Why aren't there more Unitarian Universalists? (ritual, reject, contradiction, beliefs)

[Gorilla]

Here's a purpose for the question: Judgements are bad regardless. An athiest not liking that a Christian believes in something false is completely ridiculous considering if the athiest is correct it doesn't matter what the Christian believes anyway. I've rarely met a true Athiest, one who demonstrates no underlying subconscious anger or guilt. If you tell me you're an athiest and then get ****** at religious people I'm certainly not going to believe you when you tell me you're secure in your own belief. The only true Athiest I have met fully respects religiously-devout peoples right of religious choice. And he is Athiest for lack of a better idea, a.k.a. an agnostic. I suppose I'll open this can of worms - I have personally never in my whole life met someone who gave me the impression that they were honestly athiest. And I've met a bunch who say they are. What does -that- mean...

[Bastet]

Just wanted to point out, you're getting off topic here...the subject of this thread is "Why aren't there more Unitarian Universalists?".

And Gorilla, if you want to address someone specifically within a thread, you might want to make sure that they actually posted there in the first place. I don't see Helios' name here on any of these 4 pages...

[Runt]

***MOD POST***

Just adding a little extra authority to Bastet's comment. Refer back to the original thread and try not to stray off topic. Thank you!

[Gorilla]

Sorry, I didn't mean to post that in this thread -- still trying to figure out how everything works.

--
"Well, the website never addressed sin or hell... and personally I don't think the concept of evil has to be tied to these; it CAN be recognized as a subjective idea (i.e. murder is bad for SOCIETY, that which is bad for society is often called "evil", so we use the word "evil" because it is convenient. It does not refer to an OBJECTIVE concept.)"

You're right it can be recognized as a subjective idea, but I think a good portion of the world does not think of it in that way, specifically other main world religions. I would prefer that the UUA did not represent me in making that statement.

[Runt]

You're right it can be recognized as a subjective idea, but I think a good portion of the world does not think of it in that way, specifically other main world religions. I would prefer that the UUA did not represent me in making that statement.

I agree; many of the things considered "evil" by other religions are not by any means evil in my book... they may be wrong in relation to certain things (such as detrimental to society or to an individual) but I can't really think of ANYTHING I consider OBJECTIVELY evil.

But here is the full quote from the uua.org website: "The living tradition which we share draws from many sources: ... 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..." This, to me, sounds like it encourages social responsibility and peaceful solutions to problems ("evils").

Getting this back on topic :P, I think more people are ATTRACTED to statements such as this within the UU church than against it (though, for course, there are those who are going to be of differing opinions... we're Unitarian Universalists!) I think the UU Principles and Purposes has brought many people TO the church rather than scaring them away; I know this is why my parents came. They thought it put forth good social values while allowing them (and us children) to explore their own spirituality.

But many people who would normally be attracted to the UU church but who also look at everything as sets of subjective (rather than objective) truths might actually be pushed AWAY when they read the UU Principles and Purposes, because some of the statements it makes assumes that there are universal truths (which I don't really think there are, at least not about moral issues).