When I left the Mormon church of my upbringing and ancestry, I was fairly confident that I was done with religion in general. After a while though, I thought I'd try something at the other end of the religious spectrum. My experience in Mormonism told me what I didn't want in a church. What I found was a faith that was gay-friendly, non-racist, didn't claim to have direct communication with "God," and was decidedly non-dogmatic. In fact it was so non-dogmatic that most groups don't even call themselves a "church." Instead, they often identify themselves as a "society." I'm speaking of Unitarian Universalism, which arose in 1961 through the joining of two New England-founded groups: the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association.
Even though Unitarian Universalism has its roots in New England where I live, I've had many conversations with people who are completely unaware of the group or its teachings. Usually, I describe it like this, "A UU Church is the only place I know of where you could hear quotes from Jesus, Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln, Buddha, and Albert Einstein all in the same sermon." In addition, the UU congregations that I've been involved with have been very socially conscious: often participating in food drives, donating to homeless shelters, and so on. They also celebrate the religious diversity in their groups, and encourage members to share parts of their (non-UU) religious heritage. All really cool things.
After a while, though, something started to gnaw on me. Unlike Mormonism, there were no brash claims that "We're the one correct church. Other churches may have some truth but we have it all (or at least all that God has chosen to reveal)." Still, though, I began to detect a differerent sort of superiority complex. Although it was never (and would never) be stated from the pulpit, I began to understand that many Unitarian Universalists have the same sort of annoying feelings of superiority that many Mormons suffer from, for exactly opposite reasons: UU members think they're special and right because they are so much more accepting and tolerant than you are. My impression is that many of them believe that theirs is the one true church, because of their ultra-liberal, all-inclusive, non-judgemental stance.
Oh, and just like Mormons, they want your money.
I think I'll take my solitary agnosticism. On the other hand, though, I do find some value in Zen teachings. But that's a topic for another blog.
Don, every religion, church, or "society" is going to say they're the one true one. Break it down logically--if they didn't believe it was "the one" they wouldn't be a member. If they truly have faith, they aren't going to say, "I don't really think this is the true church, but they let me wear jeans." People of faith searching for closeness to their god is either going to keep searching or brainwash themselves into believing they've found it.
ReplyDeleteIt was suggested to me a while ago that I should join a UU "church" if I find other religions so distasteful. Setting aside the fact that I don't like religion because it requires belief in interdimensional creatures and deities, why do I have to belong to a church at all? Why do these well-meaning people think we need to break off from our communities into little subgroups?
Nature of the species, I suppose. Primates are just one of several animal groups that needs and craves society. When the population grows too big, the sense of community and lost and we break off into smaller troops and tribes..., religions, book clubs, and knitting circles. They grow and they split in neverending fractals.
And some of us go rogue. We find peace, comfort, and harmony all by ourselves. Some people can't be alone with their own thoughts... or can't stand the echo emanating from where thought should be, but like you, I presume, I find myself to be very good company.
Rather than fill my knowledge gap with gods, I'll just keep filling it with knowledge. I like a good challenge.