Why aren't there more Unitarian Universalists?

[Green Gaia]

When I was looking for a church home, one that fit my beliefs and allowed me the freedom to be who I am without judgement, I literally cried tears of joy when I found the UU church. Here was exactly what I was looking for, waiting for me with open arms. It wasn't long after I learned of them that I started to wonder, "Why aren't there more Unitarian Universalists?" It seemed perfect to me, the perfect church that allows individuals to explore their spirituality. So why weren't more people even aware this church existed? I went looking for answers, online of course, and found the very question I was asking answered on the UUA's website:

Why aren't there more Unitarian Universalists?

While most people turn to religion for comfort, and answers that are beyond challenge, Unitarian Universalism challenges the person to find his or her own answers. Even on those rare occasions when it suggests an answer, our religion often insists that the person challenge, compare and weigh the proposed prescription.
In the United States, most religions are authoritative, in contrast to Unitarian Universalism which is based on reason and the individual's freedom of belief.

For most people, our religion presents an excess of freedom; many prefer someone else or some institution to provide the answers to life's mysteries.

Culturally, most Americans do not realize that Unitarian Universalism even exists. Millions pass through high school and college without ever hearing or reading about this religion, a situation made possible because most Americans recognize only three major religions: you are either Catholic, Protestant or Jewish. Unitarian Universalism, a very different way of approaching religion, is none of the above.

For these reasons, plus our aversion to proselytize, most new members are forced to "stumble" on our religion; it's a wonder that we have as many members as we do. But maybe this small publication will provide some useful information to those who might be considering an alternative to mainstream religion.

That answer made sense, but I wondered if there wasn't something more. Any thoughts? Should the UU church try to be more visible, and if so, how should we go about doing that?

 

[Runt]

T'shirts (lol, just kidding)

We are very into social action, but we should be more open about it. Perhaps put in newspapers "The Unitarian Universalist Church is doing a fundraiser for _________, all welcome to particpate" rather than just encouraging social action through our congregations. (Make it a UU sponsored event rather than a UU event).

Team up with other churches on social action efforts.

All around just work to make the name Unitarian Universalism more well-known in the community, so eventually people will seek, on their own, to find out what Unitarian Universalism (as a religion rather than a social action group) is.

 

[painted wolf]

I think that UU's eclectisism (sp) makes it difficult for many people to accept... when someone asks what UU believes the answer is pretty much everything...

for people who like answers in black and white intoducing grey to the palette can be difficult. :roll:

wa:-do

 

[Runt]

"Eclecticism", I think... yes, it does seem to discourage some people. When people ask about another person's church, they merely want to see if that church believes the same things they do. An answer that implies that the church "believes anything" is too general... unfortunatly, most people want concrete answers and therefore will shy away from a religion that seems to encourage them to think for themselves...

However, Unitarianism is one of the 6 fastest growing religions in the United States, so we must be doing SOMETHING right!

 

[Alaric]

A religion that wants people to think for themselves still seems like a contradiction in terms to me. Does the UU church acknowledge that there is only one reality even if people seek it in different ways, and would a minister point out some logical flaw in a member's beliefs if s/he spotted it?

 

[Green Gaia]

Alaric - A UU minister might offer another point of view, another way of looking at a belief and then allow the person to come to their own conclusion. But I don't think one would ever tell a person they were flat out wrong.

 

[Runt]

Alaric, there are SOME principles that the UU congregation holds as "truth". They are:

*Every person is endowed with inherent worth and dignity (rejection of original sin)
*We are a part of an interdependent web of existence and must respect and protect it, not lord over and exploit it.
*Evil does exist in the world and must be fought responsibly with justice, compassion, and love.
*Both men and women are equal spiritually (meaning both can be prophetic and both are worthy of giving spiritual council. Obviously most religions regard men as being "above" women, and the holders of religious power.)

Other than that... well, we're free to build our own worldview.

 

[Hirohito18200]

I think many people view UUers as uber-tolerant peace nicks and refuse to accept pacifism and moral flexibility as a true religion. I don't necesarily believe this myself, but I know many who do.

Then again I know many people who believe that 5/6 of the world is going to hell, but that's another story.

 

[Hirohito18200]

I think many people view UUers as uber-tolerant peace nicks and refuse to accept pacifism and moral flexibility as a true religion. I don't necesarily believe this myself, but I know many who do.

Then again I know many people who believe that 5/6 of the world is going to hell, but that's another story.

 

[Runt]

I think many people view UUers as uber-tolerant peace nicks and refuse to accept pacifism and moral flexibility as a true religion.

I agree. I think many people view us that way... but these people fail to see the difference between the SOCIAL aspect of UUism and the SPIRITUAL aspect. They'd have to actually go to a service to see the spiritual aspect, rather than reading about the social actions and political views that most UUs (most, but not all... we do have some people who lean in the conservative direction... but even they are generally more moderate than in many other "church" religions) have in common.

 

[Bastet]

I'll admit, I'd never even heard of Unitarian Universalism before I met Maize. But, considering there is only one UU congregation in Australia, and it's not in my state, I could be forgiven for that lol. It's certainly more appealing than any religion you can find a church for around my town. :roll:

 

[quick]

Another key issue--a religion/philosophy may help one live in this life. As we all are curious and have thought about an afterlife, regardless to which religion (or anti-religion) we subscribe, a religion which is not authoritative about that afterlife leaves this unending curiousity unsatisfied.

Does UU address this issue in any authoritative way?

 

[Green Gaia]

No. UU does not tell people what to believe about the afterlife. In fact, very few UUs believe in a continuing, individualized existence after physical death. Even fewer believe in the physical existence of places called heaven or hell where one goes after dying. We believe immortality manifests itself in the lives of those we affect during our lifetime and in the legacy we leave when we die.

I disagree with you that UU not being authoritative about that afterlife leaves this a person unsatisfied. Instead, they are even the opportunity to decide for themself what they believe the afterlife be like, if indeed there will be one.

If a person is wanting a religion that tells them how to think and what to believe, then Unitarian Universalism is probably not for them. We like to think for ourselves.

 

[anders]

The first time I read of UU was a few months before joining this forum, when I happened to take one of those Internet quizzes. It ranked fairly high on my list. I was utterly dumbfounded. I had never heard of such a thing, and I found no Internet hits in Sweden, any way I translated the name. Probably there is no organised UU here. As for the rest of the world, I think that people who think for themselves have less need than others for formal bodies.

 

[Green Gaia]

I can't find any in Sweden either, anders. But here is a map of where UUs are. I thought it was interesting..

http://www.icuu.net/world_map.html

 

[Runt]

I think that is part of the reason why there is so little emphasis on authority in the UU church. Our ministers are more here to guide than lead-- often we have lay services run by people within the congregation (at least in my church). Usually our services are about exploration of ideas rather than about presenting one idea and expecting others to simply believe it because someone in charge said it was so. Those who think for themselves DO like to get together with others who think for themselves. Within my covenant group there is lots of debate. We have science and religion discussions in which everyone participating researches and then comes into the forum ready to discuss. The UU church is not so much about meeting with others to reinforce what we believe or (even worse) to allow others to tell us what to believe, but to explore and exchange ideas and have healthy dialogue. In a way my church services and a few of the groups I'm in remind me a lot of this forum... there are a lot of individual thinkers on here who come just to be able to bounce ideas off of other individual thinkers.

 

[Fra.Morelia]

I have to say, it sounds like someone finally got it right. Wow, an acceptance that things can be OK and all people are worthy of love and respect. Kind of tremendous. Granted, I am no pacifist, but I am pretty much where I desire to be spiritually, or rather well on that path. But I must say it sounds amazing. I often sat around and thought:darn it someone should make a religion that doesn't try and scare the hell out of you and accepts all colors and creeds. And then I come here only to discover I am way behind the power curve... ah, well.

 

[Wog]

***MOD EDIT***

Offensive posts WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!

 

[UNITED]

I'm new to the forums and to the church. I am a 16 year old African American male living in Baker, Louisiana, who has been attending the Unitarian Universalist Church in Baton Rouge for nearly 2 months. I kind of get the church. It is a good place to go to, to learn. Well, before arriving in May I was thinkin of being an atheist as i kind of believe in the Big Bang Theory, but my Health teacher told me about the place and said I would like it. I kind of do, because I'm kind of soul searching. That does sound strange for 16, but I am. I'm still new, I will take the classes i August to formally join. I'm like the only Black kid in the whole church, not to mention the Adult sessions :talk:

 

[Runt]

Hey United!

I'm pretty new to the UU church as well. I was raised Unitarian Universalist, but after the age of about 10 my parents stopped taking me to church. I am also the youngest in any adult activities I go to (new UU classes, covenant groups, choir), although I'm a couple years older than you.

However, if you want to hang out with kids your own age, you should check to see if your congregation has a Unitarian Youth or High School UU group. Mine does, and I know there is a national group for UU youth... so I see no reason why your congregation would not have such activities.

As for being or not being atheist... it is perfectly acceptable to be atheist within the UU church. It is a people-centered religion rather than a God-centered religion. If that is what you feel, do not think you need to hide it. I think you may be surprised to find that the UU church is filled with agnostics and atheists... I am definitely a UU agnostic, and if philosophical Taoism can be considered atheism, then I am a UU atheist. I'm in a college UU group and there are more people in the group that fit those catagories than people who believe without a doubt that there is a God.

This is a religion where you are free to be yourself!