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As a U.U., I was curious to know what others' knowledge of this religion is. Have you heard of it before? What do you think of it? Is it a valid religious choice?
I am a Unitarian Universalist. My wife, Lilly of the Field, and I left the LDS Church at roughly the same time and shortly thereafter became agnostics/atheists. We wanted to keep all that we liked about our previous lives as Mormons and change and improve on the things we did not like. We both enjoy feeling peace, transcendence, unity, joy, comfort. We wanted to be part of a community that encouraged those feelings through hymns and the sharing of thoughts and experiences, but without supernatural emphasis. I'd rather not have to filter through a bunch of stuff I don't believe that is taught from the pulpit as if it were the undisputed truth. I would not be comfortable with that.
We also wanted to be taught the sorts of things we were now into: environmentalism, skepticism, personal spiritual journeys, justice for all regardless of race, gender, orientation, etc. I wanted a community that I could raise my children in with those values and have mentors for them that would encourage exploration of ideas. I wanted people I could turn to for support during times of hospitalization, deaths, births, marriages, etc. I wanted to be able to unite to accomplish greater good through community service and pressure on legislatures. I wanted to enjoy community pot-lucks, seminars, and functions, etc.
We heard that many former mormons had found a home in Unitarian Universalism. So, we went to our local one and felt right at home. It was a spiritual community that accepted atheists just the way we are. The sermons prompt introspection and contemplation. I have no fear that my kids will be indoctrinated. I am learning to be more tolerant of others who do have supernatural beliefs.
Unitarian Universalism has no creed dictating that all UU's must believe such and such. Instead, there are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations 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.
I attended several UU services and was all set to join (I like their viewpoints) until I found that I could not financially afford to. They are rather mercenary around here. That is a shame.
I attended several UU services and was all set to join (I like their viewpoints) until I found that I could not financially afford to. They are rather mercenary around here. That is a shame.
What? Please tell me more. I have been a member of 3 different UU fellowships and frequently visited a fourth, and I have never heard of such a thing. Membership has always been free. The fellowship has to pay dues to the UUA once a year for every member they have on record (I think it is about $20 IIRC), so some fellowships either want you to contribute that much in a year to offset their cost or you can contribute some other way such as volunteering to be on a committee or something. So, if someone did not have any money, they could still be a member by donating a little of their time.
So, what was the policy of the fellowship you were thinking about joining?
Thanks for posting, as I have meant to do so......I will be moving to another state soon and have already pulled up website of the UU location so I can attend.....
For MANY years, I have felt so different than those involved in dogmatic religious services.... looking forward to a meeting of like-minded people who are willing to coexist with others.
Is it a religion? Well...........does it have to be? It is the way I am going, that's all I know!
quote=Nomomo11;18805774]As a U.U., I was curious to know what others' knowledge of this religion is. Have you heard of it before? What do you think of it? Is it a valid religious choice?
As a U.U., I was curious to know what others' knowledge of this religion is. Have you heard of it before? What do you think of it? Is it a valid religious choice?
Feel free to be honest.
I went to a service once. Being a right-wing agnostic, I quickly bailed after perusing their bulletin board.
So, what was the policy of the fellowship you were thinking about joining?
I looked two different ones over, and they weren't all that different. They both want members to agree to give a set amount each month. My financial situation is irregular, so I didn't want to commit to that. It wasn't good enough for me to give as much as I felt comfortable about giving.
I looked two different ones over, and they weren't all that different. They both want members to agree to give a set amount each month. My financial situation is irregular, so I didn't want to commit to that. It wasn't good enough for me to give as much as I felt comfortable about giving.
I am sorry to hear that that was your experience. Most fellowships do ask their members once a year to pledge what they will contribute during the next year so that the fellowship can draw up a budget for the coming year. We usually fill out a pledge card, but in every fellowship I've been to, it would be perfectly acceptable to write on the pledge card $0, or "I am unable to pledge at this time". Again, I am sorry that was not your experience.
Let me guess - they actually treated gays with respect and accepted them and same sex families as part of their community?
Sorry, guess again.
Last edited by nightflight; 04-22-2011 at 10:32 AM..
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