"Alone in the world" (as one anonymouse sourpuss claimed), with only 1250 friends on Facebook, I teach about 1,000 students each year.
One of them invited me to speak at her Unitarian-Universalist Church in Glendale, Arizona. Visitors to our home doubtless remember the little buildings within a short walk of our house. One was for worship. The other was for religious education. No kidding. That is what the second building said. Did you expect, "Christian Education"? I pointed out that it would be difficult to fly to Phoenix for a talk.
Oddly, this was my second, unsolicited invitation to speak to the UUA. In Columbus I had an invite to conduct the entire service my way and bring my own organist. I suspected this was more of a reverse zoo situation, where the audience got to view a changing selection of invited speakers.
This recent invitation came because I provided a PowerPoint for the online class on Secular Humanism, including such figures as the Science Guy and Isaac Asimov. Right now I am teaching six new religion classes. I get to present whatever content I want in addition to the required readings. Some students request books. Just recently a police officer asked for Angel Joy. She became a quadriplegic from a car accident.
I point out to my friends that my polyglot, very mixed culture classes never rail at me for my Lutheran views. They do not start blogs to attack my daughters and defame people I know. They are quite appreciative.
Imagine the reaction to an invitation for me to speak at one of the Syn Conference schools! They welcome homosexual archbishops, papist bishops, former Lutherans who became papists, and Shrinkers of every non-confession. There is only one voice they would never tolerate. The natives would march with torches and pitchforks.
Do not worry. I would rather speak to the Unitarians. They might not have such closed minds.
