Tiny Unitarian Universalist denomination claiming loud voice on gay marriage

Associated Press ^ | May 12, 2004 | Jay Lindsay

[sidewalk]

BOSTON -- Its Beacon Hill headquarters are within earshot of the gay marriage protesters that swarmed the Statehouse steps, but inside the Unitarian Universalist Association the debate is long over.

While other churches remain split over gay marriage, the tiny denomination has staked a claim as a leading religious voice in favor of same-sex unions.

Ministers in San Francisco have presided over gay marriage ceremonies and two in New Paltz, N.Y., were charged after performing ceremonies. The church's official Web site offers a "Same Sex Wedding Planning Guide."

And on May 17, the day the nation's first state-sanctioned gay marriages can begin, the church plans to welcome in the newlyweds with fanfare that includes trumpets and tolling bells. That day, association president Rev. William Sinkford will officiate the wedding of Julie and Hillary Goodridge, lead plaintiffs in the case that led the state's highest court to rule the state constitution gives gays and lesbians the right to marry in Massachusetts. Two other plaintiffs will be married at the Arlington Street Church in Boston in a ceremony to be broadcast on ABC's "Nightline."

[HarleyD]

The seven principles of the Unitarian Universalist:

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.

Ah, where's God???

[Between the Lines]

"They've taken God out of church and substituted it with liberal politics,"

The UUs are not a church, they are a political organization. A very liberal political organization.

[RonF]

You don't need to believe in God to be a UU. My brother is the Director of Religous Education at a UU parish and we have had a couple of interesting conversations. I've been to one service. The basic concept is that a believing UU is supposed to be on a sincere quest to spiritual inquiry and fulfillment. Where that starts and ends is up to the individual, I guess. The UU's make the ECUSA look like a model of doctrinal rigor.

[gobucks]

More from UU's ... with zero, as noted above, about God ...

"The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;

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;

Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;

Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.

Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. "

Yep ... nary a word about God ... again.

[HarleyD]

I noticed they don't call it a "church". Rather it's an "Association". Sounds like the PTA.

[Between the Lines]

It sounds like the UUs are the very definition of Apatheistic Flexidoxy.

[Unam Sanctam]

The Catholic Church gets nothing but abuse for daring to voice her disapproval of same sex marriage -- mixing of Church and State don't you know, but of course nobody complains about the Uni-unis involvement in politics. They had a huge banner on the issue facing the statehouse at the time of the constitutional amendment debate.

[man of Yosemite]

Everyone's welcome but Jesus and his followers.

[lightman]

Small but highly visible and disproportionately influential. There is on UUA in my hometown dominated by "mainline" denominations plus four large Catholic parishes; yet many of the "movers and shakers" of the community (board presidents, etc) claim UUA membership.

[AnAmericanMother]

What do you get when you cross a U-U with a Jehovah's Witness?

Somebody who knocks on your door, but doesn't know why.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, they DO mention God . . .

Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

But only as "teachings" - not as a real and immanent Deity.

[DManA]

This whole topic of gay marriage is a slick propaganda stunt to mislead people about the gay lifestyle. The bulk of homosexuals aren't interested in a monogomous relationship. Gay = promiscuous.

[Honorary Serb]

While other churches [sic!] remain split over gay marriage, the tiny denomination has staked a claim as a leading religious voice in favor of same-sex unions.

As an Orthodox priest said in a recent sermon that I heard, "churches" that do not preach Christ and his resurrection are not "churches", but CLUBS!!!!

The Unitarian pagans are doing everything they can to push same-sex "marriage" and the rest of the gay agenda on the Rest of Us, who want NO PART OF IT!!!! Soon they will be pushing extension of "hate crime" laws, so that Christians who read any scriptures or preach in any way that goes against homosexuality can be charged as criminals.

It's time to ROLL BACK "human rightser" fascist tyranny before it goes any further!!!!