Unitarian Universalism

[John Doe]

Well I dont mean to disrepect them, especially since it looks like I might be one. hahaha

But I am having trouble figuring how a religion that doesnt have faith or worship works.

It's not that Unitarian Unversalism necessarily does not have faith or worship. It has the faith and worship you want it to have.

If that's none then that's how it works for you, but there are plenty of UUers who worship and have faith.

 

[smartandsexy]

We had a Unitarian wedding, and I don't think any of our guests had ever been to a Unitarian church before then, so I put together an info sheet to include with our orders of service.

We’ve found that many people have never heard of Unitarianism, and even more don’t have a good idea of what the movement is. We hope the following brief description will provide you with a better understanding.

Unitarianism is a liberal religion born of the Jewish and Christian traditions. We keep our minds open to the religious questions people have struggled with in all times and places, and believe that people should try to understand and respect each others' faith and tradition.

We believe that personal experience, conscience, and reason should be the final authorities in religion. In the end religious authority lies not in a book, person, or institution, but in ourselves. We put religious insights to the test of our hearts and minds.

We uphold the free search for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief. We do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ours is a noncreedal religion. Ours is a free faith. We encourage intellectual and spiritual growth, rather than conformity.

We believe that religious wisdom is ever changing. Human understanding of life and death, the world and its mysteries, is never final. Revelation is continuous. We celebrate unfolding truths known to teachers, prophets, and sages throughout the ages.

We believe people should be encouraged to think for themselves. We affirm the worth of all people, irrespective of age, nationality, gender or sexual orientation.

We believe that how a person lives is a measure of their faith, and that we should seek a spiritual and moral framework of love, peace, tolerance and justice in our lives. We believe that there is an interdependence with all life on our planet.

 

[MzChrista]

UUA is a spiritual community. Here are the basic tenets that you would need to accept to be a member (from their website):

* 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.

After that, they give you lots of information from which to choose and you decide what you want to use on your personal journey.

I always figure that when people want a community, one of the ways to achieve that is through a "religion." For those who have no need to accept a "God" or a "Higher Being" or wish to give up responsibility, this is an available choice.

Thankee kindly Miss Buttons

 

[MzChrista]

It's not that Unitarian Unversalism necessarily does not have faith or worship. It has the faith and worship you want it to have.

If that's none then that's how it works for you, but there are plenty of UUers who worship and have faith.

I can get how that works for an individual, but like what do they do on Sunday?

 

[MzChrista]

We had a Unitarian wedding, and I don't think any of our guests had ever been to a Unitarian church before then, so I put together an info sheet to include with our orders of service.

OK Im thinking the quiz was on the ball. Im liking what Im reading.

 

[Guest]

Im not seeing how anyone named Killallhippies can be anything close to a Quaker.

One night, a Quaker farmer heard a noise coming from his barn. Seizing his shotgun, he crept to the barn and softly opened the door. Peering into the darkness, he said, "I would not harm thee, friend, but thou art standing right where I am about to shoot!"

That's how.

 

[John Doe]

I can get how that works for an individual, but like what do they do on Sunday?

Well as I don't worship I haven't actually been to any services but according to the website UUA assists individual congregations in providing services they can't provide on thier own. I would imagine that includes worship services and so there would be Christian services on Sunday, Jewish services on Saturday etc.

 

[killallhippies]

we have a uu church nearish to me, but it isn't near enough for me to consider going. i've thought about it, but it's like twenty miles away. fuck that.

 

[Trinique_Fire]

I love UU.

Now what exactly is a liberal quaker....?

 

[LittleJade]

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Mahayana Buddhism (97%)
3. Orthodox Quaker (91%)
4. Jainism (90%)
5. Liberal Quakers (88%)
6. Unitarian Universalism (88%)
7. New Age (86%)
8. Theravada Buddhism (85%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (85%)
10. Sikhism (83%)
11. Reform Judaism (83%)
12. Orthodox Judaism (75%)
13. Hinduism (72%)
14. Bahá'í Faith (67%)
15. New Thought (63%)
16. Islam (62%)
17. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (62%)
18. Secular Humanism (59%)
19. Taoism (58%)
20. Scientology (57%)
21. Seventh Day Adventist (54%)
22. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (53%)
23. Eastern Orthodox (48%)
24. Roman Catholic (48%)
25. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (43%)
26. Jehovah's Witness (40%)
27. Nontheist (38%)

 

[MzChrista]

One night, a Quaker farmer heard a noise coming from his barn. Seizing his shotgun, he crept to the barn and softly opened the door. Peering into the darkness, he said, "I would not harm thee, friend, but thou art standing right where I am about to shoot!"

That's how.

Now Im picturing KAH at a Fugazi concert yelling "Thou art awesome. Canst thou perform Repeater?"

 

[MzChrista]

Well as I don't worship I haven't actually been to any services but according to the website UUA assists individual congregations in providing services they can't provide on thier own. I would imagine that includes worship services and so there would be Christian services on Sunday, Jewish services on Saturday etc.

Ok I just talked to a friend of mine who goes to UU church. maybe some do like you said but he says his has services that are like a combination of other religions. He said that it doesnt look much different from regular church but that a lot of the content is from Buddhism or Sufi or what have you, so they bring in all the different ones.

 

[MzChrista]

we have a uu church nearish to me, but it isn't near enough for me to consider going. i've thought about it, but it's like twenty miles away. fuck that.

If your gonna drive 20 miles the least they could do is save your soul.

 

[MzChrista]

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)

Neo my ass. I think youre just an old school fuck in the woods pagan.

 

[wideeyedone]

Quakers were one of the strongest abolitionists in our country. They were hugely involved in the underground railroad. I have been to many modern day Quaker services and there is a beauty and sweetness to the self lead service. And if no one feels moved to speak, there is contemplative silence. very reverent and refreshing.

 

[Image]

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. New Age (96%)
3. Mahayana Buddhism (93%)
4. Unitarian Universalism (91%)
5. Liberal Quakers (81%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (80%)
7. New Thought (75%)
8. Scientology (73%)
9. Taoism (68%)
10. Hinduism (64%)
11. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (64%)
12. Secular Humanism (64%)
13. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (59%)
14. Reform Judaism (58%)
15. Jainism (56%)
16. Sikhism (56%)
17. Orthodox Quaker (52%)
18. Bahá'í Faith (46%)
19. Nontheist (37%)
20. Orthodox Judaism (34%)
21. Islam (25%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (25%)
23. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (24%)
24. Seventh Day Adventist (21%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (15%)
26. Roman Catholic (15%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (12%)

I've always thought the Jains are pretty cool but I was surprised how high on the list Scientology was though. I've never even considered it as serious...

 

[LittleJade]

Neo my ass. I think youre just an old school fuck in the woods pagan.

Well yeah, there IS that, about me.


Hola, MzChrista!

 

[ksmybuttons]

Well as I don't worship I haven't actually been to any services but according to the website UUA assists individual congregations in providing services they can't provide on thier own. I would imagine that includes worship services and so there would be Christian services on Sunday, Jewish services on Saturday etc.

Way too limiting.
Here's todays service from our Unitarian Church:

Preludes from Brahms on the Organ? Then a choir presentation of "Workin for the Dawn of Peace", every one sings Dona Nobis Pacem,

A reading "Is it Possible to Live in Peace?"

Then "Together Time" with a story called Spite Fences.

Another song called "Go Now in Peace."

Parish Concerns and Pastoral Prayer

A reading from Chapter 54 from the Tao Te Ching, an excerpt from the Nobel Prize Lecture given by the Dali Lama.

Silent Meditation

An anthem called "Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind"

A Sermon entitled "Is Peace Possible?"

Different types of readings and a different sermon every week...

 

[reblestop]

1. Secular Humanism (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (92%)
3. Liberal Quakers (75%)
4. Nontheist (74%)
5. Theravada Buddhism (71%)
6. Neo-Pagan (64%)
7. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (59%)
8. New Age (50%)
9. Taoism (45%)
10. Orthodox Quaker (39%)
11. Reform Judaism (39%)
12. Mahayana Buddhism (39%)
13. Bahá'í Faith (28%)
14. Sikhism (28%)
15. Scientology (27%)
16. Jainism (26%)
17. New Thought (25%)
18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (22%)
19. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (19%)
20. Seventh Day Adventist (18%)
21. Hinduism (17%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (17%)
23. Eastern Orthodox (14%)
24. Islam (14%)
25. Orthodox Judaism (14%)
26. Roman Catholic (14%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (11%)

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Secular Humanism is not a religion. But whatever.

 

[Trinique_Fire]

Secular Humanism is not a religion. But whatever.

Yeah...it's like a non-religious religion. They're churches and congregations are very bizarre, I might add.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Yeah...it's like a non-religious religion. They're churches and congregations are very bizarre, I might add.

No, it's not a non-religious religion. Is Biology a religion? Their (not "they're") churches and congregations are not bizarre, because they have no churches or congregations. When you meet with your book group, is it a congregation? When the PTA gets together, is it in a church?

Why are people so stupid? I should start a non-religious religion for non-religious non-dumb people to congregate in the church in my living room.

I really should.

 

[MzChrista]

Way too limiting.
Here's todays service from our Unitarian Church:

Preludes from Brahms on the Organ? Then a choir presentation of "Workin for the Dawn of Peace", every one sings Dona Nobis Pacem,

A reading "Is it Possible to Live in Peace?"

Then "Together Time" with a story called Spite Fences.

Another song called "Go Now in Peace."

Parish Concerns and Pastoral Prayer

A reading from Chapter 54 from the Tao Te Ching, an excerpt from the Nobel Prize Lecture given by the Dali Lama.

Silent Meditation

An anthem called "Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind"

A Sermon entitled "Is Peace Possible?"

Different types of readings and a different sermon every week...

I guess yous are big on peace.

hahaha just kidding.

Thanks for showing that. It matchs up with what my friend said.

 

[MzChrista]

No, it's not a non-religious religion. Is Biology a religion? Their (not "they're") churches and congregations are not bizarre, because they have no churches or congregations. When you meet with your book group, is it a congregation? When the PTA gets together, is it in a church?

Why are people so stupid? I should start a non-religious religion for non-religious non-dumb people to congregate in the church in my living room.

I really should.

I think you missed the boat. Church of Subgenius already did that.

 

[Mansa Musa]

1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (97%)
3. Neo-Pagan (96%)
4. New Age (95%)
5. New Thought (92%)
6. Liberal Quakers (86%)
7. Hinduism (85%)
8. Scientology (84%)
9. Reform Judaism (83%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (83%)
11. Jainism (79%)
12. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (73%)
13. Bahá'í Faith (69%)
14. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (69%)
15. Sikhism (66%)
16. Taoism (66%)
17. Orthodox Judaism (56%)
18. Secular Humanism (53%)
19. Islam (48%)
20. Orthodox Quaker (42%)
21. Nontheist (31%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (25%)
23. Eastern Orthodox (20%)
24. Roman Catholic (20%)
25. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (16%)
26. Seventh Day Adventist (15%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (11%)