Hello r/UUreddit. How's the coffee? :P

So I feel an internal conflict within myself. On one hand, it is valid for me to say that "I believe" this and this and this and this, and yet I am also bothered by that sentiment because it inherently separates me from people who do not believe such.

So, my mother belongs to an apocalyptic Bible-worshiping sect which she simply refuses to question or challenge. That's entirely her prerogative, but whereas she committed to that organization in her late teens and when nearly a legal adult, I was raised in it and had a very different experience from her to which she cannot entirely relate. That experience has compelled me to generally eschew with proselytism, and instead I would prefer to simply practice being a good person. I generally consider proselytism to be a self-interested game of sales, whether one gets financially rewarded or not, and I'm just not a Bible salesman.

My mother has mentioned that she and other relatives cannot fathom why I don't accept her religion. But in practice, it does no good to talk to them about it because they'd rather not hear it. The reasoning goes, if you eat the fruit from that tree then you'll die. So they don't want to hear it, but they'll happily evangelize to other cold-calls as long as they feel safe to do so. So they're stuck in this echo chamber, and that is where they'd prefer to stay.

From what I can tell, the facts and logic of their stated beliefs absolutely do not matter and are subject to "refinement" over time. I can say that the human species is much much older than their doctrine declares. I can say that as bad as "these times" may seem to be, we've been through a whole lot worse in recorded history, to say nothing of prehistory. And yet, at the end of the day, nothing I say matters to them. I am pigeonholed as their essentially evil apostate reject who seems nice but isn't in the eyes of their god (read: their organization). And I have naught to do but accept this as their prerogative, or else try to reach out and effect their beliefs which are far beyond my control, an essentially proselytic effort which would be promptly rejected.

So all I can do is just wish 'em well. Thankfully, my mom still talks to me, which is great because she needs someone to check on her as she gets older. (I can't help but sometimes mention that she was told she wouldn't grow old in this evil world; she just laughs it off.)

Eventually, my mom will pass on. So will the other old and respected family members who are active in this sect. I sometimes wonder what if anything would change after that. But for now, it appears that due to religious differences, my family has disintegrated, and that's just the way it unfortunately went.

And that's my story, or a lot of it. Thank you.

Hi r/UUreddit,

I emailed a similar question to my UU minister, but I also thought I'd ask here if more briefly. Where can I learn more about Christian UU theology, going back to the Unitarians and Universalists? I'm especially looking for books and Bible commentaries, that sort of thing.

Thank you!