From Dear Abby column, January 23, 2016:
Lapsed Christian Misses Church, but Not Religion
DEAR ABBY: I was raised in the Christian faith by my pastor parents. As I reached my early teens, I realized that those beliefs didn’t really fit, and I gradually stopped attending church. I stayed away all through college. My time away only solidified that, in terms of belief, Christianity wasn’t for me.
After I graduated this year, I realized I missed the community and ritual of the faith and the church. There are a number of churches in my area, but I feel guilty attending one when I don’t believe in the same things as the other members. My family always taught me to be considerate of the beliefs of the people around me, and it seems dishonest to go to a service and listen to prayers my heart doesn’t embrace.
I’d still like to attend church. Have you any suggestions for what might be a good course of action? Should I go to church or stay home? — UNORTHODOX IN OHIO
DEAR UNORTHODOX: You don’t have to stay home. Instead, explore a denomination that has no dogma or creed. One in particular, Unitarian Universalism, has been mentioned before in this column.
Unitarian Universalists believe in the dignity and worth of every human being, and encourage and support others in following their personal spiritual paths. If you would like more information, visit www.uua.org.
On the same day, she also included some sensitive and sensible advice in a column titled: “Tomboy’s Unhappiness May Be Start of Gender Change“