Today I started going to a new church, called People's Church. It is Unitarian-Universalist and is about as opposite as you can get from my old church. Walking in to it was a breath of fresh air!
My old friends are baffled and hurt by my sudden departure. Only one seemed to understand why it was I felt I had to leave. I have a feeling that if it weren't for her husband, she'd be gone too. But she is in a delicate situation with her marriage; she confided to me that her husband is emotionally abusive and after what happened a few weeks ago I suspect he may possibly be physically abusive as well--or potentially so. I never was comfortable around the man myself and after her confession even less so. Anyway about a month ago she took me into the bathroom and made her hurried confession, looking around to see that no one else was listening. That evening she was quite unlike her usual self--she was emotional, excited, talking very openly about doubts, about questioning God--the kind of things that I have questioned in this forum and saying she felt she was on the brink of a breakdown. So we all laid hands on her and prayed for her. But inside I was thinking, "Uh-oh, what have I triggered here?" The next week she was apologizing for her conduct of the previous week, saying she didn't really remember what she had said but she was sorry to have taken up our time, etc. I looked over at her husband, sitting there with his jaw clenched and his arms crossed over his chest and thought, What did you say to her? What did you do to her? She says she wants to get together with me as she has something to say to me but I do not think it wise to meet with her at her home or anyplace else he may be present. The others don't understand; one thinks I should cut Pastor some slack as after all he is inexperienced and this is his first church. No: I understood quite well what was being said.
Anyway to get back to the UU's as they like to call themselves. They trace their ancestry back to Michael Servetus who was burned at the stake by John Calvin (Pastor's hero!) because he made the mistake of telling Calvin that the doctrine of the Trinity was not Biblical. But they really got their start in the United States shortly around the time of the Revolution. It is easier to say what the UU's are not than what they are. They do not believe in formal creeds. They do not believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible or any other holy book. They feel that a person's journey to God is that person's own business to be accomplished as that person sees fit and if you are agnostic or even atheist that is just fine with the UU's as well because they are more about ethics than belief. In that they are much like Judaism. They are inclusive, diverse, they believe in building bridges rather than walls. I think I shall get along quite well with them.
Their services are quite simple. They sing songs about unity and peace (no silly stuff about God being jealous and loving like a hurricane--when I told one of the members about that they said "You must be joking!" Sadly, no.). At the beginning of the service they light a lamp they call the chalice (it's the symbol of UU). Today two young boys were selected to light the chalice and of course they had what we call in the theater "technical difficulties", it just wouldn't light no matter what. It reminded me of the draft-card burning scene in "Hair" where I had to set the draft cards on fire only to have the matches fizzle out.) Then there is a period of silence and then a place where people can come up and talk about what's on their mind. Then a sermon. This one was on the "Sacred Masculine." But here's the difference--instead of reading exclusively from the Bible and preaching from that, they use a variety of sources, songs, stories. They feel that "God" speaks through anything and everything. That's why they are considered heretics by churches like the one I just left. Everything Pastor spoke against is right here at People's! I can only imagine his reaction if he knew! Yes, I am on the road to perdition, but such delightful company!
My old friends are baffled and hurt by my sudden departure. Only one seemed to understand why it was I felt I had to leave. I have a feeling that if it weren't for her husband, she'd be gone too. But she is in a delicate situation with her marriage; she confided to me that her husband is emotionally abusive and after what happened a few weeks ago I suspect he may possibly be physically abusive as well--or potentially so. I never was comfortable around the man myself and after her confession even less so. Anyway about a month ago she took me into the bathroom and made her hurried confession, looking around to see that no one else was listening. That evening she was quite unlike her usual self--she was emotional, excited, talking very openly about doubts, about questioning God--the kind of things that I have questioned in this forum and saying she felt she was on the brink of a breakdown. So we all laid hands on her and prayed for her. But inside I was thinking, "Uh-oh, what have I triggered here?" The next week she was apologizing for her conduct of the previous week, saying she didn't really remember what she had said but she was sorry to have taken up our time, etc. I looked over at her husband, sitting there with his jaw clenched and his arms crossed over his chest and thought, What did you say to her? What did you do to her? She says she wants to get together with me as she has something to say to me but I do not think it wise to meet with her at her home or anyplace else he may be present. The others don't understand; one thinks I should cut Pastor some slack as after all he is inexperienced and this is his first church. No: I understood quite well what was being said.
Anyway to get back to the UU's as they like to call themselves. They trace their ancestry back to Michael Servetus who was burned at the stake by John Calvin (Pastor's hero!) because he made the mistake of telling Calvin that the doctrine of the Trinity was not Biblical. But they really got their start in the United States shortly around the time of the Revolution. It is easier to say what the UU's are not than what they are. They do not believe in formal creeds. They do not believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible or any other holy book. They feel that a person's journey to God is that person's own business to be accomplished as that person sees fit and if you are agnostic or even atheist that is just fine with the UU's as well because they are more about ethics than belief. In that they are much like Judaism. They are inclusive, diverse, they believe in building bridges rather than walls. I think I shall get along quite well with them.
Their services are quite simple. They sing songs about unity and peace (no silly stuff about God being jealous and loving like a hurricane--when I told one of the members about that they said "You must be joking!" Sadly, no.). At the beginning of the service they light a lamp they call the chalice (it's the symbol of UU). Today two young boys were selected to light the chalice and of course they had what we call in the theater "technical difficulties", it just wouldn't light no matter what. It reminded me of the draft-card burning scene in "Hair" where I had to set the draft cards on fire only to have the matches fizzle out.) Then there is a period of silence and then a place where people can come up and talk about what's on their mind. Then a sermon. This one was on the "Sacred Masculine." But here's the difference--instead of reading exclusively from the Bible and preaching from that, they use a variety of sources, songs, stories. They feel that "God" speaks through anything and everything. That's why they are considered heretics by churches like the one I just left. Everything Pastor spoke against is right here at People's! I can only imagine his reaction if he knew! Yes, I am on the road to perdition, but such delightful company!
