Some interesting discussion on Reddit regarding David Cycleback... https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1d33k7q/david_cyclebacks_attacks_megathread/?rdt=52474

Some interesting discussion on Reddit regarding David Cycleback... https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1d33k7q/david_cyclebacks_attacks_megathread/?rdt=52474

I am fully aware of what the NAUA is and why Dr Ecklof started it. I fully support the UUA and believe UUSE should continue to belong to the UUA.

Please note that this publication is from the NAUA, the alternative organization started by Dr Ted Ecklof in opposition to the current direction of the UUA. He considers the UUA to be a cult with misguided leadership, which I disagree with completely.

I think the UUA will do just fine.

Just a reminder that the NAUA is an organization that was started in opposition to the current direction and leadership of the UUA. Its founder, Dr Ecklof, continues to denounce UUism under the UUA as being a cult, with indoctrinated ministers, and need for "saner leadership". I will continue to support the UUA and will have nothing to do with this alternative organization.

FYI, the NAUA was recently founded in opposition to the UUA during the UUA's move towards an increased emphasis on social justice and the rewrite of Article II. The founder of the NAUA, Dr Rev Todd Eckloff, preaches extensively about the UUA having turned Unitarian Universalism into a "cult" and indoctrinating UUA ministers. He goes on to say “The UUA has become a religion of social justice, which is very empty and shallow, because it does lack roots”. These same sentiments can be found repeatedly in the NAUA website, their monthly magazine, etc. I disagree with Eckloff's view of the UUA and I'm leary of his new organization.

Thank you to the committee for the work you're doing. I don't have an official role on a committee that warrants my official response about the changes, but I would like to say that the ever evolving side-by-side comparison is confusing and much too hard to follow. It includes some color coding (?) and all the "UUA changes or language" (some are yellow, the last one is not), and the far right columns with the old point/counterpoint comments, etc. Maybe this version is just for committee folks to review, but the congregation will need something much clearer if they are expected to understand the proposed changes. Again, thank you for all you're doing. I would be glad to discuss my concerns further in person or by phone if you wish.

You are equating Ekloff to abolitionists and those that he has offended to slave owners. I don't find that analogy even remotely accurate. Again, I have no problem with people having contrary opinions, but how they express those opinions is also important. My initial comment above was intended to provide some much needed transparency about the founding of the NAUA and why it came about, and in my opinion, I did that appropriately. If you disagree, that's fine.

Hi Ann, I would be glad to clarify my chosen terminology. I used the term "hurtful" appropriately to describe what the impact of Ecklof's own choice of terminology is to me and to others. I am not commenting on his intent. I don't profess to understand his intent. I fully support him and everyone else to have opposing viewpoints and to express them, but when he says things like the UUism has become a "cult", and UU ministers have been "indocrinated", and the the UUA has "become something so unrecognizable, and so nebulous, and so meaningless that it will not continue unless they decide to connect to their roots and get some saner people leading it", I find that hurtful. (By the way, per the Oxford dictionary, "hurtful" is defined as "causing distress to someone's feelings").

The link above will now take you to a recorded version of the UU West Hartford Service where Dr. Sofia Betancourt spoke. To hear her sermon, go to 1:02 of the recording. We, and the UUA, are blessed with her leadership and her vision.

The NAUA was founded in opposition to the UUA during the UUA's move towards an increased emphasis on social justice and the rewrite of Article II. One of the founders of the NAUA, Dr Rev Todd Eckloff, preaches extensively about the UUA having turned Unitarian Universalism into a "cult" and indocrinating UUA ministers. These same sentiments can be found repeatedly in the NAUA website, their monthly magazine, etc. All of this is quite hurtful to many in the UUA, UUA ministers, and congregants at UUSE. I'm shocked the UUSE Denominational Affairs Committee is actively promoting this organization at UUSE, especially during this time of discernment about our relationship to the UUA. And the lack of transparency about what the NAUA is and why it was created is worrisome at best.

During this critical period of discernment at UUSE, why is an alternate denomination like the NAUA being promoted on our website, an organization recently founded in opposition to the UUA and the Article II rewrite? This doesn't seem like an appropriate thing to do at this time, possibly ever.

I find the NAUA's repeated accusations about UUA ministers being "indoctrinated" to be hurtful, insulting, and inappropriate. Their roots in opposition to the UUA is quite obvious. I'm not sure why this stuff is being posted at UUSE as we are trying to go through an organized and respectful discernment process.

I've known about the NAUA for some time, and I was reading through some of the newsletters that you have linked on this forum. I think we all understand why the NAUA came about and who it appeals to. While I think the idea of this forum is a good thing, I'm concerned about timing. I don't want this to become something that conflicts with our planned Discernment Process, so I'm going to hold off on further comments for now.

The NAUA is a new organization for those strongly opposed to the UUA and who sympathize with Dr. Rev. Eklof. I love the UUA and all its doing for us, and I'm not a fan of Dr Rev Eklof.

Thank you to all of those of you who stepped up to handle this important assignment. Its very important to our congregation.