Any Unitarian Universalists here?

[Ampris]

Hey, there. Just wondering, but I've been hearing tell about this religion recently, picking up a little info here and there, and am pretty interested in learning more-- are there any UUs on the DIS who might wanna help me out, maybe tell me a bit about your religion and what you like about it? I'd be much obliged. :

 

[ChrisFL]

Actually I'm newly interested as well as this girl I'm dating is one but I haven't had the chance to go to a 'church' service they hold yet.

 

[chris1gill]

It's the religion that I'm mostly aligned with, but have no reason to feel the urge to go to formalized services

 

[beckmrk04]

It's the religion that I'm mostly aligned with, but have no reason to feel the urge to go to formalized services

It's the one that seems to suit me, too, but I am interested in going to formal services.

I never attended church much, rarely when I was little, but now that I have my dd, I feel like some sort of formal religious services might be nice. But DH is Catholic, and that's not the right fit for us, either...

So, OP, I'm tagging along to see what the DISers have to say!

 

[chris1gill]

It's the one that seems to suit me, too, but I am interested in going to formal services.

I never attended church much, rarely when I was little, but now that I have my dd, I feel like some sort of formal religious services might be nice. But DH is Catholic, and that's not the right fit for us, either...

So, OP, I'm tagging along to see what the DISers have to say!

They have a national website, you might be able to find something local to you. I'm not into organized religion at all, but I have my belief system that fits fairly well into UU...

 

[beckmrk04]

They have a national website, you might be able to find something local to you. I'm not into organized religion at all, but I have my belief system that fits fairly well into UU...

I have looked at the website, but the closest church to me is still about 45 miles away...


And I wouldn't necessarily call UU an "organized religion", just because they don't really have any specific religious dogma or creed. It's more of a humanitarian organization, from what I have learned, that samples from an abundance of religious/philosophical beliefs.

 

[chris1gill]

I have looked at the website, but the closest church to me is still about 45 miles away...


And I wouldn't necessarily call UU an "organized religion", just because they don't really have any specific religious dogma or creed. It's more of a humanitarian organization, from what I have learned, that samples from an abundance of religious/philosophical beliefs.

You're right on that & that's why I like it or one of the reasons.... I still think of going to any church as being an organized religion, I suppose that's why I don't go (to a building), we have a location closer to us now that we've moved, but I see no reason to go...

 

[bicker]

(bump)

We've been considering looking into UU again, in light of recent circumstances. I want to think that UU serves an important role, providing a sense of community that is all-too-often missing in our lives these days. I think it needs to be considered a "religion" because that's what our society expects; too many in our society are incapable of fathoming a righteous person unaffiliated with a "religion", so I suspect UU serves a valuable purpose in that regard as well.

 

[Carl]

I always thought of it as kind of a social club, except that it elevates people in their own eyes.

 

[Mean Queen]

I always thought of it as kind of a social club, except that it elevates people in their own eyes.

You mean, like church?

 

[bicker]

Indeed, exactly like a church.

 

[Carl]

You mean, like church?

No. I mean that the people there feel that they are wiser than any God, or that they are too smart to believe in a supreme being.

People in real churches may feel better about themselves because they are searching for God and trying to serve Him. That's a little different attitude.

 

[Mean Queen]

No. I mean that the people there feel that they are wiser than any God, or that they are too smart to believe in a supreme being.

People in real churches may feel better about themselves because they are searching for God and trying to serve Him. That's a little different attitude.

I've known quite a few people who go to UU church and not one seems to fit the stereotype you have of them. Also, what is a "real" church? The one that matches your religion? Or just any Christian church? Do the Scientology churches count as "real" in your opinion?

 

[Liberty Belle]

I always thought of it as kind of a social club, except that it elevates people in their own eyes.

Not sure what, exactly, you mean by this, but it sounds insulting.

I'm a Christian and have been to a couple UU services. I enjoyed them.

 

[bicker]

I mean that the people there feel that they are wiser than any God, or that they are too smart to believe in a supreme being.

One could say something equally malicious about what you believe. Is that what your religion teaches you?

People in real churches may feel better about themselves because they are searching for God and trying to serve Him. That's a little different attitude.

It isn't though. UU congregations, like Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques, are "real churches". It is the same. That's the point.

 

[dumboiu]

No. I mean that the people there feel that they are wiser than any God, or that they are too smart to believe in a supreme being.

People in real churches may feel better about themselves because they are searching for God and trying to serve Him. That's a little different attitude.

please tell me you aren't really serious.....

 

[smartestnumber5]

No. I mean that the people there feel that they are wiser than any God, or that they are too smart to believe in a supreme being.

People in real churches may feel better about themselves because they are searching for God and trying to serve Him. That's a little different attitude.

ITA.

How can UU be considered a real religion when they don't teach people to hate, insult, and degrade anyone who has different religious beliefs?

 

[Carl]

I guess I should clarify myself. For those of you who feel comfortable in the UU church, that's fine. But, for those of you looking for a church to attend and are considering a UU church, it really isn't the same as traditional churches. If you are looking for a church which teaches redemption by Jesus Christ, or even by serving God, I don't think you would find that is what is taught in a UU church. It is more of a "searching for self" type of thing. And I do feel that most people who attend that kind of church do not consider that they NEED any kind of salvation or that sort of thing. I hope that makes sense.

 

[Mean Queen]

I guess I should clarify myself. For those of you who feel comfortable in the UU church, that's fine. But, for those of you looking for a church to attend and are considering a UU church, it really isn't the same as traditional churches. If you are looking for a church which teaches redemption by Jesus Christ, or even by serving God, I don't think you would find that is what is taught in a UU church. It is more of a "searching for self" type of thing. And I do feel that most people who attend that kind of church do not consider that they NEED any kind of salvation or that sort of thing. I hope that makes sense.

Thank you for clarifying. Not everyone does feel they need that type of salvation. I know there are UU's who do believe in the traditional Christian idea of God but feel more at ease in the more relaxed atmosphere of the Unitarian Universalist church. But more evangelical or conservative type Christians would not. I'm going to guess the OP does not fit into the second category if they are asking about UU.

 

[bicker]

How can UU be considered a real religion when they don't teach people to hate, insult, and degrade anyone who has different religious beliefs?

Now, now... let's keep the sarcasm within reasonable limits.

But, for those of you looking for a church to attend and are considering a UU church, it really isn't the same as traditional churches.

I suspect you'd probably note differences of similar scope if you checked out a Jewish synagogue, Muslim mosque, Hindu mandir or Buddhist temple. I've noted rather substantial differences between the Reform Jewish synagogues I remember from my youth, and the Young Israel synagogues, such as that which my cousin worships at today -- so you'll see such radical differences even within what many would consider a single faith.

If you are looking for a church which teaches redemption by Jesus Christ, ... I don't think you would find that is what is taught in a UU church.

Very true. My understanding, and the main reason why I am looking into a UU congregation (not really "church"), is because it doesn't teach "redemption by Jesus Christ". I don't believe in that stuff.

And I do feel that most people who attend that kind of church do not consider that they NEED any kind of salvation or that sort of thing.

The concept of "salvation" gets into the whole, "Are you living for this world or for some other?" argument that is fundamental to many non-Judeo-Christian religions. AFAIC, people earn "salvation" only by what they do outside the "church", not within it.