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Lengthy and detailed essay, including how the UUA has transformed into an illiberal democracy
My dad recently told me about his experience with this specific church (he grew up in LA and his parents were members of it) and there was one part in particular that interests me: he told me that the pastor (or what ever they call it for non-religious groups) used to come by his house around dinner time and the "pastor" sat around the table with his whole family and try and talk about his feelings and stuff. He was very young and couldn't recall much. My dad told me he talked about this with his brother (who was also there) and asked him what was going on, but before his brother could tell him the conversation broke off.
I would now like to know if any of you guys and girls have the answer. This was in the seventees and they probably dont do this know anymore, so unless you've lived it, you probably won't know.
If so what did you think of it? Thoughts about it online?
Before I begin I'd just like to wish everyone a great everything and hope you're all well. I am actually going through a not so great period in my life now
but I've never let that stop me from praying or believing. Also warning it may be rambly.
So this post is about the synthesis of varying belief systems and religious beliefs and how they all integrate. I'm a practicing UU, and have believed in
God/Higher Power/Whatever for about 36 years (probably my lifetime) But I also draw insight and strength from all religions. Until I discovered UU in my
twenties I thought I was the only person who did this!
This sometimes puts me in conflict with views centred in only one religion or doctrine. For instance my two closest therapists are Christian and Buddhist - I'm
open to discussing religion in session as it's a powerful healing force, but I sometimes have to challenge them or interpret their statements in view of
my own beliefs.
In dark times I admit that I wonder and question my faith (which is not necessarily a bad thing, since faith SHOULD be questioned!) Maybe I have it all wrong.
Maybe I should just be one religion, a good Buddhist/Christian or whatever, and that would solve everything. But I believe that to just be the blandishment of
the ego.
But then I remember WHY I believe this - and it is not just because of UU. Because I have had direct spiritual experiences that resemble each of the major religions
(and then some) I have experienced the cessation of samsara in meditation. I have met and spoken with God (as we know Him) I have experienced the sensation of
flames lightning and burning away depression, similar to certain Shinto texts.
As a scientist, therefore, I must believe that they are all true (and William James' books seem to corroborate this) We all experience God differently, but it's
there. (or not there, if you are atheist) I don't think I would believe so ardently if I hadn't actually seen prayers being answered.
At the same time, we live in a modern and digital age, and so a lot of the sacred texts must be interpreted (one of my favorite questions is "If Buddha/Jesus
could use Instagram what would they post?") I experience God most directly through video games/anime, which raises a lot of eyebrows but it true to my experience.
I still have bills to pay. I'm very sex positive, so I don't agree with a lot of the more traditional views of society (for instance, I don't believe in marriage
as an institution) and believe spirtuality and sexuality are interlinked, which some conservatives aren't on board with.
It's sometimes (often!) a lonely path to walk as I seek the intersection of all paths, constantly refining and interpreting information (the Net has too much!)
striving to be true to my authentic self and what God wants of me. It's not easy, which is why I am posting here I guess - wondering if others have similar
struggles or ways of believing and viewing the world.
This is just me being UU in the way I know best, I'm not prescribing anything or saying my way is best. Be well and I am happy to discuss!
I'm using the G word in this post, substitute as you will!
I was introduced to this concept by a minister and have since read up on it. The way God speaks to me is that when I come to Him with a decision that I need guidance with (and these are typically big ones like deciding which major) when I feel a sense of peace from it, I know it is His will.
If not, I will feel agitated and antsy. I also incorporate things like TRE into this process, as well as talking to other humans. I use head and heart, and take all major decisions to God.
I recently tried to use muscle testing to speak to Him and it doesn't work, but prayer and meditation seem to have.
I thought I would post here to gain more knowledge and insight about this. It's mysterious and profound.
The UUA has a very interesting story and potential but I see that does not attract many ethnic minorities. It is a church for liberal white people with $$ (that is the perception outthere)
Maybe part of it is that the denomination tends to minimize/hide its Protestant and Christian roots, which I think was/is a mistake.
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I regularly attend an online-only congregation of the Christian Universalist Association, and it got me thinking. Does the UUA have anything similar?
I watch live streams of services, like from All Souls in Tulsa, but that's not quite the same!
So I was raised in a UU church, but this is the first time our minister has willingly stopped being our minister. (Our first minister was caught in a compromising situation with a married member of the church).
So our church has been making announcements for months that our minister was moving on, lots of plans for the goodbye event, when suddenly we get an email.
Basically the email says that normally the departing minister leaves the town he was living in to go minister elsewhere, but our minister isn't moving, he's decided to continue living here.
That means, according to the email, that we have to stop interacting with him, stop being his friend, because if we continue to talk to him and bring our religious problems to him, then the new minister, who ever that might be, will never feel fully welcome and feel like they're the minister of the congregation.
Our departing minister has been with us for about 20 years, so how do we as a congregation just stop being friends with him?
Is this normal for UU churches?
I have recently been getting re-interested (I'm always interested!) in esoteric Buddhism and Christianity, but when I try to talk about these concepts with members of their respective religions, I sometimes am confronted with more conservative concepts (on in the worst case, outright dogma)
Like "no, that's not the way, do THIS" which is not very open...I'm more than willing to be wrong, but I want to explore faith! Which I guess why I love UU so much.
I'll admit that some of my viewpoints are far from conventional - such as how I experience God while playing video games, how I also believe that video games can be "Upaya" (skilful means, in Buddhism) but I'm also interested in how different religious and spiritual concepts work together, like "be in the world, yet not of it" and the Buddhist/Hindu views of emptiness and non-attachment. The core of all religions has always seemed to me to be the same, not different, and there is so much to learn from all the faiths.
However members of these faiths tend to only speak from their faith, which is understandable but a bit constricting. How do you all reconcile this?
I got great replies the last time I made a post like this, so I am asking again.
Hi all. I will be in Seattle this coming Sunday and am interested in finding a church to visit. I know nothing about the area and I see there are three congregations in town.
Which is a good one to visit as a first-timer in the area? Bonus points if one of you is a member of one of them and wants to make a connection.
Have patience, please, it's still a little rough--
I'd heard that UUs value diversity of opinions, so when I found three of them together I asked: If you have three UUs, how many opinions are there?
The first said, "Three, of course."
The second said, "At least three."
The third said, "It depends on what you mean by 'opinion.'"
Jesus loves you, come chat with us! we are friendly, We have Bible Studies, and if you suffer from anything and need to talk or just wanna talk about Jesus or the word come say hi!
Peace be upon you,
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No words, really. Just wanting to put this down somewhere.
I have been a member of a UU congregation since January. Today, after a full week with the candidate and a whole one year process of identifying candidates, my congregation held a vote on a motion to call a new Sr Minister, the vote did not meet the threshold.
Has your congregation gone through something similar? What ended up happening? My concern is the reputation of the congregation will be impacted and our pool of candidates will shrink drastically.
I've been attending a local UU's services via zoom for the last few months and yesterday they held a newcomers class. It was my first time going there in-person and as a socially anxious person I was...well socially anxious. But everyone there was super sweet and inclusive (I mean...of course, that's a staple of UU). It was nice hearing stories from other who had left Christianity for various reasons and found UU. There was a lot of overlap with my own story, and for once in my life I didn't feel like an outsider.
This is a very rural, Christian conservative area and in a lot of ways it's very lonely being a liberal agnostic. But there I was in a tiny chapel with a bunch of other like-minded folks. I could refer to myself freely as an agnostic without feeling like I was being judged or misunderstood. It meant a lot to me.
Within an hour I was invited to join the tech committee, to help with Zoom stuff, so I guess I'm part of that now :D Not even a full-blown member yet, and they want me to get involved. I'm happy to. Growing up, my dad was very involved in our Christian church and helped run the soundboard during service. Glad to be able to carry on that familial tradition :)
I'm a practicing Jew (Reform). I have attended a UU congregation for a number of years where I have taught an adult education course on antisemitism. I’d written the following two essays explaining how the UUA’s new racial essentialism, illiberalism, dogmatism and attempts to politicize the religion make UU increasingly unwelcoming to most Jews. The first essay was used in the course and is included in my congregation's racial justice resources.
Two Jewish friends with similar feelings and complaints about the national UU left their UU congregations in the last year. I've stayed because my congregation still champions liberal religion and congregations as independent entities, and allows and respects the expression of the diversity of views of its members.
I am interested in listening to more humanist focused services and talks from the UU community. I wanted to see if people in this group could point to some communities and UU leaders that have recordings available.
Any good audio / podcasts to subscribe too? Or video channels?
Thanks!
This is a throwaway account
So without giving too much away. I (27M) recently started attending a UU church in my area about 7-8 months ago. I quickly learned they were in a transitional period and felt like it would be a good time to join. It was apparent that the congregation was significantly older, 70+, but I had no qualms with that; however, my consistent presence I think has upset some of the members.
I am the kind of person who needs to be involved in order to feel a since of belonging. I desperately tried to find more info about events, get togethers, etc., but quickly learned the only way to really get that information was talking with people. So I did and I got involved helping plan activities just so I could know what was happening. This was fine for awhile, but then I kept constantly hear about how there were only a few leaders doing a lot and people, both from the church and the broader community, weren't showing up to things.
I think more than anything these comments really frustrated me because I really try to help and be there.
Recently there was a meeting which involved all those who were doing things within the church. Yet again there was this overarching tone of lack of leadership or outreach/ marketing for events. This also included statements about how we want the congregation to grow, especially with families, and I sat in that meeting thinking about all the ways I have offered to help, yet there was hardly ever any follow through.
I understand I am a gung-ho kind of person, but when all these people fail to utilize me, continue to complain, and then talk about how they want growth near my demographic I'm left utterly frustrated. I understand that it may sound like I'm being overbearing, but really try to understand and respect that I am fairly new to the church. I am not trying to implement really any change. I just want to be involved and help, and for some reason it feels like that is a bad thing or there is this imaginary line I have to cross before I am fully allowed to contribute.
There is another church in town, but it is significantly bigger and that really deters me as I have only really gone to smaller churches. I just feel like if I am going to continue going to this church I am going to have to pull back significantly and that really defeats the point of going for me.
I know younger people in general seem to have a hard time with this religion, but I really like it and I want other people to like it. However, if they are going to continue this pattern of behavior why on earth would I invite others?
I don't know if anyone else has gone through this before or how they handled it, but I would really appreciate different perspectives.
![]() | Invisible Disabilities can be obvious: Only the doctor may see a cancer, but it can impair. Diving deeper raises fascinating questions. The ADA has such a wide “disability” definition even being “erroneously regarded” can qualify. So, discrimination based on a fictitious diagnosis may itself be disabling. On Sunday 5/29 I will co-moderate a free public webinar with guest Unitarian Universalist Rev. Suzanne Fast for a discussion of this topic. More details? See my new blog: https://davidwoaks.com/invisible-dis-webinar-2022 [link] [comments] |
Would anyone happen to know which hymns in the gray or teal hymnal were written by people of color? I mean, aside from the obvious ones, like spirituals or hymns written in Spanish.
I have been requested to select hymns by people of color for this coming Sunday and am not sure how to go about this without falling into clichés (spirituals, songs written in Spanish) and without simply Googling to hopefully get a picture of each composer/lyricist.
I did a brief search on the UUA website and all the worship materials I have seen so far about Beloved Community are all text.
In the meantime, I’m going to keep looking on the UUA site & googling.
From the author: "The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is attempting to both increase general UU membership and greatly increase racial minority membership. While the goals are admirable, the UUA’s approach is ill-conceived and likely to fail."
https://davidcycleback.com/2022/05/05/why-the-uua-is-doomed-to-fail/
I'm still figuring out if UU is the right path for me. I've been thinking a lot about the first principle and how challenging that can actually be.
Of course it informs us that actions which violate the worth and dignity of the individual ought to be condemned and never tolerated, actions including but not limited to murder, rape, child molestation, assault, abuse, discrimination, white supremacy and many others. But that's the easy part, isn't it?
But how are we to affirm the worth and dignity of even the people who themselves have commited these acts, ie. the rapists, murders, assaulters and oppressors? To my mind, the first principle firstly rejects the idea that anybody is "born evil", and that every person has the inherent potential for goodness.
Secondly, it seems to inform that even in the case of someone who has commited terrible actions and needs to face the consequences of those actions (for example being removed from society and placed somewhere where they can't cause further harm) we still have a moral obligation to see the human being and that we ought to oppose capital punishment or any form of cruel and unusual punishment and that the first aim of justice should always be rehabilitative/restorative rather than punitive for the sake of vengeance.
I also have the thought that harmful actions themselves are not the result of some supernatural evil, but rather (often but not always) the result of traumas, mental defects, mental illness, and other factors that a society is better able to address when we do recognize that every person has inherent worth and dignity. That's not to say that people don't have personal responsibility for their actions, but rather that we shouldn't dehumanize anybody, regardless of what they have done, as a pretext to treat them as though they are some kind of monster rather than human.
Lastly, I suspect the first principle is the first precisely because it is challenging and difficult, and it does present certain paradoxes.
I don't know really what other UU's think of all this. I don't know if this is what is actually meant in the first principle. Maybe I have it all wrong? What are your thoughts? Would this community be a good place for me?
EDIT: I want to thank the people who have shared their thoughts with me, on this post and others I have made recently. I have come to the conclusion that UU is not the path for me. I simply cannot reconcile the first principle, and the contradictions I see within it, with my own view and experience of human nature. Nor can I with those I see in some of the other principles as well. In some ways I admire you all. But I don't think I'm one of you. So I think I'll return to the outskirts, and wander for a while longer.
because so far, the answer I'm getting is no, not really. I'm sensing a lot of using the fourth principle as an excuse to be either outright phobic or to "both sides" issues of bigotry. See:
I'm honestly not trying to stir anything up, I just feel disappointed rn.
What I mean is has there been some point(s) of contention in the past or some sort of schism? I notice this sub has more moderators.
edit: I've also come across UUnderstanding and what I've seen there sems pretty disturbing and very alt-right to me. Just trying to understand if UU is a good path or a good fit for me...
I've made other posts this evening if anyone wants to check those out and offer any feedback.
I'm just wondering if I'd be an odd one out in a UU congregation
My beliefs fluctuate between polytheism and panentheism
Do any of you have any resources for individuals sexually abused by religious professionals? I have been searching for a support group and can’t find one.
How does one deal when struggling with the principles, most specifically the first two?
I'm finding it hard to find worth and dignity in certain people...
I'm finding it hard to deal with certain people compassionately...
These certain people mean me and people close to me harm. I've got friends that are LGBTQ+ and I will defend them and their rights, using violence if necessary.
That doesn't sound too UU to me.
What do you do when you're confronted with certain people that go so far against your beliefs that you find it hard to feel any sort of worth in them?
Hello Everyone, I hope to start participating more often here. Part of why I want to be here is to share my monthly newsletter, The Sweet Potato, a roundup of UU young adult ministries. The April 2022 edition just came out. Anyone is welcome to read and sign up to get it, as we especially encourage older adults to share this resource with UU young adults in their lives. Thank you for reading.
Also this newsletter is part of the work of the Young Adult Revival Network - uuyarn.org
Crossposted from /energywork to get more insights.
I'm going through a difficult time now and I'm praying as one of my ways of coping. My therapist once said in a landmark session that the body is connected to the Spirit, and I have experienced that.
In doing energy work and LoA stuff, I've also noticed that my body heats up whenever this happens. It's not extreme heat and I don't sweat, but I definitely feel hotter. Seems to happen when I'm doing any of the above.
I've had many spiritual experiences across varied traditions (Jhanna, experiences of Christ etc) but heat is constant.
Any wisdom on this would be appreciated!
All faiths are welcome, small group of 4000+ members, for religious discussions and general chats.
Official Discord: https://discord.gg/theology
Partner website chat: thechat.cafe/theology/
Or how does a UU church deal with members who choose not to get vaccinated?
Hi all,
I think the title of my post says it all. Basically I believe in the trinity and I believe in the divinity of Jesus, but I am universalist. Would I be totally at odds walking into a UU church with both the people and the sermons etc? Is it common to occasionally come across a UU member or even a pastor with these beliefs? I find my beliefs really don't fit into a theological bucket very well. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I’m a foster parent and I’ve noticed there are very few UU foster parents compared to other local churches and their involvement in foster care. My minister explained it to me that UUs are more focused on tackling the systematic problems that cause foster care to be necessary, rather than the end result of children needing safe homes to live in.
I’m wondering if there are any UU foster parents here, or if you know of any UU Foster Care groups or ministries? It’s starting to feel pretty lonely over here.
I tried making a foster care Ministry in my own church, but there just wasn’t any interest from other congregants, and there’s been little practical support from my local congregation.
When I read about the support foster parents get in other local churches (meal trains, babysitting, baby showers, mentoring, tutoring, driving, help around the house, etc) I admit to feeling jealous or wistful. But I’m not interested in joining a Christian church, and I actively want the kids in our care to experience my congregations RE and Owl programs.
I’d really just love to talk some foster parents who are UU. I don’t know anyone else who’s a foster parent, and it would be nice to talk to other people who have similar interests, struggles, and life experiences.
As you can see, I wrote about my experiences within Islam as a convert in my history. I still believe in One God. I still think Muhammad was a Prophet and that Jesus was the Messiah. I just don't think Islam itself is good for my future. Do I have a place within UU?
Are there any online UU different religions discussion groups? I'm not entirely sure if this even is a thing, but the congregation where I'm at in the world isn't very interested in the discussion of it very much and focuses way more on secular humanism (which is great for sure). I just want to talk with others more about our spiritual journeys, topics in different religions, etc. Is this something that exists?
Edit: Just to clarify, I never meant to be disrespectful or anything, i am an universalist and didnt mean to be offensive. I was drawn to UU because it seems more free to believe whatever you want to believe, and mix and match between different religions. I love this, and would like to spend some more time in UU circles. Thought this might be appreciated here, but if i offended anyone, I am sorry and it was not my intention. I an open to people having different religious views, an open way of looking at faith and religion. Just wanted to spread some love ❤️
Luke 3:6 "And all people will see God's salvation." (NIV)
John 17:2 "since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him." (RSV)
1 Corinthians 15:22[28] "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (ESV)
1 John 2:2 "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (NIV)
Romans 5:18 "Then as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men." (RSV)
Romans 11:32[28] "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all." (NIV)
John 1:16 ”For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (ESV)
All people shall be saved, jew and gentile, man and woman. We are all saved by the grace of God.
Hello all! I have been greatly heartened by the last time I posted here regarding spiritual issues. When I post on Christian subs, it is kind of...conservative most of the time. God is big!
To clarify, I identify as UU and believe all Gods are one. However, my therapist is Christian and so when I speak to her, I use God for the ease of communication. I learned about the Christian idea of discernment from a Christian minister with UU experience - essentially if you feel calm and at peace, that would be discernment. Unease = not.
(I understand that all these are big ideas, I am simplifying so I don't write an entire novel here. I have been UU for about 15 years now.)
I am at an in-between space in my life where I need to make clear choices about certain things, including careers and choice of residence. Understandably these are not easy to make! I have done some good work with a UU spiritual director - in our conversations, a certain career choice felt "right" and gave me great peace of mind.
While working on this with my therapist before (this was before the UU director) she once asked me "what does God want you to do?" While God has occasionally answered with thunder and trumpets before (most of my many spiritual experiences have been numinous in nature) I felt peace in contemplation.
Putting the two and two together, I was wondering if God was answering because discernment = peace with a certain decision?
I am well aware that the spirit cannot be fully comprehended with the mind, yet we all have minds, which is how I am writing this. Since I am not part of any congregation at the moment, I thought I would ask here. I am continuing to pray on it.
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For those who responded to my initial post, thank you for welcoming me! I have stated that I'm looking for a Universalist church modeled after the Universalist Church of America. It's been extremely disconcerting that I haven't been able to find such a place of worship. Unfortunately, there's no interest in starting one in my area, leaving me with little options. I'm comfortable enough attending a UU church but do feel somewhat out of place. My beliefs are squarely in the 19th incarnation of Universalist theology, yet I'm not a Unitarian. There is but one congregation (First Universalist in Providence, RI) that fits the bill but I live too far to attend services and be an active member. My other options are to worship with the Sanctuary Downtown (Denver) and Community Universalist Church (Christian Universalist Association). Both options don't fit, leading to a crisis of sorts. First Universalist doesn't offer live streaming nor do they record their services.
I am unique when it comes to being a Unitarian Universalist. My beliefs follow those of one of the denominations that founded the UUA, the Universalist Church of America (1886 to 1961). My beliefs as a Trinitarian Universalist differ greatly from those of the majority of you, which is good. My views are continually shifting, as does my understanding of religious expression. What draws me to UU is its emphasis on action and [radical] love. My confession of faith, which is a paraphrase of the Winchester Profession of Faith, is as follows:
I. I truly believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments reveal God's character as well as mankind's responsibility, interest, and ultimate destiny.
II. I believe in one God, whose nature is Love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ by one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will eventually restore the entire human family to righteousness and happiness.
III. I maintain that holiness and genuine happiness are closely intertwined and that believers should take care to keep order and do selfless acts because these things are beneficial and helpful to humanity.
Thank you to everyone that suggested I go. I did email them and got two responses saying to wear my mask and that I was welcome to come.
It’s a very small group of people that are a little older. They don’t have a minister so they take turns doing the service. Todays was on the history of Valentine’s Day and love. It was so wonderful.
It was everything I wanted it to be and I will be going back!
Former Catholic and now UUs, how do you reconcile the similarities? Jesus!!!! (For lack of a better term)
Don’t know if this is the right place to post this, but it honestly felt like the only place I could, as well as potentially fitting with UU’s philosophy of respecting all belief systems, and besides the idea is in my head and I just feel the need to write it out. Forgive me if I am wrong in posting this here.
So, as the titles says, it’s no secret that atheism (or perhaps more accurately anti-theism) absolutely dominates the spiritual conversation on Reddit. r/atheism is a big sub, anti-religious subs seem to outnumber the straightforwardly religious ones (they are certainly pushed further by the site’s search and algorithms), subs like r/religion — ostensibly devoted to discussion about religion — are instead devoted almost entirely to atheists criticizing and trying poke holes in it (the same “gotcha!”/mic drop atheist talking points like “why does god let babies have cancer?” are repeated ad nauseam) and many of the larger religious subs regularly have zealous atheists storming in to hijack the conversation. Even non-religious subs occasionally have them barge in to tear down others’s religion (mention Catholicism in any way and chance of sparks flying increases exponentially). Atheists are upvoted and rewarded constantly for their opinions, to an almost suspicious degree.
And yet they are the minority; Reddit atheists continuously claim their lack of belief is rising, but even a cursory reading of the data shows this is untrue and can only be claimed through blatant skewing of information to support such a narrative; namely lumping atheism in with three other demographics — secular, irreligious, and agnostic people — and acting like this combined grouping all represents atheists… when they actually form the smallest demographic in that grouping, being vastly outnumbered by people who are theistic, agnostic, and/or influenced by religious principles but do not participate in any organized religion — e.g., people who identify as Christian but do not regularly attend church, people who express general spirituality but do not ascribe to any specific group, people who simply haven’t decided they believe, etc..
The idea that religious belief is “dying” or “declining” is farcical clickbait; it is true and provable that attendance of churches and such is declining in much of the developed world, but church attendance does not equal faith; many people these days believe in higher powers and the supernatural and simply do not see organizations like churches or such as necessary to express or hold that faith. I myself am among them. I believe strongly in God and the afterlife, but see churches as mere places of teaching/advice/shelter rather then some necessary aspect of believing. No matter which way you slice it, atheism is a small minority, with the overwhelming majority of people identifying with some sort of faith; religion may be becoming more personal, but it is going nowhere soon.
So why do atheists so utterly dominate Reddit? And could the site culture in anyway change to foster more equal religious discussion on Reddit? Clearly these angry, intolerant atheists are a vocal minority and social media does not represent the whole (I have not known many atheists in real life — proving the point about them being a minority — but those I did know were good, normal people who respected others), but I have not encountered this problem with actual religious groups online; the extremists are there, but do not dominate as with atheists.
To be clear; this is not to suggest that atheism is any less valid a belief then any other. Such an idea would be contrary to the ideals of this movement. I am simply seeking to start conversation about the possibility of improving online discourse (if that’s possible; as an internet veteran, I have generally leaned more into simply ignoring The DiscourseTM due to its lack of value).
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“MAD Pride Palace: Rolling Over Racism” is the title of my newest video, less than 11 minutes long.
I’m a quadriplegic, so to make this brief video I used the videogame Minecraft to create it with support from several caregivers & friends. This is a portfolio for our Unitarian Universalist Beloved Conversations, a program for seeking to embody racial justice as a spiritual practice.
I especially want to thank Elijah Gittens, who repeated my voice for clarity. Produced by Aciu! Institute. I played the parrot.
I would love to hear your reaction, publicly or message me.
Click here to watch my video, please share & comment:
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I'm looking for some books to share with my child - especially ones that tell about different religious stories and practices, appreciation of differences, and love of nature. Any suggestions?
My child is about 2 years old, so I'm looking for ones that would be appropriate for toddlers. But, I'm also open to favorite books for older kids too.
Unfortunately we don't live anywhere close to a UU community, so going to a congregational library isn't an option for us.
Thanks!
I have a lot of anxiety and I’m wondering if it’s really ok to just show up on Sunday? Should I email or call before the first time I go? I don’t know how active it is or what’s expected of me. I’m sure I’m over thinking this lol.
I watch a service from the town over online so I have a little bit of knowledge. But I really want to go to a service in person. I don’t know what I’m really looking for. Maybe some reassurance or stories from your first time at a service?
Similar to a previous poll I posted. I'm honestly just curious.
I wanted to add an option for 'other' and 'I don't know', but ran out of poll options. If this applies to you, you can comment below!
I've just discovered uu and am looking for online support as there is no uu churches in my areas.
![]() | submitted by /u/_kiminara [link] [comments] |
Need some help.
Best friend checked himself on suicide watch. (Great- I’m proud of him!) Treatment restricts communication w friends (bad for me)
Another good friend passed away last year. (Horrible)
Single dad to special needs son (blessing, but challenge)
On uua.org many links for references to conference centers that host UU retreats, most are canceled due to covid.
Anyone of any upcoming retreats? I’m needing help. Thanks
This is purely out of curiosity from me. Please do not complain about another poll. Lol
I was raised in a Unitarian church, and while I still find the basic principles and values to be worthy, I haven't been a regular church attendee since my mid teens. I'm 64 now. I should state that I grew up in Silicon Valley, so that you understand that science was the focus of a lot of the people my family interfaced with. I have been atheist since a very tender age (maybe 6 or 7).
I recently started dating after a divorce, and came across a UU minister who was single. She explained the diversity of her church, including New Age spiritual people and pagans.
I always felt that the principle that we use Reason to interpret the world around us was one of the stronger components of the the Unitarian belief set. But I would consider New Age spiritualism and paganism to be too herpy-derpy to even apply Reason to figure out where they fit in the world.
Have Unitarians become too tolerant of silly things like this? What's next, astrology? I know we're supposed to be Tolerant of all, but when we compromise Reason in favor of Tolerance, we end up with mental mush.
What do you think?
Hello, I'm a married man in my late 20s and expecting a baby. I used to be a devout evangelical Christian, but has grown more and more liberal over the past 5 years. I have studied buddhism and some new age-like (or should I say non-dual) traditions (such as A Course in Miracles and Seth) , and recently become more interested in psychedelics after several impactful experiences with psilocybin mushroom.
Both my wife and I are in the mental health field. We both find it hard to find local young adult friends that also have interest in progressive spirituality.
I live in Ontario, Canada. Our local UU church is mostly nice, elderly adults. The lack of people in 20s and 30s bothers me though. I really wonder why this is. Where are the spiritually-inclined younger people? Do people here have any advice for me?
Thanks.
We are not a Christian church, but I really enjoy our candlelight and carols service on Christmas Eve.
We practice a secular Christmas at home and it's nice to be able to enjoy that with our church friends.
While our church occasionally talks about Jesus as a teacher during the year......... talk about the nativity, or the Holy Family, or angels, etc. is not part of our holiday celebration. We do non-religious carols like Good King Wenceslas , Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells. There might a "savior" or two in there, IDK, I don't really care.
We also have a solstice celebration with earth poems and bonfires and intention setting practices.
Does your church do anything for the holiday season?
Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.
Your top 10 posts:
The comedy series Pen15 actually has a UU main character whose church isn't treated like a joke (hey, Simpsons!). I've never seen that before to this extent (this is where you feel free to tell me I'm missing some obvious reference).
(NPR story where creator/star Anna Konkle mentions UU background, warning for sexual content)
Now, I know it's not a show for everyone (gets pretty uncomfortable at times, but is hilarious IMO), but it was super refreshing this season just to see a UU church youth group, some UU stuff in the community, and even a UU service, like you would any other religion that a character happened to be part of. Chalices in the background and all.
Two discussion questions:
Did the youth group give anyone else flashbacks to their '90s/early 2000s YRUU or RE experience?
And equally important, does anyone's real church have quilts draped on all the pews? It seems like something we'd do. 😉
I'm more aligned with UU than I am with liberal Christianity, and I should probably be able to find my home there, but I just cannot with my local church. Maybe I'm stuck in the past - they had a great, challenging, interesting minister years ago (he retired). I attended yesterday, the current minister tends to "scold" the congregation for all the things they aren't doing well enough (having their own beliefs, not being covenental enough, not respecting "God language" and Christianity enough, posing the possible risk that we won't do what minister wants us to do next with sufficient seriousness and reverence ). I really don't need to spend my Sunday socially distanced, in a mask, scolded, and then hustled out (because no coffee hour and no socializing permitted at this time). I'm also now wondering if minister really does respect humanists and others who aren't of minister's particular "pro-God-talk" mindset. What will we be "corrected" for next?
I want UU to survive, I think that it offers something that we need and cannot usually get elsewhere, but sometimes I look at individual churches and wonder how that will be possible.
Lately, I have been a spiritual wanderer sort to speak attempting to find a place that best fits my understanding of spirituality, ethics, morals, etc.
For while (since 2016), I’ve been as involved as I can with many religious communities attempting to find what fit the best.
Admittedly, I was reluctant to embrace the UU church. Not because it was a bad option, quite the contrary actually, but because I felt for some reason my beliefs already existed in full in some crevice of a pre-established religion with it’s own book or doctrine detailing a comprehensive theology, etc.
To my dismay that doesn’t seem to be the case. Atleast not in a mainstream sense.
I come from a Mahayana Buddhist background. The Dharmic religions always seemed to have made the most sense to me but I’ve always appreciated Abrahamic religions as well. I still have a great interest in them.
I also am very much interested in the occult and esoteric world concepts. I also have a background in New Ageism and upon recently learning it’s esoteric ties I enjoy their ideas very much.
Ultimately, because I haven’t made a decision I lack what I really want in a religion which is a sense of community to share and discuss beliefs with people but also put into practice in a very real and tangible way of helping people.
It does concern me how UU doesn’t have a holy text, rituals, etc but that’s only because that’s what I often associate a religious body to have. However, I guess in this case it’s a good thing because it alleviates the church from being dogmatic.
![]() | I am a UU potter and make chalices. Tiny ones to fit in a bag, table chalices for home and large boat chalices for sanctuaries. Check out the different colors and styles at www.flamingchalice.com [link] [comments] |
I live about 45 min out from KC (Kansas side). There is a local UU congregation where i live, but they are still closed due to COVID, and there were no people my age in the Zoom service I went to, and that makes connecting with others and making friends hard. So, I figured I would expand my search. Are there any good UU congregations in KC? I have been watching some services of All Souls Unitarian in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and noticed that there's a congregation of the same name in KC. Are they affiliated or similar at all? Thanks!
Wear a mask in public and get vaccinated in order to protect others from getting the virus?
Are there any children’s books about the nativity story that don’t assume the reader is Christian? Like that are told the way the Judeo-Christian cannon tells “myths” from other traditions? Maybe with like “their king” or “their savior” instead of “our/your savior”?
My wife and I are UU and don’t consider ourselves Christian. We celebrate Christmas and want to teach our children about Christianity as well as other world religions, and don’t want to treat the Christian perspective as the default.
So, from what I've seen of it so far, I love UU. Very inclusive and socially open. However, I understand that there is not such an emphasis on God and the Divine. For me, I feel like it might be important to be a part of a congregation that emphasizes God more. But I do have a particular idea of God- namely, I would call myself a Unitarian (which already excludes most Christian traditions) Panentheist. A lot of traditions within Brahmanism, Sufism, Judaism, and others have similar ideas about God. I have been attracted to a few different religions- Bahai, Buddhism, Sikhism, even Islam and Hinduism- but when I dig deeper I usually find something or another that keeps me from converting. So my question is this: Is there a congregation/religion that is socially and intellectually open like UU, while maintaining intellectual honesty, while also emphasizing an approach to God similar to what I've described? Bonus if the congregation is not super boring (sorry for bluntness) and/or has a strong community and/or actually does stuff for their community. This may be a hard ask. Thanks in advance!