Unitarian Are True Christians.

The unitarian church allows atheists to join and become involved in their congregations. Now what other Christian church does that?

 

Most will probably accept non believers while trying to convert them. If successful it means more money in the coffers. (Gotta keep those TV cameras rolling) If not what are they out? A open church pew space?

 

The Unitarian Church is unique in having no doctrine. Unitarians can be Christians, atheists, Jews, pagans, whatever. So I think it's inaccurate to say they're a Christian church--"other" or not. I'm a Methodist, but have attended atheist bible study (yes, bible study) there. One member who was new to town typed "atheist church" into her computer and came up with that one !

 

Why do Christians expect everyone else to be Christian? Like there's something wrong with not being a Christian. There's the flaw in their belief system.

It's seems in Merica now you must be a Xtian or leave! We don't want no Muslims, liberal atheists, pagans or others presenting anything other than pure Christian MAGA.

Why? Because their whole belief system is falling apart as their religion jumps from one sex scandal to another. All these holy rollers can't keep it in their pants. Fine example for their followers.

Most of the mega church leaders are corrupt and complicit in Trump's dismantling of the federal government by supporting everything he does and treating Trump like he's Jesus, gonna save them from some fake calamity caused by evil people trying to better themselves by pursuing the American dream.

 

Its one of the paradoxes of natural selection. Bart Ehrman, professor of New Testament studies at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) attributes a large part of Christianity's success (in terms of surviving and multiplying) to its exclusivity. Unlike classical paganism, you can't be a Christian and a follower of something else at the same time. It was "our way or the highway" (to hell) ! Why Christianity Succeeded - The Bart Ehrman Blog That along with its evangelism and Paul's suspect doctrines of vicarious atonement and justification by faith alone played a huge role in making Christianity the world's largest religion. Otherwise it would probably have remained a fringe sect of Judaism and gone extinct. But now there are second thoughts. If Christianity is primarily about the teachings of Jesus--peace, love, understanding, and all that jazz--exclusivity can get in the way, and the version you're accurately describing seems like the very opposite of the original. Some of us who prefer Jesus' version think the right wingers have stolen our religion from us. Amazon.com

I, and many progressive Christians, believe that all religions have something to offer. This was central to my own conversion experience, which was a short magical mystery tour of the world religions (and atheism), but no drugs involved. It's called the perennial philosophy--the idea that there is an underlying unity among the world's religions, as well as a diversity that we can learn from. Most of the Progressive Christians I know believe this and are actively opposed to the fundamentalist right wing evangelical view.

 

True up to a point. Other religions have something to offer but that doesn't mean it will be followed. What has been happening as humans evolve is people are finding out the falsehoods in certain church doctrines. Christians are the worse. Centuries ago the Roman Catholic Church was it. Powerful, wealthy, and the only Christian organization in town. Then Martin Luther challenged the doctrine with his 95 theses. People read them and began to question. From there many different "Christian" churches or organizations were started. First was the so called Lutherans which Martin despised it being called that. Then a bunch of others followed, Unitarian included, with their own doctrine. Now you have all of these different organizations, Methodist, Mormon, Episcopal, and such under the Christian ideal. Progressive Christians still adhere to the doctrine of the church they attend and feel other doctrines are incorrect. With all of the different "Christian' organizations in the world it must be that none of them are true Christians. Not one.

 

You seem to believe that your own views are correct. Most folks, if they hold opinions at all, think theirs are the right ones, at least for them, although some are able to see merits in other views. Nothing wrong with that. I hold Progressive views in politics as well as religion, and am thoroughly convinced that they're superior to what the religious right has to offer. As for what positions are "true Christian" or not, when I call myself a Christian, I mean that I accept and try to follow the basic teachings and example attributed to Jesus, as conveyed by the gospels: love of God and neighbor, social justice, and concern for the outcasts and least advantaged in society. Many non-Christian religions accept similar values, but I like the way Jesus puts them. I don't accept all of the various items in the Nicene creed, nor do others in my Sunday school. Others, in the same church one door down, do--and are essentially practicing a different religion, although we all meet for the common service. I think they're "incorrect", because I think some of the traditional doctrines are, but I get along with them anyhow. When it comes to rejecting LGBTQs, consigning non-Christians to hell, embracing militarism and superstition, though, I feel compelled to oppose people and groups that hold those views, because I think they're harmful.. Is that so wrong?

 

Dogma is "a belief or set of beliefs that people are expected to accept without any doubts." dogma We just finished studying the Nicene creed in my Sunday School class, and if my church has an expectation that all or most of us believe that they're living in a fantasy world.

As for an "ultimately imaginary God", we might say the same thing about multiple universes and the elusive TOE (Theory of Everything)--can't be proven, but some of us find it plausible enough to bet on. A majority of scientists claim to believe in some kind of deity--33% in the traditional theistic entity, 18% in a "higher power" or "universal spirit". Einstein said:"I believe not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of mankind, but in Spinoza’s God, who reveals himself in the harmony of all that exists." A similar belief helps me to account for the integrated complexity of the universe and objective morality in a lifetime that's too short to wait for "proof".

 

Rather than accept that not everyone is of your religion zealots either want to convert you, deport you or kill you.

I say mind your own fucking religion, keep to yourselves if you must with your 29 teenage wives, or whatever con the leaders are brainwashing their followers with.

You have to realize that MAGA had the same appeal. Christian Nationalism is certainly the end result of right wingers hijacking the religion.

And soon it will be illegal (or already is) to criticize Christianity, Capitalism, or the big CON that is MAGA. It was hidden in one of the recent bills passed.

 

So how is Epstein any worse than those Mormons with multiple teenage brides who do far more slave labor than a daily massage. And they're forced to have children who then become child brides.

And some how these are also considered Christians.

 

Hold on now. It seem you have it backwards. It is not said that atheists are joining unitarian churches, It says unitarian churches allow atheists to join.

 

I do feel my views are correct. At least for myself. Plus they are correct until proven otherwise.

But yet you worship within a set of doctrines which differ from those you worship with. By that you just proved my point that not one single Christian doctrine is in line with the writings of the New Covenant. Not the Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Latter Day Saints, Mormons, Unitarians, Baptists, or any other Christian based organization. Not one.

 

Historically, the Unitarian Church, by definition, rejected a doctrinal belief in the Trinity. But that doesn't mean polytheists and atheists can't be Unitarians. At least the local Unitarian church has no official doctrine that defines Unitarians. Many of my atheist and agnostic friends are members, attend regular services, and are quite active in the church. They even had a pastor a decade back who was a pagan polytheist. The services and sermons tend to be generic "to whom it may concern". The church provides them with a structure for affirming and reinforcing progressive moral values and raising their kids in a an environment that provides them with positive guidance. I take issue with jimbee's characterization of it as "Christian", although I think Jesus might have felt more at home there than in many of the "Christian" churches that purport to follow Him. Is Unitarian Universalism Truly Christian or Not?

 

Historically, the Unitarian church, or at least influential Unitarian ministers, were closely involved in the Transcendental Movement of Emerson, Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller. in the nineteenth century.
Transcendentalism - Definition, Meaning & Beliefs | HISTORY
Echoes of Transcendentalism in Our Pulpit — Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing
Uni-transcendental-tarianism - Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin
Transcendentalism, a Unitarian Universalist Spiritual Approach | Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Castine
https://academic.oup.com/edited-vol...212944830?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
It's similar to Progressive Christian thought, but without the explicit tie to Jesus.

 

I was assuming that when we've been talking about the Unitarian Church we mean the Unitarian Universalist Church. It resulted from a merger between the American Unitarian Church and the Universalist Church of America in 1961. It includes about 1,000 churches, with a total of over 152,000 members and enrollees, and is the oldest and by far the larger of the organizations bearing the "Unitarian" label. The Unitarian Christian Church you're referencing is a relatively recent creation (2016). It is, so far, to the best of my knowledge, mainly internet-based and is "not affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association". Sounds like they're on similar progressive wavelengths, but the recent church is more "traditional" in being specifically Christian. "
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" Unitarian" is a well-established label going back to the sixteenth century. Basically, it means rejection of the Trinity. "Universalism", in Christian theology, has a more specific meaning than "everything". It means everybody goes to heaven--nobody to the place with the warmer climate! But you don't even have to believe in those two ideas to belong to a Unitarian Universalist church. They won't kick you out if you don't.

 

What are the "writings of the New Covenant?" Who wrote them? What we know about Jesus and His movement comes from the writings of Paul and the anonymous writers known as "Mark", "Matthew", "Luke" and "John", not to mention the various non-canonical writings. It's often said that this constitutes a "New covenant" (διαθήκη καινή). That's a theological doctrine that many believers think they can identify, although, being fallible, they might get it wrong.

Whether or not a belief or practice is part of a "New Covenant" isn't something I worry about. The notion implies there was an "Old Covenant"--with whom? Abraham? Moses? I think of that as Jewish folklore. I try, as much as possible, to be guided by the basic teachings and example of Jesus, as portrayed in the gospels, which I take to be a commitment to peace, social justice, and unconditional love for my fellow human beings, including society's rejects and least advantaged. It's certainly unlikely that anybody can live up to that perfectly, but we can try our best.

If I follow you, you seem to be saying that since there are widely divergent views among religious organizations about what views are "correct", all must be wrong. That's a non-sequitor. One might be the "right" one, and we just don't know for sure which one it is--although, like you, we tend to think it's ours. That's life. Nothing is ceertain, not even that! All we can do is place our bets (preferably educated ones) and take our chances.

 

Research into the biblical book of the prophet Jeremiah. In it is written of a New Covenant. This is solidified by the author of Luke who claims Jesus said at the last supper " This is the new covenant in my blood". Also it is claimed in the first letter to the Corinthians thought to be written by Paul.

The old covenant wasn't with Abraham nor Moses. It was Mosaic law with the Israelites which included ceremonial purification and temporary atonement.

Change religious organizations to Christian organizations. Humans from the "creation" until now and in the future cannot follow the basic principles that God set forth (if there is such an entity as God). As legend goes God told his first humans to not eat fruit from a certain tree. Well, how'd that work out? Ever since then humans have written and altered doctrines of the church to suit their own agenda, not Gods.