3 ms·

Boy, that list looks pretty similar to the principles of Unitarian Universalism (full disclosure, born and raised). The suggestions are good but if we look at t

by hyperion2010 11y ago

Boy, that list looks pretty similar to the principles of Unitarian Universalism (full disclosure, born and raised). The suggestions are good but if we look at the history of the Unitarian Universalism it was heralded by various scholars as the secular religion for the coming enlightened future. None of that has happened and the fastest growing religious communities these days are fundamentalist, evangelical Christians. I agree with the sentiment of the author, but reality suggests that we secular minded folk are missing something in the implementation.

danmaz74 11y ago
Interesting, I had never heard of this. For those who are curious, wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism
tootie 11y ago
There are other like Secular Humanism and Ethical Culture. None of them really took off.
derekdahmer 11y ago
I was also born and raised UU and still appreciate the values of tolerance and education that came out of that. What other church offers its own fact-based sex ed course and has you visit other religious institutions as a requirement for coming of age? But despite there being UU churches in every major city I've lived in, I haven't been back in a serious way since high school. For me at least, part of the 'implementation' thats missing is the lack of pull to the weekly service. I'd love the community, but don't feel particularly drawn to the actual meat of it. Kinda like wanting to join a soccer team without liking soccer too much. Community needs some kind of core that is valuable to people in order for a community to form around it and I'm not sure those secular weekly services have the same kind of broadly appealing gravitas that traditional religion provides. As well as there not being enough family-driven guilt to pull early-twenties people back to church during those times when spirituality is less interesting compared to other things in life.
- grogenaut 11y ago
  My Episcopal sunday school made the whole class to go services and sunday school (or equivalent) for every major christian denomination and every major non-christan religion. About 25 sundays in a row. If you missed you made it up. We also had 100 question tests on major tenets of the other major world relgions. Same for the Catholic Marianist school I went to. The idea was, we want you to understand why you are chosing this religion (even if it's mostly automatic because your parents are encouragining you). You couldn't be confirmed if you couldn't pass these tests. You also had to go to conselling with the very nice and understanding teachers to talk about if you really wanted to do it. One kid didn't go through with it on purpose. The teachers were very good with handling the parents and making this easier on the kid. I really liked the Marianist and Jesuit idea that you should be able to challenge your religion so much that you have to come to logically understand and accept it; They are both great at Logical argument and reduction, especially about faith. I think this type of introspection helped me quite a bit as an engineer even if it didn't work in making me a faithful person.
mahyarm 11y ago
Sadly, it's probably the lack of a us vs them tribalistic segment. Everyone loves to root for 'their' home sports team, and that other rival sports team sucks a lot, their bad guys.
angersock 11y ago
No idea if this is it, but I don't think I ever met poor UU folks. I never really met any redneck UU folks either. They're nice enough people, I suppose--I've been meaning to get out to a service myself--, but they do seem to be a little on the urbane mid/upper class side of things.

danmaz74 11y ago

Interesting, I had never heard of this. For those who are curious, wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism

tootie 11y ago

There are other like Secular Humanism and Ethical Culture. None of them really took off.

derekdahmer 11y ago

I was also born and raised UU and still appreciate the values of tolerance and education that came out of that. What other church offers its own fact-based sex ed course and has you visit other religious institutions as a requirement for coming of age? But despite there being UU churches in every major city I've lived in, I haven't been back in a serious way since high school. For me at least, part of the 'implementation' thats missing is the lack of pull to the weekly service. I'd love the community, but don't feel particularly drawn to the actual meat of it. Kinda like wanting to join a soccer team without liking soccer too much. Community needs some kind of core that is valuable to people in order for a community to form around it and I'm not sure those secular weekly services have the same kind of broadly appealing gravitas that traditional religion provides. As well as there not being enough family-driven guilt to pull early-twenties people back to church during those times when spirituality is less interesting compared to other things in life.

grogenaut 11y ago
My Episcopal sunday school made the whole class to go services and sunday school (or equivalent) for every major christian denomination and every major non-christan religion. About 25 sundays in a row. If you missed you made it up. We also had 100 question tests on major tenets of the other major world relgions. Same for the Catholic Marianist school I went to. The idea was, we want you to understand why you are chosing this religion (even if it's mostly automatic because your parents are encouragining you). You couldn't be confirmed if you couldn't pass these tests. You also had to go to conselling with the very nice and understanding teachers to talk about if you really wanted to do it. One kid didn't go through with it on purpose. The teachers were very good with handling the parents and making this easier on the kid. I really liked the Marianist and Jesuit idea that you should be able to challenge your religion so much that you have to come to logically understand and accept it; They are both great at Logical argument and reduction, especially about faith. I think this type of introspection helped me quite a bit as an engineer even if it didn't work in making me a faithful person.

mahyarm 11y ago

Sadly, it's probably the lack of a us vs them tribalistic segment. Everyone loves to root for 'their' home sports team, and that other rival sports team sucks a lot, their bad guys.

angersock 11y ago

No idea if this is it, but I don't think I ever met poor UU folks. I never really met any redneck UU folks either. They're nice enough people, I suppose--I've been meaning to get out to a service myself--, but they do seem to be a little on the urbane mid/upper class side of things.