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Unitarian Universalist Principles & Global AIDS: Questions for Discussion

Human Nature:

What do the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism (UU) teach us about the nature of humanity?

What are some ideas of the relationship between the human and divine?

What do the principles teach us about the way we should treat others?

What do they teach us about the way we should treat ourselves?

In what areas of society and in which current events do you see UU values and beliefs reflected? Where do you see our values are not reflected?

How do we try to reflect the values we hold? How do we succeed or fail?

What is the relationship between perception of the "Other," the "Holy" the "Beloved Community" and global AIDS?

Responsibilities to Others:

What principles of relationships do our UU values teach? How do these principles relate to our tradition's definition of human nature? To your own definition of human nature?

What groups do we recognize as historically marginalized? Why do you think these groups are specified?

How do our principles guide our treatment of marginalized people?

What is the relationship between marginalization and perceptions of human nature?

Who today is marginalized, especially in regards to global AIDS?

Have you ever seen someone treated in a way that contradicts the principles of Unitarian Universalism? What did you do? How did you feel?

Have you ever been treated/treated someone in a manner contrary to UU values? How did it make you feel?

Responsibilities to Society:

As religious Unitarian Universalists, what responsibilities do we have to be involved and active in a global civil society?

How do our principles, and especially our belief in the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all inform and influence our view and support of global AIDS initiatives?

How does our religious history as UUs inform our actions in the present-day struggle to stop the spread of AIDS and treat those already infected?

What is the best way to represent our values and beliefs in our communities and U.S. society? What should we say? How should we act? Do you feel that as UUs we should be demanding more action on the part of our government—i.e. more funding, a strategic plan to stop AIDS?

How are other issues integral to explaining the extent of the AIDS epidemic, including racism, poverty, the disparity between rich and poor countries, civil conflict, the status of women, homophobia? How can we begin to tie these issues together to form a complete picture of the problem?

Think of AIDS as a person. What does he or she look like? What color skin, gender, age, nationality, sexual orientation, class is he or she? Does your picture fit the reality of global AIDS? The reality of AIDS in the U.S.? How do we invalidate the stigma surrounding AIDS here and abroad as a religious community? What do we as UUs have to offer to the conversation?

What does it mean to build a global community? What actions can we take as individuals? As a religious community? As a nation? What actions can our government take? How do we advocate for global AIDS initiatives without taking away from domestic programs

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Last updated on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

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