# Which is the real Universal Life Church? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 3, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350 "2012-08-03T22:13:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UniversalLifeChurch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/universallifechurch/32/7306_2.png) [@UniversalLifeChurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UniversalLifeChurch)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/21 "2012-08-06T23:30:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What’s the difference between “ordination” and “appointment” or “initiation”? What do you guarantee, exactly? I’m not familiar with other faith’s exact procedures, I just know ordination is a term that primarily speaks of an individual who becomes a member of the clergy through a Christian Church. Ordination is FREE, however everyone charges for Ministry Credentials and/or Minister Picture ID’s. Our guarantee is if anyone of our certificates, excluding degrees as all Church issued degrees are honorary is questioned by an authoritative figure and if the individual is denied the availability to perform services, we will refund their money in full. [Universal Life Church](http://www.ulcnetwork.com) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/22 "2012-08-07T18:43:33Z")
I just want to say that this thread didn’t clear things up for me at all (not that I was the one who asked). On the other hand, it’s pretty awesome that representatives from the PFJ, the JPF, and the other splitter group all found this thread within a few days and started feuding here. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/23 "2012-08-07T19:30:20Z")
I’m very curious about this now, as I was ordained, online, via whatever the online presences of the ULC was in (I think) 1996 or 1997. I have performed 2 weddings. My own personal wedding was done by someone ordained by the ULC in the same time frame. Whom now holds those records, and under what group are we considered ordained now? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/24 "2012-08-07T23:31:02Z")
> [@Br\_G.Martin\_Freeman](#): > > The operative word here is [the real universal life church](http://www.universal-life-church.com/modestos-affiliates) one has to labor through the official records and transcripts of how this church became what it is today a fragmented mess! . The fact is, for years the ULC was a self enriching tax scheme and seems to not have changed. > To be affiliated with Modesto means that one pays Modesto to record names on Ordinations and mail them. My relationship with Kirby Hensley goes back to 1977 see ([georgefreeman.com).](http://georgefreeman.org)When [ULC.org](http://ulc.org) was formed, I, Daniel Chapin along with Dan Zimmerman incorporated [ulc.org](http://ulc.org). As a founding vice president, I was too busy to take an active role in administrating. Amy Long was Zimmerman’s business assistant. I intervened after learning that Zimmerman and Long were going privately to swap a nonprofit corporation for a few 100,000+ dollars in order to enrich their own pockets. After looking at the facts and law it came to my attention that private parties cannot sell or profit from a nonprofit corporation. As a corporate officer, I hired an attorney here in Seattle to contact Ms. Long regarding the disputed. Issues which were numerous. Ms. Long started her own web site and duplicated the membership names of [ULC.org](http://ULC.org). After Mr. Zimmerman’s emotional breakdown and trucks to blow up the park place bowl in Tucson. I received a call from the FBI inquiring into a stolen and forged $300,000 + check which was deposited our Tucson bank by Zimmerman and his codefendant. I discussed this matter with Hensley’s son Andre. I also communicated with Ms. Long who acknowledged that she was aware of criminal conduct along with Andre Hensley but neither of them failed to do anything or report it. After multiple discussions with the FBI and Federal IRS officials, our board officers officially removed Kirby Hensley’s longtime administrative assistant Dan Zimmerman from any and all control of the Monastery and [ULC.org](http://ULC.org) this matter has been adjudicated three courts of jurisdiction in favor of the Monastery which is headquartered now in Seattle. Counterfeiting checks and threatening to blow up a mall are ample grounds for removal of any officer in any institution. Ms. Long and her sanctioned affiliates have a history of distorting the facts. This was not a “hostile takeover” > As the record shows the official universal life church was and still is a Hensley family enterprise with surrogate affiliates who use the words “Official”, “Affiliate” “Sanctioned” and “Recognized”. [Ulc.net](http://Ulc.net) is a for profit online book store. Amy long is her own home-church see: [Quest Ministries of The Universal Life Church & Ulc Seminary, Inc](http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Elk-Grove/quest-ministries-of-the-universal-life-church-ulc-seminary-inc/45460968.aspx). > In reality “Sanctioned” means they split bucks with the Hensley Enterprise. [ULC.org](http://ULC.org) is part of Universal Life Church Monastery Ministries. Our Ministries ordain in one day, more ministers than the Modesto enterprise and its two “affiliates” ordain in a month. Each month we give grants to needy organizations, we feed the hungry, and we hold large celebrations. The Monastery Ministries occupy three buildings, pay taxes and calls attention to the issues affecting our ministers and our society. Trying to get this straight: You are George Freeman, involved in a legal dispute with “[Dan] Zimmerman and his codefendant”, whoever the codefendant is (it isn’t clear to me if the codefendant is Amy Long or someone else). You control [ulc.org](http://ulc.org), run the Monastery Ministries, and ordain people in the “Universal Life Church Monastery Ministries” which is different than the original “Universal Life Church” as founded by Kirby Hensley. Is that about right? What is the procedure for ordination? Do you ordain anyone, and what are the fees involved? From reading about the original Monastery in Seattle, I got the impression that it was similar to a nightclub. When you say “the Monastery Ministries occupy three buildings” - where are those buildings, and are these offices of Monastery Ministries, or places of worship, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/25 "2012-08-07T23:35:15Z")
> [@UniversalLifeChurch](#): > > We are the largest faith based Universal Life Church in the world. > … > [http://www.ulcnetwork.com](http://www.ulcnetwork.com) If I get _this_ straight, you are a Christian denomination, founded separately from the original Universal Life Church (the original church being the one founded by Kirby Hensley), but you also offer ordinations online. Is that correct? What is the procedure for ordination, what are the fees involved, do you have to be a Christian to be ordained in what I’ll called the “Florida-based Christian ULC”? > [@UniversalLifeChurch](#): > > #1.) Amy Smith Long has no relationship with any Universal Life Church. Andre Hensley of the ULC Modesto says specifically she is just a known site, but that she is not an authorized site. Does Andre Hensley of the ULC Modesto say that your site ([ulcnetwork.com](http://ulcnetwork.com)) is an authorized site? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/26 "2012-08-07T23:38:44Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > I’m very curious about this now, as I was ordained, online, via whatever the online presences of the ULC was in (I think) 1996 or 1997. > > I have performed 2 weddings. My own personal wedding was done by someone ordained by the ULC in the same time frame. > > Whom now holds those records, and under what group are we considered ordained now? Who holds those records? I have no idea. But from what I’ve read in this thread so far, it seems like the original ULC, founded by Kirby Hensley, is the one now led by his son Andre Hensley, and headquartered in Modesto, CA, with the website [ulchq.com](http://ulchq.com) . I’m going to try and reach them online and ask what they have to say about the information presented in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/27 "2012-08-08T06:59:25Z")
Reading through a lot of this material, it seems to me that all this factionalism is . . . well, if not a feature exactly, not a bug either. After all, the whole point of the ULC seems to be that any single person has just as much religious authority as anyone else. According to the Wikipedia article, > [@](#): > > All ministers in the ULC are also authorized and encouraged to ordain others as ministers in the church. It sounds like Kirby Hensley never claimed there was anything special about himself that gave him the power to ordain other people, nor was there anything special about his organization–it was just a platform for empowering people to spread their own messages and perform their own rites such as marriages without interference. He provided the legal basis for individuals to do so and some very basic support, and that was about it. He thought of it first, but his whole point was that anyone can do the same. There certainly shouldn’t be anything special about Andre Hensley just because he’s Kirby’s son (besides the fact that he’s willing to continue the work of running the organization.) Whatever Kirby or Andre or anyone else may have said or thought about the people who “split” from the ULC or started their own factions (especially inasmuch as it was presumably Kirby and Andre’s livelihood), the spirit of the ULC would seem to be perfectly in keeping with the idea that there should be lots of ULC organizations, and that anyone should feel free to find one that meets their needs or start another one. ---
**Author:** ![UniversalLifeChurch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/universallifechurch/32/7306_2.png) [@UniversalLifeChurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UniversalLifeChurch)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/28 "2012-08-08T15:34:26Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > If I get _this_ straight, you are a Christian denomination, founded separately from the original Universal Life Church (the original church being the one founded by Kirby Hensley), but you also offer ordinations online. Is that correct? > > What is the procedure for ordination, what are the fees involved, do you have to be a Christian to be ordained in what I’ll called the “Florida-based Christian ULC”? > > Does Andre Hensley of the ULC Modesto say that your site ([ulcnetwork.com](http://ulcnetwork.com)) is an authorized site? Arnold - You must understand there is many Churches, Hospitals, etc., etc. with the same name or similar name. Individuals can claim to be the founder all they want, but with some their claims do not hold water. The Universal Life Church name can be traced back to 107AD, the word Universal comes from the Greek Language word katholikos. I’m sure you have heard references to the Catholic Church as the Universal Church, this is because the Catholic Church actually derived its name from the Universal (Life) Church. St Ignatius of Antioch is the first individual to refer to the Roman Church as the Universal (Life) Church. There has been many others, including a Universal Life Church in Germany. Kirby Hensley’s version has no traditional doctrine of faith, it is a non-Christian Church that ordains anyone of any faith. Those ordained are not ordained within any faith, ordinations through this Church afford one thing over and above what the First Amendment allows, that is to serve as a wedding officiant. With the Universal Life Church of Florida, we adhere to only the Christian Doctrine. Why? Because no other faith other than Christians ordain Ministers, all others appoint and/or initiate. The difference between us and Modesto is the fact we offer faith based ordination, all ordinations we provide are are accepted within the Christian Faith, and our Ministers can perform sacraments within the Christian Faith. Andre Hensley has no say over our Church, this ULC in Modesto ordains followers of satan, atheists, pagans and others that we as Christians do not retain fellowship with. Our ten commandments and our Bible strictly prohibit such and we face severe consequences for doing such. As with all Churches throughout the world, ordination is free, but we do charge for ministry credentials. 1.) Ministry Credential Packets…These include an unlimited number of the ordination certificate and letters in good standing, which is combined within the certificate. Others charge individually for both and do not supply an unlimited quantity available upon request. In addition we include a Doctorate of Divinity. Yes it is Honorary. However NO Church in the USA provides anything but Honorary Degrees, it is the same degree had by Dr Billy Graham, Dr Oral Roberts and others. We charge $39.95, and again I point out we do not charge $25 for every letter in good standing. 2.) We Require a Minister Picture ID Card…Wedding Ministers do not need such, however real faith based ministers are required by law enforcement, DOC, hospitals, nursing homes and many others to have an endorsed Minister Picture ID Card. Our ID Cards are provided by the same source where law enforcement, hospitals, and US Government offices ascertain there’s. We want our Ministers to be professional and to look professional. Ministers can choose from a Basic Card at $24.95 verses a card that provides a background check endorsement for $39.95. I will point out we do charge an annual renewal and every Church does, they may use other terminology. For example Letters in Good Standing are only good one year from the date of issuance. So instead of using the word renewal, they use the word repurchase. Legal Picture ID Cards must also be renewed, each state has their own renewal requirements, it could be a year, every four perhaps every six or eight years. We include our ID Card renewals annually. Why do we renew and weed out the in-actives? Easy Answer, we all know what a ream of 500 sheets of paper looks like. By law every ordination must be saved in hard copy. How many football fields, do you think it would take to hold 20 million ordained ministers hard copy ordination records? I hope this helps! [http://www.ulcnetwork.com](http://www.ulcnetwork.com) Andre Hensley will claim we are doing a Hostile Takeover. But as Alan Smithee points out, the Hensley’s nor anyone can prevent anyone from starting their own ULC. This is a very good observation and accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/29 "2012-08-08T15:42:34Z")
> [@UniversalLifeChurch](#): > > The Universal Life Church name can be traced back to 107AD… Cite, please, for an established religious institution officially called “Universal Life Church” back then. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/30 "2012-08-08T19:24:38Z")
> [@UniversalLifeChurch](#): > > With the Universal Life Church of Florida, we adhere to only the Christian Doctrine. Why? Because no other faith other than Christians ordain Ministers, all others appoint and/or initiate. The difference between us and Modesto is the fact we offer faith based ordination, all ordinations we provide are are accepted within the Christian Faith, and our Ministers can perform sacraments within the Christian Faith. > > Andre Hensley has no say over our Church, this ULC in Modesto ordains followers of satan, atheists, pagans and others that we as Christians do not retain fellowship with. Our ten commandments and our Bible strictly prohibit such and we face severe consequences for doing such. Thank you for the information. Since I’m an atheist, I couldn’t be ordained with your church then, is that right? > [@](#): > > I hope this helps! [http://www.ulcnetwork.com](http://www.ulcnetwork.com) Thank you, this was indeed helpful. ---
**Author:** ![UniversalLifeChurch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/universallifechurch/32/7306_2.png) [@UniversalLifeChurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UniversalLifeChurch)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/31 "2012-08-10T10:28:48Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Thank you for the information. Since I’m an atheist, I couldn’t be ordained with your church then, is that right? > > Thank you, this was indeed helpful. Arnold, I am sorry, but know we would not ordain you. I believe for someone to be a leader, they need to be an expert in what it is they lead. While I may not be a Christian Scholar, I can hold my own with most, but with atheism I do not have sufficient knowledge. Ordination comes from an individual of stature, hierarchy within the Church. As far as you thank, you are very welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/32 "2012-08-10T16:38:35Z")
All right then. No [ulcnetwork.com](http://ulcnetwork.com) ordinations for non-Christians. I e-mailed Andre Hensley (from [ulchq.com](http://ulchq.com)) and here’s what he had to say: [ul][li][ulchq.com](http://ulchq.com) and [ulc.net](http://ulc.net) are the two sites officially recognized by the original ULC in Modesto.[/li][li][ulcseminary.org](http://ulcseminary.org) (see post 2) is a site that is not an official ULC site but the owner has a “good working relationship” with the original ULC.[/li][li][ulc.org](http://ulc.org) used to be an official ULC site, but isn’t anymore, since August 2006. Universal Life Church Monastery (owners of [ulc.org](http://ulc.org) - see post 7) is not affiliated with the original ULC and has only been ordaining since September 2006.[/li][\*][ulcnetwork.com](http://ulcnetwork.com) (see post 14 and subsequent posts by the same user) is a Christian ULC, also independent of the original ULC.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/33 "2012-08-10T17:04:18Z")
Once again, > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Cite, please, for an established religious institution officially called “Universal Life Church” back then. I find very weak the claim that Hensley had no business changing the name of his group from “Life Church” to “Universal Life Church” in 1962 because the Catholic Church had some sort of claim to the word “Universal” from back in the 1st century, and that because your branch is somewhat vaguely Catholic in nature you can claim that yours is the _real_ Universal Life Church _even though you founded yours quite a bit after he founded his._ It reminds me somewhat of modern “druids” claiming ancient ties that just don’t exist in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/34 "2012-08-10T19:44:47Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Cite, please, for an established religious institution officially called “Universal Life Church” back then. To be fair, the guy wrote that the church’s _name_, not the church itself, dates back to 107 AD. Like so: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **UniversalLifeChurch** > “The Universal Life Church name can be traced back to 107AD…” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/35 "2012-08-10T20:19:04Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > To be fair, the guy wrote that the church’s _name_, not the church itself, dates back to 107 AD. > > Like so: Just because Saint Ignatius is said to have coined the Greek word _katholikos_(meaning “universal”) back in 107 AD to describe the Catholic Church doesn’t mean that only organizations that have ties, however tenuous, to that Church can legitimately use that word in their name. The last time I looked Universal Studios wasn’t Catholic institution, and if the Catholic Church started up their own “Universal Studio” they couldn’t claim that theirs was the real one and the other one wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![UniversalLifeChurch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/universallifechurch/32/7306_2.png) [@UniversalLifeChurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UniversalLifeChurch)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/36 "2012-08-13T14:36:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Just because Saint Ignatius is said to have coined the Greek word _katholikos_(meaning “universal”) back in 107 AD to describe the Catholic Church doesn’t mean that only organizations that have ties, however tenuous, to that Church can legitimately use that word in their name. The last time I looked Universal Studios wasn’t Catholic institution, and if the Catholic Church started up their own “Universal Studio” they couldn’t claim that theirs was the real one and the other one wasn’t. You are absolutely correct, the [Universal Life Church](http://www.ulcnetwork.com) name is not trademarked, nor can it ever be trademarked. Anyone can use the name or any portion thereof. Nor can anyone claim to be founder of the name. Universal one of its definitions is catholic, but that doesn’t mean only catholics or Christians are privy to its use. I do not know how atheists or other faiths would view being ordained by any organization using a word that is defined catholic or Christian, I would assume they would not be too thrilled by it. That would be an interesting question as to how others of other faiths may view the catholic or Christian connection? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/37 "2012-08-13T16:06:15Z")
From the Oxford English Disctionary: > [@](#): > > **universal** > adjective > of, affecting, or done by all people or things in the world or in a particular group; applicable to all cases: > universal adult suffrage > the incidents caused universal concern > Logic denoting a proposition in which something is asserted of all of a class. Contrasted with particular. > Linguistics denoting or relating to a grammatical rule, set of rules, or other linguistic feature that is found in all languages. > (of a tool or machine) adjustable to or appropriate for all requirements; not restricted to a single purpose or position. > noun > a person or thing having universal effect, currency, or application, in particular. > Logic a universal proposition. > Philosophy a term or concept of general application. > Philosophy a nature or essence signified by a general term. > Linguistics a universal grammatical rule or linguistic feature. When it comes to the definition of “universal”, what dictionary do _you_ use? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/38 "2012-08-13T16:42:30Z")
From Merriam-Webster Online: > [@](#): > > 1uni·ver·sal adj \ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl\ > > Definition of UNIVERSAL > > 1 > : including or covering all or a whole collectively or distributively without limit or exception; especially : available equitably to all members of a society \ > 2 > a : present or occurring everywhere > b : existent or operative everywhere or under all conditions \ > 3 > a : embracing a major part or the greatest portion (as of humankind) \ \ > b : comprehensively broad and versatile \ > 4 > a : affirming or denying something of all members of a class or of all values of a variable > b : denoting every member of a class \ > 5 > : adapted or adjustable to meet varied requirements (as of use, shape, or size) \ \ > — uni·ver·sal·ly adverb > — uni·ver·sal·ness noun Still not seeing the word “Catholic”(or even “Christian”). ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/39 "2012-08-13T19:01:18Z")
> [@UniversalLifeChurch](#): > > With the Universal Life Church of Florida, we adhere to only the Christian Doctrine. Why? Because no other faith other than Christians ordain Ministers, all others appoint and/or initiate. The difference between us and Modesto is the fact we offer faith based ordination, all ordinations we provide are are accepted within the Christian Faith, and our Ministers can perform sacraments within the Christian Faith. I was curious about the beliefs of your denomination, so I will venture to ask. What differentiates Universal Life Church doctrine from other Christian doctrines? For example, can you describe your church’s beliefs concerning [ul][li]Holy Trinity[/li][li]Transubstantiation[/li][li]Assumption of Mary, and her position as Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church[/li][li]Beatification[/li][/ul] What is your creed? What of these sacraments do you recognize? Baptism, Confession, Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Extreme Unction, Ordination What is your denomination’s position on various “controversial” social issues? [ul][li]abortion[/li][li]ordination of women[/li][li]celibacy of the clergy[/li][li]same sex marriage[/li][li]homosexuality[/li][/ul] How do you attain salvation? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350/40 "2012-08-13T19:23:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > From Merriam-Webster Online:Still not seeing the word “Catholic”(or even “Christian”). Well then you are looking in the wrong place. You won’t find “ **C** atholic” as a synonym, but you will find “catholic,” which is defined as: > [@Collins World English Dictionary](#): > > 1. universal; relating to all men; all-inclusive > 2. comprehensive in interests, tastes, etc; broad-minded; liberal True, not a commonly used definition, but you can’t fault me for being pedantic on the Dope. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-real-universal-life-church/630350.md?page=3)