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the Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists

In the Tradition of  Classical Liberalism

This year, the Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists (CFUU) adopted a new slogan "In the Tradition of Classical Liberalism." In an era when the term "liberal" has become so misused, some explanation seems in order.

"lib-er-al-ism ... a: ... a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity b: a theory in economics emphasizing freedom from restraint and usu[ally] based on free competition c: a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of man, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties" Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary

Throughout the last three centuries and outside of the United States today, the above definition defines both a liberal, and the classical liberal tradition. Only in the U.S. does the term "liberal" mean someone who supports big government, restraints on or elimination of free enterprise, and an essential skepticism regarding the goodness of the human individual and the existence of human progress.

Until recently, Unitarianism and Universalism were religions grounded in the tradition of classical liberalism.

The Triumph of Reason

A key aspect of our faith (and major tenet of classical liberalism) is this: when science and reason disprove a tenet of theology or philosophy, then the views of science and reason should predominate. We cannot comprehend those who wish to deny evolution for creationism, or oppose modern medical treatment for religious reasons. Yet, many UU's make the same mistake, even as they scoff at others.

Marxism and Creationism: An Example

Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) was neither an economist or a historian, but a doctor of philosophy. While making philosophical contributions to both economics and history, his work lacked the strong mathematical and analytical underpinning characteristic of sciences such as economics.

In spite of this, there are Unitarian Universalists today who cannot accept that many of Marx’s economic philosophies have been disproved by the science of economics. Like creationists, they cling to the philosophy in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. Whether it be a hard core Marxist agenda, or the more common soft-core versions of Marx's agenda that is so prevelant in so called Liberal circles today, many UU's continue to promote the Marxist ideologies in spite of the overwhelming evidence that they are not just failures, but spectacular ones.

The Role of the Conservative

Political writer David Horowitz wrote that to "be a conservative within a revolutionary tradition simply means to conserve the paradigm peculiar to that revolution." He further states that both the political left and right in the U.S. are conservative in nature: the left is conserving the paradigm of the French revolution, and the right is conserving the paradigm of the American revolution.

The Conservative Forum is an effort to conserve the paradigm of the Unitarian and Universalist revolutions: the belief in the triumph of reason, the essential goodness of humanity, and the continual (if erratic) progress of humanity. This leads us to question when our movement rejects science and embraces instead a philosophy, when our movement is skeptical of human goodness or attempts to impede human progress.

Yet, in the tradition of Unitarian and Universalist social reform, we do not believe that efforts at reforming an institution represent an attack on that institution. Rather, we see Unitarian Universalists that remain in the movement while trying to change its direction are engaged in the ultimate act of tough love. This, too, is in the tradition of classical liberalism.

About the Conservative Forum

The Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists (CFUU) is an independent affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association. It was founded in 1986 to ensure that there is a place within our association where multiple points of view regarding issues of politics, economics and social issues can be expressed.

Underlying the work of the CFUU is the conviction that Unitarian Universalism is a unique approach to religion, one that can potentially appeal and is relevant to people of all races, creeds, professions, education and political points of view. Anything that unnecessarily walls off our congregations from people who could benefit from our religious approach, such as our obsession with things political, diminishes our mission as a religion.

The CFUU wants to tear down those walls, open up our religious association to all people who can benefit from it and contribute to it. In pursuit of this goal, the CFUU sponsors presentations at General Assembly, publishes a journal, SIGMA, twice a year, operates a website (CFUU.ORG) and engages in the debate on issues such as Statements of Conscience, attempting to interject alternative points of view into those debates.

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