UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM

{Our History | FAQs | Journeys to Unitarian Universalism}

With its historical roots in the Jewish and Christian traditions, Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion -- that is, a religion that keeps an open mind to the religious questions people have struggled with in all times and places. We believe that personal experience, conscience and reason should be the final authorities in religion, and that in the end religious authority lies not in a book or person or institution, but in ourselves. We are a "non-creedal" religion: we do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed, but instead affirm and promote the following principles:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Our services include words of wisdom from the world’s religions, spiritual teachings from earth-centered traditions, teachings of reason and science, and words and deeds of prophetic women and men.

More than one thousand congregations make up the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), which represents our interests on a continental scale.

OUR HISTORY

Unitarian Universalism began as two separate faiths. Each has a long and rich history.

The Unitarian faith has roots in the Protestant Reformation. Religious folks began to question the doctrine of the Trinity, the idea that one God could be three persons. The Unitarian answer was that Jesus was not a god but an extraordinary human being and teacher. Because they worshipped God's unity they were called Unitarians.

Unitarianism in America began in the late 1700's. Several Congregational churches in Boston began to teach that human beings have the power to save themselves by leading good lives. They believed that it was the ethical model of Jesus’s human life that was important, not doctrines of his birth and death. The Unitarian churches officially split from the Congregational churches in the early 1800's.

The Universalists split off from New England Baptist churches at about the same time. While their neighbor churches taught that God had decided before we were born that some of us were destined for Hell, the Universalists reasoned that a loving God would find a way to bring all of creation into paradise: universal salvation. Some Universalists thought that sinners were punished while they lived. Others taught that Hell provided a limited time of correction, rather than an eternity of damnation.

The separate Unitarian and Universalist beliefs led to similar conclusions. If Jesus is strictly human, as the Unitarians believed, then it was equally valid to use other human beings as role models, be they the world religious leaders, or philosophers and scientists. If all people are saved, as Universalists believed, then all religious believers must be saved, and even those who have no religious beliefs. The Unitarian belief in the human ability to make a better world, and the Universalist belief in the fundamental goodness of the universe, encouraged us to use our power on behalf of social causes such as the abolitionist and woman's suffrage movements.

In 1961, the two separate faiths merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association of congregations. Together we continue our dual tradition of acceptance of a diversity of spiritual paths, the importance of personal moral lives, and our commitment to social justice for all.

Visit the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society for more information.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Rev. Alice Blair Wesley provided the following information. She is a Unitarian Universalist minister who has served congregations in College Station, Texas; Silver Spring, Maryland; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; Hagerstown, Maryland; and Harford County, Maryland.

Why such a long name?

In North America, Unitarianism and Universalism developed separately. Universalist congregations began to be established in the 1770s. Other congregations, many established earlier, began to take the Unitarian name in the 1820s. Over the decades the two groups converged in their liberal emphasis and style, and in 1961 they merged to become the Unitarian Universalist Association.

What do UUs believe about God?

Some Unitarian Universalists are nontheists and do not find language about God useful. The faith of other Unitarian Universalists in God may be profound, though among these, too, talk of God may be restrained. Why?

The word God is much abused. Far too often, the word seems to refer to a kind of granddaddy in the sky or a super magician. To avoid confusion, many Unitarian Universalists are more apt to speak of "reverence for life" (in the words of Albert Schweitzer, a Unitarian), the spirit of love or truth, the holy, or the gracious. Many also prefer such language because it is inclusive; theist and nontheist members use it with integrity.
Whatever our theological persuasion, Unitarian Universalists generally agree that the fruits of religious belief matter more than beliefs about religion--even about God. So we usually speak more of the fruits: gratitude for blessings, worthy aspirations, the renewal of hope, and service on behalf of justice.

What about Jesus?

Classically, Unitarian Universalist Christians have understood Jesus as a savior because he was a God-filled human being, not a supernatural being. He was, and still is for many UUs, an exemplar, one who has shown the way of redemptive love, in whose spirit anyone may live generously and abundantly. Among us, Jesus' very human life and teaching have been understood as products of, and in line with, the great Jewish tradition of prophets and teachers. He neither broke with that tradition nor superseded it.

Many of us honor Jesus, and many of us honor other master teachers of past or present generations, like Moses or the Buddha. As a result, mixed-tradition families may find common ground in the UU fellowship without compromising other loyalties.

And about the Bible?

In most of our congregations, our children learn Bible stories as a part of their church school curricula. It is not unusual to find adult study groups in the churches, or in workshops at summer camps and conferences, focusing on the Bible. Allusions to biblical symbols and events are frequent in our sermons. In most of our congregations, the Bible is read as any other sacred text might be-from time to time, but not routinely.

We have especially cherished the prophetic books of the Bible. Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and other prophets dared to speak critical words of love to the powerful, calling for justice for the oppressed. Many Unitarian and Universalist social reformers have been inspired by the biblical prophets. We hallow the names of Unitarian and Universalist prophets: Joseph Tuckerman, Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, Theodore Parker, Susan B. Anthony, and many others.

We do not, however, hold the Bible-or any other account of human experience-to be either an infallible guide or the exclusive source of truth. Much biblical material is mythical or legendary. Not that it should be discarded for that reason! Rather, it should be treasured for what it is. We believe that we should read the Bible as we read other books (or the newspaper)-with imagination and a critical eye.

We also respect the sacred literature of other religions. Contemporary works of science, art, and social commentary are valued as well. We hold, in the words of an old liberal formulation, that "revelation is not sealed." Unitarian Universalists aspire to truth as wide as the world-we look to find truth anywhere, universally.
How do UUs understand salvation?

The English word salvation derives from the Latin salus, meaning health. Unitarian Universalists are as concerned with salvation, in the sense of spiritual health or wholeness, as any other religious people.

However, in many Western churches, salvation has come to be associated with a specific set of beliefs or a spiritual transformation of a very limited type.
Among Unitarian Universalists, instead of salvation you will hear of our yearning for, and our experience of, personal growth, increased wisdom, strength of character, and gifts of insight, understanding, inner and outer peace, courage, patience, and compassion. The ways in which these things come to, change, and heal us, are many indeed. We seek and celebrate them in our worship.

What ceremonies are observed, what holidays celebrated?

Our ceremonies-of marriage and starting a new family, naming or dedicating our children, and memorializing our dead-are phrased in simple, contemporary language. We observe these rites in community, not because they are required by some rule or dogma, but because in them we may voice our affection, hopes, and dedication.

Though practices vary in our congregations and change over time, UUs celebrate many of the great religious holidays with enthusiasm. Whether we gather to celebrate Christmas, Passover, or the Hindu holiday Divali, we do so in a universal context, recognizing and honoring religious observances and festivals as innate and needful in all human cultures.

Are Unitarian Universalists Christian?

Yes and no.

Yes, Unitarian Universalists are Christian in the sense that both Unitarian and Universalist history are part of Christian history. Our core principles and practices were first articulated and established by liberal Christians.

No, Unitarian Universalists are not Christian, if by Christian you mean those who think that acceptance of any creedal belief whatsoever is necessary for salvation.

Many Unitarian Universalists may acknowledge the Christian history of our faith, but Christian stories and symbols are no longer primary for them. They draw their personal faith from many sources: nature, intuition, other cultures, science, civil liberation movements, and so on.

Yet some Unitarian Universalists are Christian. Personal encounter with the spirit of Jesus as the christ richly informs their religious lives. Those orthodox Christians who claim that no one but Christians are “saved” consider Unitarian Universalist Christians heretics. (Fortunately, not all the orthodox make that claim.)

The following questions and answers are adapted from the writing of Rev. Marshall Hawkin.

What does your logo of a flaming chalice represent?

The flaming chalice is made up of two archetypes—a drinking vessel and fire. It is rich in symbolism as a result. The chalice represents sharing, generosity, sustenance, and love, among other interpretations. The flame symbolizes witness, sacrifice, testing, courage, illumination and more.

Originally designed in 1941 as a logo for the Unitarian Service Committee, the chalice provided a symbolic light of hope guiding the paths of Eastern European refuges fleeing the gathering Nazi threat. When the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America merged in 1961, the design was adopted as the symbol of the newly formed Unitarian Universalist Association.

The symbol has been adapted many times to suit the purposes and personalities of individual Unitarian Universalist congregations and other groups associated with Unitarian Universalism.

The flaming chalice logo used by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Verdugo Hills was designed in October 1998 by Peleg Top of Top Design Studio, Los Angeles, as an ordination gift to the minister.

Learn more about the flaming chalice.

Can Unitarian Universalists believe anything they want to?

No. One could not be considered a Unitarian Universalist without sharing the common values expressed in the Seven Basic Principles. A UU could not espouse that specific doctrines or creeds are necessary for access to God or spirituality or membership in our congregations.

Unitarian Universalists could not believe that God favors any group of people based on any inherent qualities, such as skin color, gender, or sexual orientation, or that any group of people is more worthy of access to opportunities than any other as a result of these qualities.

We don't believe that autocratic, undemocratic or overly hierarchical systems are appropriate methods of organizing our congregations or the larger society.

We don't believe that humanity has the right or moral authority to exploit the environment, human life or other life forms with which we share this planet.

Since Unitarian Universalists don't have a creed or doctrine, how can one describe a set of beliefs that they hold in common?

We affirm and promote seven basic principles as described in the UUA by-laws. Another way to describe our beliefs follows in the statements written by David O. Rankin, a UU minister:

We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theology, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal.
We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only an intrinsic merit, but also a potential value for those who have learned the art of listening.
We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, or a document, or an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual.
We believe in the never-ending search for Truth. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations which appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting.
We believe in the unity of experience. There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge, religion and the world, the sacred and the secular, since they all have their source in the same reality.
We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty and justice-and no idea, ideal or philosophy is superior to a single human life.
We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural products of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement.
We believe in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy.
We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism-so that people might govern themselves.
We believe in the importance of a religious community. The validation of experience requires the confirmation of peers, who provide a critical platform along with a network of mutual support.

OUR JOURNEYS TO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM

Every individual takes unique paths down intellectual, spiritual and moral roads. As Unitarian Universalists we help each other give expression to those journeys and become more aware of our beliefs. UU minister David Parke writes, “Unitarian Universalism’s greatest strength lies in its conviction that the journey of the human spirit is one that each person must make for her- or himself…” At every stage of life, new questions and responses arise. One goal of our congregation is to provide a stimulating and secure place where each of us can pursue our individual religious quest.

Adapted from UUA pamphlet “Journeys: The Paths to Unitarian Universalism” edited by Edwin C. Lynn

The following stories tell of some of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Verdugo Hills members’ unique quests for truth and meaning in their lives.

By Rosemary Grand—“ I grew up going to Unitarian churches…They gave me a sense of belonging at a time when my views made me feel different than most of the kids at school.”

I grew up going to Unitarian churches. They seemed open to different views about god, which made me more comfortable than the Christian churches I visited with friends and grandparents. The church gave me a sense of belonging at a time when my views made me feel different than most of the kids at school—I was one of a handful who didn’t leave class to attend “Chapel on Wheels.” I quit going to church sometime in high school and returned to a UU fellowship when our daughter was 7 years old. It provided her some of that same sense of belonging when friends would ask “Are you Catholic or Jewish?”

My spiritual beliefs or “inspirations” fall into three categories: people, nature and the arts. First, there are several ways I am inspired by people, as I'm sure we all are. I am inspired by the ingenuity of men and women to discover the secrets and patterns of nature and the universe, and to solve problems of many kinds. I am inspired by strength and perseverance to overcome adversity. I am inspired by the creativity of artists, musicians, writers and others who explore deep levels of human expression and create lasting works for future generations to appreciate. The generosity of many people to help others in need inspires me, as does the caring spirit of those who help others to live better lives, who teach, counsel, or serve, especially those who are volunteers in these roles.

A second source of inspiration for me is the beauty and complexity of nature. I find the arts to be a third source of inspiration. I am inspired by studying and listening to music, and understanding the complexities and patterns in a piece of music as I practice the piano. Also, there is something magical about experiencing a work of art or architecture—to see the actual brush strokes made by the artist’s hand, to touch the stone that has been carved, or to stand in a building hundreds of years old. These are the things that bring me a feeling of inspiration, or “spirituality.”

As far as religious beliefs, I feel that what is most important in life is how we live, and relate to other people. I don’t believe in “magic” in a literal sense—I can’t conceive of a god, higher power or a super-natural force. I am in awe of the vastness of the universe and the wonder of nature, but I can’t believe in a conscious or intentional force governing these things. I’m quite skeptical of ideas that aren’t explainable in empirical or logical terms. I don’t behave in a certain way out of love or fear of a god or because of an afterlife, but rather because I feel it is the right thing to do

I enjoy support at church for my religious ideas, in a country where belief in god seems to permeate everything. The affirmation at the first fellowship I attended resonated with me as does the affirmation at UUCVH.

Theirs was:
Love is the spirit of this fellowship
To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love,
and to help one another.

Coming to a UU church is a special time each week for me to reflect, gain perspective, and interact with others who also find this to be a comfortable spiritual home.

By Yves Garden—“I…knew when I decided it was time for my children to be exposed to religion, I would look up a Unitarian community.”

I grew up in a Catholic family. My father worked and my mother worked even harder staying home with 7 children, and managing 17 units of rental properties. The Catholic Church and grammar school was just across the street from our home, and all 7 children made it at least through 8th grade in Catholic Education. I was the second child and had a full 4 years of Catholic high school as well.

I did have a lot of trouble with some doctrines and dogma of the Catholic Church. In 1970 when I started high school the Church itself was involved its own turmoil, this largely affecting high schools throughout the diocese, where nuns were the predominant teaching staff. It is hard to say just what was truly at the root of my own ruminations. These were easily dismissed as the usual teenage rebellion. I must admit, I think puberty had a lot to do with it. I was not willing to believe that a child could be conceived and born of a virgin, and was irritated at the inference. This time period was rife with the rebellion of the nuns of many orders rejecting their own vows of celibacy, and much more recently we have had the shattering exposure and righteous unveiling of the miserably failed celibacy of some clergy. These events all reinforced my early feelings that the celibate life was not in line with the natural law. At 14 or 16, I already had strong opinions, and I realize now that I was protected from much of the indecision, confusion, and depression that some of my friends struggled with, as their own journeys diverged from church doctrines.

I smile now as I remember my mother preventing me from taking a mini course offered in 10th grade on religions of the world. She said there was no doubt in her mind that I would emerge with the desire to “ become a Buddhist, or worse.”

I don’t remember going to church at all after high school. My mother and I played tennis on Sundays, and worshipped at the altar of the game. We both became part of a vast segment of religious alumni. Today I am happy to look back and appreciate the good the Church did give me, and even happier to look forward to some different enrichment in my life.

In my middle/late twenties I was in a romantic depression, and my Auntie suggested that spiritual healing could be found in places other than church. She referred me to an Anonymous organization, saying she found the meetings to be very spiritual. I myself had to agree. I spent at least 2 or 3 years attending weekly speaker meetings at a playground gym in the Wilshire/ La Cienega area. I was introduced to the 12-step program of personal responsibility and recovery, and I still consider this the first ‘doctrine’ that I ever embraced without reservation. I decided to make these concepts the foundation of a good life. These thoughts were not revolutionary or glorious; in fact just the opposite. So clean, so basic and irrefutable, that they helped me clear away any confusion, and I learned to call deep feelings by their correct names. This group selflessly provided each other with loving encouragement along the path to a more contented place.

I was married by a Unitarian Minister in Ventura, California, in 1994 on the suggestion of a good friend who was a member of that church. I was pregnant then, and knew when I decided it was time for my children to be exposed to religion, I would look up a Unitarian community; I have been with UUCVH since that time.

I am on a path to fulfill these aspirations of my spirit:

To expand and refine my own knowledge and embodiment of truth. To become more myself. To observe and absorb ways to encourage my children and all children toward their best selves. To enjoy the unfolding life around us and be reminded of the meaningfulness of life. To practice charity and social morality, with community, in an accessible and constructive place. Following this path has brought me to and will keep me with Unitarian Universalism.

I have been happy to participate with the UUCVH on my journey to fulfill these aspirations and I thank the members of the congregation for their love and encouragement.

By Anna Reimer—“I tend not to use the word or try to define the word ‘God.’ But one definition I see some truth in is: ‘God is the projection of humanity’s highest ideals.’ Other times I see the word as a way of referring to all of the natural, but mainly unknown, forces in the universe. For the most part I am willing to live with uncertainty and don’t look for definitions.”

My spiritual path is very much down to earth. It is in no way other worldly. I have not always been a Unitarian but I have not been anything other than a Unitarian. My family did not attend church and I was never baptized. My father had rebelled from his German Lutheran background and called himself an atheist or sometimes a heathen. I don’t know much about the religion of my mother’s family except that her mother had some connection with the Church of Christian Science. It was characteristic of my mother to find goodness in everyone and everything around her. This may have come from the Christian Science background and it also had a lasting influence on me.

As a child I visited a number of Sunday schools with friends. I knew that I wasn’t a Christian when my father expressed surprise that I had purchased a 10 cent necklace with a cross on it and said "But you are not a Christian!" He did have some prejudices! But I found no need to rebel against Christianity. Later, in high school on an occasion when I attended a Presbyterian youth group, a young man, slightly older than I, explained that "Of course the Negroes in
Africa could not go to heaven since they had never heard of Jesus." That put an end to my experience with churches for quite a period of time.

While I was attending Pasadena City College I took a course in philosophy and had long discussions with a friend about the various philosophers. I was
intrigued. About this time I visited the Neighborhood Church and realized that the ideas I found there were compatible with mine. So a little later when my husband and I looked for a place to be married this is where we turned. He had come from a church going family and I told him I would go along as long as the church was Unitarian.

Some of my religious ideas are reflected in the words from The Prophet. Also, I am a fan of Joseph Campbell. When I first found his book on The Power of
Myth, I found it more compelling than the novel I was reading. I believe with him that myths have truth in them even though they are not literally true. I cannot quote him but I remember that he wrote something to the effect that: If you find a myth that you can live with, stay with it. He said that people who live within their myths may have deeper religious experiences than someone like himself who looks at all the myths from the outside. That makes sense to me as an outsider. I can appreciate the myths and only feel uncomfortable when the people living within them become dogmatic.

I said earlier that my experience with the Presbyterian youth group ended my experience with churches. However, I later worked for a period of more than
30 years in a Protestant church and even served a term as president of the church-related preschool association. But I was hired by the church as a Unitarian, at least as a member of Neighborhood Church which at that time also had connections with Congregationalism. Also, I was working only with young children and I feel that the foundations of religion--the concrete aspects that young children can comprehend--are the same for all religions. For me these concepts can be explained in either religious or secular language. I prefer the secular but have no quarrel with the religious language. It is just that with religious language I have to keep translating it for myself back into secular language.

These basic concepts are:
I am a person of worth.
I respect the inherent worth and dignity of every other person.
I have a sense of wonder and enjoy the search for truth and meaning.
I enjoy the community of my church.

In religious language this could be:
I am a child of God.
We are all children of God.
God’s world is a wonderful world.
Church is a happy place to be.

I tend not try to define the word ‘God.’ But one definition I see some truth in is: ‘God is the projection of humanity’s highest ideals.’ Other times I see the word as a way of referring to all of the natural, but mainly unknown, forces in the universe. For the most part I am willing to live with uncertainty and don’t look for definitions.

Joseph Campbell has said: "Life is wonderful just the way it is. The only problem is that it hurts." I try to live my life fully and find the meaning of life in the process of living it.

By Fredrick Johnson—“My wife and I… have very different religious heritages. Early in our marriage we looked for a church where we could both feel comfortable, be challenged in our religious/spiritual growth, and contribute to the community through church activities.”

My wife and I are in a "mixed marriage" in that we have very different religious heritages. Early in our marriage we looked for a church where we could both feel comfortable, be challenged in our religious/spiritualgrowth, and contribute to the community through church activities. We also were very interested in finding a church where our three children could attend Sunday school.

The ideas on which the UU church is founded --intellectual freedom, an evolving understanding of truth, inclusiveness and respect for the interdependent web of all existence -- appealed to us both, and we have now been members for 45 years.

We have both held various leadership roles and have continued to find ways to give and receive in this church. Both of us are committed to seeing the church thrive because it has been and remains an important part of life in our own family, and because we feel it has much to offer other people.

By Carson Cayhill—“I come from a strict Catholic upbringing. After college I was a social worker for abused and neglected children, and the experience altered forever my worldview. Catholic teachings could no longer answer for me the question of suffering.”

If I had to give myself a religious label, I would say I am a Secular Humanist for whom many of the teachings of Buddhism resonate. But, really, Capital Letter references don’t explain my beliefs. To discuss spirituality, I prefer to think about life experiences that deeply move me, such as: my response to the awesomeness of nature (including the evolution/extinction of life forms), my struggle to deal with suffering and loss, the moments of experiencing an intimate understanding of and connection to someone else, my belief in a need to be compassionate and kind -- or as the Buddhists say, at least to cause no harm.

My religious background includes a strict Catholic upbringing, but after college I became a social worker for abused and neglected children. The experience altered forever my worldview. Catholic teachings could no longer answer for me the question of suffering. I began to think like Woody Allen, who said, "If there is a God, he’s an underachiever."

Eventually, I came to believe that there is no personal, father-figure ruler and creator. It seemed clear to me that objects and beings operate by the forces inherent within them. An airplane with a faulty horizontal stabilizer will crash. A mother who was abused herself is likely to abuse her children. A mutant gene can cause Alzheimer's. No anthropomorphic mind dispenses blessings or allows suffering. The idea seemed simple and beautiful in its logic; it was liberating. Needless to say, my attendance at Mass
dropped dramatically.

My husband and I first found our way into a Unitarian church in New Jersey when we were looking for a place that would reinforce our values to our children. I was
very excited to discover there were other people -- actually a whole organization! -- approaching life along the same paths that I'd been struggling on by
myself. We learned of UU concepts like the need for an individual's search for truth, the acceptance of uncertainties, the recognition of our connections to and responsibilities toward each other and the rest of life. We have been enthusiastic UUs ever since.

In the “outside” world, conservative religious beliefs are in evidence everywhere: comments from newscasters,politicians, co-workers, neighbors, family members. Sometimes I express my opposing beliefs, but sometimes I remain silent so as not to cause conflict. As a result I feel I am being dishonest, and my sense of who I am is diminished. It is times like these that I most value belonging to a UU congregation. It is an intellectual and spiritual oasis, where I can “fill up” with validation and strengthened values, be challenged to examine and act on my beliefs, and create a history with people who are likewise on an evolving journey to give meaning to their lives.

By Aurelia Spencer—“The UUCVH community has supported me while I asked questions and explored options. It has extended compassion and understanding while I moved through family difficulties…and it has taught me how to put my beliefs into action…”

I still find it amazing to realize that despite the fact that I grew up in a non-churched household, the beliefs I absorbed - by osmosis, it seems – were traditional Christian thoughts that included God and Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the devil, heaven, hell, and sinners.

I was pretty sure I fit into that last category.

For many years, I was complacent about religion. None of it resonated with me and living my daily life was my priority. I enjoyed hearing Bible stories and likened them to the Greek mythology which I also enjoyed.

As a teenager of the 60s who vicariously identified with Women's Lib, I secretly resented the patriarchal tone of those stories. It was too risky to speak out though. I lived with my parents and brother in a traditional, male-dominated household and I knew my place.

For decades, I continued to have deep questions and few answers. I was very skeptical about any group of "religious" people that would actually kill other people and desecrate the earth to make their point. I steered clear of them and their churches.

In my thirties, I dabbled in feminist spirituality, becoming part of a community of women dancers who honored the Great Mother and participated in many ritual activities. The latent feminist in me was happy, but I came to realize that this community exhibited biased and sexist attitudes just as the Christian communities I rejected had.

It was because of an involvement of one of my dance friends that I became aware of Unitarian Universalism. My friend told me she was scheduled to perform a "Rite
of Spring" dance at a UU church in Canoga Park. I was impressed that a church would honor the feminine in that way. Although I did not attend that service the memory of its approval stayed with me.

From that I discovered a possibility I had not known about previously - liberal church.

It took me a few more years to seek out a UU church for myself. I needed a place to heal the wounds inflicted on my heart by my daughter's substance abuse. I needed a place to ask my "heretical" questions. I needed to create, for myself, a belief system that I could draw from when faced with having to make hard choices. I needed to be able to articulate my beliefs to others, instead of hiding behind my theological ignorance. I needed to be part of a caring community that lived its beliefs.

The first time I attended UUCVH, I did not find a rich, feminine consciousness. I did not find ready answers to my unspoken questions. In fact, that first visit felt very male-dominated and dry with an absence of the comforting rituals I enjoyed, such as burning incense, listening to world music, practicing meditation and the like.

What I did find was a community of people who seemed to be willing to talk. I was introduced to several nice people and later that week, was called to ask if I would return. I was not sure, but I said I might.

More than a year later, I came back and I've been here ever since.

In my eight years of membership, the UUCVH community has supported me while I asked questions and explored options. It has extended compassion and understanding and has helped me move through family difficulties. I have been able to contribute to this community and, along with them, to the larger world. This community has taught me how to put my beliefs into action, how to go about living in right relations and much more.

Now that I am better able to articulate my beliefs, I will share with you a few of my opinions about the Big Questions:

• I believe that the concepts of heaven and hell were created by humans to intimidate and control other humans.

• I have observed that things in nature are perfectly designed and interconnected. Whether or not that design is purely random is, to me, the Great Mystery.

• I believe that, as the sapling draws nourishment from all that the Universe offers, so do I. Whether or not the Universe has any feeling about it is another part of the Great Mystery.

• I believe in the power of the human spirit – for good or bad - to be the determining factor that charts individual and collective life paths.

• I believe that, through personal growth and understanding of each other and the Universe, our species can achieve a higher consciousness within the collective and participate in peaceful coexistence.

• I believe that humans will evolve or die out, depending on variables, some having to do with the Universe and even more having to do with either the folly or the wisdom of our species.

I am still on my path of discovery. One thing I'm sure of is that, within Unitarian Universalism I can continue to explore and redefine my beliefs without persecution. For that, I am eternally grateful.

By Bill Kind—“ I feel it is important to make this world as comfortable for others as possible… I have experienced the satisfaction of helping someone who really needs help...I don't do it for any thought of heavenly reward. On the contrary, the reward is more tangible...a more peaceful world.”

When I was originally asked to put down these words, I was reluctant. To tell of my belief system in a forum such as this I feel is a bit presumptuous. My beliefs were arrived at from the study of no one's teachings, but completely by my own invention. This is not to say that my beliefs are completely unique, although I firmly believe everyone's beliefs are a little bit different from everyone else's, no matter how orthodox their basis may be.

I was raised in the Southern Baptist tradition. There was no hellfire and brimstone, but there was a dogma of traditional Protestantism. My mother saw to it that all three of her sons attended Sunday school and church faithfully every week. This continued for me until I was well into high school.

It was while I was in high school that a very important and telling teaching was imparted to me. My Sunday school teacher made reference to a myth that I had previously heard debunked. She stated that Noah's son Ham had done some unpardonable sin and god had darkened his skin. This was the start of the Negro race, insinuating that the blacks are of a damned origin. I challenged her on this part to find a biblical reference to this, which I knew she never could.

It was this and other events which led me to question the religious teachings I had been indoctrinated with virtually all my life. In order to challenge these ideas, I had to rationalize how these beliefs came to be in the first place. While the sophistication of my thinking was to come later, the first questions were begun during this period.

As I now look back on the ancient beliefs that were the precursors to today's varied religious beliefs, I realize how they originated. The ancients looked at the wonders of the world trying to make some sense out of how they all came to be. People could see the sun "travel across the sky." How on earth could they explain this? One major way of traveling was by chariot. There must be a "god" that pulls a fiery chariot across the heavens. All the other phenomena that they had no scientific information to explain had a similar explanation. A god must create thunder and lightning. Others give us life; others create and control the flora and fauna.

Later, some saw what they thought to be a much superior way to look at all these wonders--to think that one god controls everything. Thus was born monotheism.

Now all this is a simplistic way of viewing the origin of religious thought, but I find in it a natural progression of how these religious thoughts probably came into being.

For me, it's only natural to believe that the burden of proof of the incredible is on the shoulders of those who believe. The burden of proof is not on those who doubt. And I have seen no proof of the things that those believers posit.

Some claim that answered prayers are evidences of the supreme being. When people think that their prayers have been answered, or that a "miracle" has occurred I have to look at other logical explanations. For example, claims of medical miracles abound. I often hear of claims that after a long period of doctor's care, a prayer is offered up and a healing takes place. The long term medical care is discounted. Coincidences abound is this world. Amazing things happen all the time. Rather uneventful things happen all the more frequently. Wonderful things happen to wonderful people. Wonderful things happen to awful people just as often. As for the miracles of the bible, we have only the word of the same book to substantiate its own claims.

How about the prayers that go unanswered? God's answer is no. How about when thousands of innocent people are killed by natural disasters (AKA acts of god)? God works in mysterious ways. We cannot know what god has in store for those dearly departed souls. They can't lose!

Some may say that morals are not possible without god. Speaking of the Judeo-Christian god, the one of which I am more familiar, I offer the exact opposite to be true. The bible is replete with tales of god ordering the death of this group of people or that group of people. Stoning was the penalty for working on the sabbath. The subordination of women is evidenced throughout. Then god ordered Abraham to kill his son. Just as the order was about to be carried out..."April Fool's! I was just testing you." Okay, he wasn't accused of using those words, but to be so heartless as to test the sincerity of an ardent follower in this manner can hardly be called a loving god.

On the other hand, I feel it is important to make this world as comfortable for others as possible, so that my world can be better off. I have experienced the satisfaction of helping someone who really needs help without expecting anything in return. I don't do it for any thought of heavenly reward. On the contrary, the reward is more tangible...a more peaceful world. Now, I don't think for a minute that by my picking up litter along Foothill Blvd., the world will spin on its axis more smoothly. But that little piece of the world is in better shape for my having been there.

If one who believes in an afterlife were to be placed in a position of saving a drowning man, he may have second thoughts considering this person is about to reach the kingdom of heaven. Why not let it happen? If another person thinks that the victim is about to become no more than worm food, she may be more inclined to act. Now, obviously this is a rhetorical scenario. But the point is I feel life is so precious since there is nothing on the other side.

As a member of a twelve-step group, I have found many spiritual benefits that I regularly draw upon. One of the strongest is the power of prayer. I don't pray for favors such as romance, finance, or fame. That's because I don't believe anyone is listening who can grant these desires. I pray to hear myself say what I know I need to hear. It is much easier to collect my thoughts about what is best when I say in prayer form what I need to carry on. I pray for the strength to carry through whatever travails I find myself faced with. I pray for serenity amid chaos that may be occurring.

I pray the Resentment Prayer (or praying for the SOB). When I find myself in deep anger over the actions of someone else, I find great comfort in asking for all the happiness that I want for myself to be bestowed upon that person. I then try to visualize that person laughing and having a good time. Do I really wish that for him or her? No, I really want the worst to befall them. But by expressing those kind wishes (most often through clenched teeth), I find my head to be cleared of the resentment, if only for a few minutes. When the feeling comes back, the prayers come back, too.

Before first attending UUCVH in October of 2001, I had two basic understandings of Unitarianism (I wasn't aware of the other U). Members were dedicated to service, and freedom of thought was encouraged. After coming, those remain the two essential parts of our faith that keeps me coming back. My understanding of those two concepts has deepened considerably.