the whole base for peace. You down a ladder from the balcony into the church when the War ended. could relax every last tension tonight and street below because the palace itself was During World War II, the American wake tomorrow morning with all the engulfed in flames. Unitarian Association supported con- makings of war, all the familiar promise Later that day when the fire had died scientious objectors. of trouble. out, the queen and her advisor surveyed Our 1961 principles called us, “To “Unfortunately, disarmament doesn’t the ruins of their land. Suddenly, the implement our vision of one world by have much to do with peace…. On this queen stopped in the street underneath striving for a world community found- naked earth, a nation that approaches where her balcony had been. She reached ed on ideals of brotherhood, justice and disarmament as though it were a human- down and touched something in a small peace….” The 1985 revision affirmed: itarian ideal is either suffering from delu- puddle on the ground. “It’s honey,” she “The goal of world community with sions or planning a deception. said, remembering. “I guess I should peace, liberty, and justice for all….” … have cleaned up that drop of honey in the In 1971, Beacon Press published The “Justice will find a home where there first place. Now, my whole kingdom has Pentagon Papers despite government is a synthesis of liberty and unity in a been ruined because of it.” opposition and censure. framework of government. And when That was the last day the queen ever In 2010, the General Assembly justice appears on any scene, on any lev- said, “It’s not my problem!” adopted the Statement of Conscience, el of society, …problems enjoy a sort of Creating Peace, which calls us to create automatic solution, because they enjoy Source: http://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/adults/ peace within ourselves, in our rela- the means of solution. Unity is no mi- harvest/workshop10/workshopplan/ rage. It is the distant shore. …” stories/142312.shtml tionships, our congregations, our so-

ciety, and our world. ...Source: https://www.brainpickings.org/? 2 s=peace Readings from the Common Bowl I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.” John Lennon Day 1: “It is my dialogue, education, knowledge; and Day 23: “A mind at peace, a mind cen- conviction that through humane ways.” Dalai Lama XIV tered and not focused on harming others, there is no way Day 14: “Instead of hating the people you is stronger than any physical force in the to peace— think are war-makers, hate the appetites universe.” Wayne Dyer peace is the and disorder in your own soul, which are way.” Day 24: “If you want to make peace with the causes of war. If you love peace, then Thích Nhất Hạnh your enemy, you have to work with your hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed— enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” Day 2: “Without inner peace, outer peace but hate these things in yourself, not in Nelson Mandela is impossible. Only by creating peace another.” Thomas Merton within our own mind and helping others Day 25: “The most valuable possession Day 15: “Ultimately, we have just one to do the same can we hope to achieve you can own is an open heart. The most moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace peace in this world.” Geshe Kelsang Gyatso powerful weapon you can be is an in ourselves, more and more peace, and to instrument of peace.” Carlos Santana Day 3: “You cannot find peace by avoid- reflect it toward others. And the more ing life.” Virginia Woolf peace there is in us, Day 26: “Forgiveness is not always easy. At Day 4: “Peace cannot be kept by force; it the more peace there times, it feels more pain- can only be achieved by understanding.” will also be in our ful than the wound we Albert Einstein troubled world.” Etty Hillesum suffered, to forgive the Day 5: “Until he extends the circle of his one that inflicted it. And Day 16: “Peace is a compassion to all living things, man will yet, there is no peace daily, a weekly, a not himself find peace.” Albert Schweitzer without forgiveness.”

monthly process, Marianne Williamson Day 6: “There is no ‘way to peace,’ there is gradually changing only ‘peace.’” opinions, slowly erod- Day 27: “Compassion is sometimes the fatal Day 7: “World peace must develop from ing old barriers, quiet- capacity for feeling what inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence ly building new struc- it is like to live inside of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifes- tures. And however somebody else’s skin. It tation of human compassion.” undramatic the pur- Dalai Lama XIV suit of peace, the pur- is the knowledge that there can never really be Day 8: “Peace is the only battle worth suit must go on.” John F. Kennedy any peace and joy for me waging.” Albert Camus until there is peace and Day 17: “War is only a cowardly escape Day 9: “Peace is not something you wish joy finally for you, too.” Frederick Buechner from the problems of peace.” for, it is something you make, something Thomas Mann Day 28: “I do not want the peace which you are, something you do, and something passeth understanding, I want the under- Day 18: “Establishing lasting peace is the you give away.” Robert Fulghum standing which bringeth peace.” work of education; all politics can do is Day 10: “Peace is preferable to war. But Helen Keller keep us out of war.” Maria Montessori it’s not an absolute value, and so we al- Day 29: “Peace is not merely a distant goal Day 19: “May you bring unconditional ways ask, “What kind of peace?” that we seek, but a means by which we Noam Chomsky love and infinite peace.” Alyson Noel arrive at that goal.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 20: “I like to believe that people in the Day 11: “We look forward to the time Day 30: “The pursuit of peace and pro- long run are going to do more to promote when the Power of Love will replace the gress cannot end in a few years in either peace than our governments. Indeed, I Love of Power. Then will our world know victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and think that people want peace so much that the blessings of peace.” progress, with its trials and its errors, its William Ewart Gladstone one of these days governments had better successes and its setbacks, can never be get out of the way and let them have it.” Day 12: “True peace is not merely the relaxed and never abandoned.” Dwight D. Eisenhower absence of war, it is the presence of Dag Hammarskjöld Day 21: “If we have no peace, it is because justice.” Jane Addams Day 31: “The more we sweat in peace the we have forgotten that we belong to each Day 13: “Peace does not mean an absence less we bleed in war.” Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit other.” Mother Teresa of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differ- Day 22: “Imagine all the people living life ences through peaceful means; through in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but 3 Prophetic Practice

Prophetic Non-Violence Rev. Paul Rasor ...My proposal for prophetic nonviolence links our deep commitment to nonviolence with our historical practice Creating Peace our individual choices and actions, but of prophetic critique…. from the UU Statement of Conscience also in the institutions and social struc- …Our critique must be... grounded in The Statement of Conscience adopted tures we create. Peace is the product of our ...values and historical practices. Uni- by the delegates at the 2010 GA was human choices that empower human tarian Universalist theological principles grounded in the following Unitarian agency and extend the possibilities for relevant to a response to war include: human freedom. 1. We affirm the basic unity of all exist- Universalist theological principles. ence. Beneath our individuality and our Rejection of moral dualism. We reject as The fundamental unity and interdepend- enormous diversity lies a profound rela- false the sharp separation of good and ence of all existence. The interdepend- tionality, an interdependent web…. This evil, refusing to assign individuals and ence we have long affirmed has become unity helps us envision a world in which nations into one category or the other. the daily reality of our globalized world. there is no Other to war against. Moral dualism can blind us to our own Our interdependence makes it both pos- 2. Love is one of the deepest theological and our nation’s capacity for evil and to sible and necessary that we see the peo- principles in our tradition. By affirming the inherent worth and dignity of those ples of the world as one community in the value of love, we commit ourselves to whom our nation labels as enemies. In which the security of each nation is en- creating relationships of compassion, the midst of ambiguity we can build twined with the security of all others. respect, mutuality, and forgiveness. … peace by cultivating the goodness in our- 3. We affirm that all persons have selves and others. inherent worth and dignity, including the Cooperative power. Power is created and right to a meaningful and fulfilling life. expressed in complex networks of human War obviously restricts the possibilities relationships. Power can be used to create for human fulfillment. or destroy, to liberate or oppress. Pre- 4. Freedom is grounded in the inherent venting war and creating nonviolent worth and dignity of every person. alternatives require the use of coopera- Because human beings are free moral tive power—power with, not power over. agents, any form of coercion or violence Cooperative power is grounded in a is an assault on our very humanity. … The transforming power of love. We commitment to mutual persuasion over 5. Justice is affirm the reality of love as a dynamic coercion. manifested relational power within and among us. Justice and peace. Justice concerns the in the right This power moves us to create relation- fair ordering of human relationships, ordering of ships of compassion, respect, mutuality including social and political relation- human and forgiveness; to love our neighbor; ships. War signals the breakdown of fair- relation- and to recognize everyone as our neigh- ly ordered human relations. Peace is an ships; war bor. We stand on the side of love when attribute of relationship; it is a process, represents we work for peace. the break- not a stagnant state. Peace emerges as our The inherent worth and dignity of all social and political institutions become down of rightly ordered relationships. persons. All human beings have the right more cooperative and more just. Lasting We have a religious obligation to create to a meaningful and fulfilling life, includ- peace rests on just relationships. just communities and social structures…. ing physical safety and economic and 6. Power can be exercised for good or Humility and open-mindedness. We social wellbeing. All have the responsibil- evil; it can create or destroy, liberate or affirm an open-mindedness that makes ity to work on the behalf of the dignity of oppress. …Power’s ambiguous nature us suspicious of all claims of finality, others. means that its use must be guided by our including our own. Humility allows us to core values such as love and justice. Human freedom. Most human beings are take strong stands while remaining open These principles …add power and free moral agents with the capacity to to the possibility that we are wrong or depth to our prophetic practice. make choices and are accountable for that future circumstances may call for a these choices. Human freedom may be different position. Source: http://www.uuworld.org/ideas/ used creatively or destructively. These Source: https://www.uua.org/action/statements/ articles/68490.shtml?p 4 possibilities are expressed not only in creating-peace Family Matters Making Peace

The Peaceable Kingdom Family Activity: Touchstones for Peacemaking Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland Peaceable Kingdom Rev. Samuel A. Trumbore I suggest six touchstones for personal The Christmas story with the friendly Edward Hicks painted over 100 pictures …peacemaking, a synthesis of …my inner beasts of the Peaceable Kingdom. The metaphor and outer exploration of this subject: surround- of Noah’s Ark suggests wild animals liv- 1. The most important first step is the ing the ing in peace. How would the animals be- decision to choose nonviolence as the baby have differently in that peaceable king- primary principle of how you will live in a stable dom than they do in the wild? How in the world. This isn’t a decision is often would human beings need to act differ- made once, but a commitment re- associated ently if we were to create a peaceable turned to and renewed again and with the kingdom? Invite your children to create a again. It is a faith commitment be- idea of a peaceable kingdom, which the drawing of their own peaceable kingdom cause the world …will urge you to Hebrew prophet Isaiah (8th century BCE) or a nativity scene with some interesting fear, hate, and strike out again and foretold when he wrote, “And the wolf animals. shall dwell with the lamb, /And the leop- again. … ard shall lie down with the kid; /And the Family Activity: Peace Cranes 2. To be a peacemaker, one must devel- calf and the young lion and the fatling There is an ancient Japanese legend op the capacity to be aware of the together; /And a little child shall lead that promises that if you fold 1,000 origa- urge to be violent and develop the them. /And the cow and the bear shall mi cranes you will be granted a wish by a capacity to restrain the impulse. This feed; /Their young ones shall lie down crane. In Japan, the crane is one of the exercise in self-awareness requires … together; /And the lion shall eat straw mystical or holy creatures that is said to us to accurately view our inner emo- like the ox.” Woody Allen pointed to the live for a thousand years, which is why tional landscape. … challenge of peaceful coexistence when 3. The most powerful antidote to the he said, “The lion and the lamb will lie urge to violence is the felt experience down together, but the lamb won’t get of compassion. Almost all of us can much sleep!” Quaker Edward Hicks, a expand our capacity to feel compas- 19th century artist, painted over 100 ver- sion for others and even to care for sions of the Peaceable Kingdom over a our enemies. …Access to compassion span of 35 years. is crucial for just actions. In his novel, A Revolution in the Sun, 4. Act from love and care not hate and English writer Tim Pears’ features a fami- fear. Almost always, it is better to do ly in Brixton, a neighborhood in south nothing at all than to do something London, decorating their apartment for harmful. … Christmas. The decorations included a 5. Respect your own limits and the home-made nativity scene. He writes, limits of others. …Setting and respect- 1,000 cranes are made, one for each year. “Rebecca made a stable out of a card- ing boundaries are a very important Buy some origami paper and fold some board box, and Ben peopled the nativity part of preventing violence in human peace cranes. They make wonderful gifts. scene with figures Rebecca found in relationships. There are many web sites with directions Woolworths. Animals were easy—a 6. Sometimes force is necessary. …Like including this one: http://origami.org.uk/ hippo stood in the the Samurai who will not strike in origamicrane byre (i.e., a stable), anger, wise use of force requires Older children might be interested in a giraffe kept watch enormous inner reserves of peace. reading the story of One Thousand Paper like a periscope Go in peace. Make peace. Be at peace. Cranes for Peace: The Story of Sadako Sasaki. through a hole in It is about a young girl that developed the roof, and the leukemia 10 years after the bomb was Source: https:// lion did lay down dropped on Hiroshima. She tried to make www.yumpu.com/ with the lamb in en/document/ 1,000 cranes to get her one wish, a cure. Brixton—humans view/38713575/ She almost reached 1,000 before she died. less so: three spice making-peace-with Another version of the story online is at http:// girls took the place of wise men, whilst -our-spirituality- gimundo.com/news/article/one-thousand-paper- rev-samuel-a- Wallace and Grommit [replaced Mary cranes-for-peace-the-story-of-sadako-sasaki/ trumbore and Joseph].” See the video https://www.youtube.com/watch? See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydNCj time_continue=4&v=tcsKcgEtlNc (4:40) -866_Q about Claymation. 5 Peace Will Come. Let it Begin with Us. Beginners Mind

(Continued from page 1) Intro to Theme spiritual regeneration coming from with- Resist Becoming a Person both of them try to dominate my spirit.” in—one spread by conviction, precept, of Right and Wrong The boy looked intently into his Grandfa- and example, an appeal to something Lin Jensen ther’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, deep within the human soul. I’m a peace activist, and ...I sit in Grandfather?” The Grandfather smiled The example of Asoka’s life is echoed some sort of ethical judgment that war and said quietly, “The one I feed.” in these words by Buddhist monk Thích is wrong. I have a need therefore to Now this is a wonderful story, but you Nhất Hạnhwho wrote, “We often think of understand how I can claim to know may ask, what does it have to do with peace as the absence of war, that if the the right or wrong of anything. reality? Consider, then, this story. King powerful countries would reduce their Judgments of right and wrong are a Asoka, the third monarch of the Mauryan weapons arsenals, we could have peace. nearly irresistible enticement to pick dynasty in India, began his reign by feed- But if we look deeply into the weapons, sides. And that’s exactly why the old ing the wolf of anger. we see our own minds—our prejudices, Zen masters warned against becoming After his father’s death in 269 BCE, he fears, and ignorance. Even if we transport “a person of right and wrong.” became the ruler of much of India’s sub- all the bombs to the moon, the roots of …As soon as I take a side on the war and the roots of the bombs are still right or wrong of anything, sides may here, in our hearts and minds, and sooner have already shifted and I find my or later we will make new bombs. To judgment in contradiction of itself. My work for peace is to uproot war from our- mind is always urging me to resolve selves and from the hearts of men and opposites…. But it never works well women…. Looking deeply together is the that way. main task of a [religious] community….” …Whatever else I might hope for, Creating the conditions for peace re- the only world I know is at once circles quires feeding the wolf of compassion and squares, violent and loving, with loving-kindness. When we do this, unpredictable in its contrary capacity both the end that we seek and the means for kindness and cruelty. …It is the that we use are grounded in peace. As Dharma of contradiction that shows us Thích Nhất Hạnh counsels, we must be how to keep peace with the world we peace in order to make peace. actually have. continent and was considered to be cruel Being peace is infinitely challenging, and ruthless. His empire extended from because the wolf of anger is never far Afghanistan to Bengal and covered the away and becomes more demanding Ganges plain and the Deccan plateau. In when we refuse to feed it. 262 BCE, he conquered the Kingdom of Being peace means that every step we Kalinga, which he would rule, but the take must be grounded in peace. victory brought sorrow rather than joy as Being peace means reflecting on our he reflected upon the carnage: 100,000 actions to notice and respond when we dead on the battlefield and another feed the wrong wolf. 150,000 people taken into captivity. That Being peace is a spiritual practice, a sorrow led him to convert to Buddhism daily discipline which can be infinitely and make it the religion of his empire. He challenging and as simple as breathing The person of right and wrong for stopped feeding the wolf of anger, choos- itself. whom right is always right and wrong ing instead to nurture the wolf of compas- Being peace requires, as John Lennon is always wrong lays waste to his [or sion. Asoka promoted the Buddhist pre- reminded us, the ability to imagine, and her] surroundings. What’s offered us cepts of compassion, loving-kindness, then doing the work to create a world that in the place of moral certainty is doubt empathetic joy, and equanimity through does not yet exist, but could if we would and love, which are ...so intertwined as edicts carved on stone pillars throughout cultivate peace like a river. to be nearly synonymous. Doubt wears his empire. Some have regarded them as Peace will come. Let it begin with us the hard edges off right and wrong, the first “peace poles.” The British histori- turning the soil where love sprouts like an H.G. Wells has written, “Amidst the spring flowers. …Truly, we can know tens of thousands of names of monarchs things most directly when we lay no that crowd the columns of history ... the claim to knowing anything at all. name of Asoka shines, and shines almost Source: https:// alone, a star.” He became a visionary who www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book- implemented moral reform by fostering reviews/excerpts/view/16675 6 Thoreau, Tolstoy, Gandhi, & ...Ballou No Thank You!

The Rest of the Story book, The Kingdom of God is within You. Prophetic Imagination Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland Gandhi was also transformed by Tol- Calen Rayne Henry David Thoreau stopped paying stoy’s book. It greatly influenced his There is a story of a man confronting his poll tax in 1843 to protest slavery. In thinking about non-violence. Of it, the Buddha…. “No one listens to you, July 1846, his friend, Sam Staples, who Gandhi later wrote, “Its reading cured do you think people care about what was the local tax collector, attempted to me of my skepticism and made me a you say, no one will remember anything cajole Thoreau into paying the tax. He firm believer in ahimsa [nonviolence].” you ever said.” The Buddha smiled and offered to reduce the tax and even The connection between Thoreau and said “No thank you.” “What do you offered to pay it for him. Thoreau Gandhi is well known. The connection mean, no thank you?” The Buddha re- refused and Staples had to arrest him. between Thoreau and Tolstoy is not. But plied, “You are offering me a gift I do Thoreau spent the night in jail, but was this is only part of the story. not wish to receive, so no thank you.” released the next day against his will The Rev. Adin Ballou (1803-1890), a because he saw his imprisonment as a Universalist minister, and later a Unitari- way to also protest the Mexican— an minister, was an important repre- American War. The experience (which he sentative of the Universalist social con- recounted in part in the chapter entitled science. As a social reformer, he was The Village in Walden) resulted in a lec- active in the temperance and abolitionist ture in 1846 titled, The Rights and Duties movements. He was of the Individual in relation to Government. also a proponent of It was then published as an essay in 1849 non-violent with the title Resistance to Civil Govern- resistance. ment. When it was republished in 1866 Thoreau was John Wesley invites us to, “Do all the after Thoreau’s death, it was called Civil aware of Ballou’s good you can, by all the means you can, Disobedience. ideas. In fact, he and in all they ways you can, in all the plac- The essay is considered to be one of his brother, John, es you can, to all the people you can, as the most influential political tracts ever debated Ballou at long as ever you can.” We must contin- written by an American. Its reach, the Concord Lyceum ually rejuvenate our spirits and seize the however, was much wider. In 1894, the in January 1841. The question under con- boundless opportunities presented to Russian author, social reformer, and sideration was, “Is it ever proper to offer each of us for healing our planet and Christian pacifist read an forcible resistance.” Thoreau and his manifesting a compassionate nature… . article on Thoreau written by John brother argued for forcible resistance, We were not created to be a reservoir Trevor. Tolstoy then ordered a copy of while Ballou defended non-violent that is always collecting, but rather a Civil Disobedience. He thought that the resistance. river that is always flowing; a reservoir work was so important that he arranged Ballou’s social ideals prompted him to becomes stagnant, especially if it has no for its translation into Russian in 1898 for start the utopian Hopedale Community source of fresh water, and nothing flows publication in the journal, Free Word. in 1841 in Milford, Massachusetts. In out to humanity…. There are some who In 1890, Henry Salt published a 1846, he published his book Christian would say it is too late, and I am too collection of Thoreau’s political essays, Non-Resistance in All Its Important Bear- tired, and I can’t make a difference.… including “Civil Disobedience.” Gandhi ings, illustrated and defended. Leo Tolstoy [As Henry Ford said,] “Whether you read it in 1906 while working as a lawyer was profoundly moved by Ballou’s book think you can or you can’t… you’re in South Africa where he was protesting and his ideas about non-violent re- right.” that government’s treatment of sistance and included many of those Our most important weapon against immigrant workers from India. He told ideas in his own book, The Kingdom of the enemies of peace and justice and American reporter Webb Miller, God is within You. Tolstoy wrote, “one compassion for everyone is our “[Thoreau’s] ideas influenced me greatly. would have thought Ballou’s work would imagination. When Gandhi marched to I adopted some of them and recom- have been well known, and the ideas the sea over the salt issue with the mended the study of Thoreau to all of expressed by him would have been either British, he called it “a social act of art.” my friends who were helping me in the accepted or refuted; but such has not been This is prophetic imagination. cause of Indian Independence. Why, I the case.” actually took the name of my movement The trajectory of Ballou’s influence, Source: http://www.uufnb.org/Sermons/ through Tolstoy and, thus, through Gan- Sermons%20Pre%202008/ from Thoreau’s essay.” SermonPeaceLikeARiver.htm Tolstoy’s ideas of non-violent dhi, would eventually shape the thinking resistance were included in his 1894 and actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. Now you know the rest of the story. 7

Small Group Discussion Guide Beginners Mind

Theme for Discussion striving harder and harder, and you don’t The Sixth Principal need to stress this planet by purchasing Rev. Sean Parker Dennison Peace more and more stuff. …What’s already The sixth Principle seems extravagant Preparation prior to Gathering: (Read this available in the here and now is plenty for in its hopefulness and improbable in its issue of Explorations and Living the Questions us to be nourished, to be happy. …We need prospects. Can we continue to say we in the next column.) a collective awakening. One Buddha is not want “world community?” “Peace, liberty, enough. All of us have to become Buddhas and justice for all?” The world is full of Business: Deal with any housekeeping in order for our planet to have a chance. genocide, abuse, terror, and war. What items (e.g., scheduling the next gathering). Fortunately, we have the power to wake up, have we gotten ourselves into? to touch enlightenment from moment to As naïve or impossible as the sixth Opening Words: “Without inner peace, moment, in our very own ordinary and, yes, Principle may seem, I’m not willing to outer peace is impossible. We all wish for busy lives. So let’s start right now. Peace is give up on it. In the face of our culture’s world peace, but world peace will never be your every breath.” Thích Nhất Hạnh achieved unless we first establish peace apathy and fear, I want to imagine and within our own minds. We can send so- Living the Questions help create a powerful vision of peace by called ‘peacekeeping forces’ into areas of Explore as many of theses questions as time peaceful means, liberty by liberatory conflict, but peace cannot be imposed from allows. Fully explore one question before means, justice by just means. I want us to the outside with guns. Only by creating moving to the next. believe—and to live as if we believe—that peace within our own mind and helping 1. When you were growing up, what were a world community with peace, liberty, others to do the same can we hope to the messages you received about the and justice for all is possible. There is no achieve peace in this world.” importance/value of peace? guarantee that we will succeed, but I can Geshe Kelsang Gyatso 2. How should we teach our children assure you that we will improve ourselves about peace? and improve the world by trying. Chalice Lighting (James Vila Blake, adapted) 3. What role do human physiology and (In unison) Love is the spirit of this church, and Source: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we- psychology play in the perpetuation of believe/principles/6th service is its law. This is our covenant: to dwell violence? together in peace, to seek the truth in love, to 4. What is the role of electronic media and serve human need, and to help one another. their content in cultural violence?

Check-In: How is it with your spirit? What 5. What are the hallmarks of peaceful cul- Attribution for Images tures? do you need to leave behind in order to be Page 1: A Drop of Honey, photo by Dino Giordano, fully present here and now? (2-3 sentences) 6. How can a commitment to peacemak- January 28, 2008, (CC BY 2.0), http://www.flickr.com/ photos/joliebean/2231021824/ ing in interpersonal relationships and Page 3: Round Melon Shape Bowl with Triangular Claim Time for Deeper Listening: This groups have an impact on peacemaking Pattern, by Wicker Paradise, August 25, 2013, (CC BY comes at the end of the gathering where you on a global scale? 2.0), https://www.flickr.com/photos/wicker- can be listened to uninterrupted for more 7. What does “being peace” mean to you? furniture/9592646138 time if needed. You are encouraged to claim Page 3: Peace Dove, photo by Jeff Attaway, October 16, The facilitator or group members are invited 2005, (CC BY 2.0), http://www.flickr.com/photos/ time ranging between 3-5 minutes, and to to propose additional questions that they attawayjl/3329620077/ honor the limit of the time that you claim. Page 4: Peace flag, photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on would like to explore. Unsplash

Read the Wisdom Story: Take turns reading Page 4: Peace can be found, photo by Jimmy Brown, Deeper Listening: If time was claimed by aloud parts of the wisdom story on page 1. November 4, 2011, (CC BY 2.0), http://www.flickr.com/ photos/jimmybrown/6319861680/ individuals, the group listens without inter- Page 5: As the Virgin Mary, by mrdorkesq, August 25, Readings from the Common Bowl: Group ruption to each person who claimed time. 2007, (CC BY-SA 2.0), https://www.flickr.com/ Members read selections from Readings photos/29158681@N00/1234540031 Checking-Out: One sentence about where from the Common Bowl (page 3). Leave a Page 5: Peaceable Kingdom, after Edward Hicks, you are now as a result of the time spent few moments of silence after each to invite photo by Mike Licht, November 23, 2010, (CC BY 2.0), together exploring the theme. http://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/5202820665/ reflection on the meaning of the words. Page 5: Holding-4, photo by Marie in NC, March 13, Extinguishing Chalice 2011, (CC BY 2.0), http://www.flickr.com/ Sitting In Silence: Sit in silence together, (Elizabeth Selle Jones) (In unison) We extin- photos/24732687@N00/5528081734/ allowing the Readings from the Common Bowl Page 5: Sunning samurai, by Dave Shafer, April 28, guish this flame but not the light of truth, the to resonate. Cultivate a sense of calm and 2009, (CC By 2.0), https://www.flickr.com/photos/opera- warmth of community, or the fire of commit- nut/3487249626 attention to the readings and the discussion ment. These we carry in our hearts until we are Page 6: Ashoka on chariot, by Photo Dharma from that follows (Living the Questions). Sadao, Thailand, August 19, 2017, (CC BY 2.0), https:// together again. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashoka%

Reading: “If you know how to be happy 27s_visit_to_the_Ramagrama_stupa_Sanchi_Stupa_1_So Closing Words with the wonders of life that are already uthern_gateway.jpg#file Rev. Philip R. Giles Page 6: Tree, photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash there for you to enjoy, you don’t need to (In unison) May the quality of our lives be Page 6: Wish for Peace, photo by Ben Wilkins on stress your mind and your body by Unsplash 8 our benediction and a blessing to all we touch.