Biden suggested that a reporter's question made it sound like he thought that the reporter could have a cognitive problem. Besides seemingly demeaning the reporter's search for an truthful answer as originating from some kind of diminished mental capacity, are not people with cognitive concerns being diminished? Ought their voices being disrespected?

For the sake of discussion, let us proceed to take a critical look at this UU critic who seems to hate everything the UUA stands for these days. Where does he go wrong? What points of his may actually be valid or consistent with UU Principles?

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1ajbsmh/column_how_unitarian_universalism_became_a_church/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1atzxbw/tema_okun_decries_the_misuse_of_her_white/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1b1spkt/unitarian_universalisms_jewish_problems_continue/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1bgeg7q/article_what_unitarian_universalism_loses_as_it/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1d2tky2/interesting_article_by_a_uu_minister/

https://open.substack.com/pub/davidcycleback/p/when-liberal-congregations-are-liberal?r=183vb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Can anyone tell me in short what are the basics of your believes?

How are we feeling about article II?

Unitarian Universalism is a path with practices/disciplines. The first is Covenant. A values based sacred promise we make to ourselves and one another. Covenant helps us understand how we will be together. What we can expect from one another and what we hold ourselves accountable to.

The second discipline is pluralism. The reality that many things are true at the same time. That each of us brings a unique experience and perspective to our community. And we are made richer by being bound to one another in Covenant and sharing deeply our experiences and understanding of reality.

If we practice Covenant and pluralism we will, as individuals, be transformed. Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition. Revelation is not sealed. The holy is alive and evolving. It is inside of us and larger than us.

Individuals who have been transformed, transform the world.

Unitarianism - God is one Universalism - God is Love

Unitarian Universalism - One holy Love for all.

Covenantal not creedal. Pluralistic not fundamentalist. Transformational - living, evolving, becoming - change is the way of this path.

We have an ongoing DnD youth group campaign, as do a number of other congregations. As the DM, I run it as a straight 5e homebrew campaign, no mention of UU, no mention of principles (although I've created a few moral dilemmas for the party to address). The teens have a blast, I have a blast, it's great fun. Except...it's been suggested that we see if we can work in something UU. I'm at a loss. If we try to incorporate anything that looks like an obvious attempt at "teaching a lesson", the teens' eyes will roll so hard they'll see through the backs of their skulls, the fun will be gone, and no more youth group. What are your thoughts/experiences?

And I want to see serious answers, please.

Which religious groups would be allies with Unitarian Universalist churches?

I am a UU atheist, and my mother was asking me what it is about religion that attracts me as an atheist, and I have been struggling to put it into words. I am curious what other atheists would say.

So i was raised Catholic and in my college years found myself veering off from religion and had a more scientific outlook on life.

Recently I've been thinking about religion a lot and have been trying to find some sort of merger between my spiritual side and logical side.

So for the past couple months I've been doing a ton of research on all types of religion and science.

And I came to a sort of logical conclusion about how I felt about what God is and the stories we tell. It felt very unifying, and logical.

Today I'm thinking about it due to a conversation I was having with my barber, and I start wondering what I should call myself, spiritually.

I plug in all my thoughts into chatGPT and it's tells me you guys. Unitarian Universalist.

I think, hey maybe I should check out a church or something and learn more about it. That's when I realize:

I lived directly next to a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for 3 years

Had never looked into their beliefs or anything. Was right under my nose.

The only interaction I had with them was them bringing our house food when they had leftovers from their food drive.

Just my little piece of reasoning I noticed in my life that felt nice.

How is your congregation participating? Are you sending delegates?

I’ve keyworded this sub like I’ve got nothing else to do. I’m currently in a membership class and I like it— but for some reason, online and in person people are so vague about the following questions I have that it starts to deter me from deciding to become a member.

Can anyone answer these questions in the most black and white way?

1. How much does it cost to be a member? Is it a sliding scale, percentage of income, depends on what you can give, a flat amount, depends on the congregations, most congregations do what?

2. What does becoming a member do other than give me the ability to vote and upkeep the grounds?

3. Is there something else I am missing other than identifying that this is my place and I promise to abide by our morals and values?

I don’t want to be rude in the class, but not addressing the elephant (money, something a lot of people struggle with) seems a little off putting.

Hi, I'm a woman in my late 20s and I've been giving my local UU church a try. I wanted to join for a spiritual community, and a community in general. I was hoping I could chat with you guys about a couple things:

1. I'm a little worried about how they push politics. I lean liberal myself, but I've always believed in the separation of church and state. This church seems to openly support the Liberal party (Canada) online and in person. I thought when you have tax free status you weren't supposed to get involved in politics?

2. I've attended a mix of in person and online services for maybe 6 weeks now and I've found that the actual spirituality component of the services was really, really missing. I was hoping to actually learn about different faith traditions and ways to grow my spirituality, but faith/spirituality/religion doesn't seem to come up much. It appears to be 99% social justice, which is ok but I was hoping for more spiritual content. The only time I've actually heard a reference to the divine/religion in the 6 weeks was a quote from the bible the first week.

3. I was kind of taken aback by how militant congregants can be about veganism. I eat meat myself, I have high protein needs due to medical issues and vegan options are very expensive. I went to a service one day and there was a big display explaining how no good UU member could eat meat, you can't eat meat and be moral, etc. I understand it's good for the environment but the messaging was so aggressive.

Anyways, I'm just wondering if anyone has any thoughts? Is this the normal UU experience? The people are very friendly but it's just not what I expected, you know?

Just curious about how All Souls in DC deals with the fact that one of their founding members was rabid white supremacist and slavery supporter (also US Vice President, Senator, and Secretary of State and Secretary of War) John C. Calhoun?

I’m an early 30s adult and I’ve been seeking an open minded group of people to explore my spirituality with. I was hoping that the UU church would be full of people wanting to discuss spiritual topics (our purpose, free will, concept of the divine, etc) without any doctrine. There is one UU church in my city and I planned on attending their virtual service on zoom just to get a feel for it. When I went to log in I saw that there was no service today, and instead it was being held by a national organization. I decided to check it out and I didn’t feel there was anything spiritual about it at all. The music was very cheesy and seemed like forced positivity that had no substance to it. They went on to discuss some “feel-good” multicultural stories, none of which had any real message of value. One was “community good, help others!” and another was “don’t impose what we think is best on other cultures”. Despite these messages the whole thing reeked of white saviour complex. There was no spirituality discussed, it honestly just felt like a circlejerk of virtue signalling. To top it all off, at the end a woman chimed in and told a story about some people from the Philippines (healthcare professionals) they had taken in and she felt the need to say “these people are actually very smart. We shouldn’t infantilize them, they’re not stupid” like it was a radical revelation. I was dumbfounded. Am I missing something here? Is this really what the services are?

He has yet to respond as I know it's a lot for him to unpackage and, knowing him, come up with a rebuttal. But I love my father and I know he loves me and I'm hoping that the love I know and experience he too can! I'm hoping he can strip fear from his life and personal theology, so that he can walk in a fuller and deeper understanding of love. Love Wins y'all, love wins!

Long-term UU from the Midwest, who will be visiting Pittsburgh on Sunday, June 9. I see there are six UU churches in the area, hoping to narrow down my choice for a church to visit that morning. Any Pittsburgh UUs who can help with my decision?

I am sending a poll to all the Christian denominations on reddit to see what they believe, I will post a video on the results of the poll on my channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3SlpDesDlslIcts_EW6L_g

Anyway, the poll is https://forms.gle/nMs3aNgqnEExn1wy6

I mean the historical Unitarian churches in Romania, in Hungary and even in the closest church body I can think of, that is, the UK congregations of Unitarians and non-subscribing Presbyterian seem to be more conservative still, despite the faster spread of secular humanism, Wicca and the New Age spiritual movement there. On the whole it would seem a lot less probable that they would be less open to change.

Why do you think that is?

I’m not a “conservative”. I’d consider myself libertarian/anarchist-leaning. I have the same “wants” for social change (reducing poverty, fighting climate change, etc), but my personal belief is that government is the least effective and ethical way to achieve these goals.

My understanding is that UUs tend to be politically liberal. Would I be an outcast, offensive, or not welcome because of my views?

27M from WI here. I go to a fellowship of about 50ish members. Similar to many of the younger UUs, I’m usually one of the youngest ones in attendance (we have a few kids every now and then). While I absolutely love so many of the older folks who attend, I do struggle with feeling a bit out of place at times. I’ve come to appreciate the principles of UU and I feel that many people my age might enjoy them as well. I’m joining the service planning committee in hopes of helping to bring more young people in.

What are some things that your fellowship has done that has helped to bring more Millennials/Gen Zs into the fellowship?

Edit - Thank you so much for the replies! Through more research, I’ve decided this is where I belong. I even told my parents and they accept it to!

Hi there! I’ve been researching UU for a while now, and I truly believe I’d fit in and be accepted into the religion. I want to know people’s experiences in the religion, their stories, beliefs etc…I’m an agnostic trans kid, and I’ve been wanting to follow a religion for a while (no particular reason, but I’ve been very interested in philosophy and religion as a whole) and this genuinely seems lovely.

Or a variant of Christianity?

I'm pretty new to UU, but I've been reading alot about your history. Something clicked for me, and I honestly found the idea rather amusing. My thoughts on this are all positive and lighthearted, I just think it's interesting.

Unitarian Universalism started as the merger of two liberal Christian groups, the Unitarians and the Universalists. Well, the Unitarians believed in a more strict Monotheism, whereas the Universalists believed in Universal salvation.

Here's what's interesting to me. UU has evolved and changed. A lot. Beliefs from no Gods to many Gods are welcome in UU as any other, so long as your shared values are respected.

On the one hand, I think UU values still preclude the possibility if Eternal Damnation. Surely, such a belief goes against beliefs about the worth and dignity of every person, love, and justice. Yet, at the same time, there is nothing I can see stopping someone from believing in the Holy Trinity!

Maybe y'all already had this thought, and I'm just now figuring out something obvious. But it makes me smile. Do you know any UU Trinitarians? I just find the idea kind of sweet, in a weird way.

Thank you for indulging this silly post. The thought just made me smile for some reason.

This should be a little alarming to anyone in the US who is not a Christian. I'm American and a Christian, and it alarms me too...in this worldview expressed in this video, there is no room for anyone of any other faiths.

Some quotes from this video, transcribed as best I could:

"Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country. And I truly believe we need to bring them back and we have to bring them back fast. I think it's one of the biggest problems we have, that's why our country's going haywire. We've lost religion in our country. All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It's my favorite book."

(What's that say? If you aren't willing to have this altered King James bible in your home, you aren't American.)

[Edit: The reason for alarm is that in the US we do not have any national religion. The constitution protects your right to choose a religion or choose none at all or be atheist or anything you want. This video makes clear that the far-right wing conservative fascist vision for the US (the one promoted by one of the two front-runners for the next national election) leaves no room for anyone to be considered American if the person is Atheist, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Buddhist, or of any other faith.]

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-selling-bibles-christians-fury-1883972

Obligatory reminder of where to get registered to vote: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

Hi there! I'm currently exploring Unitarian Universalism, with an eye to eventually join a congregation. I'm looking for books written within the (I know very wide) Unitarian Universalist perspective. Far I've read Unitarian Universalism: A Narrative History by David Bumbaugh. Gonna slowly work my way through A Chosen Faith by John Buehrens. I'm curious about good books to read written within the UU tradition in more specific areas. Any answers will be appreciated!

Like someone who loves religion in all forms and doesn't necessarily fit the mold of a certain religion but at the same time doesn't particularly enjoy radical (or really much at all) politics, left or right?

Hi all - I was recently trying to clarify my belief system, and I've kind of hit on UU after reading more! (I'm pagan or agnostic on paper, but my neighbor is Baptist and trying to get me to go to services.)

To expound on that, I was raised Lutheran and suffered through the whole nine yards of Communion, Catechism, and Confirmation. Of course, as I finished high school and entered college, I rejected those specific tenets and ended up calling myself Pagan/Pantheistic. Partially due to the bigoted stances in the Church (I grew up in Colorado during the Prop2 years), but also because nothing about the patriarchal, desert-based system sat right with me.

I wasn't a Classics/Religion major, but took many classes in those departments and I know wayyyyy too much about comparative theology. I've also dabbled in Wiccan and Chaos magick, but nothing within my readings really stuck - except for the idea that all "gods" are just semi-regional aspects of some kind of *Divine*. I've considered myself a Solitary Witch for most of my adult life and celebrated the solstices, equinoxes, and the holy days in-between on the Wheel.

Two years ago I moved from the big city to the deep woods/oceanside and I can't say enough about it - other than I feel the inter-connectivity, being so close to nature. I'm an amateur naturalist and am constantly in awe of the unspoiled wilderness here. (Good for witches, right? lol)

However, I'm kind of feeling "meh" about celebrating Beltane today (Like, WHY am I doing this?), and I wonder if it's a deeper need for community. I'm worried that joining an actual coven in my area is just opening myself up to cringe and interpersonal drama - plus I'm going to be 50 this year and skyclad stuff in a social setting is a simple NO GO, haha.

Again, we live in the sticks, so the only UU churches I've found are around 45-60min away. That said, I'm excited enough for the community aspect I'm willing to take a drive on Sunday and see what those are like.

My (increasingly religious, but also MAGA) mother would be THRILLED to hear I was going to church, even if it was one that allowed for my pagan/humanist beliefs. What do you all think?

​

Hello, for anyone that did not grow up in this community, why did you choose to join a UU congregation? Or if you are a long time member, why are you still a part of it?

I'm trying to transition to a UU congregation after years of toxic christianity and not attending a church in a long time.I have done a lot of research on beliefs and local churches in the area. Do you feel like your life improved after regularly attending? I look forward to hearing from you.

I currently live in a small town; the closest UU congregation is about an hour one way drive for me.

I left a main stream but somewhat cult-y church a few years ago and have been deconstructing my beliefs system since.

I’ll probably be healing from my old church in some ways for the rest of my life but that’s not going to stop me from building something new and good.

I definitely miss the community of church and I’m moving home to Ohio closer to a few UU churches this summer. I’ve been popping in to a few different UU churches online for the past few months and will likely start attending in person once I move.

I know I’ll find answers to this when I get there but I’m tired of waiting and I’m ready to at least start testing some things out. I believe there’s ‘something’ in The whole universe (“Mother Nature” I guess but that extents to the farthest galaxies for me) that connects us all… weather that gets elevated to a “higher power” or even God (of what flavor tbd) I don’t currently know for myself.

Are there any books/blogs/articles/whatever you would recommend I read/look at to help me with my journey? I just kinda feel like I’m flailing out here in my own and I don’t know where to turn. I spend hours just looking for something half way decent to read and research further. TIA

Our congregation was so excited to call our new minister yesterday. A lot of hard work over the last year by the search committee paid off. We had been in a very long transition time and now we can move forward.

Did anyone call a new minister?

How many here are UU and vegan, too? Today I learned we're actually the only sort of church that's growing, and I think the only one with 2 vegan pastors. The rest are loosing members. I'm hoping one day to go to one of the vegetarian/vegan retreats, and think UU is the only one with something like that, and this means it's an extra friendly church as though veganism is a very thoughtful thing to do, most people hate vegans. Here they don't mind me bringing my own food to meals, or chatting about it occasionally. How about you?

I’m a new UU and I’m wondering if anyone has any good recs on books written about God in a more general sense that’s removed from specific religion. Most of the ones I’ve found so far are Trinitarian Christian and I’m neither.

There's a townhall meeting this Wednesday (4/24/2024) evening to discuss the upcoming GA vote to replace the Seven Principles with the Six Covenants (+ Love). It's at 8:00 PM Eastern, 7:00 PM Central, 6:00 PM Mountain, 5:00 PM Pacific.

Register at "UU the Conversation".

The website also has a video library discussing the changes. One particularly informative video is Much Ado About Article II: "The video explores the “why” behind the changes to Article II ... The answers are in the years of UUA reports and working group recommendations ... This video provides easy access to that information."

QUESTION!!

Hello,

I'm a Muslim convert and I'm interested in the Unitarian church.

As some may already be aware, Jesus (PBUH) is named as the Messiah in the Quran. I still accept the Quran as Revelation, but my beliefs and questions about God are often much more western than most Muslims.

I may visit a Unitarian church in any case. What catches my interest is that they are the only Christians (besides Mormons) who don't deitify Jesus in any way. Buuut I notice Hinduism, paganism, and atheism are welcomed belief systems. I of course don't have anything against them. I'm a secularist. But yes, I'm strictly monotheistic.

How strictly is the Oneness of God observed in most, if not all Unitarian churches?

I'm sorry if this sounds dumb

Both my parents came from christian backgrounds but grew away from the religion. My father, because of the theatric nature of congregations he was a part of and my mother because of the judgement she felt amoung her Christian peers. In my childhood I was taught to despise religious institutions because of the power structures that exist therein. As I am transitioning to adulthood I've began to seek spiritual connection and an understanding of divinity. In my journey towards spiritual connection I've graduated towards American Transcendentalism because many notions of the ideaology align with epiphanies I've had during psychedelic experiences. In researching transcendentalism I was introduced to Unitarian Universalism and found a local fellowship in my city. Based on my background and religious beliefs I was wondering if UU might be right for me and furthermore, if anyone from a similar background has benefitted in their spiritual journey by joining a UU settlement. Any advice at all is welcome, thank you all!

So I think we could have another UU Holiday based around May 15th called UUnification Day/Ceremony. As the Unitarians and the Universalists Came together and merged, and we brought together our different understandings into the new Association of Faith.

I believe this new Holiday would be a day to celebrate our Pluralism and our Religion/Faith. Not only are we celebrating our shared traditions but also those we bring into the faith with us from outside and from our own understandings.

I hope this makes sense and I just want to see what other Unitarians thought about it and spread my ideas and you can add up on it too or give suggestions/opinions.

I (30F) feel like the youngest person in my congregation while everyone is 55+. I joined because I want to explore my spirituality while taking climate and social justice action. It’s a great place but I feel like I may not be able to really relate to people on because the age difference. Anyone else going through this?

This is a prayer I wrote to help me out of vicious cycles and into virtuous cycles. It is read as an address towards myself, with responding guidance, in a dual first-person voice. If you like it, feel free to personalize it or steal some verses to aid you in your journey as well.

Remember who I really am; what I can do to help others, what I can give.

Surrender my addictions to express love in temperance. Move me through the pain of separation to reconnect with your true will.

Give me your compassion, your strength, your kindness, and sight of your true will: That I may yield the serenity of devotion to you. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Learn how to love the world whole; without exception, without need.

The moment is your most vital tool. You must wield it properly to return to the Kingdom, lest it wield you a distracted disciple. I wouldn't trade this moment for the world.

May the ritual of love embody you and I in fullness. Power shall be restored in me, loving, everlastingly. As above, so below.

Blessed be.

I am an Episcopalian who is attending a Unitarian Universalist service tomorrow for a seminary project (namely, observing the practices of another religious tradition). I've done some research, and while I have found some useful information, much of it is with the caveat that experiences may vary.

Bearing this in mind, I was curious as to whether or not there was anything that would be helpful to know about a Unitarian Universalist service. Again, I am aware that this can vary, but I figured it would be best to turn to those who practice it.

Thank you truly for any help you may provide!

I'm frustrated with Faithful America, to be fair I also have the same problem with the UUSJ. Both of them keep e-mailing petitions to me to sign; which I will, and asking for donations; which I won't. Neither of them ever asks for mass prayer. In Faithful America's latest e-mail they talk about Easter and Trans Day of Visibility falling on the same day. I think asking people to pray the following throughout the month of April would have been more impactful:

{God takes his stand in the court of heaven to deliver judgement among the gods themselves. Psalm 82:1

So God created man is his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

There is no such thing as Jew and Greek, slave and freeman, male and female; for you are all one person in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Heavenly Father, god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Holy Spirit teach us through dreams and signs what are the rights, roles and responsibilities of transgender, intersex and non-binary people in American society down through the generations. Help us too affirm and apply your son’s teaching to “Love your neighbor as yourself” Mathew 22:39 and to “Treat others as you would like them to treat you” Luke 6:31 to the intersex people in our midst. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen!}

​

What do the rest of you think?

I recently started going to my local UU and love it, I left Catholicism 20 years or so because of many disagreements with the church, the UU is a breath of fresh air! Anyway I love the UU but I can't help but notice that our average age is probably pushing high 60s. I don't know how sustainable it is to have such a up there in the years congregation, don't get me wrong I love older people and have always had respect for my elders I just wish we had some younger peoples energy. Does anyone here have any ideas that they have tried to bring new people in? I talked to my pastor and they said that it's been a conversation for a long time but nothing has really been tried. I feel like if more people knew that there was a church that was so accepting as ours we'd be packed and I think it could help with the loneliness epidemic in this country.

Earlier references to this issue:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1bfyqk8/community_conversation/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1blmbqa/rules_follow_up/

I have now decided to formally update the rules. The first one has been replaced completely to make the issues clearer to members and visitors alike.

1. Bigotry will not be tolerated

Intentional expressions of bigotry of any kind, including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, classism, or anti-atheist slurs, will result in a warning for the first offense and a permanent ban for a repeat offender.

The second rule is the same as before.

I’m from the UK. Now to cut a long story down. I have always believed in a higher power. And never truly understood “Jesus and God are one” spiel. And I believe he was a messenger, prophet, teacher (or rabbi in Hebrew) of god but not god himself. My faith is personal to me and I sort of follow a mixture of religious styles of god, thought wise. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. And I’ve been criticised on here be being baptised in the past and then realised after that I still didn’t believe it (I got baptised thinking that it would come into fruition but never did and sort of came back to old realisation). Islam and Judaism teach in a nutshell that god is one. Not three in one. And that’s the way I think and follow. It’s not a bad thing is it?

I’m new to the UU faith and don’t have a community or congregation anywhere near me.

I’m just wanting to see if there’s anyone who would want to be friends :)

A little about me

• 24 y/o F
• practices Celtic and pagan spirituality paths
• from BC Canada !!
• 🍃🍃friendly

How many people in your congregation have political or other personal opinions that aren't in line with the congregational majority and might be controversial? How openly do they express and discuss those opinions? Are more-conservative-than-average positions treated differently than more-progressive-than-average?

I ask after a longtime UU friend confided that they were a registered Republican and supported some conservative policy positions as well as a some liberal ones, but generally chose to keep quiet on those topics while in UU spaces, since they were here for other reasons.

Good timezone, r/UnitarianUniversalist!

I'm sorry for the slight delay from my previous post. I had a few irl things that I was focused on.

This is by no means a complete list, but, I wanted to submit what I have put together so far, in order to get any feedback and suggestions, both for the proposed rules listed here, and for any that should be added.

1. Any expression of intentional bigotry — whether in the form of sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, xenophobia, or ableism — shall result in a permanent ban.

2. Users and moderators both shall interact with others in the sub in a spirit of mutual respect.

3. The moderating team and the user base of the subreddit shall work together to make any necessary changes to the rules of the subreddit.

I have a few other ideas, but it is late and I am unable to put those ideas to words right now.

Edit: I have received multiple suggestions for rule 1 to be changed from "shall" to "may". I have noted in one response that I would like to include, if possible, a clause about instructing kindly those who express bigoted views, with the hope that informing them will help them reform their behavior.

Also, classism and ageism will be added to rule 1 in the final draft.

Look at this:

https://weru.org/

https://weru.org/about/mission/

Mission & Values

Mission:

WERU Community Radio is an independent, listener-supported and volunteer-powered media organization, whose mission is to provide diverse programming to lift spirits, raise awareness and make connections.

Guiding Values:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Civility and Respect

Social Justice

Environmental Stewardship

Community Service

Celebration of Local Communities

Diversity Statement:

All forms of diversity (and the absence of discrimination) are important to and sought by WERU, including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, generation, geographic location, disability, race, religion, educational background and field of employment, with regards to membership on the Board of Directors, Community Advisory Board, volunteer staff and paid staff.

More About WERU’s Philosophy:

Our motto is to be a “voice of many voices” by providing a wide variety of music, information, and voices over the airwaves and Internet. Our vision is that WERU will entertain, inform, and inspire people, and will support healthy, informed and vibrant communities.

We celebrate listener support as an essential element of our financial sustainability. We likewise celebrate volunteerism as an essential element of the organization’s operations, both broadcast and behind the scenes. Hence “listener supported and volunteer powered.”

We present news and public affairs programming that meets high journalistic standards.

The bylaws of Salt Pond Community Broadcast/WERU are available upon request. Email Matt Murphy, General Manager, at [matt@weru.org](mailto:matt@weru.org).

___________

They clearly want UUs among their listeners:

https://weru.org/locations/unitarian-universalist-church/

Unitarian Universalist Church

Address
120 Park St
Bangor
ME
04401
United States

​

I've gone back and forth over the course of the past 25 years as to whether I'd want to pursue a M.Div. as a UU. I'd specifically be interested in chaplaincy and not Congregational ministry. I have come back to it MULTIPLE times and even went as far as withdrawing applications already submitted in the past. I just am worried about the cost.

I, admittedly, have a fulfilling career already and considerable autonomy but feel drawn to the coursework and think chaplaincy would be a helpful adjunct to my current career. I have two master's degrees and a Ph.D. in somewhat relevant and adjacent fields.

What are folks' experiences? Is it worth it? I'd have to do an online or hybrid program. Looking for others' lived experience in a M.Div program. Preference is for folks to hold snarkiness, if possible.

Good afternoon everyone! My congregation is unfortunately saying goodbye to our current DRE and asked if I would be interested in being the interim whilst they look for a new one to hire, I initially started as just an RE volunteer and will be taking my OWL certs in the summer, I do not have any other credentials,aside from going to seminary in the fall for my M.DIV in UU studies, where are some good places to start getting ready to hopefully move from interim to permanent? I’ll be speaking more with my church’s board and our DRE this Sunday to receive more info, but what certifications do I need/where to obtain them/ any and all advice on how to be a good DRE will be much appreciated!!!

Hello everyone.

I’m here because I’m a student in a World Religions course looking to fulfill one of my assignments by interviewing someone who is a Unitarian Universalist. I’ll admit that this is pushing me out of my comfort zone because I’d prefer to just read / watch videos to learn the information I’m required to research. However this is the assigned task and I know Reddit can be a helpful place to find someone willing to dialouge. This isn’t a request for a debate OR anything that is to be disrespectful to anyone in the UU Church. I just have a list of questions I’m supposed to ask. If anyone here is interested I’d be so grateful for your kindness.

Thanks

Hi. Through the religious and spiritual exploration that I’ve went through these past few years I’ve recently realized that I think I identify most with being a Universalist. But now I see there is Christian Universalism vs Unitarian Universalism and I was wondering what the main differences are to see which resonates most with me? Thank you so much in advance.

Im from the Caribbean, ive try to make contact with the local unitarian universalist church i had called them but apparently they havent been there for 5 years, i try to go to the church physically but it was close i even try to contact them in their facebook and no one answer, i dont know what else to do, can i join a online community with zoom videos or something?

My husband and I joined our local UU church in 2020 after attending for about a year. We had an interim minister at the time. We’ve had a full time minister now for 2.5 years, a full time music director and full time religious education leader. They each get a 3 month sabbatical. During her regular working months, the minister is responsible for church service 3/4 Sundays per month. This flabbergasts me. I’ve never know a church where the spiritual leader(s) are off so much. Is this common in UU or it is OUR church. I asked in the church discussion group we attend and the unofficial elder of the group was offended as “that’s the same the previous minister (of >30 years) got!”

What Unitarian Universalism loses as it becomes politically narrow

Two quotes from the online piece:

"The narrowing of political perspectives within the Unitarian Universalist community poses significant harm to the church and its members. This trend towards ideological homogeneity often transforms UU spaces into monoliths, fostering echo chambers characterized by groupthink and intellectual laziness. Such insular environments exacerbate extremism and 'us versus them' tribalism, not just within UU but in greater society."

"In many respects, the national church has transformed into a partisan political organization rather than a religion. Even many UU laity who are politically left and social justice activists have expressed discomfort with the idea of the church functioning as a political platform. They come to a church for spiritual growth and an oasis from the toxicity they get from the news and social media in their daily life."

​

My fiancé and I have attended a few UU sermons and enjoyed them. Both of us have long since left organized religion and are largely agnostic. UU seems like a great community of like-minded folk and we’re looking forward to digging further in to what UU has to offer.

We’ve both felt like the sermons we’ve attended have been stimulating and engaging. This has led us talking more about spirituality in our lives. We had an interesting conversation this morning about what spirituality looks like for those of us that don’t have religious beliefs or affiliations.

Can you be spiritual without being religious or believing in a higher power(s)? If so, what does that look like for you?

Hello everyone!

I wanted to have a conversation with the community of r/UnitarianUniversalist so that we could figure out together what kind of community we want to be.

I believe this is a better approach than mods making changes unilaterally.

This is a space for you to offer suggestions for things like rules, subreddit activities, flairs, etc., that you would like to see enacted.

Below are a few ideas I had. I offer them to start this conversation:

• Overhaul of the rules, and use the Seven Principles as guides for our new rules. These rules should be specific.

• A rule that will absolutely be in the final draft is an anti-bigotry rule: No racism, no xenophobia, no ableism, no homophobia, no transphobia, no sexism, etc.

• Either humorous flairs or flairs noting one's general theological bent and affiliation.

• Institute a quarterly or bi-annual review of rules, activities, and other aspects of the sub.

So those are some basic ideas to get things started.

I would like to finish this conversation by Thursday, March 25. At which point, we will have hopefully a lot of great feedback and be able to get out rough drafts of the changes to be voted on.

Thank you!

A thing my minister said in a sermon recently that made me happy. This is a foundational belief that I can get behind. Very simple, very useful.

I asked another church member in a theology chat what's the "ask" of UU. The answer was just show up! Respect people. That's a totally reasonable ask.

I, personally have some eclectic spiritual beliefs that I don't feel the need to necessarily share with anyone. I find it helpful to put some space holders for the unknown and to direct my life through a certain poetic narrative, and it is important to me. My personal relationship to a devine. Believing in the inherent dignity of every human, showing up to service and respecting the congregation in no way gets in the way of my faith.

Mostly posting as a question to see if I'm missing anything. Can one really be accepted as a unitarian regardless of their metaphysical beliefs? It almost seems too good to be true.

Hello Unitarian Brothers and Sisters,

The Scripture reads,

"Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee"

• Is Jesus omniscient in this passage?

• By what means is he discerning this about Nathanael?

Thank you.

I am posing this here before I take it to our DRE or minister. Are there resources for families that can be accessed between OWL sessions? My 7th grader got shafted by lockdown and has never been to OWL. They just finished a 4-6th grade session, and the unit for his cohort starts this fall. I need guidance now on burgeoning sexuality, particularly around pornography use. Due to the way he communicates with me, I think our relationship and trust level would suffer if I was the one leading this conversation, and six months is a long time to wait for help.

I was raised Catholic and my mom would always say that the community aspect of church was so important. However, we never stayed for coffee and donuts in the parish hall! I wonder how much of my love for my UU church is because I want that sweet sweet coffee and treats.

I consider myself to be agnostic-pagan and I’m wondering if unitarian Universalism might be a good fit for me but I’m not fond of Christianity all too much because of my past growing up around it and the negativity it has spread. I know that UU started in the Christian faith but I’ve seen conflicting messages about if it still is a denomination or anything like that. The church aspect of it makes it seem like it is but I really don’t know. I feel kind of lost and community-less because my beliefs are so different the the rest of my town and community and I was just wondering if I should look into this. Thanks :)

Im asking it because im really into the unitarian universalist ideas, whoever, there is no church on the denomination itself (at least from what i know) except from one church, which, in terms of societal issues seems to be allign with the UU churches. Can i be a unitarian universalist myself at any church who allign with our societal principles?

Hello 👋 I'm a young Millennial guy and I'm kind of nervous joining a church 😅 I was raised catholic and am now agnostic looking for a community to belong to. Mostly leaning into becoming a better person. I was just curious if there are any other Millennials around in your church? I'm nervous of being the youngest there and building the courage to go and check it out

Hi there. 🙌 I’m a long time lurker of this page, attempting to grasp anything that may help me understand deeper.

I became a member of my local UU last year quite spontaneously. I say that because I’ve never been religious/spiritual, but something drew me to walk through the door. I have been lost in life for quite some time and just needed something. I will say I have enjoyed listening to what is said on Sundays, but I don’t truly understand UU.

Is there anyone here that can talk me through the meaning of it all?

So as not to draw out this post too much, I’ll stick to my main points, but just acknowledge here that there is a lot of thought and emotion behind what I’ll say.

Today I will go to the office of the UU church of which I’m a member and hand in my resignation letter. I have found that my church – and organized Unitarian Universalism – no longer offers me enough of spiritual sustenance for me to continue with it.

This is a disappointment. I joined twenty years ago when my wife and I found it a good fit for our beliefs as well as a good religious community to raise our young children in. And it was very most often good!

For me, the purpose of religion (both organized and personal) is to foster spiritual well-being. I think spirituality is seeing what the situation in life is, and figuring: “What do I make of that?” The topics are endless, for some examples:

• Sometimes you’ll do things that are morally wrong. What do you do about that?

• You’ll always interact with other people. Some will be indifferent to you, some will support and help you, some will screw you over. What to you make of that, in each case?

• You have a body. How do you best deal with that material existence?

• Guaranteed, someday you’re going to die. How do you live knowing that?

• You’ve got to deal with possessions and resources – everyone needs stuff to survive, and even to live a creative life. How best to deal with that?

And so on. My main point is that these (and so many more) are UNIVERSAL concerns, things that EVERY person alive ever has to face. So, a religion that’s pertinent to everybody will address these concerns.

I have religious beliefs and practices to help me deal with life.

I was finding participation in my UU church community very conductive for that. Almost every Sunday morning service offered something to think over and meditate on - ideas I had not thought about and that were germane to my spiritual process. Other activities at the church (religious education, small-group rituals) were very helpful too.

About a year ago my church hired a new full-time settled minister, and the tenor of the doings changed markedly. I’m not putting it all on the minister – that hiring was just in line with the general changes I was seeing. Overall, the focus of the church’s activities went to being political and social, and not spiritual. The Sunday morning services were a striking example of this: consistently, whole sermons (even entire worship services) were exclusively about how society needs to change to benefit some segments of the population – offering no helpful spiritual ideas. None at least that would help me get through the week, let alone life.

Organized Unitarian Universalism got away from me, I can only feel. When I come away from a UU doing feeling no spiritual fulfillment – or even boost – I can only wonder what the point of that religious exercise is. For me, there is none.

My membership in that church was a good twenty-year run, and I have no regrets. Sometimes, things just change unexpectedly. What do I make of that? (That itself is yet another common spiritual concern!)

[I do have to say that I am not leaving because of the people in my church – they’re all folks I was glad to be around.]

So I’m leaving my local church and UUism in general. I need to break away, for my own spiritual well-being. This is nothing I would have wished for, but I see it as necessary. I can no longer be a member of a religion I don’t believe in.

What’s next for me religiously, I don’t know. For sure I will no longer call myself a Unitarian Universalist, but that was always secondary anyway. I may look for other organized religious groups, but I’ll probably be solitary for a while. I won’t say I just experienced religious trauma from my latter experience in organized Unitarian Universalism, more like extreme religious stress. I need to let it out of my life for a while.

Honestly, I have nothing against UUism or its people. Let them be happy. I’m just seeing that community is no longer for me.

I am in the process of becoming the adult forum coordinator at my Unitarian Universalist congregation. I have been working with the minister and members of congregation on ideas for programming, but also would like to have programs that draw in young and new people. Does anyone have any ideas for what works in adult programming to draw people in from outside our community?

For example one thing I am proposing is a “Banned Book Book Club.” Our church has a banned book library (I live in a red state passing all sorts of crazy laws) and I think this would be a great program to go along with this.

Greetings friends. I run a blog where I primarily engage in what I call "secular theology:" reappropriating theological and philosophical narratives for use in postmodern 21st century discourse.

I'd be curious to hear y'all's thoughts on my recent blog posted titled "Secular Prayer." In it, I try to investigate some of the psychological and philosophical principles underlying prayer in its sociological and individual contexts.

Please know, that my intent is not to piss off or ruffle any feathers when it comes to those who identify as Atheists or have any religious trauma. I like to mold and shape religious symbolism in a Jungian way; and so you'll have to read between the lines whenever I make a blog post in a way that seems least offensive to your personal convictions.

Anyways, below is my blog post, and here is the link to my blog: https://unorthodoxreflections.blogspot.com/2024/03/secular-prayer.html

Here we go!

"As a secular theologian, my goal is to bring the insights of various religious traditions to bear fruit within a postmodern context. To make the awkward and sometimes backward religious teachings of Franciscan and Eastern Orthodox theology relevant to our 21st century context.

What is secular prayer? How might an Atheist pray? Obviously a contradiction in terms; but the image of an Atheist praying is what I have in mind here.

First let’s define prayer within it’s sociological context. Prayer helps a religious community find meaning in a meaningless world. Through praying to God or Krishna or Buddha, we socially construct meaning to explain the absurdities of reality.

But we do live in an absurd and meaningless universe.

In our postmodern context, I think the real “prayer of an Atheist” is to be found in Eastern Orthodox apophatic theology.

Apophatic theology more or less states that we can not know reality through positive claims; only through negative claims: metaphors, contradictions, paradoxes, etc.

Thus, science tells us absolutely nothing about the world. It’s just a mere means of increasing our power over nature, while at the same time not increasing our knowledge of it.

Apophatic theology “bridges the gap” and saves us from pure absurdity, so to speak.

So we can’t know anything about the world? Sure, no problem. Socrates’ dictum that “all that I know is that I know nothing” comes into its strongest rhetorical implications.

Thus, through extreme skepticism and “divine absurdity,” we can create intense symbolic and subjective meaning within our void of a universe.

Here apophatic theology can help.

Through working through the biblical and Orthodox symbolism found in such works such as the Philokalia, we can learn to process our lives in meaningless yet universally human archetypes.

Belonging to some sort of moral or religious institution is thus absolutely essential. I think, in a perfect world, we’d all be Unitarian Universalists. Tolerant of all religious and spiritual beliefs as long as they don’t harm others.

In apophatic theology, we thus can experience theological rest within the symbolism appropriated to our postmodern context.

We don’t have to feel alone; we can connect existentially to our ancestors who also lived in a meaningless universe, and rejoice in the universal peace of death.

Setting our eyes on Heaven or Hell isn’t going to change shit. We need to live as Atheists indifferent to the reality of an afterlife.

Thus, peace ought to be found in the crumbling away of our body and mind into atomic particles of nothing. Our consciousness goes extinct.

And yet that is the most peaceful thought.

So what is secular prayer? It is essentially using symbolic theological and philosophical works–such as the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, the various sutras of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, etc.--to develop subjective meaning that helps us cope in a meaningless universe.

To Albert Camus, there is attributed the famous quote: “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?”

In the face of the void, choose to have a cup of coffee. Or in my case, a cup of tea."

What are some mantras that y'all use both psychologically and spiritually?

I'm a huge fan of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and incorporating and secularizing some of the Eastern psychological insights into my daily life.

Thus, I often use a mantra to keep me going. But mantras can and should be subjective; they are dependent on the psychological symbolism that's important for each individual.

Thus, I'd be curious to hear if y'all do any mantra work yourselves. Whether it's to Buddha, Christ, Krishna, or simply a secular mantra emphasizing positive thinking in one's self, let's hear it!

Jake

I don't know much about UU or the Religion of Humanity, but I noticed some similarities between both religions when I visited a positivist temple in Brazil recently. However, they seem to have a completely different vibe...

(I've never been to a UU temple.)

I recently joined my local UU church and I also happen to be a member of the Audubon Society for my state. Is anyone else a part of any other organizations or does the commitment to a UU church make it difficult to join other organizations?

I grew up in a "Christian" household. We weren't made to go to church and we weren't made to practice a religion but my mom is very conservative and my dad's family is very Christian but he is not. My parents are divorced and both remarried to separate people who have the same values. I'm still working out my beliefs, I am Agnostic but I'm spiritual. I believe in spirituality. I believe in witchcraft and spirits. I also am on the edge of looking at Greek religions. I find myself lacking a place that I belong. That I can go and talk to people. I watched one of the churches sermons on YouTube, and it was very interesting. I am looking at 2 of them.

Unitarian Universalism's Jewish Problems Continue

I'm sure this sub gets questions like this all the time; apologies for another one.

I was raised in the church, episcopal and presbyterian while we were living back east and then non-denominational once we moved to California.
As a kid in Sunday school I always asked questions that the leaders in the church didn't like or have answers for.
Then when i was 14 I started acting out at home, nothing too serious but I was struggling with my sexuality in the late 90s and really had no one to talk to.
My mother determined that I needed guidance from the church and set up a meeting with our pastor.
i told our pastor at the non-denominational church that I thought I might be gay and he literally threw a bible at me, told me I was a sinner and going to hell.
Really solidified my non-belief in the church.

All these years later I identify as an agnostic and have been dealing with some serious health stuff.
Am on the transplant list waiting for kidney.
All my friendships and relationships with family have nearly evaporated - family has always been strained and i think friends just don't want to see me this ill.

While i don't miss organized religion and zoo boat stories make me bristle, i do miss having that sense of community and belonging.

Would UU be a good place to find community and like minded people?
Is it fair that I'm 'ill' and in need of support/should i wait till after I've had my transplant?
Do UU ministers preach from the bible?
Are all UU chapters/ministries/congregations the same?

Sorry for the questions/lengthy post.

Thanks in advance!

"The unborn” are a convenient group of people to advocate for.

They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor;

they don’t resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct;

unlike widows, they don’t ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don’t need money, education, or childcare;

unlike aliens, they don’t bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike;

they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn.

You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone.

They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus, but actually dislike people who breathe.

Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible?

They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn.

Methodist Pastor David Barnhart

Hi, I grew up Catholic and have lived my life as an agnostic for most of my adult life. I loved being Catholic and I miss it, but so much of the teachings just don’t align with my values anymore. Probably all the things everyone has a problem with the Catholic Church are what bug me. The town I left, I was going to attend a service there and I streamed a couple on YouTube to get a feel for it. The only problem I had was that it all seemed very political which is one of the problems I had with the Catholic Church, except in this case the politics are the complete opposite. I am pro choice and supporter of LGBTQ, but what I’m really looking for is a more spiritual environment I guess. I think issues in the community are an important part of that, but I would also like to think for myself on certain things. I hope I don’t start anything on here or offend anyone, but this particular church’s agenda was devoted to defunding the police in the area, or at least that’s all they talked about. I’m of course against police brutality, but my husband is an ex cop and I’m in the military and it just made us feel very unwelcome. I originally looked into this place because I have children who identify LGBTQ and wanted them to feel accepted. I’m starting to feel like a church for all of us doesn’t exist. Are all UU churches pretty similar in this area?

How do you approach dialogue with friends and families about your involvement in the UU community? I love UU’s commitment to diversity and pluralism, but wanted to hear some specific and concrete answers and anecdotes on religious dialogue with others.

I’m personally not UU, but I’m transitioning to having a UU spiritual mentor at the moment. I feel comfortable within my own faith community, but I often use a UU framework and general sense of perspective when doing proper ecumenical work with others.

Thanks! Jake

https://www.uusc.org/5-ways-higher-immigration-helps-everyone/

Contrary to all the fearmongering, increased migration is a massive net benefit.

By Josh Leach on February 21, 2024

These days, there seems to be only one thing politicians in Washington can agree on: bashing immigration. President Biden went before the cameras last month to call on Congress to grant him unprecedented authority to suspend asylum processing. Senators of both major parties recently negotiated a bill that would have gutted asylum protections for many people fleeing danger. (Fortunately, this proposal failed—but not because politicians chose to protect asylum. Rather, it was because far-right politicians preferred to leave the status quo unchanged, so they could campaign for even crueler measures!)

Yet, for all of this negative hype about “the border,” the real evidence shows that immigration brings tremendous benefits. These include not only new opportunities and increased safety for immigrants themselves, but gains for everyone else in society too. Here are just some of the ways that immigration helps us all:

• Immigration fuels economic growth. When the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released their latest economic projections, they estimated that higher immigration levels, if they continue through at least 2026, will “add […] about 0.2 percentage points to the annual growth rate of real GDP” over the next 10 years. That translates to $7 trillion of increased national prosperity.
• Immigration lowers inflation. More people accessing asylum and parole has eased inflation, in part because immigration helps address labor shortages. And as price pressures have dropped, real wages have gone up. This means that the actual purchasing power of everyone’s take-home pay has increased too, thanks in part to immigration.
• Immigration addresses our (i) demographic and (ii) budgetary problems. Despite the widespread belief that “too many people” are coming to the border, the nation actually needs immigration to keep its population stable. Immigration also thereby ensures there are enough working-age adults paying social security taxes. This helps keep the federal government solvent, in the face of an otherwise aging population.
• Immigration lets us live up to the best of U.S. values. The U.S. population has been formed in part through waves of mass migration—some forced, some voluntary—that have made us into what Frederick Douglass called a “composite nation.” This diversity has been a source of national strength through many challenges. Being a haven and a place of opportunity for new arrivals is core to the best of who we are—and can continue to be such if we do not turn our back on our national ideals.

To be sure, the many societal benefits of immigration do not mean the current system is working well. Politicians of both major parties are right to point to the pressures facing the asylum system; and many mayors and city officials are justifiably concerned about their ability to provide shelter for growing numbers of asylum-seekers under current budgetary constraints.

The solution to these problems, however, is not to decrease migration, but to encourage it. Processing backlogs in the asylum system are due in part to the fact that so few alternative pathways exist for immigrants to work in the United States. Opening up new migration channels would help alleviate some of the system’s administrative burden.

Likewise, the shelter capacity challenges facing American cities could be alleviated by removing the cruel and unjust restrictions that asylum-seekers face on their ability to work in the United States. Most asylum-seekers, after all, would not need or want to rely on city shelters, if current U.S. law did not perversely block them from obtaining work permits. The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act&text=This%20bill%20directs%20the%20Department,by%20the%20Department%20of%20Justice.) (ASWA), which UUSC and our partners support, would address this problem in part by enabling asylum-seekers to join the workforce within a month of their arrival. You can take action to support this critically-needed bill here.

Too often, when politicians are confronted for backing anti-immigrant policies, they defend themselves by saying they are just reflecting U.S. public opinion. But public opinion does not grow in a vacuum. It comes in part from the stories we tell about migration and the ways we frame the issue.

It’s time, then, for a major reframe of the way we talk about migration. The real-world evidence is clear enough by this point: immigration is not a threat; it’s an opportunity.

​

so I have some questions with a follow up statement.

so if everyone in the universalist belief will one day be saved, does this mean this also includes Satan? if not, why? if god is all loving, and wants to save everyone, why doesn't that include Satan?

im not trying to be rude or anything, but even with the universalist belief, i'd rather stay in hell if not everyone including Satan can be saved, because to me that means god is fine with some sentient creatures suffering forever.

Raised catholic, would consider myself agnostic at best now and curious about UU. I’m missing catholicism and feeling an odd connection and wanting to “incorporate” elements of it, but never want to go back and feel disgust at the same time? I keep childhood stuff in a memory box and recently I came across some communion and confirmation gifts i got when i was younger and i felt pain my chest. I had a gold crucifix, 3 blessed rosary beads, lourdes keychains etc etc as well as pocket miracles booklets the works in the box.

I suffer from an anxiety disorder and insomnia and a sort of meditation and i suppose general …non traditional prayer with the rosary beads invokes a sort of positive less anxious feeling, same with wearing a st christopher’s medal. however, i can never forgive the years of purity culture and catholic guilt and also the general crimes of the church. I’m pro choice and pro LGBT all the way. it’s a really weird feeling honestly. I consider sometimes joining a UU church and maybe getting some prayer/meditation beads or just having a flick through the bible critically? Wondering if other ex catholics or similar on here have had this experience and if you’ve donated the catholic paraphernalia, thrown it out or just incorporate it in some way into your own life or practice?

In a recent interview, Okun says that too many have been misinterpreting and misusing her famous '15 Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture.'

Tema Okun decries the misuse of her ‘White Supremacy Culture’ list

A quote from her interview includes:

“The way it’s misused is that people turn it into a checklist to assess or target someone and say: Look, you’re exhibiting these characteristics. And that means you’re colluding with white supremacy culture, and you’re a bad person, you’re a terrible person. Or to accuse them of being a tool of white supremacy culture.

And generally, what I find is that when people misuse it in that way, they haven’t actually read it, or they certainly haven’t read the website, because there’s no way you could read the website and come away feeling like it’s meant to be used as a checklist in that way.”

Hi everyone! So my story with UU started when I was in high school, an edgy Christian-turned-atheist who was brought to a UU service by my best friend. Ever since then I’ve known of its existence and it always struck me as something very cool and important. I have a background in psychology and the years I’ve lived and the education I’ve received only served to cement the importance of a spiritual practice, especially one that could be community-based. I attended quite a few times at my university town; the sermons often moved my to tears, and it was just so fascinating to see nature and science take center stage as inspiration for a spiritual practice.

As an immigrant, for a long time undocumented, POC, I felt the social justice aspect was particularly important to these congregations, and I loved that. I settled in a major city last year and I’ve gone to a few sermons at my closest UU temple, and have had many very pleasant chats with people during coffee hour, and I have always enjoyed the sermons. But I was busy with other stuff and I definitely always intended to make it a more common habit but it hadn’t happened yet. My father passed in October, suddenly at 57. After a couple months I knew I was going to need to develop a spiritual practice (and in need of a supportive community) if I was ever to start healing. So I became really proactive about getting my holistic wellness in order.

Being signed up to their email list, I received one for a Women’s retreat. I had zero idea what to expect as I’d never been to one. I emailed the organizer to ask if it was normal and okay that I wasn’t part of the community. She encouraged me to attend as there would be newer people there. So I did it, especially because I was wanting to at the very least focus on mindfulness for a few days, and a retreat seemed like a great way to do that!

It was a life-changing experience. At 26, I was the youngest there. But I am not weird about intergenerational friendships, in my culture I was raised with a lot of respect for elders, and for a lot of love and warmth for older women especially. I met dozens of women whom I connected with on a very special level. When I was done with the retreat I journaled just a bit about the experience and I could recall 26 different names, and I know I am forgetting people, as every now and then I remember more. I met so many incredible, unique, talented, HILARIOUS women. All so open to learn, to share. I felt so unbelievably welcome and comfortable there. Like I never have before. I shared a lot of intimate parts of my story as an undocumented immigrant, and people were so respectful and curious and kind. I even met two other POC of similar backgrounds, which was really incredible.

People helped me deal with the death of my father and some shared their own experiences with it, as many went through the same thing. Many shared experiences with their own grief in general and that was really valuable to me too.

Then there was the spiritual aspects, but the post is getting too long as it is. It was all so much better than I could have imagined, and I did imagine it would be pretty cool, but never in such an impactful way.

I even started volunteering at a migrant center with one of my new friends, which has already led to even more enriching connections.

Tomorrow I am going to church, and I’m excited to see the dozens of new friends I made during the retreat. After I am having brunch with one of the other POC I met, and our families. I am so excited, and so thankful.

I am a 32 yo female of Native American descent who was adopted as a baby and raised by white parents in a predominantly white community. I have a college education and lived for a time in a major American city, but found myself back near the town I grew up in prior to the pandemic. During this time I (like many others) struggled with my mental health being isolated and feeling a significant lack of community in my life. I made a lot of changes once the world started to get back to normal and one of them was a goal to find community. I have tried a number of activities and hobbies, some stuck, many didn’t. It was on my city Reddit that someone had suggested the UU church and its groups as a place to meet people. I looked it up and decided to jump into an online journey group focused on “Firsts”. Seemed perfect considering this was my first UU activity. It became a highlight getting on zoom and connecting with some wonderful older women every other week to share deeply personal stories and experiences. I’m now in my second round of journey groups. This time I’m involved in two centered around specific reading materials. The chance to read, think critically, and discuss in a safe environment with like minded people has added greatly to my life! I have felt welcomed, zero judgement, deep understanding of my reluctance towards heavily Christian topics and jargon, and possibly the best part of all appreciated for the value my truth brings to these groups. As a non-white person it has been deeply validating to be part of a community that actively thanks me for simply being willing to share my honest opinions, feelings, and experiences. So to anyone out there hesitant to trying out activities at their local UU church I really cannot recommend it enough. Community will change your life and in my experience it was more than worth the risk.

Peace and light✨

Seeing QuakerSpeak's video about a Muslim Quaker got me wondering why are Quakers considered Christian, even though they accept other religions like UU does? What is it that makes them different from the UU in a way that makes them Christian?