Freethinkers Community Group
A place for all views and opinions with unfettered expression. Just play nice!
This week's message at the Unitarian Church was "Hope Without Resurrection" on the Christian Easter Sunday. Apparently there are three or four different religions that celebrate something similar to Easter. The pastor explained that Unitarians do not believe that Jesus was anything more than a prophet (reminds me of what the Jewish faith believes?) and they do not believe in the resurrection. The wonderful sermon spoke about hope for our future through service to humankind, without the supernatural belief in resurrection. There seems to be a theme here in each of these sermons, again, humans helping humans.
The music this week was predominately old Negro spirituals and seemed appropriate. Very upbeat.
The lovely minister, Pastor Susan, greeted everyone at the door as we exited. When she saw my name tag she asked - you are Mystic from last week who asked us to hope for strength for you, because you lost your husband? I said yes, that was me. She hugged me and when she pulled back her eyes were teary. She said - I have thought about you all week and have been praying for strength for you. I was very, very touched by this.
I'm so glad I found this place.
The music this week was predominately old Negro spirituals and seemed appropriate. Very upbeat.
The lovely minister, Pastor Susan, greeted everyone at the door as we exited. When she saw my name tag she asked - you are Mystic from last week who asked us to hope for strength for you, because you lost your husband? I said yes, that was me. She hugged me and when she pulled back her eyes were teary. She said - I have thought about you all week and have been praying for strength for you. I was very, very touched by this.
I'm so glad I found this place.
WOW Mystic!!!! This is awesome. Who knew that something like this could restore our feelings about humanity. No pressure to be anything but the loving, caring soul you already are.
What a perfect message which is in align with what I believe as well......very cool.
I think you found that gentle landing place so you can rest and restore yourself.
Enjoy your new found home......you deserve it ((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))))))))
Thinking of you and sending additional good vibes and love your way!
It was very nice to talk to you last night, you are a caring and wise woman. Thank you again!
Hugs -
I don't think that it would be for me though. See I really don't think that Jesus was a prophet, nor do I believe in prophets.
I do believe in humanity, in man's goodness to man. Yes there are a few who would blow up a train station or airport, but there are so so so many more who will rush in, risk their lives, and give up so much, without even thinking about it...to help their fellow man. People who don't even stop to think about "what Jesus would do" or anything else...they just go.
Last Sunday they spoke of the beginning of this UU congregation in Phoenix. A group of folks got together to practice as Unitarians in the late-1940s and began by renting a small storefront space. Then came the McCarthy era where the talk was 'better dead than Red' and in the government, Hollywood, society in general there was a witch hunt for Communists. These Unitarians were threatened and called Communists, told they could lose their jobs, and no one would rent a space to them any more. So they had no place to gather together.
Someone donated a small piece of land, and someone else donated $1,100 and a structure was built. That was the first Unitarian Church in Phoenix. They were able to freely do what they wanted because it was on donated land.
Their mission statement says that anyone is welcome, of any faith or of no faith (agnostic or atheist). Each Sunday the children gather in the main section and a story is told, generally history-related to the time of year or subject that day. Then the children leave for Sunday school. I don't know what is taught there.
The hymns or songs are upbeat and generally talk about breaking away from oppression, human growth, kindness, joy, etc. Not too much God talk in the hymns.
UUs also believe in humanity, man's goodness to man, personal growth, and social rights. That's the main gist of what I have heard so far.
I don't know if there is a gathering of agnostics or atheists in a formal setting but if there were, I'll bet their conversation and goals might be similar.
It's a very, very interesting place...
(Only real difference that I see is that church non-profits can get away with talking about politics more than other non-profits can. But then you've got to be a bit insane to even want to think about politics at this point. I never thought that we'd hit the day when thinking back to Obama and all of the anti-Christ references would be thinking back to the days when the politicians all played "nice"...yet it seems that that's exactly what's happened. Meanwhile he got to go to church the past Easter with hardly a Muslim comment thrown at him!)
And yes, politics today have moved past insane. Seems each and every day Trump says something even more outrageous than what he said yesterday. He makes other radial politicians seem positively sane.