Why not a UU (ritual, reject, mysticism, evolve, preach)

[lilithu]

I found this sermon accidentally online while searching for UU mysticism. I personally don't agree with this guy's conclusions but I thought it would be interesting to discuss.

It does take a unique kind of person to be a UU. It takes someone who is comfortable with uncertainty.

WHY I AM NOT A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

by Larry Reyka, Humanist Chaplain
Humanist Society of Friends

================================================== =================

INTRODUCTION:

This was my last sermon preached from a Unitatian Universalist
pulpit, it was delivered in 1985 or so at The First Unitatian
Universalist Church of Columbus (OH), and in it I share my, shall
we say, misgivings about the Unitarian Universalist movement.
Around that time is when I resigned from membership in that
church.

================================================== ================

The reasons for NOT being Unitarian Universalist may be as diverse
as the reasons for coming here in the first place.

I've been told by a Unitarian Universalist minister acquaintance
of mine that the average "stay" within the Unitarian Universalist
church is about five years.

In that sense, it seems to me the church is like a train station,
a place to be between where you're leaving from and where you're
going to. This led me to a working title for my talk today,
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM, THE TRAIN STATION RELIGION, OR PARDON ME
BOY, IS THAT THE CHATTANOOGA U-U?

My personal stay as a MEMBER of the church was approximately two
years. My doubts began, in reality, about the time the ink was
drying on my name in the book, but it took me a number of
experiences, some of which I detailed in my sermon on my religious
odyssey, to realize that I am, in fact NOT a Unitarian
Universalist.

The historical roots of the Unitarian Universalist Church have
produced a religion with a unique flavor. The combination of
residual Christianity and disguised Humanism found in this
denomination is to be found nowhere else. The hospitality to
atheists as well as to believers in mysticism, flying saucers,
pyramid power and all manner of foolishness is amazing. You do
provide a church home for a lot of people who simply would be
without one otherwise. I am attracted to many things, and most of
the people here. Hence, my reason for still being about as a
FRIEND.

However, as a Humanist, I find certain aspects of Unitarian
Universalism to be frustrating. The principle of affirming no
creed is, I believe, less than forthright. Agreeing to disagree
is an appropriate principle for our pluralistic society as a
whole, but it is not appropriate for a religious community
dedicated to celebration and action as a community. Groups that
stand for everything stand for nothing or else they deceive.

The alliance of convenience between residual Christians and Closet
Humanists is inhibiting - to both groups. Neither theists nor
atheists may act boldly or creatively on their convictions out of
fear of offending the other. For Humanists, the result is a timid
humanism that spends more time keeping peace with the god
believers in the church than meeting their own needs as Humanists
and reaching out to other Humanists in the larger community.

The Unitarian Universalist Hymnal - a hymnal for both Protestants
and Atheists - is not a miracle; it's a disaster. This hymnal to
me is a symbol of the watered down religion so often offered in
the U-U church.

The willingness on the part of the Unitarian Universalist Church
to TOLERATE my Humanism is far from enough for me. My need is for
an organization that AFFIRMS my Humanism.

So, while I will remain a friend of the Unitarian Universalist
Church and of all of you, as long as you'll have me, I cannot for
reasons above consider myself a member of your congregation.

[Trey of Diamonds]

A very interesting Sermon. I support this fellow’s views and desire to be a Humanist amongst other Humanists but I am close to taking offense at some of the comments about UUs. Our Hymnal is NOT a disaster, how a hymnal can even be considered a disaster is beyond me. And we can stand for multiple things without deceiving. This statement was close to calling us all liars. Having no creed is my favorite part of being UU and I consider myself very forthright.

Bottom line, I hope this fellow finds happiness among his fellow Humanists and I’m glad he is still friendly to the UU church that helped him find his Humanism. I just wish he wasn’t so bitter about the UU church not being the perfect place for him. All the reasons he isn’t a UU are the exact reasons I am.

[MaddLlama]

It sounds like he's blaming his issues with that particular congregation on the whole religion. I certainly got a vastly different impression from visiting UU churches in the past. And, to me, saying that UU's have no creed is kind of misleading, and misrepresentative; maybe I'm wrong, but I consider the UU principles to be something valuable, and something worth trying to live up to. Just because it's a set of principles that know no religious boundaries does make it bad.

And, one thing that gets me about this is the fact that he seems to be upset that the congregation gives more attention and respect to Christianity than Humanism (or, possibly anything else). There's a logistical problem with this - he was the minister, yes? Well, if he was so upset about it, he could have done something to help change the congregation from the pulpit. Why did he choose to leave instead?

[applewuud]

There's been a lot of change in the position of HUUmanists in the past 21 years. The integration that has been, and is still taking place, is to see religion and belief as part of our human heritage. Mid-20th century humanism rejected a lot of spirituality as superstition; it's evolved a pretty complex theology/humanology that is not just "agreeing to disagree" since then.

Having said that, we do have problems moving in a direction as a movement by trying to take every possible belief stance with us. The best statement of this challenge was made by the former president of Starr King seminary: when we merged Unitarianism with Universalism, we didn't really integrate our theological ideas into something truly coherent and redemptive as a movement. (I'll find that link if it's still up.)

The hymnal is a real achievement of syncreticism...oh, that's another thread...

[Trey of Diamonds]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

he was the minister, yes?

Not necessarily, he could have just been a member who was speaking at the pulpit that day. My church is lay lead and pretty much anybody can get behind the pulpit, and believe me they do.

[Stairs In My House]

Originally Posted by Larry Reyka

This was my last sermon preached from a Unitatian Universalist
pulpit, it was delivered in 1985 or so at The First Unitatian
Universalist Church of Columbus (OH), and in it I share my, shall
we say, misgivings about the Unitarian Universalist movement.
Around that time is when I resigned from membership in that
church.

Well, that's my church (assuming "Unitatian" is supposed to be "Unitarian"), but I have no idea what the situation was 22 years ago. I'm pretty comfortable saying that "pyramid power" no longer dominates our congregation's discourse. Also, I think the congregation must have been a lot smaller then, because I doubt one person's break-up letter to the church would make it into even a lay-led summer service these days, especially for someone who had been a member for only two years. Nowadays we'd be all like, lol get over yrslf n00b.

I gotta say, though, that this kind of attitude from some (but certainly not all) humanist types--typically expressed by the frequent pairing of the words "mysticism" and "foolishness" or "nonsense"--really hacks me off. He's definitely right that someone who thinks that he has all the answers and everyone who disagrees is stupid does not belong in a UU congregation.

Anyhow, the first service I went to at that church, back in the summer of '05, was specifically about finding the common ground between humanists and Christians (I can't remember why it was specifically Christians, but it was lay-led so whatever), so the integration applewuud mentioned has definitely been underway here.

[BrandonE]

We had a schism in our congregation in the not-distant past (before I was there though) over a similar source of division. According to those left in the church, those who left felt that Social Justice did not receive a great enough emphasis, so they left to start their own (smaller) UU fellowship. I've heard those remaining say of those that left that "social justice WAS their religion".

I can certainly understand that UU isn't for everyone, but I seriously question his assertions that most church members are short term. Maybe that's true, afterall, I've only been one for a year, but we have members now who restarted our congregation (after a 100 year discontinuity) in the 1950's. I'd say that the majority of our members are longtime members. Only recently have we started to see an influx of new members.

[Stairs In My House]

Originally Posted by BrandonE

I can certainly understand that UU isn't for everyone, but I seriously question his assertions that most church members are short term.

Yeah, his source is not much better than "some dude told me one time, I think." In fact, a few months ago my wife and I went to a dinner at First UU Church of Columbus celebrating church history and honoring long time members. There were some 40-year and 50-year members, and quite a few younger people who had grown up in the church. I wonder if any of them remember Mr. Reyka.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Trey of Diamonds

A very interesting Sermon. I support this fellow’s views and desire to be a Humanist amongst other Humanists but I am close to taking offense at some of the comments about UUs. Our Hymnal is NOT a disaster, how a hymnal can even be considered a disaster is beyond me. And we can stand for multiple things without deceiving. This statement was close to calling us all liars. Having no creed is my favorite part of being UU and I consider myself very forthright.

Bottom line, I hope this fellow finds happiness among his fellow Humanists and I’m glad he is still friendly to the UU church that helped him find his Humanism. I just wish he wasn’t so bitter about the UU church not being the perfect place for him. All the reasons he isn’t a UU are the exact reasons I am.

Hi Trey,

Well the sermon was delivered in 1985 so I would hope that he's found happiness, yes.

The guy raises several issues that I think are still relevant today:

1. "I've been told by a Unitarian Universalist minister acquaintance of mine that the average "stay" within the Unitarian Universalist church is about five years.

In that sense, it seems to me the church is like a train station, a place to be between where you're leaving from and where you're going to."

We do have a very high turn-over rate. Some of this I think is due to the type of people whom we attract, people who are suspicious of orgnanized religion in the first place, and who identify as "outsiders", not joiners. To truly become part of the UU community requires a redefining of one's own identity. At least it did for me.

Some it is also due to people not being comfortable with our creedlessness. They want to know that the people in the room all agree on the same thing. Differences in belief for them are a barrier to emotional closeness. I was like that when I was younger. I couldn't imagine loving and trusting someone who didn't agree with me politically and philosophically.


2. "The hospitality to atheists as well as to believers in mysticism, flying saucers,
pyramid power and all manner of foolishness is amazing. You do provide a church home for a lot of people who simply would be without one otherwise."

I think he might have been exagerating just a tad but when I first came to UU, I used to describe it to my non-UU friends as a "refuge for religious rejects." I have since come to believe that we are much more than that.


3. "The alliance of convenience between residual Christians and Closet Humanists is inhibiting - to both groups. Neither theists nor atheists may act boldly or creatively on their convictions out of fear of offending the other."