Do you scoff at “dogmatic” people who cling to a single Higher Authority – especially the Higher Authority who supposedly inspired the Bible, which you're personally certain is no better than any other book?
Do you ever find yourself rubbing shoulders with such people, in a vain search for a like-minded friend who adheres to just the right amount of “religion”?
If you answered "yes" to these questions, have we got a recommendation for you – the absolutely perfect “church” for those who know that the greatest virtue is tolerance!
It’s called Unitarian Universalism (UU – not to be confused with Unreal Units or User Unknown). Its roots can be found in the late 18th and 19th centuries, just as the early strains of Zionism began to be heard. If you don’t know the significance of that movement – well, it’s a long story and you’d have to study the Bible to understand, so it’s easiest to just shrug it off. Suffice to say that this was the beginning of an era in which a number of exciting new religions emerged, from Jehovah’s Witness, Mormonism and Christian Science to Spiritism and the Baha’i Faith. The common denominator? All deny the divinity or humanity of Christ, or the sufficiency of His atonement, or both.
But I digress. The important thing is that with UU, you can believe whatever you want! For instance:
- What is truth? Who knows?
- Is there a God? Who cares?
- How about sacred texts? Read none or all -- what difference does it make?
The important thing is that, with UU, there's none of that pesky dogma. And how cool is this: no UU will ever try to trip you up with words like “truth” or “source of authority,” except perhaps in the sense that “truth is whatever you think” and “the best source of authority is your own intellect.”
Is UU for you? Here’s a quiz to help you find out.
Now excuse me while I return to my meditation on Mark 6:11.