I'd like to say something about the categorisation of this group in the Universal Life Church section.

 

The prime, core statement of the ULC is that  EVERYONE IS THEIR OWN RELIGIOUS EXPERT. Everyone has to find their own way to deal with the questions of God, and everyone should be a priest.

 

When I first read that I laughed out loud because, of course, that is perfectly true - only you can find the way from where you are to - wherever you need to go, basically!

 

That is so for you, and for me, and for him and her and cannot be any other.

 

When I first got my Reverend certificate from the ULC back in 1998, purchased in jest at the time and because all the energy tapping people were doing it so they could touch folk in the US, hiding behind the cloak of "faith healing", I was not really expecting what effect that would have on me.

 

When it came, I opened the little letter and took out the certificate - and then burst into tears and sat in my office for nearly two hours, just crying my eyes out. I would let you know that I am not generally given to that and I was totally astonished to find out that I was crying like that because the ULC guys had given me something I don't think I had received ever, in my entire life up to that point - they'd given me a certificate and I had NOT proven my worth up front, I didn't have to, it was just for the asking.

 

Someone, finally, had had some faith in me.

 

At last.

 

And that's why I sat and cried there the whole afternoon, and as I did, I changed quite considerably.

 

Based on the same principle, namely that ONLY YOU can EVER be an expert on your own "religion", the ULC gives out other kinds of certificates, and I think it was in 2002 I got myself a PhD from them, for exactly the same reasons - EVERYONE is a PhD on their own life, their own expert, the final authority and this symbolic gesture of accepting that and using it officially was for me a HUGE step forward and helped me personally enormously to be able to understand a thing or two.

 

Now and with hindsight, I don't need it any more because I now actually really DO have faith in me. Would I have ever without the ULC "permission to be a priest"? I honestly don't know.

 

But that's the way with faith - it moves in very mysterious ways and it makes miracles happen.

There should be a lot more of it and that's one of those things I've noted down on my universal To Do list - find out ways in which people can have MORE FAITH IN THEMSELVES, because faith does move mountains, and it really does create reality against all the odds.

 

So, and whatever anyone else makes of the ULC, or even what it "really is", I've placed my group here because of this understanding and the wonderful learning they provided.

 

Life is a holy thing. YOUR life is a holy business.

 

As is mine. Perhaps we can help each other out and that's really what this list is for.

 

Well, that was the sermon of the day from Rev. Hartmann!

 

LOL!

 

And from the rest of me as well, a bright welcome and I have total faith that we'll have a good time and learn a lot from being here together,

 

waves of sunrise purple and gold,

 

Silvia :-)

 

 

 

Silvia Hartmann

http://starfields.org

Moderator

 

14. 06. 2003

 

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I don't deny that I had a "guiding star" experience with the original ULC Reverend certificate and that because of it, I hold a candle in my heart for the ULC. As far as I am concerned, they gave me a blessing that day I'd been waiting for all my life, and didn't even know it.

For those who would argue that the PhD isn't "real" or that I don't deserve it because I didn't attend a University, I can only shrug and say that as far as I am concerned, I've paid my dues with 15 years of full time research of theory and practice in applied animal behaviour, resulting in The Harmony Program as my thesis and innovation to the field; followed by 5 years of full time research into language, mind and metaphor which produced Project Sanctuary; and another 5 years worth of research, practice and publication in human emotion and the human energy system, which resulted in the three volumes on EmoTrance. I am personally satisfied that this is good enough on every level and I *love* my ULC PhD, which gave me the opportunity to look back on my work and contribution and acknowledge myself, to myself, and for no other purpose.

For the record, here are a couple of pictures, taken in 2006.

 

Silvia Hartmann

March 27, 2006