July 21 @ 10 am – “Some Varieties of Religious Experience, with apologies to William James”

Cults don’t call themselves “cults” but it’s what they do that defines them. The Lyman Family prepared their followers to be “raptured” to Venus at a definite date and time, which was often postponed. In the meantime, they are rehabbing houses in the Los Angeles area. William James, leading psychologist and freethinker, wondered what religious-minded people experienced, rather than claimed to believe, and spent a year interviewing a wide range of such self-identified folk regarding their experiences. He published his book in 1902 and it became a classic in the field. As a non-credal community of worshippers, we UUs might benefit from his insights and consider building our own theologies and religious practice. It could happen.
Eva Wright will perform on piano.

Jim O'Brien