My 1st experience at a Unitarian Universalist church

[Underwraps]

CLIFF NOTES VERSION: This progressive church was old fashioned and fuddy duddy just like a regular boring traditional church except for their message.


It was a ahead of it's time- the organization of secular humanists. There's nothing they promote that I don't agree with. (see below).

I can see how a church like this had to be created where well meaning folks wanted to embrace more beyond traditional Christian beliefs and agenda, yet still wanted to gather and organize and get stuff done. Ralf Waldo Emerson and his counterparts like Margaret Fuller were the forefathers and mothers. They were progressive, openminded, revolutionary,...

So, I walk in and what am I most struck by? Just how much their church structure is exactly THAT. It was very churchy! It's a completely traditional church structure from the pamphlet, welcoming guests, hyms (sans worship of a specific diety- and all about their tenets below). There was a lot of grey hair, some couples with young children, and my guess- some same sex couples, but if one didn't notice that- there would be NO difference compared to say a traditional Lutheran or Presbyterian service. A bit dry, boring, uninspiring and almost lifeless, though good content and with nice people.

There was maybe 1 bored lone teenager.

When I do go to a Christian church I normally visit a modern style church. Still plenty of bible thumping and strict core beliefs, but the people there are young and vibrant. Young couples, college age kids, single 20 somethings. People dressed the way they feel most comfortable- tattoos showing, some nose rings. No hate speech against homos. (oops). No judgment. The teens are glad to be there for the most part.

I hate to say it but churches are part content part show and LOTS of spirit when they are at their best. The Unitarians are missing it on that point. With the anything goes openmindedness they should be brimming with hipsters and young adults. Nope. Dry and "same old same old".

Me and Jesus have issues, but I don't mind singing a rockin' out song to "the Lord" with a good band on stage- it's sincere for them and they love what they do and the songs are uplifting and often transcendening for me.

I will still go back to learn more from the Unitarians, but they are like an old brand that needs updating and the other product may not be the content they want, but they have their marketing and packaging figured out- and the fans LOVE it- and it makes them feel good and alive and loved.

I went to be inspired and came away wanting to shake them up to WAKE UP! They are the PROGESSIVE ONES! They should rock that stance and go full hilt with it! Nope, we listening to pretty and sometimes depressing violins and quiet hymns.

You have GOT to be kidding me is what I thought. ROTFL!!

One femmy guy chatted me up. I'm going back to flirt some more with him, but the youngster hotties at the other church way out beauty the old/fat/nerdy men at the Uni church. Sex sells.... lol. "Forgive me lord and be with the starving pygmies in New Guinea." - Larry the Cable Guy

Straight from their website:



There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Unitarian Universalism (UU) draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

These principles and sources of faith are the backbone of our religious community.

 

[PICK3]

Is it a sin to go to church with the express intent of scoring poon

 

[PICK3]

Did they follow their service by passing a collection plate?

 

[Oceano]

Me and Jesus have issues, but I don't mind singing a rockin' out song to "the Lord" with a good band on stage- it's sincere for them and they love what they do and the songs are uplifting and often transcendening for me.

'Jesus and I', surely? one can't put oneself ahead of the Lord!

I will still go back to learn more from the Unitarians, but they are like an old brand that needs updating and the other product may not be the content they want, but they have their marketing and packaging figured out- and the fans LOVE it- and it makes them feel good and alive and loved.

You're still talking about Church here right?

One femmy guy chatted me up. I'm going back to flirt some more with him, but the youngster hotties at the other church way out beauty the old/fat/nerdy men at the Uni church. Sex sells.... lol.

What's a 'femmy guy', and are you really sure it's a Church you're looking for, maybe speed dating would work better?

 

[PICK3]

Sounds interesting, butt I'm pretty gullible in a sheepish kinda way.

I'd be afraid I'd end up in at a "retreat" swilling some kool-aid mixture

 

[musclemom]

Sounds interesting, butt I'm pretty gullible in a sheepish kinda way.

I'd be afraid I'd end up in at a "retreat" swilling some kool-aid mixture

UUs are pretty cool. Really what they're trying to create is the positive, community spirit of conventional church without the hellfire and damnation. A place where Buddhists, Christians and Wiccans can rub shoulders, acknowledge they all have some basic, core similarities, accepting the differences, and build a community of acceptance.

UUs and Quakers, good peeps. You don't have to believe in THEIR god, just acknowledge that humans ain't all there is

 

[Underwraps]

Did they follow their service by passing a collection plate?

Is it a sin to go to church with the express intent of scoring poon

LOL! I KNEW someone was going to say something about that!
It was an arrow pointing in a direction to see if you'd really miss the main point which is that it really lacks attraction for youth and younger folks by the fact of their abscense.

It caters to the older set of people that don't want their parent's church, but didn't know to model a new church in any other way but their parent's church as if doing so would be a REAL sin. So, it's okay to be a bit off the main path and not do the Jesus (only) thing, but nooo we can't do anything else different from our parents. I thinks it's the region I'm in too. I'm sure there are more hip UU churches in bigger cities.

And, YES, they DID pass an offering plate and not a deep more private bin, but a shallow basket so you can see what everyone else put in. LOL.

 

[Underwraps]

'Jesus and I', surely? one can't put oneself ahead of the Lord!



You're still talking about Church here right?



What's a 'femmy guy', and are you really sure it's a Church you're looking for, maybe speed dating would work better?

Yeah, I gave you plenty of chum to gorge yourselves on. Ha ha.

On one hand, the church has to reflect what the "clientele" are comfortable with and many churches have a traditional service and a more modern service to cater to younger and older. It's not about the "marketing" to "sell" church. But, like a product, any church interested in keep the next generation interested will evolve naturally according to the members and the leadership. A church that is wanting to keep every age interested will offer a venue for the younger people to express themselves in different ways which usually is reflected in the music choice.

It's not a church that has a sense of being up to date, so those age groups are not represented well there. It's like going to your lesbian grandma's Lutheran church. The people are nice and trying to do a good thing, but they are comfortable with their style and don't seem interested in updating the external things since the tenets are eternal and universal.

They're good people- just their style is so ironically UNprogressive when their message is still very much PROgressive.

Oh, and "femmy" means he was sensitive, soft spoken, gentle, maybe he tilted his head as he spoke. He talked like a GIRL!!! Oh, puuhleeze. We have gender stereotypes and don't pretend we don't. I don't think there's anything wrong with all the shades we come in. Many people blurr the lines between the gender polars and I think that's just being human. It IS what it IS and it's okay to call someone by their most pronounced physical traits. It makes me laugh when someone won't tell me someone is Asian or Black because we're suppose to be "color blind". There's nothing wrong with our uniqueness. PC PC PC crap.

Btw, femmes kinda turn me on in fact. - but that's another tangent....

 

[Underwraps]

UUs are pretty cool. Really what they're trying to create is the positive, community spirit of conventional church without the hellfire and damnation. A place where Buddhists, Christians and Wiccans can rub shoulders, acknowledge they all have some basic, core similarities, accepting the differences, and build a community of acceptance.

UUs and Quakers, good peeps. You don't have to believe in THEIR god, just acknowledge that humans ain't all there is

The right spirit was there, just dressed in bad lesbian sense of fashion. Kinda hokey and nerdy. Lovable, but no modern pulse though the message is still progressive.

Church shouldn't be "trendy"- a good King of the Hill episode on that topic. But, young folks today have their own generation, sound, and look and none of that was seen or felt there. It was circa 1984 Lutheran without Jesus talk.

"Shalom, Sala'am, blessed be, Amen"

 

[Underwraps]

Sounds interesting, butt I'm pretty gullible in a sheepish kinda way.

I'd be afraid I'd end up in at a "retreat" swilling some kool-aid mixture

Yup, one has to always stay away from the kool-aid. I hear the coffee is okay though.