Can somebody tell me about Unitarian Universalism?

I have been thinking about joining this church. After a rough several years, I suppose I am looking for a return to some form of sprituality. I would like to know a little more. Is it progressive? What kind of a church is it. The churches in Spokane, where I live just seem to be too conservative for my taste. I am seeking a progressive minded and excepting church and people.

Thanks!


John

http://www.uua.org/

Many UU's are progressives and liberals, though not all. Here is what they call their 'Principles and Purposes':

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to 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.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

* Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;

* Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;

* Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;

* Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

* Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.

* Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

so in that way they're progressive. I'm sure there are UU churches with GOPs in them somewhere, probably in Texas or Oklahoma, but most are pretty progressive. They have subgroupings for Buddhists, agnostics, and just about every flavor of Christian except the intolerant asshole Calvinists.

Churches in general are wonderful sources of social support even for the nonspiritual. UU churches tolerate the nonspiritual as well as the deeply spiritual.

It would be nice to go to a church that will be more excepting in this place. After being exposed to conservative churches growing up, it would be nice to join a group that is excepting and non-hypocritical. I have been an Agnostic up to this point.


John

building a community of faith in a very open way. I would call it a progressive church. For teens they have a wonderful program of study of all different religions. They also do a sex ed program for teens.

You will find people you like and people you may not like, same as in any group. But the UUs, as a whole, are a wonderful group of people working to enrich their lives and working to make life better for all people.

http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/

The entire website is chock full (I love that expression) of info of religious/political/social import.

UU is VERY liberal in my experience and, as I recall, non-creed specific. My mother is a Presbyterian minister and now wishes that she had gone through seminary as a UU because Presbyterians aren't progressive enough. And Presbyterians are awfully progressive.

We have a lot of friends who are members or otherwise associated with it, and it's very, very progressive. My understanding is that the UUs believe in all paths to worshiping the Creator - they do Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and any other prayer. They're even very careful to keep things gender-neutral.

Look at it another way - they're based in Boston, need I say more? Heck, just look at their home-page: http://www.uua.org/ Top article is on stopping Alito!

Elevator speeches (about UU)

Recently, UU World magazine asked for contributions of "elevator speeches" explaining UUism. These are short speeches that could be made in the course of an elevator ride. Here are three of the speeches submitted:

In Unitarian Universalist congregations, we gather in community to support our individual spiritual journeys. We trust that openness to one another's experiences will enhance our understanding of our own links with the divine, with our history, and with one another. — Rev. Jonalu Johnstone, Oklahoma City, OK

We believe that your spiritual life is personal -- a relationship between the individual and deity, however you define it. Rather than choose your path for you, we provide a safe place for you to discover and pursue your own path. — Lyn Worthen, Salt Lake City, UT

Unitarian Universalists believe that all life is sacred, all existence is interconnected, and that justice and compassion must be the foundation of our thoughts and deeds. — Ann Creech, Roswell, GA


In a survey<1>, reported but not sponsored by the UUA, Unitarian Universalists in the US were asked which term or terms of a set provided best describe their belief. The top choices were:

* Humanist - 54%
* Agnostic - 33%
* Earth-centered - 31%
* Atheist - 18%
* Buddhist - 16.5%
* Christian - 13.1%
* Pagan - 13.1%

:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_unitarianism

My wife and I have been members for 8 years, and have truly found a place we can call home. We are both agnostics, and have loved the progressive atmosphere in the UU church...and this is in Birmingham Alabama!

As in any denomination, each church is different. For the most part, UUs are extremely progressive, liberal, and concerned about social justice issues.

I encourage you to try them out!

The UUA was born from the convergence of two doctrinal threads, Unitarianism and Universalism.

Unitarianism is a rejection of the Trinity. One of the major traditions of unitarianism, found mainly in Hungary, France and parts of Africa, holds that Jesus was a human being who had been imbued with divine power but was not, himself, God. Another important tradition holds that Jesus was just a prophet favored by God. Many of the so-called "heresies" of traditional Christianity are Unitarian in dogma; Unitarianism has existed as a doctrine from the very earliest roots of Christianity. Many Protestant churches in early Massachussetts were held to a Unitarian dogma; there is an old joke that Unitarians believe in the Fatherhood of God and the Neighborhood of Boston.

Universalism is a rejection of everlasting punishment. Like Unitarianism, it has been around since the very beginning, has been widely condemed as a "heresy," and is still a part of numerous Christian traditions. There are two main traditions that represent the universalist view. One holds that Jesus' sacrifice offers salvation to all humanity, regardless of religious practice or faith; as long as a person holds to Christian values such as love, charity and peace, he will be saved. The second thread holds that Hell exists, not as a place of eternal punishment but as a "time out" where souls go until they repent and are then allowed in to Heaven.

Unitarian-Universalism was born in the United States in 1961, with the merging of two denominations, the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church in America. The essential dogma of the Unitarian Universalist Association is the rejection of all dogma; the essential doctrine of the UUA can be summed up in, "Think for your self." Most UUA members do not identify themselves as exclusively Christian, but also (or instead) some combination of humanist, agnostic, pagan, even atheist, among other beliefs.

Services at a UU church can vary widely. It might be a drum circle one time, and a one hour meditation time that draws on both Buddhist and Quaker traditions the next. One common practice is to have one service a week that is essentially a lecture series, with speakers talking about issues and drawing on different scriptures to illustrate their points. Check with your local church for particulars.

Hope that helps. :hi:

I am solid atheist, my wife is agnostic. My son needed something to bring him away from the heinous stuff he hears about right and wrong in society. My daughter is pretty solid in her agnostic beliefs for a 12 year old.

I really like it. It is open, progressive, a lot of intelligent people talking about their attempts to make sense out of life. I feel as comfortable talking about my lack of belief as much as others are comfortable talking about their belief in any number of things. Also very supportive of the gay community which I think is important.

There is no real dogma, it is just a chance for people to explore their own spirituality with some guidance and some people to bounce ideas off of. I think you will be happy with it.