I am proud to be a Unitarian Universalist and I hope we UUs can help the world to have a brighter future!
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I am proud to be a Unitarian Universalist and I hope we UUs can help the world to have a brighter future!
I am agnostic but religions fansinate me. I want to learn more about some of them so I decided to reach out and speak with people who are members.
There are not unitarian universlists in my country (as far as I searched) so I decided to ask here. I would like to speak with somene in order to tell me about his/her religion.
Thanks in advance.
We could speak here on viber , telegram or on instagram if you want.
I'll try to keep this short: a friend and I have plans to attend a UU service this weekend. I saw pictures on Facebook of the congregation with their hands on each other's shoulders, which makes me really nervous because neither my friend nor I tolerate physical touch well. If we sit and the end of a row, would it be unforgivably rude for us to say something like "no thank you?" Is there any chance of us passing on this without making a scene?
Hi there, I've been having a discussion with someone regarding a cultural practice called a karakia. It's basically a Maori prayer shared at the beginning of a meeting or event.
The discussion centers around cultural practices in a secular environment. I support the Maori culture but not the religious aspect and have said that Karakia shouldn't be performed in public secular environments (govt, schools, councils etc).
The person I'm in discussion with says prayer isn't inherently religious and calls the karakia 'secular prayer' even though it most often references God or deified ancestors.
The guy I'm talking with isn't very good at presenting a straight forward argument and I'm trying to conduct a good faith discussion, not win an argument so I'm looking to explore the notion of secular prayer.
TYIA for any engagement.
So I decided to leave a UU singles group because it didn’t lead me anywhere. Mostly because most of the people in there seemed to be more interested in friendship and just talking UU stuff instead of romance and sex. WTF, the people in there seemed so wishy washy, is this normal for UU people? I’ve only been UU since 2017 and not always available to go to a physical church. So I only understand a bit of the UU culture 😅
Or just in the Midwest? Asking because I might be moving soon.
Due to mobility aids and a health decline, my disability suddenly became visible while I was part of a UU congregation. I had to start using a wheelchair. And when I did, dear Gods, it was like someone flipped a switch. My church went from just looking at me a little funny for my cane use to being downright hostile toward me and my chair. The amount of ableism I encountered was disgusting. People routinely leaned on my chair, even after being told not to. People moved my chair with me in it without my permission. I got rude comments practically every 5 seconds. It was so bad that the congregation was willing to allow me to be homeless because no one wanted to house a disabled person. That was the most common reason given to my face, anyway.
Is there a point to me trying again in another state?
https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/psc-nominee-president
November 15, 2022
The Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) Presidential Search Committee is pleased to announce the nomination of the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt for UUA President, for the 2023-2029 term. Rev. Dr. Betancourt is an experienced leader and theologian in Unitarian Universalism, including formerly serving as a professor at Starr King School for the Ministry and as Interim Co-President of the UUA in 2017. She currently serves as Resident Scholar and Special Advisor to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
Review the Nomination Process section of this announcement for more information on how the PSC made its determination, and for information on the process for running by petition in accordance with the UUA Bylaws.
The President is the primary public and spiritual leader of Unitarian Universalism, as well as the UUA’s Chief Executive Officer. The member congregations of the UUA, through their delegates, elect the President to represent and lead the faith on a path to Beloved Community, in which people of diverse backgrounds, identities and theological beliefs can thrive. The President must be committed to transparent, shared, and aspirational leadership, using their understanding of power and privilege to advance transformative faithful practices within the Association. At the heart of this work is the UUA’s commitment to dismantling oppressive societal systems and creating communities of equity, belonging and liberation. This requires centering the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities, and those with other marginalized identities. The President leads UUA staff, volunteers and members of the denomination to create a Unitarian Universalism that welcomes the questions, gifts, and talents of all who are attracted to this faith tradition.
The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt currently serves as Resident Scholar and Special Advisor on Justice and Equity at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). She previously served as interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Womanist Theology and Ethics at Drew University Theological School in 2021-22. From 2016-2021, she was on the core faculty of Starr King School for the Ministry, and served as its Acting President for a term. She was the UUA’s Director of Racial and Ethnic Concerns from 2005-2009. In 2017, she was appointed as one of the three-part team of UUA Interim Co-Presidents. She has been a member of the UUA Appointments Committee since 2016, and previously was a member of the UUA Nominating Committee.
Rev. Dr. Betancourt’s ministry centers on work that is empowering and counter-oppressive. Her academic work focuses on the environmental ethics of liberation through a womanist and Latina feminist frame. She previously served as the Senior Minister at the First UU Church of Stockton, CA, as Consulting Minister of the UU Fellowship of Storrs, CT, and as Interim Minister at the UU Church of Fresno, CA.
She holds a Ph.D. in religious ethics and African American Studies from Yale University, graduate degrees from Yale University in Religious Ethics and African American Studies, and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University with a concentration in ethnobotany. She is an ordained UU minister, with a Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry. Her book, Ecowomanism at the Panamá Canal: Black Women, Labor, and Environmental Ethics is available from Lexington Books (published February, 2022).
Under the UUA Bylaws, the Presidential Search Committee (PSC) is responsible for nominating candidates for UUA President. The PSC is made up of seven members, five elected by the General Assembly and two appointed by the UUA Board of Trustees. The PSC was established in the UUA Bylaws in 2010 through a vote of the General Assembly, to support the democratic process of nominating candidates to serve as UUA President. Prior to the creation of the PSC, all candidates for the UUA Presidency ran by petition. The 2023 Presidential election is the second time the PSC has led the nomination process.
Two members of the PSC were appointed following General Assembly 2021 (one later resigned), and the five elected members were affirmed by the General Assembly in 2022. The PSC members are, in alphabetical order by last name: Rev. Jaimie Dingus, Denise Rimes, Cathy Seggel, James Snell, Rev. Theresa Ninán Soto and Marva Williams.
For this nomination, the PSC developed and led a fair and timely application and nomination process that was open to any leader who is a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Over its first few months, the PSC reached out to a wide variety of stakeholders to provide feedback on the Presidential job description and key qualifications, the development of the application and interviews, the recruitment of potential qualified applicants, and on the overall nomination process. Congregations and members of the public were kept informed of the nominating process throughout the spring and summer of 2022.
In addition to opportunities for input from the general public, the PSC consulted key interested parties, including religious professional groups such as the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA), the UU Ministers’ Association (UUMA) and the Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM); identity-based groups such as Diverse and Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU), EqUUal Access, and Transgender UU Religious Professionals Together (TRUUsT); youth and young adult communities; and UUA staff. Based on this input, the PSC sought candidates who could address the current needs of the UUA, and support the UUA’s mission and its commitment to the recommendations of the Commission on Institutional Change’s 2020 report, Widening the Circle of Concern. The PSC worked with the UUA Board of Trustees to establish a presidential job description capturing these qualifications, which was approved by the Board in February 2022.
The application and nomination timeline of the presidential search process was:
The PSC received applications from Unitarian Universalists who represented a range of experiences and talents, including ordained ministers and non-ordained leaders. The candidate pool was comprised of majority women and transgender/non-binary individuals, and a majority of people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
At the conclusion of its process, the PSC unanimously nominated two exceptionally qualified leaders to be candidates for President. One of those nominees declined the nomination. Once the nominations were made, the committee determined that the only fair and appropriate course of action was to move forward with the nomination of Rev. Dr. Betancourt, rather than reopening the application process. The PSC members respect the decision of the nominee who withdrew, and will continue to honor their privacy, as was done throughout the interview process.
Nomination petitions from additional candidates may be submitted, according to the procedures described in the UUA Bylaws and Rules, by February 1, 2023. The election will conclude in June 2023, and the next President will be announced at General Assembly 2023. The current UUA President, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, will reach the end of her term and will serve until her successor takes office. As with the current President, the next UUA President will serve a single six-year term and will not be eligible for re-election.
The search for a President of the Unitarian Universalist Association asks us to live into our best selves and our most imaginative futures, working to fulfill our deeply held aspirations. The Presidential nomination process is a call to covenant and to making our values real in the world through our actions. As shared in the June 2021 Commission on Appraisal report, Rev. Carol Cissel notes:
We are the promises we make and the vows we break. In this faith, Unitarian Universalism, covenants bind us together and strengthen our relationships. They create a pathway toward inclusiveness and, in times of both joy and sorrow, remind us that we are tough, resilient, and thoughtful.
So may we, in faithful keeping of our promises as a movement, elect our next UUA president. The PSC was unanimous in its belief that UUs are blessed by the candidacy of Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. Once the election process concludes and the new UUA President is announced at GA 2023, our Association will continue on its transformative journey to create the anti-oppressive, multicultural world we all imagine.
__
This announcement constitutes the PSC’s report for nominations, as required by UUA Bylaw Section 9.5.
For questions and additional information, please reach out to [elections@uua.org](mailto:elections@uua.org) and visit this elections page.
For more information contact [elections@uua.org](mailto:elections@uua.org).
Hi peeps! We are moving from Chattanooga to St. Louis in about 8 months. We will likely be living in the Kirkwood area of St. Louis. Does anyone know if there are are CUUPS chapters in the area? Thanks!
I do actually believe in God but not the traditional viewpoint. In the last few years I had a business and two relationships fail, other business problems, health problems, family problems...you name it, I have encountered it. It's been getting steadily worse.
None of my friends are able to help, and despite praying, God seems distant. I've spoken to my minister, she has said she has felt the same on occasion. My therapist references the story of Job (she is Christian) but it's cold comfort when I am suffering now. Unless she knows specifically when the suffering will end, it's not helpful.
I still pray and have not lost my faith, since I have had God appear in my life before in remarkably dramatic ways. But still the torrent of bad news is unrelenting, so I am on the edge of despair sometimes.
Posting here instead of Christian subs because Christians always say "God's perfect timing" which is NOT helping (like the last three therapists I saw)
Does anyone here have experience with Second Unitarian in Chicago? I live on the north side and am considering checking it out.
Hi there! I’ve recently started exploring UU churches in the area and it feels like a good home for me. I’ve been exploring all over the area (I’m in Boston) and while I’ve attended lovely sermons, I’m having trouble finding a congregation that has people my age (I’m in my 30s). Everyone at Sunday service seems to be over 60. I wonder if Sunday service may just not be the right place to start? Anyone in the are (or in general) have any advice?
I am an ex-Christian and I have religious trauma related to that. I went to an in-person UU service for the first time Sunday. I got teary-eyed multiple times because I was quite awestruck. I’ve never had the experience of walking into a sanctuary that displays pride flags or hearing the Reverend invite trans and GNC kids to join the Girl Scouts troop during announcements. I had a wonderful time overall, but I have a few concerns. I can mostly handle hearing the word “God” and there was no mention of Jesus. The Bible was used during the sermon (Genesis), but its validity was questioned in a way I can appreciate. I am just wondering… is UU the wrong place to leap to, in general, if I want no associations with Christianity whatsoever? Or could I potentially find a different church that doesn’t reference the Bible? I am atheist-leaning, definitely humanist, but mostly still figuring it out.
I am also thinking about the perpetuation of Christianity and wanting to avoid that. This article encapsulates my thinking perfectly: https://brill.com/display/title/37153 To me, secular and liberal Christians are still perpetuating the harm of all other Christians, or they would drop the religious moniker altogether. I am wondering if I’m being hypocritical by being UU. Also, I’m really sorry if I offend anyone by writing this post. Thanks for reading.
Hey all! So I am originally born and raised Roman Catholic. I do not really find comfort in this religion anymore with their thoughts and feeling towards the lgbt community civil right etc. But I still love Mary and her place in the religion. I don’t see her as a god but I love the idea is saints and such. I don’t know if I believe Jesus is the “one and only” son of god (it’s hard to change that idea after growing up with it) but…is this religion for me? If not is there any other place for me?
Hello, as the title says I'm trying to remember the UU book I was given to read for my Coming of Age journey though the UU church. It was black, and it had a chalice on it or maybe flames on it. I believe it had a history of the church, but don't remember much more than that.
I'm revisiting books of my late adolescent and young adult life. I stepped away about a decade ago from the UU church after attending a few years and then going off to college. Then work kept me from attending due to the hours I had been delt, then COVID hit, but recently I felt something come over me, and I'm wanting to reflect on things in my life.
I'll be elated if anyone knows what I'm talking about and I plan on attending my first UU service again very soon.
I especially want to hear from latecomers to UU: what was the moment you realized UU wasn't just something you do on Sunday, but had become an integral part of your life, your relationship/marriage, your family?
I think it hit me when I quoted a hymn to comfort my partner. She was feeling guilty about a struggle we'd had the night before. I had already forgiven her, but she was having trouble letting go. So I quoted #637, A Litany of Atonement: "We forgive ourselves and each other; we begin again in love."
It clicked for her, and I realized I was using words of comfort in much the same way I saw other religious traditions doing.
Backstory: I was born to a Baha’i family in 2009, I’ve been curious about religion since I was maybe 4. When I was in 7th grade I became a Muslim, but I left Islam recently. I do love Jesus, but I don’t believe he was God, just probably a prophet who sent down the Holy Bible. I am also bi and I know you guys accept LGBTQ. I also really love how the belief of this sect is that everyone will eventually be saved. This sounds like the religion for me. How do I convert?
I get the impression Unitarians are more liberal, but do you tend to affiliate with a political party, or is it more about just accepting people?
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I’ve been attending UU lately, and I’ve enjoyed it, so I feel it’s important to start contributing financially because I’m getting something out of it, but I want to find some financial transparency before I do.
I practice Buddhism after surviving a Catholic childhood. I want an open spiritual community with diversity and no particular flavor of god.
I went to the local UU church a couple weeks ago and loved it. I was very excited by all the diff kinds of people there, and they do anti-racism work which is something I'm looking for.
But yesterday the service started out with singing a song that had God in the refrain. OK, I understand, some people use the G word but it can mean a lot of different things. Fine. Then, horror: the last peppy verses addressed "the Lord". I lost it. Left crying. I went to a lot of trouble excising supernatural sexist abusers out of my life. WTF? I'm so disappointed.
You wouldn't think it possible to have a crisis of faith in Unitarian Universalism and yet here I am.
I am having a real problem reconciling my UU principles with trusting my gut when it comes to people who give me bad vibes. I've been burned too many times in giving people the benefit of the doubt and I'm unwilling to continue to raise children to be kind to creeps who may, in fact, be predators.
I know this makes me prejudiced, but I'm starting to think I've been gaslighted into accepting unacceptable behavior. I'm speaking in particular about excusing people on account of them be neurodivergent. This has been a reoccuring issue and I'm at my breaking point.
Can Atheist, Agnostics & Pagans be members of the unitarians, do they have to renounce their old position and embrace the new position or do they retain their own position and identity in the group?
I am a former Baptist pastor who “left the faith” and now hold to beliefs that are most similar to UU. I currently work as a Hospice Chaplain, but would like to become ordained so I can work in a hospital setting. I have my Master’s from a Southern Baptist seminary, but wasn’t sure how this translate over to UU ordination. Also, I have not yet settled into a UU congregation as my family is still processing my change and I’m taking things slowly. I’ve visited a few, but haven’t been consistent in one. Is there a minimum amount of time in a church that is needed before ordination?
All UUs are invited to post as comments various stories about UU churches, UU Ministers, and sermons by them.
So, I'm one of the many people out there who lives too far from a congregation to attend in person services (something like an hour and twenty to reach the closest one). For me, a congregation is meant to be a community, and how much can I really be a member of that community living so far away? Plus I really do use Sunday as a day of rest and I'd feel horribly guilty about using that much gas. Anyway, I've made my peace with this and just listen to a streamed service when I can, but I've always wondered what the limits for other people would be. I would say, personally, I'd be willing to drive something like 45 minutes, but not much further.
I believe Covid is real, but do not support the vaxxes as I have friends who have gotten blood clots and other adverse reactions. I think Fauci and rest have lied. I wear N95. The fact that no one cares about freedom, and accepts all this, and questions nothing really bothers me. I went with an agree to disagree stance but it's been hard, I don't feel safe, because I do question the Covid narrative and the failures of public health and believe the vaxxes have been harmful. The left's focus on censorship, failed public health and more has brought me to a level of disgust. My UU pastor is a nice guy but praises Bill Gates every minute from the pulpit. Every church member bought into the mainstream narrative, and I feel SO ALONE.
I waited things out but now it's been three years, turning people into pincushions for the biosecurity fascist state seems to be permanent for now, I can't go with it. That's what the left now supports and I am done. I supported all other vaccines but not these vaxxes. Friends of mine have DIED and have had blood clots and other bad things happen.
With politics, I'm done, the left left me. Supports megacorporations, tyranny, and now horribly of most, war where full war mongering where we are risking nuclear war with Russia is now in vogue. I feel too afraid to share my real political opinions and I guess I don't fit anymore. My church has gone extreme "woke" and even though Covid has destroyed our lives and is now endemic, no one is allowed to talk about it and has to follow the "official narrative" like a robot.
I used to be part of the antiwar movement, what happened with that as they all seem to want nuclear war with Russia and forget part of the lessons learned from Bush and the Middle East?
I used to like my UU church A LOT but since Covid now I feel lonely there and like I don't fit in. I am still technically a Universalist.
I was Muslim till I was forced out for being trans so I hope to find acceptance here. Any special procedures I need to follow
One Sunday, the Unitarian Universalist church in Florida that David Burton was attending featured a Sufi Muslim leading a "universal service"--which included passages from the Jewish and Christian Bibles, the Qur'an, and Buddhist and Taoist texts.
To Burton, it was what a UU service should be, drawing meaning from the spiritual wisdom of various faiths. Instead, Burton said, "That was one of the most controversial services ever held in that church."
"Theists and Christians are almost unwelcome in many UU congregations," said Burton, an attorney who lives in northern Virginia. "It's rare to hear a UU minister discuss God from the pulpit. On many occasions, when a minister does discuss God from the pulpit, it leads to division because there's such a strong humanist or atheist representation."
The problem, as he sees it, is that the Unitarian Universalist Association--the denominational organization of UUs--has strayed far from its roots, emphasizing diversity and pluralism and in the process leaving no room for traditional belief. To counter that trend, he has started a new organization seeking to return Unitarianism to its roots as a God-centered liberal religion based on spiritual exploration.
The new Unitarian organization has taken the name American Unitarian Association. To those with knowledge of UU history, that name speaks volumes about the intent of the new organization: Before merging with the Universalists in 1961 to form the UUA, the main Unitarian denomination was called the American Unitarian Association.
And that has the UUA crying foul, and planning to file a lawsuit against the new AUA within the next few weeks.
"The UUA doesn't have any problems with this group's theological and political perspectives," said John Hurley, spokesman for the UUA. "We do have a problem with their use of the name, which is the name of one of the antecedents of the UUA."
But to Burton and Dean Fischer, co-founder with Burton of the new group, adopting the AUA name sends the message that its members want to return to a Unitarianism they think has been abandoned by the UUA.
The UUA is the latest liberal religion to face charges that in the name of tolerance and diversity it has abandoned its core beliefs. A recent Hartford Seminary survey found that the fastest-growing religious groups place the strictest demands on members--which is not what religious liberals tend to do. Meanwhile, across the spectrum, denominations are facing pressure from small but vocal groups to re-emphasize traditional religion over liberal theology and left-leaning politics.
In recent months, several Episcopal parishes have opted to associate with an African Anglican diocese, rather than their local one, claiming they are theologically closer to the more conservative Africans. In 1999, Reform Judaism, after a bitter debate, adopted 10 principles pushing the denomination toward more traditional Jewish ritual. And in the United Methodist Church, the conservative Confessing Movement, launched in 1995, declaring that the UMC "is now incapable of confessing with one voice the orthodox Trinitarian faith."
While conservative movements are particularly strong today, they are an ever-present element of liberal religion, said William Hutchison, a historian of American religion at Harvard.
"It's not only natural, it's a good thing. Liberal movements at some point need corrective measures," Hutchison said, explaining that without them, faith groups can veer too far from where they started.
The new Unitarian organization, which was incorporated in September 2000 but only became public in late December, remains small; its founders declined to discuss how many members it has garnered so far, saying only that membership is growing at 20% per month. Co-founder Dean Fisher said a quarter of the group's members are clergy or have a pastoral care background, and that several UU congregations are considering affiliating with the new group. The organization's first major event will be held April 21-22 in Alexandria, Va.
The UUA bills itself as a "non-creedal" religion, which means members decide for themselves what to believe and how to act. Founded as a Christian faith, the modern Unitarian movement was formed in the early 19th century. Unitarianism, as the name implies, rejected belief in a divine trinity in favor of believing that God is one and indivisible.
As Unitarianism grew during the 1800s, its membership included Ralph Waldo Emerson and U.S. President William Howard Taft. Then, as modernism and secularism developed around the turn of the 20th century, Unitarianism embraced these new ideas and began shedding dogma. With the birth in the1930s of the humanist movement--which rejects any traditional notion of God--Unitarianism's shift away from Christianity became more apparent. To this day, secular humanists remain influential in the movement.
The American Unitarian Association merged in 1961 with the Universalist Church of America, and the AUA name was retired. Secular humanism was a dominant force in the newly formed UUA through the late 1980s, when many UUs began to seek a more spiritual path, Hurley said. Since then, he said, UU humanists have been joined by resurgent UU theistic and Christian movements, along with newly formed UU Buddhist and pagan groups.
"Compared with 20 years ago, theism has clearly made a comeback, in particular with the laity but also with the clergy," said Roger Finke, a religion sociologist at Penn State University and author of "Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion."
In his book, Finke tells of a UUA pastor in New York City who a few years ago was booed in UUA churches when he "concluded services with a benediction that invoked 'God.'" Today, though, that pastor says he can "get away with God language with impunity."
Gila Jones, an active UU member, said the UU's religio-political balance is partly a result of its leadership. As younger people take over, she expects to see an even heavier emphasis on spirituality.
"The group I call the 'pre-boomers' tends to be rather intellectual, suspicious of traditional religion, and very interested in politics," she said. "The boomers and post-boomers, on the other hand, are frequently involved in redefining religion on their own terms and discovering a spirituality that is meaningful to them personally."
She added: "As people of my generation start to have more time to devote to leadership, UUism will turn more towards spirituality and somewhat away from politics. That's already happening. Many of the pre-boomers feel threatened by these changes."
However, she believes the AUA has defined itself too narrowly by focusing on monotheism and rejecting political activism: "The UUs I know who feel UUism is too political are not in favor of removing all politics from our religion," she said. "I know many UUs who want more spirituality in UUism, but few of them are monotheists."
Still, the trend toward greater spiritual emphasis has not accelerated far enough or quick enough to make everyone happy. Even within the UUA, there are some who are dissatisfied with where the denomination stands religiously.
Davidson Loehr, pastor of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, Texas, said he isn't familiar with the new AUA group, but he sounded many of the same themes.
"There isn't the degree of honest and probing religious discussion there should be, mostly because in UUism.the politics is primary, the religion is secondary (or worse)," he wrote in an e-mail correspondence. "I've hardly ever found colleagues who are interested in or able to carry on any informed and significant discussion on religious questions, so I share the frustration of folks who wish there were fewer UU political/social cells, and more UU churches."
He added, though, that he stays with the UUA because "there is still more freedom to pursue what I believe is honest and responsible religion than there is in any other denomination."
To the founders of the new AUA, however, theistic UU groups do not have a strong enough voice in the UUA and are not welcomed or respected nearly enough. And they, too, complain that politics has been given too heavy an emphasis.
"Most people don't get up on Sunday to hear a political rally," Burton said, "but to hear an intelligent discussion on ethics, on religion, on how to live one's life."
I’ve never read anything about this and I’m curious because I tend to overestimate others’ authority.
I’m guessing this has been discussed-/what the ideal balance is, how much members should defer, etc, and I’d love to hear some of the most common takes.
Doctrinally, I feel at home with Unitarian Universalism, but after attending a number of services (or whatever they are called) here in New York City I cannot help but wonder if I would be welcome in it. Here at least, UU seems to be a branch of the Democratic party, and its not-as-liberal-as-it-thinks-it-is "woke" wing at that. And so, while I agree with the theological underpinnings of this movement, I am not at all on board with its politics, and do not appreciate being hectored from the pulpit on same.
So do I belong here or not, and if not, can anyone recommend a UU or even a Deist congregation in New York that is not an arm of the Democratic (or any other) political party?
Has anyone else gone to a unitarian universalist church just to find out that nearly everyone that goes there is fake? I'm only asking because I may try a different uu church some day but if they're all like this then I know to avoid them.
I' m not going to go into too much detail just in case someone from my old church is on here but I had been going since I was a teenager, I live in a very conservative state and wanted to go somewhere accepting. My church had always acted very open minded, very welcoming of everyone etc. But it's turning out that that isn't true. They have been discriminating against my mom and I just because we do not have as much money as the rest of them do and despite claiming to be into equality for all and supporting women's rights, they are protecting a man that's been obsessed with me since I was a teenager.
Just to keep it short, I'll sum it up, the head of the care them bullied my mom repeatedly for needing help with a bill, and the man that's been obsessed with me has a long history of harassing women, even violently harassing them and no one at the church sees anything wrong with any of this despite being aware of it all. We have no minister and we've told the president and the entire board of the church about this, they don't see anything wrong with it. They know how severely this man's obsession with me messed me up emotionally, they don't care, they've defended him repeatedly and told me it was my fault for it happening even though my mom and I have been trying to get it to stop for years.
I'm recovering from a bad religious experience and haven't been to church in 6 months,.but I miss being part of a community. From what I've read, UU sounds like it might be a good fit.
I’ve been attending my church since early this year. I started out lurking in online services and then started coming in person when we opened back up for that. I grew up with no religion in particular. I never felt much of a need for it in my life. But now I’m in my late thirties and after the isolation of the pandemic I felt a real need for community, and a welcoming place for open spiritual inquiry.
So now I finally found a weekend Journey to Membership class that works with my schedule. I would have done it sooner—I’m not having cold feet or waffling on commitment—I just have a conflict with the usual dates they’re held. And I’m kind of excited. Membership isn’t a prerequisite for most church activities, but I feel like I want to more meaningfully participate in the community. I’ve started to really appreciate having ritual, and even social obligation, in my life. I see it less as a burden and more about contributing to the larger human project.
Guess I just wanted to put that out there. I’m a little introverted and I want to be more of a “joiner” in general but I also don’t want to overcommit to things and lose interest when the novelty wears off. So I think I’m taking a good step.
So I've heard of this church and the jist I've gotten is that it's very human rights oriented and open minded but I don't exactly understand the particulars.
Atheist here but I respect peoples' faith (as long as they don't use it to hurt others) so I'm wondering if it would be a good community for me and my family.
Hi are there any unitarian churches on the united states territories like Guam and Puerto rico?
I just saw a big "Flatch Unitarian" sign on a promo for a new Fox sitcom. Anybody else notice?
https://sports.yahoo.com/locally-shot-welcome-flatch-premieres-182135669.html ... I guess that's what this show is about.
Could be good, could be terrible. It is weird seeing mainstream culture acknowledge that UU's exist, outside the random Simpsons joke.
Just curious. I do believe consciousness continues after death, but am wondering if I'd fit in as a UU believing this
Hello. So I was doing some soul searching and realized it is fair to pretend to be a Christian fundamentalist just to fit in with my family and I heard of this so I was curious. I like the Christian God and Jesus, and I believe they are one in the same, but I haven't really followed the traditions in a long time. I've been cool with LGBT and identify as non-binary, I read and watch some adult stuff and don't really judge unless it's with myself, something I think I personally shouldn't do. I was curious so I thought I'd ask if my beliefs align with this and if this question is stupid that's cool I can totally delete
![]() | submitted by /u/DebunkFundamentalist [link] [comments] |
I don't quite remember what got me thinking about this last night, but how many movies are there with characters who are Unitarian Universalists? Or that simply mention UUism?
I can only think of two off the top of my head. In Juno, the titular character mentions a classmate who apparently attends a UU church. And I'm also familiar with Raw Faith, which is a documentary whose subject is a Unitarian minister. Are there any others? Just curious.
![]() | submitted by /u/recursive_nihilist [link] [comments] |
Moving to Michigan next month and looking for a church to check out. So far I'm interested in visiting First UU in Detroit. Has anyone been? Or visited any other UU churches in MI?
I really like my minister, but we had a bad conflict recently and I'm not sure how to work through it.
I don't want to get into the whole issue because my question is about rebuilding trust.
To try to condense it, I'll say I was in a very stressful situation and my minister deferred to a policy I didn't know about. The end result was that I lost a support and went into full PTSD over all of it. I set up a zoom call for tomorrow, and I'll try to explain the context and that it was a PTSD trigger. I'll listen to her as well, of course.
But I don't know how to move on because I feel so betrayed. Instead of taking the time to understand, I felt like she deferred on policy that seemed arbitrary, and she was defensive and inflexible. I'd never seen those traits in her.
I don't want to still be mad and hurt, but I am. She can't turn back time and is rigid on this issue, so in a way it seems pointless to talk knowing there won't be resolution. But I would like us to be on better terms.
What would you do?
I have posted this in Christian Mysticism and was quickly downvoted. Thought maybe sharing here would be more fruitful. I am trying to return to my Christian roots having been heavily influenced by Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism and Sikhi. Considering UU are open to finding truth in multiple places I thought this may get good reception here and would be curious to see what the Christian leaning folks here think:
Recently I have been wanting to return to my Christian roots, but am still struggling with certain teachings which seem central to the church, but not really central to me (meaning I care more about how to live now, not what is to come in the future). Mainly the teaching of resurrection of the dead (not necessarily Jesus' resurrection, but our own), as well as the second coming. I've come to view these teachings symbolically, rather than literally, and just wanted to discuss it here to see if this is completely heretical and if I am just bending Christianity to fit my views, or if maybe there is some support for my beliefs, which it seems like there may be.
My interpretation of our individual resurrection is more that we symbolically die and are resurrected as Christ-like/God-like, realizing the divinity within ourselves and being the living embodiment of Christ. Jesus does speak about needing to lose oneself to then be a follower of him and so seems like giving up ones life steeped in egotism and selfishness and being resurrected as a selfless being that is the embodiment of Christ. Jesus' own resurrection is kind of a symbol of this - he goes through suffering, asks God why he has been forsaken, has some disciples turn on him (Judas, but also Peter in denying him) - I see this personally as a spiritual journey that I have found can have mental turmoil and cost losing friends, or at least the types of relationships you once had - then once you "die" and are resurrected you are similar to your former self, but completely changed to the point that some don't even recognize the new you like one of the disciples not recognizing Jesus after his resurrection. In addition to this, I think that the second coming had and is already happening and in motion. In a couple ways: personally, I see the second coming when personally you resurrect and embody Christ - Christ then is living here on Earth through you. More broadly, I see the second coming as Christ living on in the church and its followers and the spread and growth of the church following the destruction of Jerusalem.
So, that is how I am realizing the resurrection and second coming. This seems, for me at least, to be a much more beneficial and healthy way to view these concepts. It gives me hope of real change to be realized in this life and rather than waiting around for Christ to return it calls on me to "Wake up" and accept Jesus into my life meaning that I lose myself and live as one with Christ. Curious to see what others think of this. Am I just batty and probably need to stop trying to be Christian because I'm perverting the teachings, or am I onto something that maybe has some legitimacy in Church history? Seems like St. Augustine interpreted some of revelation this way, but that's just my limited understanding from some brief readings.
Thanks in advance for the comments and feedback.
Hi all! I was raised Catholic, and have been looking for a church/faith that suits me for many years. Long story short, I’m agnostic now, but I really love the rituals of the Catholic faith. I don’t want to pass on the junky stuff from my faith to my child, but I do want to give her a community and sense of cultural identity. My question for any folks raised UU is, we’re you able to have a sense of identity in a church that does not have a creed/set of specific holiday traditions? (Also my apologies if my question is ignorant) Thank you in advance ☺️
Would you say that UU and CUUPs are a safe-enough space for a Black female pagan/witch?
Would you say that UUers in general and even UU pagans specifically, regardless of race, are more likely to believe that Spirit has no race and thus be committed to strengthening Collective Consciousness?
I ask this as I am still debating as to whether or not I should give the seemingly nice, local pagan meetup +/- the local Unitarian Universalist congregation the “old college try.”
I am concerned I will find the same (or even worse) racist, exclusionary, and/or megalomaniac tactics I have encountered in other religious communities including Seventh-day Adventist Christian, non-denomination Christian, African/Kemetic, and eclectic pagan spaces.
Hi everyone,
Anyone here active in the studio city CA UU community? My wife and I have a new child and I’m looking to get into some sort of local community. Coming from Catholicism, I’ve done some discerning for the last several years, reading several Baha’i texts and eventually A Chosen Faith, which really resonated with me.
I’m wondering what the vibe is like at UU Studio City and if it would be good for our new family. Looking forward to hearing from you!!
I've been through a decades long religious/spiritual journey which has seen me go something like christian-atheist-jew-buddhist/atheist-sikh-buddhist-hindu-sikh... I love parts of all of them, especially Sikhi, but there are aspects of them that I can either just not accept as doctrine, or cannot adopt to my life mainly because of cultural and life circumstances, or parts that are important for the religion, but I don't see as a crucial part, or beneficial part for me. I am starting to realize that if I wanted to put a label on, or attend a congregation it is probably UU. I always wanted a religion though to be practice whole heartedly and be part of and I feel like UU is just religious pluralism (not that there is anything wrong with that!!!), but it is me also acknowledging I will never be part of a unique religious identity and it's a little challenging to accept. Anyone else go through things like this? Also, Do most UU people tend to have like a central religion they read/practice most, but don't take it 100% and get inspiration from other areas?
It’s that time of year again and we are putting together our budget for next year. I’m wondering what your congregation spends on a guest speaker in the pulpit for the week per month when the minister is off.
I don't want this to come off as mean, I just want advice.
I grew up very involved in the Episcopal Church, but I've slowly lost faith and became an atheist. I attended multiple UUs, but I always end up getting annoyed and leaving due to the fringe folks in leadership. I want to learn how to be a better person internally and externally by learning about different religions and philosophies to life, but I don't wanna hear vaccine conspiracy theories or other forms of alternative medicine. Crystals and "positive energy" won't heal your cancer. In my opinion, if you wanna have crazy medicine go join the Christian Scientists. I won't support people with views that will cause actual harm.
Anyways, love 80% of y'all. 20% of y'all drove me out.
Anyone have any advice for UUish people in my position?
In UU tradition, we are taught to use the bible as a guide for the Judeo-Christian values we share. In UU Sunday school is 5th grade, some churches even give out bibles with our names printed into the cover. We read and study the bible as a part of UU Sunday school.
It's no secret that the bible holds controversial quotes that condone controversial actions and mindset. Some of which include quotes on women, slaves, and members of the LGBT+ community.
How is it the UU community can pick the parts they agree with of a controversial book like the bible and use it for teaching purposes in any positive light? Why must our values stem from the bible, even if back then, it's where our roots grew from? Can UU's deny the bible's value and still be considered UU?
How do you feel as a UU using the bible or being associated with it?
I was raised religious (Unitarian Universalist), attending church every Sunday. My partner was not, and is strictly atheist. I have not attended church during our time together because we met and live in a small, conservative town, where there is no church I want to join. Thus, my religion has been private and quiet for the five years we've lived together.
Next week we are moving to a large city, where there is a UU church. I've been clear with my partner that I intend to at least try out this church, and that he is welcome to join me or not. Meanwhile, his brother and sister-in-law have expressed interest and intend to join me at this church while I consider membership. To me, this is an exciting and long-overdue return to "normal." I have missed going to church! To my partner, this is an unwelcome disruption of our leisurely Sunday morning breakfasts. He is upset by what he sees as a "new" imposition on our weekends, and an unfamiliar dynamic being added to his non-religious family. He is trapped between being left out, or being pressured into something he doesn't care for.
My return to church is not up for negotiation, and I am touched that others want to share in this experience. How can I make this transition feel less disruptive to my partner? Do you have any advice for toeing the delicate line between sharing something I care about and "converting" his family? I appreciate any suggestions!
![]() | I'm an ex-Seventh-day Adventist Christian. I now identify as a pagan witch. I'm considering going to the local Unitarian Universalist congregation on Sundays. I'm wondering if fundamentalist, organized religion all together is the problem or if a liberal religion would be a safe place to explore spirituality and continue the healing work I'm already doing. TLDR: What are your guys' experiences with UU post-fundamentalist religion? Why did you choose UU? How is it different? [link] [comments] |
I'm seeking advice about where I can read about UU, I'd like to read more about UUism, can you give me some recommendations on it?
Thank you
I’m a lost Mormon looking for other options for myself, but more importantly, my family. I have a lot of questions about UU but this was the first one I thought of. Do UUs believe in baptism?
I support public education but the trend of attacking public schools to get voucher $ is clearly on the rise. Are there UU schools out there? Is there a framework or model that could be used if communities desired one?
I'm side stepping the 'should we do this' question mostly out of curiosity.
This seems to me like a book many UU people would appreciate. Has anyone here ever heard of it?
I tried to explain someone what is UU, but it seems to me so difficult to explain this 'liberal religion' and 'non credential religion' stuff and what's UU objective and all of that.
How can I explain all of that in a simple way, so I can be understood?
I might have asked this ages ago but i will do an update in that case, because i want to know the opinion of Swedenborgs work if anyone is familiar with his writings.
He apparently has some universalist views but seems to favor, or at least those who are more his followers, favor an eternal hell- but hell isn’t ECT, it’s a hell you can “feel more comfortable in since you chose to go there with all your heart, and THATS why it’s eternal- and God will not force you or help you to go back to him.
So instead of the idea that “everyone Eventually goes back to heaven,” it’s “you have the option to,” which is no different than that of a christian or someone who says “hell is kicked from the outside,” (which only can do so much, especially if this means that god isn’t powerful enough using his heavenly resources to get his own children to not enjoy hell. This to me just means if they feel they can “breathe” better in hell, then god and his angels didn’t do a good enough job helping the person out of hellish mindsets- even if it’s all in their own free will). Swedenborg followers even clarify that “everyone is predestined for heaven,” but it’s just the “worse of the worse in hell,” which still doesn’t make me feel better- considering the sweetest person you know could favor something hellish so much they could just choose hell- that’s the cycle of thinking i’m currently stuck with.
thoughts? cause i’m losing hope of being a confident universalist the more i read hell NDEs, swedenborg, etc.
To be clear, my atheism is not the gnostic anti-theist position. I am open to the idea that a god may exist in the form of the prime mover. Sort of a clock maker who, on the first certain swing of the pendulum, moved on to their next project. No more than that.
I've been attending a small UU church for the last 4 months or so and have been enjoying it. We're a tiny dot of blue in a sea of red and it's nice to be around some like minded people once a week. I agree with the covenant of right relations and the 7 principles. I've even volunteered to help with the upkeep around the church, cleaning and whatnot.
So I'm looking for reading material to help me square my irreligious views with the language and teaching of the Unitarian church.
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!
Hello friends,
My grandmother Dorothy is an amazing person who is currently being rushed to the ER from her post-acite rehab care facility after being unresponsive this morning. We need her. We love her and are not ready for her to go. I don’t think that she is ready to go.
She is a believer in prayer, angels, and Jesus Christ as her primary spiritual guide, along with guidance from an array of Buddhist philosophy and teachings.
I am not a believer in prayer or angels, but I would be grateful if a kind person or a community of any faith or spiritual background would please pray on her behalf. It is important to her, and I would like for her to know that someone is doing that kind of caregiving work for her.
I’m not sure if there is a “typical” way that people make this kind of request; she had been on the prayer list of a group of nuns but I believe they are not currently active. I am reaching out to UUs because my UU friend told me that “absolutely anyone can be a UU,” so I reasoned that my post would be seen by praying people from many faiths and traditions which I believe my grandmother would feel good about.
Thank you for reading, and you can message me if your prayers include more personal details.
Hi folks! I grew up "Jew...ish" if that makes sense, but consider myself atheist. I've recently moved to a rural area in the belly button of the Bible belt, and am looking for a community for my family to join that is focused on community works, kindness, equality, etc. There's a UU congregation right down the road that I'm interested in trying out tomorrow. My research tells me that it's very inclusive and along the lines of what I'm looking for. So I guess the question is, what should I expect at my first visit? What's the dress code? I have a 5 year old that I'd like to bring, is that OK? It looks like they have kids "services" but I'm not sure if I should keep him with me at first. I'm definitely a bit anxious about going, since "church" is not something I'm used to at all. Any help is appreciated!
Hello! I was raised UU and have been living in a fairly religiously conservative rural location. My partner and I moved around a lot for several years before settling into our current location. Lately, I've been feeling drawn to developing a UU-based community / service in our rural area. I reached out to UUA and they had encouraged us to reach out to our Regional Representative and/or consider starting a Covenanting Community. I did this and they encouraged us to participate in our nearest fellowships virtually. There are well established UU Fellowships within 100 miles in two directions, but the travel on a Sunday is too much for our family. We are also craving human connection (in lieu of virtual services). I'd like to have services here, but we don't have space to host in our small house. Any thoughts about how to bring people together? I don't use Facebook, but had been thinking of posting a newspaper ad. Thoughts?
I am becoming less and less comfortable with the overt political partisanism I see in my church (and am supposing that my church is not an outlier here).
Just one example: I found the overturning of Roe shocking and tragic. I have always whole-heartedly supported a woman’s right to choose and find this new ultra-conservative attack on woman’s autonomy scarily regressive.
However, just because I (as well as many other people in our congregation) feel this way, doesn’t mean that I want our minister to make a public statement condemning this decision (I.e. taking an explicitly partisan stand). I don’t want a minister that says: “We need to yell louder.” I don’t want a minister that essentially declares our congregation a safe space for any person who wants an abortion. I don’t want my minister to simple echo whatever the political consensus of the congregation is (or seems to be).
Why? Well, I believe that first and foremost, churches should be models of ideal communities. And ideal communities should (in my view) be open to the “other” — to people who don’t necessarily think exactly like us and yet still agree with all our principles. It is perfectly possible to be pro-life and see oneself as living according to our principles. It is perfectly possible to want stricter immigration policy and still see oneself living according to our principles. It is perfectly possible to ask questions about various controversies swirling around transgenderism and still see oneself living according to our principles.
Our minister likes to go on about how our church is a sacred space. I am an atheist, so I definitely grin and bear it. But I was quite spiritual for a long time and have a sense of what a sacred space is. To me, a sacred space is a space that stands apart from and against the world and the failings thereof. It is a space in which to be our best selves along with other people who are trying to be their best selves.
However our minister openly suggest that our sacred space needs to be a political space. She actively promotes the use of sacred language as a political weapon. In fact, the sermon we heard last week was all about wielding sacred language to make political change. Is the answer to the Right‘s politicization of conservative Christianity to go ahead and build a politically left religion? Do two wrongs make a right? I don’t think so.
I feel so despairing about politics in this country, but don’t believe the “both sides“ thing. Sure, the left has its issues, but fortunately they have not gone off the deep end in the unbridled pursuit of power for power’s sake. I would love more than anything else for us to regain political sameness and balance. I don’t know how that can happen at the moment. But I sure as hell know it’s not going to happen by having UU’s wrap themselves in a ball of anger and yell louder.
If any change is going to come, it going to take many years of concerted strategic political effort. I suppose this could happen in UU congregations (just as Black churches were instrumental in the Civil Rights movement). But I don’t see any of this happening. I just see a lot of rage, political othering and using leftish politics as a church brand-building exercise, as a form of collective identity construction.
So, in short, I’d like to see one of two things either:
One or the other.
Im curious to know what others think about this?
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?
Just wondering if there is an over-arching theme for the upcoming GA. I looked on the UUA website and other places on line and see lots of information about registration and logistics, but nothing about the content of the meeting itself. Is it just going to be about everything UU? Or something even slightly more specific?
In the fairly delightful movie "Paulie Go!" The main characters ask a woman on the shore of a Minnesota lake about who lives in a certain cabin. The woman says, "A couple bought it last year. They're Unitarians." "What does that mean," asks one of the main characters. His companion answers, "It means they hug too much in church."😂
Any other good movie quotes about Unitarians come to mind?
https://www.uusc.org/three-reasons-why-juneteenth-is-the-united-states-true-independence-day/
By Mike Givens on June 16, 2022
June 19, 1865, was a watershed moment for Black Americans living in the American South. That was the day Union soldiers landed in Texas to inform Black men, women, and children that slavery had been abolished two years prior by 1863’s Emancipation Proclamation, signed by then President Abraham Lincoln. These people—who’d seen generation after generation of rape, murder, abuse, torture, dehumanization, and cultural decimation—were finally free to live independently and free from the shackles of an oppressive and racist system that benefited off of their labor.
The road ahead would be long and filled with adversity as former slaves and their offspring would be subjected to water hoses, literacy tests, lynchings, segregated restrooms, miscegenation laws, mass migration, and countless protests and demands for justice. The cultural genocide encapsulated in anti-Black racism is still prevalent in the United States—and in many ways, the fight for equity isn’t over—but Juneteenth is an acknowledgement of progress and liberation and beckons us to continue the fight for freedom.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and though this act is a tiny step toward addressing America’s “original sin,” there are still many more steps that need to be taken for equality and equity to be truly lived and felt in the United States.
Here are three ways that Juneteenth is the true Independence Day for the United States:
Eighty-nine years prior the liberation of Black Americans in the South, the Declaration of Independence boldly advanced a revolutionary agenda to sever the ties between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. There was just one glaring—and hypocritical—conundrum: The practice of kidnapping African people and transporting them to the colonies was still alive and well. “Freedom” only truly extended to White people living in the colonies. People living under and within the confines of slavery were not treated as people, but property.
Twelve years later, the U.S. Constitution would be amended to include the “Three-Fifths Clause,” a political concession that counted a person who was enslaved as three-fifths of a person of a free individual. This clause was not a step toward recognizing the humanity of these people, but a means for southern states to have more political representation in the nascent American government. It was a compromise rooted in political gain, not human rights.
Countless times in American history, Black people have had to fight to ensure their humanity and personhood were acknowledged and respected. From the slave rebellions in the 17th and 18th Centuries to the Civil Rights movement in the 20th Century, Black Americans have fought hard and set a strong example when it comes to advocacy, activism, bravery, and persistence. Repeatedly, Black Americans have taken situations of oppression and turned their narratives against the oppressor. Some battles have been won, others have not, but what has always remained the same is the outspoken activism that calls attention to injustice and demands the United States do better.
U.S. history is filled with people and incidents that not only show the resiliency of Black people, but the oppression they’ve faced, the injustice that’s birthed from it, and the resiliency and beauty of Black culture.
Linnentown—In the early 20th Century, Linnentown, Georgia was a bustling Black town and home to 50 families in the northern part of the state. In 1962, the University of Georgia forcibly removed all of the families through eminent domain, razed all of the homes and buildings, and proceeded to build college dorms.
These are just five of many lesser-known stories about the abuse and oppression of Black people. Despite slavery, medical rape, forced displacement, and dehumanization, the Black community has still advocated tirelessly for progress and justice. That day in mid-June in 1865 would be the impetus for many travails, but also many triumphs.
From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, the advocacy of Black Americans has continually kept progress and the fight for justice moving forward. The Civil Rights movement played an instrumental role in so many other movements for change, from women’s rights to the LGBTQ+ and anti-war movements. Even today, Black activism is responsible for a range of social justice and human rights victories, including:
As we celebrate Juneteenth, we commemorate the abolition of slavery, but also Black liberation and the many advancements Black activism has ushered around the nation. As we reflect on this day and its role in history, we understand that “freedom” never really is freedom unless each and every one of us experiences in all of our personhoods and identities.
The Infinite Jeff is a book that I think the UU community would love. It is currently on the bestseller lists on Amazon for UU. Both the paperback and hardcover are on sale and the sale ends today.
Full disclosure: This is a series I wrote but I wanted to let people here know before the sale end just in case they would be interested.
howdy! i know you probably get inundated with "am i welcome" questions, so my apologies in advance for adding to the pile.
i'm a universalist christian (episcopal) and my partner is a humanist atheist. we'd like to attend services together and thought a UU church might be something affirming for both of us.
what i'm hesitant about is that, while i'm universalist, i'm not explicitly unitarian - by which i mean i do believe in trinitarian theology. i think i'm fairly liberal in my interpretation of it, and not at all to the exclusion of other religious paths, but my faith is pretty squarely centered on triune deity.
i know that UUs are able to welcome just about any religion, but on the website it actually explicitly emphasizes the unitarian-ness of UU christians, to the specific exclusion of trinitarians.
obviously i understand that "unitarian" is in the name, and i'm familiar with the history of the unitarian (pre-UU) church. i also understand that just about every mainline christian church in the usa is trinitarian, so i do feel a little silly asking about ~special accommodations~ or inclusivity when just about any christian church would affirm my trinitarian stance.
but i guess what i'm asking is: if i'm comfortable being in community with people of varying beliefs, and comfortable making broad & shared statements of faith, and in agreement with the 7 unitarian principles, will it matter to the congregation if i remain trinitarian, and if that remains core to my perception of god? or is that too disingenuous?
(should also clarify that in no way am i asking the UU church to change to accommodate me - i'm just throwing darts trying to figure out the best arrangement for my partner and i. UU seems to be pretty close, but i don't want to insert myself if i'm fundamentally at odds with a majority of the congregation. i don't want to be disrespectful.)
The UUA's website says, “Because of our strong respect for each person's beliefs and values, each wedding is custom-crafted with a couple to reflect their personalities and relationship.”
I have some genuine questions about this: Would a church conduct a group marriage for polyamorous members? If a man sincerely wanted to be married to more than one wife (polygamy), or if a woman wanted to marry another husband (polyandry), would this be viewed as something that could be done religiously, not legally, speaking. A person may legally be married to one other person, but they may feel like they are spiritually married to others. Have you ever attended a ceremony like this?
https://www.questformeaning.org/clfuu/
Wherever you are in the world, wherever your truth takes you on your spiritual journey, the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) is here to keep you connected with Unitarian Universalism (UU). Our 3,500 members and friends, with their children, live all over the world. What brings us together is the desire to connect, seek, share and grow in our faith journey.
Quest for Meaning is a program of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF).
As a Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary, the CLF creates global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act.
Connect // Deepen // Act
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This is as close as UUism would ever come to televangelism. And anyone can join it, even if on the other side of the world!
Hello, I’m new here! I’m trying to find resources to teach my kids about or help them understand our beliefs. My MIL and my mother are very traditional Christian’s and are teaching my kids that their friends will go to hell if they aren’t a Christian. I just don’t know how to explain it. I personally do not really believe in hell, but this has come about in the last 5-7 years and I left a nondenominational church about 2 years ago. I just found UU and think it’s what we’ve been searching for.
I’d appreciate any resources, advice, or education that you have.
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https://www.uua.org/worship/words/time-all-ages/honoring-fallen-soldiers
By Erika A. Hewitt, Paul S Sawyer
Think of where you feel safe and at peace. What’s the signal that tells you it’s okay to be at peace?
For people in the United States military, there’s a special signal that says “you’re okay, and you’re at peace.” It's a melody called "Taps," and it's only 24 notes long. It was composed by a general in the Civil War and his bugler.
It’s hard to remember how important bugle calls were in the military once upon a time. In the days before radio, bugle calls were the only way military units could communicate to groups over a large area.
In the 1860s, the end of the day was important. If there was time and peace enough to play Taps, that was a signal that the camp was relatively safe. It meant that you were not under attack. It meant that there were no enemy soldiers to worry about.
To a camp of soldiers, the notes of Taps meant that, unless you were on duty, you could close your eyes and sleep in peace.
They say that the first time Taps was played at a service for fallen soldiers also took place during the Civil War. In those days, the traditional military salute was, as it still is, the firing of a three-round volley of rifles. But this one time, they say, was after a long battle, when finally a cease-fire had been called, and both sides had stopped to bury their dead.
In one camp, as the work ended and the memorial service began to take shape, the soldiers knew that sounding the artillery salute might be taken as a return to fighting, and not as a sacred memorial. Someone had the idea of sounding a bugle, and that sound would never be taken as an aggressive act of war.
Taps came to mean the same thing. It meant the safe and quiet end to the day, time to rest, time to turn the lights out, to let their eyes close, and as best they could, to be at peace.
That’s what Taps means: it's like a powerful prayer.
We try to make our congregations places where people can feel safe and at peace. We work outside of these walls to create a community like that, too: a world where everyone feels at peace in their neighborhoods and towns.
This week, many people in the U.S. are remembering and honoring all those who have died while serving in our military... so you might hear Taps again. If you do, maybe you can stop what you're doing and think of every soldier who might have been afraid, and then let Taps remind you that they're now at peace.
I was raised Unitarian Universalist by my traumatized-by-Christianity mother, which I loved, because Sunday school consisted of learning about other cultures and religions, and I was NEVER told what to believe. It was SO COOL! No surprises that I ended up atheist for most of my life. 🤣 Respect to all UUs (I'm sure there are plenty of them here)... it always felt like a group to belong to rather than a religion. I'm CERTAIN several UUs would agree, but maybe just as many would also disagree. I would love to hear your thoughts on a few things. This stuff fascinates me, and I don't feel comfortable talking about it with people who are going to spout religious shit to me. This is such a gigantic community from people of all walks of life. I feel like it would be awesome to hear so many varied responses and ideas.
My brother died of a heroin overdose almost a decade ago. It fucking sucked. I miss him. That said, it didn't really change my beliefs. I know when people die, lots of their loved ones experience changes in beliefs, and often times I think it's due to WANTING SO BADLY to not have lost that person forever. Makes total logical sense. It's sad.
A year ago, my mom died. However, this time, it REALLY changed things for me. I feel her visiting me a LOT. I feel I get weird signs from her. I am 100% convinced I've had 3 or 4 visitation dreams from her, though I dream of her almost every night. You don't have to explain to me how all of this has completely non-religious, common sense explanations. That's pretty obvious to me. My mom and I were so fucking close. We had that weird telepathy thing going on that only very close people have. If you have a spouse, twin, or loved one you're close to, you know what I'm talking about! Finishing sentences, calling at the same time, knowing what the other will say when you've both been silent for a long time, etc. Of course even if there's absolutely nothing more than BOOM you're dead, I'd feel that way due to our closeness. She is always with me, regardless of what happens after death, because she was a foundational part of my life.
For my whole life, I've always been very sensitive, and I do feel I have a way with connecting to certain things, especially nature/animals. I think I'd be considered an empath maybe since I'm very tuned into people's feelings and my environment? I nurture lots of stuff and teach little kids. Like I said, I am sensitive. Lots of childhood trauma and bullying pretty much made me that way.
I don't believe in heaven and hell or anything like that, but I really wonder if it's possible something else happens when you die. Are we over? Yeah, maybe. But maybe not. I also wonder if there's a scientific explanation that would explain whatever else could happen. For lack of better language, I'd think there'd be evidence for "god" (and of course evolution but I don't feel I need to explicitly state that here 🤣. Also don't really know what else to call god... The universe? Energy? I dunno!). I've read about crazy physics studies where cells react weirdly when one is given stimulation somewhere and the other, that used to be with to the first cell, is miles and miles away. All of this stuff fascinates me and it is overwhelming to consider all the shit we just don't understand. Makes you really wonder about the things that aren't even on our radar or within our realm of understanding.
Do you guys ever think about this stuff? Ever wonder about wtf started the big bang? Most mediums and ghost sightings are COMPLETE bs, I'm sure... But what if a few are real?? Is it a weird glitch in time rather than a true "ghost?" Or let's say Astral projection... I am sad to say that I think most people who believe they can do that are likely mentally ill (or hopefully dreaming!), but the CIA did try to study that shit!
Do you guys think about this stuff a lot? Any cool wonderings you have or crazy facts you know/experiences you have? There's no where else I'd want to post this, because I just don't want to hear about God this and God that. If "god" exists, it's not like anyone living could understand it. This is the one place I'd feel safe discussing things. Please do let me know if there's a better place to post this. As I said, I have no interest in pushing belief systems on anyone, nor do I think that is OK. Plus, I don't even know what I would call myself. I do kind of feel like I'm atheist... AND agnostic.... AND curious AF. (Yes, I know that's a little bit oxymoronic.) I'm so scientifically minded, that if there's anything weird going on, I KNOW it would be able to be explained by science. Ultimately, I know we are a bunch of peons who don't know shit about the universe. 🤣 I like to remain open minded. There's always more to learn.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure my rambling has gotten my point across. I guess I'd just love to hear what keeps you guys up late at night when you're pondering. What are all your thoughts about this shit? Hope you're all well! 💜💜💜💜