The Gadfly Papers: Three Inconvenient Essays by One Pesky Minister

Imagine that one day you look around yourself and realize that everyone except for you is going insane.You try to warn your friends and co-workers about this problem. In response, they accuse you of all sorts of horrible things. They censor your words and shun your companionship, determined to drive themselves off the side of a cliff.What would you do in such a case?That’s the problem which the author of this book, Todd F. Eklof, addresses in this collection of three essays. He’s a Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister in Spokane WA, a former Southern Baptist who is now an outspoken liberal.The book is a warning cry about the sad condition of modern Western society, especially our communities of faith. It’s rational, well-written, and impeccably researched. It’s well worth taking the time to read.The first essay explains how UU leaders, in the name of political correctness, have banned every phrase, gesture, or other form of expression that might possibly offend anyone on earth. This has led to absurdities that venture into the realm of the surreal.For example, UU leaders recently declared that the phrase “Standing on the Side of Love” is no longer a suitable title for the church’s gay rights initiative. After all, the word “standing” might offend someone who is physically challenged.The new phrase is “Side with Love,” which will remain in place until someone declares that it too is offensive.What will the next new slogan be? Perhaps “We’ve all Gone off the Deep End” will suffice.In the second essay, Eklof argues that the UU organization is inherently unstable, due to entrenched differences between UU theists and atheists. The solution Eklof proposes is that the group should disband.This is bold advice, especially from someone whose career prospects depend on keeping the UU organization together. Eklof deserves respect for his courage and honesty.In the third essay, Eklof argues that the UU’s overblown rhetoric about white privilege is logically unsound. He’s right.Technically, there’s nothing wrong with this third essay. But it misses the point nonetheless. Human beings are not motivated by reason and logic. We believe whatever serves our interests and respond to naysayers with verbal or physical violence. All of us do this; all of us.IMO, this fact points to Unitarian Universalism’s fatal weakness: its delusional view of humanity. Like other popular belief systems, UUism is based on a comforting lie: the myth of human goodness. We’re not basically good.We’re not basically evil either, for that matter. We’re basically deranged. But there’s a method to our madness.Put a group of people together - any group of people - and they invariably create a common set of beliefs, vie for prestige among themselves, and act with hostility towards outsiders.But what if they claim no creed? No problem; they create one anyway and simply call it something else, like a “set of shared principles” for instance.Ambitious members of the tribe then hijack the creed, using appeals to fear in order to secure their power. They form alliances, conspire against enemies, and compete for resources.They use all sorts of popular phrases like “justice,” “tolerance,” and “compassion” to justify their campaign. But they reserve to themselves the right to define these terms. Control the language and you control everything.This pattern continues until one side reigns supreme. Then it starts an inquisition to purge the group of heretics and a holy war to destroy outsiders.This pattern repeats until a bunch of people get killed; then it starts all over again.We’re apes, not angels. Like other apes, we care only about power, sex, status, and survival. We act accordingly.Education and economic empowerment cannot change these facts. If anything, these advantages make us even more susceptible to extremism.After all, “we” are too smart to fall for such ignoble appeals. “We” are the champions of justice. It’s those “other people” who are the problem. We have to get rid of “them” before “we” can set things right.This is humanity’s true original sin: our disturbing ability to mask our worst impulses with our noblest instincts.Whatever salvation we attain must therefore come from outside ourselves, a fact which UU’s forebearers understood.Their descendants have forgotten this crucial lesson. This means that a religion founded to refute Calvinism will serve as Calvin’s ultimate vindicator. How often the truth reveals itself as sad irony.

I had not heard of The Gadfly Papers until I received an email from the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association informing me of the Board's decision to censure my colleague, Todd Eklof, for writing and distributing the book for free during this past June's Unitarian Universalist General Assembly. I found the email from the UUMA Board inappropriate and unprofessional but the UUMA email led me to read on-line reviews of the book and I ordered a printed copy. In Eklof's first essay, he nails the issues plaguing both Unitarian Universalism and an element within the Democratic Party, i.e., Safetyism, Identitarianism, and Political Correctness. In my work as a chaplain and a community minister, I have encountered more former Unitarian Universalists than practicing Unitarian Universalists. When I have inquired as to their reasons for leaving Unitarian Universalism, their responses overwhelming related to the very concerns Eklof expresses in this first essay. The first essay provides several reasons for the declining membership in the Unitarian Universalist religious faith and why so many converts to Unitarian Universalism decide to leave Unitarian Universalism within a few years of joining a Unitarian Universalist congregation.The second essay presents a different slant to Universalism than what I experienced as a parish minister of Universalist heritage churches. However, I will agree that Eklof 's explanation for the merger of the Unitarians and Universalists is one of several valid arguments for the merger, or consolidation, of the two denominations in 1961. There were several valid arguments in support of the Unitarian and Universalist merger/consolidation and there were many from both the Unitarian and Universalist denominations who provided valid reasons for opposing the merger/consolidation. There is much more information surrounding the merger/consolidation in some of the books citied by Eklof in the second essay.The third essay provides for some interesting and enlightened reading regarding the UUA hiring action in 2017 that resulted in several UUA staff resigning, including the President of the UUA. This essay explores the logic, and lack of logic, in some of the UUA decisions surrounding the hiring action along with comparing and contrasting the viewpoints expressed by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva and Robin DiAngelo.This book should be read by every Unitarian Universalist. Also, for the many former Unitarian Universalists who have difficulty articulating their reasons for leaving Unitarian Universalism, I suspect the first essay will help you find a voice for articulating your decisions to end your affiliation with Unitarian Universalism.Yes, there are a few typos in the first edition of the book. I have learned that the author was rushing to have the book published prior to General Assembly and this resulted in a few typos. The typos are minor and do not distract from the book's value and importance. If a second edition is published, I am sure the minor typos will be corrected.I write this review as someone who has served in the Unitarian Universalist ministry for over 44 years. I think it is must reading for every Unitarian Universalist minister and everyone comprisng the Unitarian Universalist laity. To those UU ministers and UU laity who followed, or whom are following, "Orwellian Group Think" by criticizing Eklof's book prior to even reading the book that you are criticizing . . . Shame on you! I hope the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association will retract their public letter of censure of my colleague Todd Eklof and provide an open apology to the Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof and the other members of the UUMA. Bravo to the Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof for having the courage to write and publish this book and may this book bring about some much needed dialogue and open discussion as to the culture the UUA is creating.I give the book 5 Stars!Floyd Vernon ChandlerAnsbach, Germany