Another Ministry (or two) Falls to Raycism - Part 1

The Unitarian Universalist Association has been creating a narrative about raycism and the ministry. Like all narratives (stories, works of fiction, etc.) there has to be a basis in truth in order for people to relate. However, a narrative is a work of fiction.

When one is aware of a narrative in play, one is wise to look at who is telling the particular story and then ask oneself why they are telling this story. It seldom has to do with the truth and usually with manipulation through feelings. What are the feelings they are narrating? How does this benefit the story-teller? Does it benefit others? Or, is that just the tale we're told? In other words, what's the narrator's agenda?

The current narrative is that if any person of color in the ministry has troubles in their ministry, it is due exclusively to white institutional raycism and nothing else. I'm using the spelling "raycism" because of it's casual weaponized overuse the word racism has lost its meaning. It's used so casually, and raised at the most trivial of imagined or made up slights, that it literally means nothing. Truth is the word raycism is so completely overused in a hair-trigger manner that the bludgeon it was meant to be is now experienced as a pea-shooter. There's nothing behind it, because no thought went into it.

In fact, there is a simple disarming response to being casually called raycist, sexist, or other ists. Simply reply, "Yeah, sure, whatever." and then go about your business as if nothing more than a gnat got in your face. You've treated the comment with as much respect and care that it deserves. Try it and see.

Turns out we have a perfect example of raycism in the ministry playing out before us. The UU World published this on March 29, 2018 [HERE]:

And then the Washington Post published this on April 17, 2018 [HERE]

What indeed?

In reading this article, and then following up with church and denominational publications, a story becomes clear, but it's not the story of institutional raycism, but rather a story of demonstrated incompetence in the ministry, institutional failure at both the church level and the denominational level and is the story of an antagonist in the church that both everyone and no one is talking about.

Buckle up. This is going to be one HELL of a ride.

[Continued...HERE]

Your Old Pal,
Devilhead