Ask a Unitarian Universalist

[Cannae]

OK, I will try to answer as many questions as I can but I am only recently joined to it so please I don't know it terribly in depth so please keep them simple. Now let the questions begin!

 

[Yeeek]

What is a Unitarian Universalist?

 

[CartesianFart]

When did you join this congregation and does this have to do with you joining this church based on your Stephen Hawking doomsday scenario quote?

 

[Abaddon]

Yeah... wt*?

 

[Cannae]

What is a Unitarian Universalist?

Here's some info about it from wikipedia.com

Unitarian Universalism is a faith with no creedal requirements imposed on its members. It values religious pluralism and respects diverse traditions within the movement and often within the same congregration. Many see it as a syncretic religion, as personal beliefs and religious services draw from more than one faith tradition. Even when one faith tradition is primary within a particular setting, Unitarian Universalists are unlikely to assert that theirs is the "only" or even the "best" way possible to discern meaning or theological truths. There is even a popular adult UU course called "Building Your Own Theology".

Many Unitarian Universalists consider themselves humanists, while others hold to Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, natural theist, atheist, agnostic, pantheist, or other beliefs. Some choose to attach no particular theological label to their own idiosyncratic combination of beliefs. This diversity of views is usually considered a strength by those in the Unitarian Universalist movement, since the emphasis is on the common search for meaning among its members rather than adherence to any particular doctrine. Many UU congregations have study groups that examine the traditions and spiritual practices of Neopaganism, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Pantheism, and other faiths. At least one UU minister, the Reverend James Ishmael Ford, has been acknowledged as a Zen master. There are Buddhist meditation teachers, Sufi teachers, as well as gnostic and episcopi vagantes clerics. Some view their Jewish heritage as primary, and others see the concept of God as unhelpful in their personal spiritual journeys. While Sunday services in most congregations tend to espouse a christian-derived humanism, it is not unusual for a part of a church's membership to attend pagan, buddhist, or other spiritual study or worship groups as an alternative means of worship.

In a survey [1], Unitarian Universalists in the United States were asked which provided term or set of terms best describe their belief. Many respondents chose more than one term to describe their beliefs. The top choices were:

Humanist - 54%
Agnostic - 33%
Earth-centered - 31%
Atheist - 18%
Buddhist - 16.5%
Christian - 13.1%
Pagan - 13.1%
There is great variety among Unitarian Universalist congregations, with some favoring particular religious beliefs or forms of worship over others, with many more home to an eclectic mix of beliefs. Regardless of their orientation, most congregations are fairly open to differing beliefs, though not always with various faith traditions represented to the same degree.

There is also a wide variety in how congregations conceive of themselves. Congregations call themselves "churches," "societies," "fellowships," "congregations," or eschew the use of any particular descriptor (e.g. "Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists"). Many use the name "Unitarian Universalist," (and a few "Universalist Unitarian"), having gradually adopted this formulation since consolidation in 1961. Others use names that reflect their historic roots by keeping simply the designation "Unitarian" or "Universalist." A few congregations use neither (e.g. "Community Church of White Plains"). For some congregations, the name can be a clue to their theological orientation. For others, avoidance of the word "church" indicates a desire to distance itself from traditional Christian theology. Sometimes the use of another term may simply indicate a congregation's lay-led or relatively new status. However, some UU congregations have grown to appreciate alternate terms such as fellowship and retained them even though they have grown much larger or lost features sometimes associated with their use (such as, in the case of fellowships, a traditionally lay-led worship model). [2]

A current trend within Unitarian Universalism is to re-embrace forms of theism, both in worship and as a focus of intellectual inquiry. This has led to a shift away from (secular) humanism, agnosticism and atheism, and towards natural theism, liberal Christianity and other forms of engaged spirituality. The trend is particularly visible in the overall demographics, with nontheists better represented in the over-50 age group. Nontheism is also overrepresented in the under-18 group, but does not generally translate into greater numbers of nontheists among adults as these youth are more likely than their peers to leave UU congregations upon reaching adulthood. This is related to the gap between the under-18 and the over-30 groups, reflecting a lack of childless adults among those of child-bearing age. Also of note is that there are many more people who identify as UU on surveys than those who attend UU churches (by a factor of four in a recent survey [3]), reflecting lapsed members who nonetheless consider themselves part of the UU movement.

Hope this sums what they belive up.

 

[Cannae]

When did you join this congregation and does this have to do with you joining this church based on your Stephen Hawking doomsday scenario quote?

No it was before that but nice try lol.

 

[GenMarshall]

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

 

[Elrohir]

Why would you want to belong to a denomination that is such a mess? There are no central beliefs or recognized universally holy texts, correct? So why not just find a church (Or synagogue or mosque or temple, or whatever) that more represents what you believe?

Do you think God exists? Do you believe man is inherently sinful? Do many or some at your church believe these things?

 

[punkbass2000]

So why not just find a church (Or synagogue or mosque or temple, or whatever) that more represents what you believe?

Sounds like he did.

 

[Perfection]

Why do you feel the need to validate contradicting theologies?

 

[Cannae]

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

While there may be some out there but I doubt it because of the contrasts in the hierarchy between the two.

There are no central beliefs or recognized universally holy texts, correct? So why not just find a church (Or synagogue or mosque or temple, or whatever) that more represents what you believe?

Do you think God exists? Do you believe man is inherently sinful? Do many or some at your church believe these things?

To anwser your first question the beauty of the religion is that no ones is standing over shoulder telling you what to belive and what not to which is perfect for a person who tends to be rebelious in nature such as me IMHO. I will tell you why I won't do this (the following info comes from a relgion quiz I took here a little while ago.)Here it is in bold

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (99%)
3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (95%)

 

[Cannae]

Do you think God exists? Do you believe man is inherently sinful? Do many or some at your church believe these things?

Ok to finish up answering questions. Yes I do think that god exists but not in the typical christian sense. I think that god is for one an it, two god is in everything and everyone that exists and last of all I think that god is the process of creation itself (in the scientific sense of course). I do think that man is inherently sinful because up until recently I don't think we have had the conscious to find out what is sinful and what is not because that didn't matter. The only thing that we could possibly concern ourselves with is survival but... that's another topic. What I have noticed at my church is that most people tend to believe it or not have MORE of an atheistic view than me wired is it not?

Sounds like he did.

Yes I didgo there in fact

Why do you feel the need to validate contradicting theologies?

What? I am confused at what you are talking about.

 

[ybbor]

What? I am confused at what you are talking about.

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?

obviously the metaphor extends to more important religous questions

 

[El_Machinae]

I really don't see how the term "unitarian universalist" is the least bit useful. How does one determine if you are one?

 

[Pyrite]

Why would you want to belong to a denomination that is such a mess? There are no central beliefs or recognized universally holy texts, correct? So why not just find a church (Or synagogue or mosque or temple, or whatever) that more represents what you believe?

Do you think God exists? Do you believe man is inherently sinful? Do many or some at your church believe these things?

I've yet to see a coherant denomination.

 

[Cheetah]

So basicly Unitarian Universalists are just a bunch of people who believe whatever they want coming together to study different beliefs and theologies?

I don't get it. Are you telling me this is some form of religious denomination? What exactly is the point of that??

 

[Kraznaya]

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

 

[Taliesin]

@Cheetah: UU began as a nonconformist Christian movement that specifically rejected the doctrine of Trinity. These days it still has traditional Unitarians, especially in New England, but mostly attracts people who want to worship God and/or obtain the benefits of spiritual community without subjecting themselves to any particular creed. The idea is that everybody has a spiritual life that's worth pursuing, and that while different people may find elements of different traditions to be of value in those pursuits, they can still gather to exchange ideas and worship divinity. That is, at least, how I understand it; I once considered myself UU, though I never joined a congregation.

To Perfection's question, I think the tendency is either to abstract differences out of the picture so as to create a simple theology that greatly offends none of its constituent systems; or to pick and choose, according to whatever rubric, which elements to accept, which to regard as significant rather than restrictive, and which to ignore. Also, the congregation need not find unity between all of its members' theologies, only a commitment to respect difference. Since one of the UU's few doctrinaire points is to not have a creed, it isn't the movement's mission or interest to settle theological question, or to determine which of its constituents are "right."

 

[amadeus]

Did you get a mod approval for this thread?

 

[Pyrite]

Maybe you should start one called ask a douchebag

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