When you're elected, it's your duty to listen

As a Unitarian Universalist minister, I was upset to hear about the three Idaho senators who left the Senate rather than listen to a Hindu prayer. I believe that in a democratic, pluralist society, good leaders need to listen to all voices, whether they agree or not, because that is how we find common ground. I was also disturbed by the lack of knowledge exhibited about of the founding of our country. The United States is not a Christian nation. The Constitution of the United States in its First Amendment clearly says there will not be a state religion. We have always embraced religious freedom.

In fact, the Puritans came to this country to learn "to walk together in love" not to promote a particular faith. Their churches had no hierarchy, and the members worked together to live their faith as inspired by individual experiences of God. Over time many of the early Puritan churches became Unitarian churches, and later, Unitarian Universalist congregations. As the Puritans learned "to walk together in love," they learned loving and treating each other well was more important than a religious creed. Unitarian Universalists, direct religious descendants of the Puritans, have no creed and embrace the teachings of many faiths as we continue to walk the path of the Puritans and learn how "to walk together in love."

The Christian faith has much to teach about learning to love. Jesus said, "We are to love our neighbors as ourselves." One of the most important stories in the Gospels is the story of the Good Samaritan. The people of Jesus' society considered the Samaritans to be of a lesser religious faith, much as the Senators who expressed their view that the Hindu religion was a lesser faith. In this story, Jesus shows that even people considered "outsiders" could have good values and act mercifully.

Three of our first five U.S. presidents - John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams - were Unitarians. Their thought greatly influenced the founding documents of this country. Jefferson believed that Unitarians would become the majority faith in our country.

My hope is that our elected leaders, and, indeed all of us, might follow the practice early Puritans and "learn to walk together in love." My hopes is we learn to follow the teachings of Jesus who taught us that those of other faiths are also our neighbors and to follow the lead of the founders United States who embraced religious freedom and new perspectives.

The Rev. Tracy Springberry serves North Idaho Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.