Tell me about Unitarian Universalism. Religion, or what?

[Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow]

@SisterCoyote

Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship: www.uucf.org (I hope.)

Most UU, um, churches I know call themselves Fellowships, rather than Churches.

IME, UUs discuss the “why are we here” question. They discuss how to make the world a better place for everyone. Going to my local UU Fellowship is a lot like going to the Presbyterian church I grew up in - only without the requirement to believe a certain creed, or give precidence to a particular Deity.

You might try going to your local fellowship and getting the experience first-hand. Most UUs don’t bite unless invited, and most won’t bother you unless you want to be bothered (again, IME).

Actually that is the Universal Unitarian Congregation of Farifax (but thanks for the link). Here is the website for Christian Unitarians: http://www.uucf.uua.org/

[Loopydude]

Question: I know in principle UUs are “none of the above” when it comes to the Big Three of monotheistic religions. It also does not cleave specifically to any of the Eastern traditions, like the Hindu faiths or Buddhism.

That said, and it could just be an accident of my location, all of the UUs I’ve met came from a Christian background, and the few services I’ve attended had a distinctly Christian flavor to them. I’d be tempted, based upon this limited exposure, to call it a radically liberal Christian denomination if I wasn’t informed otherwise.

If I went to another country, or another region of this country, would I find communities dominated by those of Hindu or Muslim background? I dated a woman who grew up Hindu and then converted to Bahai. Maybe Eastern religionists like Bahai churches, while dissatisfied Christians usually go for the UUs? Is this an unfair characterization?

[SisterCoyote]

@Mrs O'Malley's Cow

Actually that is the Universal Unitarian Congregation of Farifax (but thanks for the link). Here is the website for Christian Unitarians: http://www.uucf.uua.org/

Thanks, and d’oh :smack: It’s been a while since I visited the UU Christian site.

[BrainGlutton]

@Dinsdale

IME, it is all too common for UUs to emphasize “free”, while neglecting the requirement of “responsibility.” Simply put, not all ideas are created equal. If you define your religion as accepting anything that “makes you feel good,” requiring little or no analysis, IMO, that is little better than no-religion. Just an anything-goes feelgood support group.

What’s wrong with that?

[commasense]

@Apos

@Left Hand of Dorkness

The jokes, I think, are revealing.

What, in your opinion, do they reveal?

That, unlike many other religions, UUs don’t take themselves too seriously.

My favorite UU joke: They pray “To whom it may concern.”

Runner up: When pressed UUs will admit to believing in one God…at most.

More here.

(I was brought up in UU church, and my sister is a UU minister.)

[Loopydude]

The “atheist with children one” is pretty good. And sometimes accurate, from what I’ve gathered.

[Wolfian]

@Dinsdale

I’m not entirely sure of that, and seeing as we are in GD you might wish to try to find a cite.

According to a 1997 survey of almost 10,000 UUs gave their theological perspective as:

46.1% Humanist. This is the most common belief system.
19% identify themselves as Nature or Earth centered religion (e.g. Wiccan, Druid or other Neopagan tradition.
13% describe themselves simply as Theist.
9.3% self-identify as Christian.
6.2% are mystic.
3.6% are Buddhist.
Other perspectives listed are Jewish at 1.3%, Hindu at 0.4%, Muslim at 0.1% and other at 13.3%

From here. That poll was taken before the founding of the AUC so the numers may have shifted.