June 2003

Another View 

by Denny Lauer

We Unitarian Universalists are known for our open-mindedness, or at least we think we are open-minded. But in our quest, we have to watch out not to be so open-minded that our brains fall out, or that we mix up being open-minded with accepting ideas because we like the presenter. We sometimes forget that although we UU’s are a smart bunch (just ask us), we offend others who attend the Church Up the Street, with comments about this being the church where you don’t leave your brain at the door. We UU’s sometimes take ourselves a bit too seriously.

 

We, well maybe just Denny Lauer, mention the great UU’s as an indicator of our collective intelligence and openness: Emerson, Jefferson, Nightingale and Newton. But all is not what it seems. Example. Sir Isaac Newton is considered the most influential theorist in the history of science and he was a Unitarian. How nice for us. Newton was also a meanspirited and vindictive man who destroyed many contemporaries he thought were against him. One of his more famous quotes is, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” But Newton did not mean it as we now use it, a tribute to those who set the foundations of the work we are continuing.

 

Newton had written a paper on optics. Hooke, the chair of the premier scientific frat club of the 17th century, the Royal Society, took umbrage and stated Newton should give him credit for working on the principles presented. Newton wrote a letter of apology in which he used his “shoulders of Giants.” Seemed all was right, except Hooke was a short, stooped man and there were jokes about the midget who lead the Society. Newton was insulting Hooke, not giving him credit. Being Vertically Challenged myself, I decided to become an anti-Newtonian and rethink my reliance on gravity. But I guess I just have to open my mind and accept that even nasty old white men can be right and make contributions. I guess being open-minded means we need to evaluate the issue, not the presenter, and maybe those at the Church Up the Street have some good points we should listen to.

 

Positive comments, email Denny Lauer at kdlauer@cox.net. Negative comments, email Karen Lauer at .kdlauer@cox.net.