Any Unitarian Universalists here?

[bicker]

Welcome!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

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.

I went to a service once to listen to a guest speaker for the sermon, a Rabbi that I had read in the local newspaper. He was a very liberal Jew, he would dress up as Santa for the underpriviledged children in the area every year.. Anyway, I had alwas wanted to hear him speak, and also wanted to see what UU was about. It seemed to really be close to my beliefs, they are very inclusive and accepting of everyone's beliefs/lifestyles, etc.

Anyway, it was a very interesting service, the Rabbi was great and interestingly enough, the Rabbi was the only one in the entire service that ever said the word "Jesus"..or even God.

 

[bicker]

Unitarian Universalists often are asked at this time of year whether we celebrate Christmas —which we do. The next question is always, “Why?”

The answer is found in the origins of both Unitarianism and Universalism, the two faith traditions that merged in 1961 to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. Both trace their theological roots to early Christianity and their historical roots to the radical wing of the 16th century reformation, especially in Poland, Transylvania (part of modern Romania) and England.

In the United States, Unitarianism emerged from the liberal wing of Christianity as a separate faith tradition, not only in the northeast but also in the South. The Unitarian church in Charleston was the mother church for many other southern congregations before the Civil War. Universalism also was well represented in the rural South. Scattered small congregations still struggle to survive in places such as Newberry, S.C., and Canon, Ga.

Early Unitarians believed in the unity of God and rejected the trinity, while Universalists believed in universal salvation that did not require accepting Jesus as the only savior. Today’s Unitarian Universalists are invited to undertake a personal and shared search for truth and meaning wherever it might be found, including but not limited to Christianity.

While most Unitarian Universalists do not believe in the divinity, or at least the unique divinity, of Jesus as the Christ, he is still important to our faith tradition. We believe that he was a prophet, like Buddha, Mohammed and other great religious teachers. Muslims share that view of Jesus.

Unitarian Universalists like to claim that they practice the religion of Jesus rather than a religion about Jesus. We count Christianity as one source of our faith, along with Judaism and other world religions, earth-centered spirituality, the teachings of humanism, the words and deeds of prophetic women and men, and the direct experience of mystery and wonder. So we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, because he informs our faith understanding as a person who lived in the presence of the holy, who taught by word and example how to overcome oppression without violence, and who showed and taught how to build and sustain a beloved and inclusive community.

Christmas offers Unitarian Universalists an opportunity to celebrate with customs and meanings derived from many faith traditions. No one knows the actual date of the birth of Jesus, but the time just after the winter solstice was originally chosen to coincide with pagan celebrations of the return of the sun and, with it, the promise of renewal of the days of warmth and light that follow. Earth-centered traditions such as Wicca and American Indian spirituality also honor the solstice, as does the Hindu festival of light and in some respects, the minor Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Of the three Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity, the one Unitarian Universalists primarily celebrate at Christmas is hope — not only hope for the return of warmth and light, but the hope that is embodied in each new birth as a promise of what is to come.

Like many Christians [do], Unitarian Universalists [also] celebrate this holiday with trees (a northern European pagan custom), gift-giving (part of the Roman Saturnalia celebrating the winter solstice, as well as many other pre-Christian traditions), food and gatherings of friends and family, and of course, worship services. We always sing that well-known Christmas carol, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” written by a 19th century Unitarian minister. Along with the birth of Jesus, this hymn celebrates the focus on social justice and creating the kingdom of God on earth, which are central to Unitarian Universalism.

(We are less likely to include “Jingle Bells” in our worship services, even though that song was written by a minister of music at the Savannah Unitarian Church who was feeling homesick for his native Massachusetts.)

Christmas is a holiday that belongs to all who recognize Jesus as a significant figure in human history and a source of inspiration in their personal lives. As 16th century Unitarian minister Francis David of Transylvania said, “We need not think alike to love alike.” It is also true that we need not find the exact same meaning in the Christmas story in order to join in the celebration.

~ Holley Hewitt Ulbrich

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2007/nov/30/do-uus-celebrate-christmas-yes-they-do/

 

[bicker]

I found a hilarious thread on Facebook...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2211771128#/topic.php?uid=2211771128&topic=1839

It is a set of great jokes about us... like this one:

Why are UUs the worst hymn singers?
Because they are always reading ahead to see if they agree with the next line.



And this one:

Why is it dangerous to piss of a UU? Because we'll burn a question mark in your lawn.

 

[Holly]

I found a hilarious thread on Facebook...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2211771128#/topic.php?uid=2211771128&topic=1839

It is a set of great jokes about us... like this one:

Why are UUs the worst hymn singers?
Because they are always reading ahead to see if they agree with the next line.



And this one:

Why is it dangerous to piss of a UU? Because we'll burn a question mark in your lawn.

 

[LakeAriel]

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.

I thought it was more about serving humanity? Please explain.

 

[bicker]

As you have, no doubt, heard by now, President-elect Barack Obama and his family held the memorial for his grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, in our First Unitarian Church of Honolulu. I asked their minister, the Reverend Mike Young, if he would write something about this for all of us, and he most graciously agreed:

Many years ago Madelyn Dunham brought a small boy to the First Unitarian Church for Sunday School. On December 23rd, he came back to celebrate her memorial service. She had died two days before he was elected President of the United States.


This time he came with his family, his sister's family and a few close friends; and a huge contingent of Secret Service Agents, bomb sniffing dogs, and snipers. The whole property was locked down. Every nook and cranny of the church was searched. The event was successfully kept a secret for two weeks ahead of time to protect the privacy of the family.

The service was a simple one, with music by Dion Hangtree. Barack and his sister, Maya, spoke warmly remembering their grandmother, "Toot," (The Hawaiian word for grandmother is Tutu.) She had been a local bank executive. The president mentioned that she was the sort of bright, strong woman who, if she had been born 20 years later, would have been president of the bank. Her ashes were later scattered in the ocean off Lanai Point, South Oahu. This is from the opening I wrote for the service:

Madelyn Dunham chose this land of gentle and violent beauty for her final resting place. We stand now in the leeward shadow of the majestic Ko'olaus, in the distance the rich and fecund Pacific. Along this coast, Punchbowl, Diamond Head, Koko, Hanauma, craters of the ancient birthing of this land in fire. Wrapped in moist trade winds scented and spiced with pikaki and ginger. Mauka, the verdant mist washed valleys watering a fertile garden of the human spirit. From the most ancient Kanaka Maoli to today's rich diversity of peoples whose spirits are rooted in this land, here have you come. Here will her ashes and the good wishes of those who loved her be joined with the elements of this place. We come here today to seek the blessings of this land upon her repose. Once, she admired this beauty as she moved through its spaces. Now she will be a part of it; greeting the dawn and the sunset, storm and calm, from within the very heart of that beauty.

I was honored to have shared this moment with the family of President-elect Barack Obama.

Link to video report: http://www.kitv.com/video/18350671/index.html

 

[bicker]

I thought it was more about serving humanity?

Good point. From what I've seen so far, UU belief involves serving humanity, serving the earth, serving the universe, etc., essentially, serving God, as we Pantheists define God.

 

[bicker]

Amazing... our minister skipped the sermon today because the earlier parts of the service ran long.

For you folks who have sermons as a regular part of your weekly worship, does that happen, in your experience, very often?

 

[Carl]

We used to have one who would cut his sermon short in that case, but never one who just cut it completely.

 

[bicker]

Does your church have Sunday School? If so, what percentage of families of your church have children in Sunday School. How do you staff instructors?

 

[TomLovesBecky]

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?

LOL was just reading this thread and this jumped out at me.

Indeed, it is sad that ANY religion would teach hatred. Jesus Christ taught love. God wants us to love. I would hope that ANYBODY'S God would want us to love. And that's pretty much all I have to say about that.

 

[bicker]

Found this on Facebook:

As participants of a religious institution Unitarian Universalists may possibly be the makers of their own demise. In fact I would go as far to say that as a "Faith" Unitarian Universalism is amazing. A belief in radical individualism coupled with a strong spiritual sense of community. But as a Religion- which is an institution for that faith. We fail.

...

So why do I think there is no real UU pride?

Because as a life long UU I've found there is no UU culture.
Aside from a liberal, post-yuppie, middle class limbo.

The fact most UUs don't know all 7 principles isn't that bad.
But the fact most UUs can't explain their religion is horrible.

I hear people say:
"As a UU you can believe anything"
Wrong.

"We're not really a religion"
Wrong.

"We're a Christian denomination"
Kinda wrong.

I've been in the company of UUs and when asked: What religion are you?
They answer: "Spiritual not religious"
or "Liberal Christian" because they don't want to explain what UUism is.

I say this because I feel that as UUs so many of us have internalized the fact that we don't know how to explain our faith. We pretend that it's not any particular ignorance on our part but that our faith isn't a faith at all. We've internalized such a sense of political correctness that not only are afraid to share our religion with others. We're afraid to have pride our own faith. We may be creed-less but we are covenantal.

So, yes, you can "sin" as a UU.

We are a religion.

We are a church.

AND

Just because we believe no faith is greater than another it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have pride in our own.

UUs should at the very least take the time to create a self sustaining culture. To do that we must simply begin to do the spiritual work of understanding our own faith AND passing it on. If not to others at least to the next generation.

My rant is done.

Amen to most of that.

One part I take exception to: Unitarian Universalism is not even "kinda" not a Christian denomination. There are people, who are Christians, who are member of the UU church, and practice, perhaps, a hybrid Christian/UU religion -- let them label it -- but UU itself, by its stated intentions, is not in any way, shape, or form, a Christian denomination. It treats sources of wisdom equally. It can be said to be a Jewish denomination as readily as it can be said to be a Christian denomination. However, I feel it is disrespectful to Christians, not to mention non-Christian UUs -- disrespectful, even through laxity -- to cast UU as a Christian denomination.

I resonate very strongly with the assertion that we (or at least some of us) are too polite about religion, too apologetic about being "other". I left my first UU church service feeling that I could have done a better job, than the minister, outlining UU belief regarding the sermon-topic (and the months of UU church services, since, delivered by three other UU ministers, have convinced me that that the first minister was indeed too amphibological about our faith). If we do not respect ourselves and the righteousness of our beliefs, then how can we reasonably expect others to show us such respect?

 

[Disney Doll]

Amazing... our minister skipped the sermon today because the earlier parts of the service ran long.

For you folks who have sermons as a regular part of your weekly worship, does that happen, in your experience, very often?

Actually, I can remember being in church one hot summer morning.

The priest stood at the lectern and said "It's hot. Hell is hotter." And that was his sermon.

 

[bicker]

Why is ritual important? What does it mean for us to gather on Sundays? Why do we gather? What makes space or time sacred?

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Does your church have Sunday School? If so, what percentage of families of your church have children in Sunday School. How do you staff instructors?

Funny, I am rushing through this thread so I can get ready to teach at a UU Sunday school. I hope to come back to the thread soon. Today we are talking about reflections and the story of Elijah in case anyone was wondering.

 

[Poppinsme]

Found this on Facebook:Amen to most of that.

One part I take exception to: Unitarian Universalism is not even "kinda" not a Christian denomination. There are people, who are Christians, who are member of the UU church, and practice, perhaps, a hybrid Christian/UU religion -- let them label it -- but UU itself, by its stated intentions, is not in any way, shape, or form, a Christian denomination. It treats sources of wisdom equally. It can be said to be a Jewish denomination as readily as it can be said to be a Christian denomination. However, I feel it is disrespectful to Christians, not to mention non-Christian UUs -- disrespectful, even through laxity -- to cast UU as a Christian denomination.

I resonate very strongly with the assertion that we (or at least some of us) are too polite about religion, too apologetic about being "other". I left my first UU church service feeling that I could have done a better job, than the minister, outlining UU belief regarding the sermon-topic (and the months of UU church services, since, delivered by three other UU ministers, have convinced me that that the first minister was indeed too amphibological about our faith). If we do not respect ourselves and the righteousness of our beliefs, then how can we reasonably expect others to show us such respect?

Unfortunately there are WAY to many people who no nothing of the religion they profess to. Most Christians have never read a good translated bible.

I love talking about Unitarian belief to anyone who is curious. I know my faith quite well.

 

[bicker]

This seems to be an error, to me....

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_religion_was_the_First_Protestant_Faith

While I'm always quick to clarify that UU is not a denomination of Christianity, our faith can be traced back to Unitarian Christians, and they can be traced back to the second century, specifically the Monarchian Controversy.

Indeed, the nature of the controversy wasn't that some folks were beginning to lean Unitarian, but rather than Christianity, which had been wholly Unitarian up until that point, started leaning ditheistic, i.e., Father and Son [referred to as the Logos]... the "Holy Spirit" came on the scene later...

Of course, in that case, the Unitarians weren't the protesters back then. So perhaps they could be considered the first Protestants starting when they became protesters, around the time of Nicean Council.

 

[jenn&nelsonrego]

I am a Congregationalist which in many cases is very similar to UU.

I attended a First Night service at the local UU church and was told by one of their members that the biggest difference between Congregationalists and UU's is that Congregationalists are Christian while in the UU church, there are Atheists, Agnostics, etc.

Sounds good to me, I personally feel that as long as someone believes in something greater than themselves, everything will be fine. Now, if that is God, Allah, Buddha, Mother Earth, or that tree on the corner, whatever.

 

[jenn&nelsonrego]

Amazing... our minister skipped the sermon today because the earlier parts of the service ran long.

For you folks who have sermons as a regular part of your weekly worship, does that happen, in your experience, very often?

I think he only cut it out completely once... during Childrens Sunday... he sort of just let the kids take over... it was great!

But he has cut it short on some occassions.... and gone over the hour mark when there has been something particularly important or time sensitive to say....