Ask a Unitarian Universalist

[Turner]

Did you get a mod approval for this thread?

Grandfathered in. So technically no, but the thread was started before we instituted the new rule.

 

[amadeus]

Oh, I thought it was a new thread. Silly rabbit.

 

[Cuivienen]

Are there any Catholics in the Unitarian Universalist? Since in the wiki, it listed Christians being in the mix.

I have never met one. UUs who categorize themselves as Christians are almost all of the more traditional branches, staunchly Unitarian and thus Protestant. While UU receives people from all religions, I find it hard to imagine reconciling the rigid hierarchy of Catholicism with UU's call to deeply personal introspection.

(I will also answer any questions asked on this thread, also being UU.)

Why do you feel the need to validate contradicting theologies?

One of the tenets of UU, if you want to call it a tenet, is that places where religions conflict are always irrelevant. Issues of diet, of clothing, and other frivolous edicts are merely attempts by ancient societies to enforce their traditions through the power of religion. Even issues of the plurality or singularity, or even existence, of God are not so important as spiritual preservation and celebration. In a way, UU celebrates the importance of humanity, and of individual humans, over the significance of what have been long called "deep theological questions". What care have we for whether Christ was part-mortal or all-mortal, whether succession from Mohammed should come through bloodlines or self-appointment? It does not matter to the human experience.

Bear in mind, of course, that this comes from a UU who also identifies as atheist, though most non-traditional UUs (who consist of around 85% of all UUs) would agree.

 

[Perfection]

So what's the point of UU? Just respecting religious pluralism?

 

[Turner]

If I didn't see church as a waste of time (a view I held as a catholic, as well) I might think about joining the UU church. So there would be at least one catholic who joined the UU church.

I have to admit, I see 'UU Church' and think 'Unique Unit?'

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Yeah, it seems to me that it is not really a "religion", at least not in the sense that I understand the word. While I am well aware that it is important to choose one's own beliefs, at the same time that doesn't mean that it is wrong to have the same views as other people. Thus UU strikes me more as an interdenominational fellowship organization than as an actual religion. (Not that that is necessarily a criticism as such.)

But this is the important question: is there any single doctrine, or viewpoint, or policy, or action, or anything, that to possess such makes one UU, and to lack it means one isn't? Is there any defining factor besides self-identification, or do you consider that sufficient?

 

[Cuivienen]

So what's the point of UU? Just respecting religious pluralism?

No, the purpose of UU is to examine one's own spirituality and mental well-being without the trappings of religion. UU calls for a personalized understanding of good and evil rather than declarations handed down for generations.

What often seems to be missed is that, while UU incorporates religious texts from many religions, it is not an attempt to mesh all religions together. The religious texts are a sidenote to the personal experience. UU celebrates the individual, and humanity. Nietzsche wrote that, in killing God, humans have become as gods; while UU does not call humans gods, it does consider humanity the greatest spiritual asset we have (rather than a religious authority).

But this is the important question: is there any single doctrine, or viewpoint, or policy, or action, or anything, that to possess such makes one UU, and to lack it means one isn't? Is there any defining factor besides self-identification, or do you consider that sufficient?

The difficulty is that you will get different answers from different UUs. Personally, I would say that the defining tenet of UU is that all humans must be free to make their own spiritual decisions. Some would call that as a creed not to have a creed, but I think such criticism is not entirely well-founded. It is difficult for me to express the approach that UU advocates. UU is essentially a church that presents concepts and leaves it to the individual to interpret them whereas a "normal" church interprets those concepts for the individual. It is that individual interpretation that sets UU apart from any other religion I have encountered.

As I said, you will get different answers from different UUs. There are a few, more traditional UUs that stick to the Unitarian tradition (and even fewer that still embrace Universalism). They would, of course, present to you Protestant Christian definitions. On the other hand, I often feel (and many of them feel as well) that traditional UU is a separate religion from mainline UU that shares the name.

 

[Taliesin]

@Eran: This is the closest it comes to having a doctrine:

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

* The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
* Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
* Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Okay, all well and good, except I see nothing inherently religious about it.

 

[Perfection]

No, the purpose of UU is to examine one's own spirituality and mental well-being without the trappings of religion.

But they draw from religion, and many say they are close to Christian.

 

[Trajan12]

So who came up with this? When was it thought up?

 

[puglover]

@OP: Do Universalists value everyone getting along more than actually trying to find truth? Does that seem reasonable considering all the conflicting beliefs in this world?

 

[Cuivienen]

But they draw from religion, and many say they are close to Christian.

It varies from sect to sect. By tradition, more Christian texts are used, but, then, more Christian texts are readily available in English. In many ways, early, pre-Nicene Christianity is the closest historical religion to UU, so it is often appropriate.

So who came up with this? When was it thought up?

Unitarian Universalism was formed in 1961 by a merger between the Unitarian and Universalist churches. Unitarianism was a Protestant Christian sect that denied the Trinity and preached the unity and utter benevolence of God; Universalism was a Protestant Christian sect that believed in the holiness of humanity, that all humans were created destined for salvation. (An old joke was that Unitarians believed God was too good to judge man while Universalists believed man was too good to be judged by God.) In essence, UU is a continuation of the Universalist tradition without the belief in God or heaven, that all humans have some inherent good or saving virtue.

@OP: Do Universalists value everyone getting along more than actually trying to find truth? Does that seem reasonable considering all the conflicting beliefs in this world?

I would not say that. UU is not about finding compromise, it is about individuality and individual decisions. In many ways, it seeks to find commonalities across religions with the idea that concepts repeated in all religions have some inherent power obscured by later frippery, but it does not seek to find compromises. UU does not propose itself as a grand, unifying religion that encompasses all beliefs but rather takes some pieces of various beliefs and molds them together to form new beliefs.

Okay, all well and good, except I see nothing inherently religious about it.

The definition of religion does not include the worshiping of a god. It sometimes pains me to refer to it this way, but UU is similar to Buddhism in that it eschews worship in favor of introspection. (There are, of course, those who call Buddhism not properly a religion; perhaps you are among them.)

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Now, I am not saying that it is not a religion because it is not inherently theistic; I am saying it is not a religion because it doesn't really have any "supernatural" elements that define it in any way, even if individual members do. That's not a criticism as such, it just seems that way to me.

 

[bhsup]

Are you the folks at Unity Village who used to have those TV commercials for "The word is..." or something like that?

 

[Cannae]

Do people who attend UU denominational services also attend those of the other faith they profess to (Christian, pagan, etc.)?

While I haven't myself one of my friends that attends to there does when the opportunity come has in fact gone to a church of another denomination.

@OP: Do Universalists value everyone getting along more than actually trying to find truth? Does that seem reasonable considering all the conflicting beliefs in this world?

No personal for myself I value them both equally because I view them as both important.

 

[Cuivienen]

Are you the folks at Unity Village who used to have those TV commercials for "The word is..." or something like that?

I had never heard of Unity Village before you gave that link. Probably not.

 

[punkbass2000]

as a simple example:
if Hinduism says you can't eat beef, Judaism says you can only eat it if the cow is killed in a certain way, and Christianity that you can eat it however you want, how can you say that all are equally correct?

You can acknowledge that you don't know which, if any, is correct and that they are all fine ways to live.

 

[Sidhe]

Why do you feel the need to validate contradicting theologies?

From a person who validates none, I find this an odd question, better question would be why has any faith any validity and if so why should there not be a mix of "faiths", that get together to ask questions about all faiths? Seems to me more healthy than just saying one faith is righteous, yes?

 

[ybbor]

One of the tenets of UU, if you want to call it a tenet, is that places where religions conflict are always irrelevant. Issues of diet, of clothing, and other frivolous edicts are merely attempts by ancient societies to enforce their traditions through the power of religion.

So all religions have to agree for something to be "relevant"? Was Jesus the son of God? is irrelevant? (seems pretty relevant if he is). Whether we are saved by works or saved by faith is irrelevant? Some Muslims say their religions command them to kill "infidels". Is that irrelevant too?

also: what defines a religion to the UU? Obviously Flying Spaghetti Monsterism doesn't count. Does Scientology?