When Justice Hurts: A Centrist Perspective on Social Justice and Immigration Justice in Liberal Religious Communities link
by Donald Harvey Marks
Physician, scientist and 3rd generation veteran
The Unitarian Universalist (UU) church UUA.org, along with Methodist and RC, are known for compassion, inclusivity, and respect for human dignity. These values drive many of UU "social justice" initiatives, including UU activism around "immigration justice". But as a centrist who has watched the rise of increasingly leftist approaches within liberal religious communities, I feel compelled to raise a concern: some UU projects, while well-intentioned, may actually be doing more harm than good
This is not an argument against justice. Far from it. It is an argument for wise, balanced, and effective justice — the kind that truly uplifts people and sustains communities rather than creating division or unintended harm.
Shared Values, Divergent Methods
UUs and some other religions communities, seem to be united by a belief in the worth and dignity of every person, including, at least in theory, of non-liberals and non-leftists. Where UUs sometimes differ is in how best to honor that belief. Too often, the loudest voices in liberal religious congregations assume that the most radical position — unrestricted immigration, maximal welfare expansion, or performative public protest — is synonymous with compassion. But justice is not measured only by intention, nor by performative virtue signaling, but is measured by outcomes. And outcomes matter, both for the people we want to help and for UU members themselves.
The Problem of Unintended Harm
Immigration Justice Projects. When congregations endorse “open borders” rhetoric or sanctuary policies without considering downstream effects, they risk burdening already struggling communities — including low-income immigrants who came legally and working-class Americans who compete for housing, healthcare, and jobs. Poorly managed immigration does not just strain public resources; it can also fuel the very xenophobia that UUs seek to combat. By championing slogans instead of pragmatic policies, UUs risk worsening the problems they want to solve.
Social Justice Activism. Similarly, many social justice projects within UU life lean heavily on charity or government intervention, without sufficient focus on empowerment. When activism demands endless expansion of welfare or subsidies but neglects pathways to self-sufficiency — job training, education, mentoring, entrepreneurship — it undermines the dignity we claim to defend. True justice should not create dependency; it should foster independence.
Justice and Division Within UU Congregations
Perhaps the greatest unintended harm is internal. When UU congregational life becomes dominated by partisan activism, it risks excluding those who do not fully subscribe to leftist ideology but who do share fundamental UU spiritual values. Moderates, centrists, and even some liberals can feel pushed to the margins, their perspectives treated as moral failings rather than legitimate concerns. This narrows UU identity to a political ideology rather than a spiritual community.
Moreover, when congregations prize performative justice — public declarations of solidarity, political endorsements, or purity tests — over genuine fellowship, they erode the trust and openness that make religious communities meaningful. Members who crave nuance, dialogue, or a slower, humbler approach often leave. What remains is not a diverse spiritual community, but an echo chamber.
A Centrist Alternative: Balanced, Sustainable Justice
There is another way forward to social justice initiatives within MUUF. One that blends compassion with accountability, and moral conviction with humility. I propose for a start:
Balanced Immigration Reform: Support humane policies that protect refugees and migrants within accepted legal pathways, while also ensuring enforceable borders, resource planning, and fair legal pathways.
Empowerment Over Dependency: Design UU projects around education, job readiness, community mentoring.
Don't place UU members in harm's way by obstructing or interfering with legal enforcement operations, verbal harassment of police, neighborhood messaging chains to attract to enforcement areas ….
References
Personal credo of Donald Harvey Marks. https://dhmarks.blogspot.com/
Bio of Donald Harvey Marks http://dhmarks.blogspot.com/2017/02/autobiography-of-donald-harvey-marks.html
Why my friends and acquaintances don't see me as the Centrist that I am. by Donald H. Marks
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