mikes@tekecs.UUCP (Michael Sellers) (10/11/86)
> # #...I am considering the Unitarian Universalist Church in my search for > # #truth: an organization that accepts ANYONE who is interested in > # #talking about religious issues, in fellowship, and in people being > # #supportive of each other. To me, that's what religion should really be > # #all about, not this literalist argument over dogma and the contents of > # #a document that has been twisted and altered for nonreligious reasons > # #over a span of 20 centuries. What you perceive to be "literalist argument over dogma" others see as a sometimes engaging dialogue about the differences between divergent (rarely equivalent) sets of beliefs. Mike Andrews and I have somewhat different points of view, and yet neither of us (in my experience) gets bitter or angry at the others on the net very often. Different people have different beliefs. One reason the net is so popular is that we can discuss them in what is usually a cordial atmosphere. > # That's what you think religion is all about. That sounds a little to > # wishy-washy for me. I want to be a part of a group that knows where it is > # going and is willing to help others find the way. Christianity is a > # religion that has a foundation outside the mere imaginations of men. As it > # has been said of the Jews, so it is true also of Christians, we are a > # people of the Book. > > I find the above comments quite bigoted. Religious and belief systems are > extremely personal things. My church (a Unitarian Universalist congregation) > believes that one's religious beliefs are so important in life that no one > and no institution may be allowed to dictate them. We know exactly where > we are going and we have many ways (not just one!) to help individuals find > their path through life and their own personal truth. I wouldn't say the remarks were bigoted, though perhaps somewhat narrow. Christianity (at least in most flavors) does claim to be the one and only true religion; all others are misguided. This is not bigoted until it becomes a quality judgement about a person or persons (as in continuing the thought with "...so since you're a Muslim|Buddhist|Atheist|Ubizmist you are a poor, worthless, unthinking piece of human trash." No one has the right to say something like that.). I would also argue the point that a religious institution does have the right *for its adherents only* to dictate theology and dogma. If you don't agree with it, you are free not to join or to quit if you've already joined, but religion is very often not a legislatable or democratic matter. > # Unitarian Universalists are most certainly not Christians, but I guess > # that's what you are looking for. You appears as if you have made up your > # mind about who Jesus Chrsit is and you don't want any part of it. That's > # OK, just don't tell Christians what Christianity is. Now *this* might be bigoted, or maybe this is just a patch of thin skin on me. My hackles tend to rise quickly when someone says someone else is not a Christian when they have claimed to be. I do think there are those people out there who are claiming to be Christian when they are not (and may, for example, be using the position for personal profit), but it is not my right to pronounce on them whether they are or are not what they claim. That is for God to do. Of course, I believe that there are at least some Unitarians who do not claim to be Christians or to know what Christianity is, so the above remark shouldn't faze them that much. > > Steve Stricklen -- Mike Sellers UUCP: {...your spinal column here...}!tektronix!tekecs!mikes INNING: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 TOTAL IDEALISTS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 REALISTS 1 1 0 4 3 1 2 0 2 0
jho@ihlpa.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (10/14/86)
> Unitarian Universalists are most certainly not Christians, ...
What is the mathematical definition of a Unitarian?
A Unitarian is a person who believes that there exists at most one
god.