# Pear-shaped Unitarians **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 24, 2006, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931 "2006-09-24T10:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/1 "2006-09-24T10:56:01Z")
My chorus rehearses every Sunday evening, in a Unitarian church. Because of the time, we’re usually the only ones in the building. But occasionally some function of theirs is running late, and our presence overlaps with theirs (although in a different room). Many of us have commented on the preponderance of these church-goers who have narrow shoulders and rather broad behinds. They all seem like very nice people, but nobody can figure out why so many of them are pear-shaped. Anyone have any thoughts on this? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/2 "2006-09-24T11:01:28Z")
Maybe they just move slower than the non-pear-shaped Unitarians, so they’re always the last ones when the rest have left?? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/3 "2006-09-24T11:08:42Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] They all seem like very nice people, but nobody can figure out why so many of them are pear-shaped. Anyone have any thoughts on this? [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM THAT I PRACTICE REQUIRES SUCH ENGAGEMENT. > > And it requires engagement exactly because the world is so astonishingly full of grace. I can’t help but be thrilled by the blessings that surround me whenever I take the time to hear and see. How can any of us doubt the magnificence of a world that contains luscious pears and endless seas and jazz by Duke Ellington and paintings by Georgia O’Keffe? [Cite.](http://www.uuca.org/About/Pamphlets/EngagementWithTheWorld.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/4 "2006-09-24T12:15:44Z")
My wife and I belong to a UU church, in fact I will be going there in a little while. I have never noticed a preponderance of that particular body type, at least no more than your typical cross section of mostly white middle and upper middle class exurbanites. If anything they tend towards the thin side, with a higher than normal percentage of vegans. I’ll try to do an informal survey for you though. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/5 "2006-09-24T14:11:35Z")
Mine always strike me as astoundingly willowy. Tall and thin seems to be the order of the day. Lots of people who seem to be much more physically fit than I am, few people who are truly overweight. Course this is Minnesota where we do tall and willowy well, and “Unitarian” is code of “Granola Crunching Political Liberal who doesn’t consume process foods, goes to the coop and rides a bike to work - but is too mainstream to be Pagan.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/6 "2006-09-24T14:28:40Z")
a) In some areas, at least, a good number of UUs came over from the Jewish faith. b) Narrower shoulders/wider hips is a fairly common Ashkenazic body type, at least according to this Jewish girl I used to know. c) Hi Melissa! (That was her name.) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/7 "2006-09-24T14:41:17Z")
[Hmm…](http://firstuucolumbus.org/officers.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/8 "2006-09-24T16:20:20Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] …“Unitarian” is code of “Granola Crunching Political Liberal who doesn’t consume process foods, goes to the coop and rides a bike to work - but is too mainstream to be Pagan.” [/QUOTE] This is more or les how it is in our area too. I know some members are Jewish but my guess is it is less than 10% or so. FTR I counted about 10-12 people, male and female, out of approximately 120 who were there whom I might describe as pear shaped. So the OPs observation doesn’t seem to be a universal phenomenon. BTW **panache** is this church truly Unitarian, or Unitarian Universalist? I know some people use the first term as an abbreviated version of the second. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/9 "2006-09-24T16:38:56Z")
[QUOTE=Laughing Lagomorph] BTW **panache** is this church truly Unitarian, or Unitarian Universalist? I know some people use the first term as an abbreviated version of the second. [/QUOTE] Are there any strictly Unitarian or strictly Universalist congregations in the US anymore? Since the denominations merged in the 1960’s, I didn’t think any were left anymore. I have noted a few congregations which have dropped the word “universalist” or “unitarian” from their particular church names, but they all seem to be members of the UUA. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Pageant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Silver\_Pageant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Pageant)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/10 "2006-09-24T16:40:35Z")
I’ve noticed this too. Unitarians: Pear-shaped. Mormons: Broad-shouldered. Quakers: Dainty. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/11 "2006-09-24T19:09:57Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Are there any strictly Unitarian or strictly Universalist congregations in the US anymore? Since the denominations merged in the 1960’s, I didn’t think any were left anymore. I have noted a few congregations which have dropped the word “universalist” or “unitarian” from their particular church names, but they all seem to be members of the UUA. [/QUOTE] Well, there’s this: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American\_Unitarian\_Conference](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Unitarian_Conference) and this: [http://www.christian-universalism.com/churches/](http://www.christian-universalism.com/churches/) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/12 "2006-09-24T19:18:25Z")
[QUOTE=Laughing Lagomorph] Well, there’s this: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American\_Unitarian\_Conference](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Unitarian_Conference) [/quote] Interesting, and I can see where they’re coming from. Not too many congregations on their list yet, though. > [@](#): > > and this: > [http://www.christian-universalism.com/churches/](http://www.christian-universalism.com/churches/) Likewise interesting. It does seem to reflect a return to the 19th century Universalist theology. I’d thought most such groups had been subsumed by the baptists. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/13 "2006-09-24T20:28:46Z")
Yes, it is interesting. From what I can tell just poking around today there were some historically Unitarian churches which never accepted the 1960s merger. It isn’t clear to me though if there is any historical continuity between the churches which today call themselves Universalist and the earlier Universalist Church of America. (BTW the one and only Universalist church that second link has listed in New Mexico is called “The Church that Meets at Bobby’s House”! Not a huge religious movement, really.) ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/14 "2006-09-24T21:13:25Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] Anyone have any thoughts on this? [/QUOTE] I don’t know. And no one has yet been able to satisfactorally explain to me why Mormons are so damned good looking. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/15 "2006-09-24T22:14:43Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Pageant] I’ve noticed this too. Unitarians: Pear-shaped. Mormons: Broad-shouldered. Quakers: Dainty. [/QUOTE] :dubious: No one will ever be calling _this_ Quaker “dainty”. I’ll pay attention to it next time I go to Meeting, but I don’t ever remember noticing any body shape trends. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/16 "2006-09-24T22:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=threemae] I don’t know. And no one has yet been able to satisfactorally explain to me why Mormons are so damned good looking. [/QUOTE] Clean living. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/17 "2006-09-25T01:27:50Z")
Fair bit of Scandinavian heritage doesn’t hurt, either. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/18 "2006-09-25T13:50:29Z")
My experience with UUs is that, as a group, they tend to look “crunchier” than the general population. I’ve noticed a LOT more serious-looking women with short grey hair than at other places of worship. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/19 "2006-09-25T18:47:25Z")
[QUOTE=bluethree] Clean living. [/QUOTE] Not what I wanted to hear and therefore not a satisfactory answer. Anyone else want to try. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pear-shaped-unitarians/373931/20 "2006-09-25T19:03:15Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Pageant] I’ve noticed this too. Unitarians: Pear-shaped. Mormons: Broad-shouldered. Quakers: Dainty. [/QUOTE] As an ex-Mormon turned UU, then, I should look like… _checks self_ …yup. ☹