An Interesting articl on the Unitarian Universalists

[Cu Mhorrigan]

from a more pagan perspetive:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhun...s-of-note.html

[Soyeong]

“For 50 years the UUA has conducted a virtually unprecedented experiment: advancing a religion without doctrine, hoping that welcoming communities and shared political causes, not creeds, will draw people to their pews. Leaders say its no-religious-questions-asked style positions the UUA to capitalize on liberalizing trends in American religion. But as the UUA turns 50 this year, some members argue that a “midlife” identity crisis is hampering outreach and hindering growth.

Joining a religion because of shared political causes sounds potentially dangerous.

In trying to be all things to everyone, they say, the association risks becoming nothing to anybody.”

Pretty much.

Not sure if you had a point in posting this.

[Cu Mhorrigan]

Joining a religion because of shared political causes sounds potentially dangerous.

no more dangerous than Conservatives using fundamentalist christianity to further their own agenda. There are some politcal beliefs i disagree with my pastor on but we get along great.

Pretty much.

Not sure if you had a point in posting this.

I see it differently, in my church we get together because we genuinely like each other, and having folks of different religious traditions work for us.
It's a place where people DON'T try to get you to believe like they do, but rather finding out what we have in common more than we have that is different.

[Soyeong]

no more dangerous than Conservatives using fundamentalist christianity to further their own agenda. There are some politcal beliefs i disagree with my pastor on but we get along great.

It's one thing for politicians to seek the support of religious people; it's quite another to form a religion around politics. If we didn't get along with people who had different political beliefs, nobody would get along at all.

I see it differently, in my church we get together because we genuinely like each other, and having folks of different religious traditions work for us.
It's a place where people DON'T try to get you to believe like they do, but rather finding out what we have in common more than we have that is different.

The point here is that it is impossible to please everyone and the people who try to do it anyway are so wishywashy that they don't stand for anything. Most churches have people from different background, who genuinely like each other, and who seek out what they have in common, but on certain essential topics, it's important to all believe the same thing. If a church doesn't stand for the truth, then it's no different from just another social club.

[Cu Mhorrigan]

That is kind of where you are mistaken, the Unitarian Universalists have had a long history of standing up for not only Civil rights for women and Minorities, we have also worked hard to promote the ideas of diversity and social change. In my congregation, for example, we tend to have a very christian flavor to our services, however we do include teachings from the Taoist, Buddhist and earth centered faiths. this allows us to learn from many different sources as opposed to just one. The Idea is to promote the search for God as we understand him/her/it and get together to practice a common ritual and to develop ties to our faith community. This different than the idea of conservative churches to enforce a set code of dogma where everyone believes the same thing. We still practice our faith but at the same time acknowledge that no one religious tradition has all the answers to our spiritual life.
I would suggest checking out the seven principles outlined here to get more information: http://www.uua.org/beliefs/6798.shtml

[OmniSkeptical]

Unitarian Universalists are fast becoming nobodies by defending state backed same sex unions.

[Cu Mhorrigan]

Unitarian Universalists are fast becoming nobodies by defending state backed same sex unions.

Yeah I'm sure that is it..
It's those evil gays....

[OmniSkeptical]

Remember that I said they are nobodies.

[Hamster]

“Lacking any need to rebel against childhood orthodoxy, they simply drift away; they don’t see the point of what we do here,” he said.

That's an interesting quote

[Cow Poke]

So why pretend to be a Church? for the tax break?

Isn't it more like a social club?

[Cu Mhorrigan]

So why pretend to be a Church? for the tax break?

Isn't it more like a social club?

Speaking only of my own church, We are actually two long standing congregations that merged together. So it's not like we are just bunch of people pretending to be a church. While I cant speak for all UU churches, We are actually experiencing some growth as of late. We do participate in Prayer meetings, and other functions with the religious communities at large.

[Cow Poke]

So, is there any preaching?
Any Bible reading?
Any Prayer at services?

[Cu Mhorrigan]

So, is there any preaching?
Any Bible reading?
Any Prayer at services?

Yep.
In fact I plan to be leading prayer this sunday...

[Cow Poke]

Yep.
In fact I plan to be leading prayer this sunday...

So, seriously, how can you do that, they way you talk about God and religion here?

[Cu Mhorrigan]

So, seriously, how can you do that, they way you talk about God and religion here?

1) I do believe in prayer, and I do believe there maybe a divine, I just don't care for the YHWH character.
2) I am harsh on Fundamentlists and fanatics, not necessarily all religion.