<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">They don’t know either.<div><br></div><div>As a Church they used to have a well defined set of beliefs:</div><div><br></div><div>Unitarian: God is one, not made of 3 persons. That is, they did not believe in the trinity.</div><div><br></div><div>Universalist: That ultimately, all people will be “saved”. </div><div><br></div><div>Now the church is an odd vestage without and real beliefs beyond “<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">free and responsible search for truth and <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life" title="Meaning of life" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none; text-decoration: none;">meaning</a>” </span></div><div><br></div><div>For an overview of the “six sources and seven principles”:</div><div><br></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:</em></p><ul style="box-sizing: border-box;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The inherent worth and dignity of every person;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.</span></li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:</em></p><ul style="box-sizing: border-box;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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;</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0.75em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.</span></p><br><div dir="ltr">SR Ballard</div><div dir="ltr"><br>On Aug 3, 2020, at 10:32 AM, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Aug 3, 2020 at 9:17 AM Dave Sill via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Unitarian Universalists accept atheists.</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Or anybody, huh? I went once and could not figure out what they believed, if anything. bill w</div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Aug 2, 2020, 11:13 AM spike jones via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org</a>> On Behalf Of Ben<br>
Zaiboc via extropy-chat<br>
Subject: Re: [ExI] Meaning in life (Was: Who has a vote that counts?)<br>
<br>
On 01/08/2020 07:52, Someone, not clear who, wrote:<br>
>> Decline of religiousity means decreased social networks and lack of <br>
> meaning in life<br>
<br>
I find that at least misguided, if not obnoxious. It's the sort of thing I'd<br>
expect a religious apologist to say, not someone on this list.<br>
<br>
You can possibly argue about the social networks aspect, and at least that<br>
is quantifiable, but the remark about meaning in life is totally<br>
unacceptable. It's another form of the specious 'Atheists must be very sad<br>
people' meme that the god-squad keep trotting out.<br>
<br>
--<br>
Ben Zaiboc<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
Ben what atheists really need is something to replace what churches once<br>
provided back in the days when most people went to one. Bars and nightclubs<br>
kinda sorta do that for some people I suppose but it doesn't work well for<br>
those of us who don't do chemicals of any kind and aren't big sports people.<br>
<br>
<br>
We have a local chapter of Boring People, but I was thrown out for being<br>
interesting. The interesting people won't have me because I am too boring.<br>
There is no place for those who are exactly between interesting and boring.<br>
Now I have no social contacts.<br>
<br>
We atheists should be ready to admit the obvious: Religion Inc. does offer<br>
some social benefits which are hard to replace.<br>
<br>
spike <br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div>
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