This I Believe...
A collection of views from UU church members
A collection of views from UU church members
This I Believe...
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Betsy D. - March 2009
This I Believe...
By Betsy D.
March 2009
I was raised in a protestant family – Methodist, to be exact – My parents were fairly active
in the church. I was the youngest of 7 children and my brothers and sister, who had
participated in church activities, were grown and living away from home by the time I was
a teenager.
It is interesting to note that they are all active in their respective churches although most of
them are not Methodists and none of the others are Unitarian Universalists. I think they are
all registered Republicans too, although some voted for Obama.
I remember once as a teenager, when I was walking home from school I met my Mom,
also walking home. After something I had heard at school I exclaimed to her that I couldn't
imagine being Catholic and having to eat fish each Friday, as was the church rule at that
time. My Mother very calmly said: “If you had been born a Catholic, you would eat fish on
Friday.” I realized that she was right – we all usually follow the path of least resistance and
follow the religion, or non-religion, of our parents.
As a child and as a teenager, there were definitely times in my life when I prayed to God to
change the natural order of the universe. Many of you have heard the story about when
curiosity caused me to get into a great deal of trouble in a big hotel. I distinctly remember
holding on to a Bible and asking God “to make it 5 minutes ago.” At times I also tried to
bargain with God. I would vow to “be good” if he (never she at that time) would take
temptation away. I always ended up on the losing end.
I was not introduced to Unitarianism until I was a sophomore in college. My mother came
to visit me at college for Mothers' weekend the spring after I had discovered Unitarianism.
I couldn't wait to take her to a church service. The minister that Sunday preached basically
about other protestant churches “talking the talk but not walking the walk.” He expressed
his feeling that they did not do enough social action to carry out the will of Jesus. With my
Mother sitting next to me, I was a bit embarrassed. Afterwards I remember my Mom
telling me that she thought he was too hard on the other churches. That there were a great
many good things being accomplished by them.
Some months later I married Pete – in that same Unitarian Universalist Church. Our
parents and some siblings were present at the small ceremony. One of my aunts had
written to my father that it was “as bad as getting married in a Jewish synagogue”. I
remember wondering at the time “What would be wrong with that?”.
This all occurred in the mid-1950s when racial tensions were high. People on campus
were breaking away from fraternal organizations because black people were not admitted.
The seeds for social action and Democratic treatment were sown deeply in my mind at that
time.
So, there I was a young adult, introduced to a religion which places more emphasis on
service than on ritual. I was hooked. From then on I have called myself an “agnostic
humanist”. I don't have enough faith to say there IS a god, nor do I have enough faith to
say there IS NO god. I waffle, although I have completely given up on the idea of a
“personal” God.
I do believe in humankind and our ability to better ourselves and to help each other. This
means that being a UU allows me to practice my religion 24/7.
I don't worry about life after death. In fact as a youngster I was terrified of the thought of
living forever and ever. The Christian concept of a personal god in heaven and a devil in
hell seems nonsensical to me. THIS is the life about which I'm concerned. It is the life I
wish to improve. If I live a good life, it is NOT because I fear punishment in an after life.
It is because I want to live in a place where everyone tries to get along with other people
and there is peace and beauty. I believe one lives after death in the memories of the people
whose lives she or he has touched.
Nevertheless I have a need for a church. Religion and Sunday services were a part of my
childhood and I still believe in their importance – at least to me. I feel more comfortable
with my week if I attend a Sunday service, thus I am inclined to attend one, even when I
am out of town. I gather strength just from singing the one line in Spirit of Life: “Roots
hold me close; wings set me free.”. It's what this church does for me.
Am I a Christian? I would not identify myself that way – even though I follow the
principles of Jesus as I understand them. But that is not important to me – anymore than
life after death is. So how do I carry my belief into action? I attend, and try to support, all
services and activities in our church, to the best of my ability, because I feel that this
church is closer to the truth as I see it, than any other. I am not shy about telling people I
am a Unitarian-Universalist. I am also active in many non-profit, social action agencies,
trying to put my religious beliefs into effect.
I came from a big family and I consider this congregation to be my extended family. It is
important to me to be proud of organizations and agencies with which I'm associated. And
I'm proud of all of you!
By Betsy D.
March 2009
I was raised in a protestant family – Methodist, to be exact – My parents were fairly active
in the church. I was the youngest of 7 children and my brothers and sister, who had
participated in church activities, were grown and living away from home by the time I was
a teenager.
It is interesting to note that they are all active in their respective churches although most of
them are not Methodists and none of the others are Unitarian Universalists. I think they are
all registered Republicans too, although some voted for Obama.
I remember once as a teenager, when I was walking home from school I met my Mom,
also walking home. After something I had heard at school I exclaimed to her that I couldn't
imagine being Catholic and having to eat fish each Friday, as was the church rule at that
time. My Mother very calmly said: “If you had been born a Catholic, you would eat fish on
Friday.” I realized that she was right – we all usually follow the path of least resistance and
follow the religion, or non-religion, of our parents.
As a child and as a teenager, there were definitely times in my life when I prayed to God to
change the natural order of the universe. Many of you have heard the story about when
curiosity caused me to get into a great deal of trouble in a big hotel. I distinctly remember
holding on to a Bible and asking God “to make it 5 minutes ago.” At times I also tried to
bargain with God. I would vow to “be good” if he (never she at that time) would take
temptation away. I always ended up on the losing end.
I was not introduced to Unitarianism until I was a sophomore in college. My mother came
to visit me at college for Mothers' weekend the spring after I had discovered Unitarianism.
I couldn't wait to take her to a church service. The minister that Sunday preached basically
about other protestant churches “talking the talk but not walking the walk.” He expressed
his feeling that they did not do enough social action to carry out the will of Jesus. With my
Mother sitting next to me, I was a bit embarrassed. Afterwards I remember my Mom
telling me that she thought he was too hard on the other churches. That there were a great
many good things being accomplished by them.
Some months later I married Pete – in that same Unitarian Universalist Church. Our
parents and some siblings were present at the small ceremony. One of my aunts had
written to my father that it was “as bad as getting married in a Jewish synagogue”. I
remember wondering at the time “What would be wrong with that?”.
This all occurred in the mid-1950s when racial tensions were high. People on campus
were breaking away from fraternal organizations because black people were not admitted.
The seeds for social action and Democratic treatment were sown deeply in my mind at that
time.
So, there I was a young adult, introduced to a religion which places more emphasis on
service than on ritual. I was hooked. From then on I have called myself an “agnostic
humanist”. I don't have enough faith to say there IS a god, nor do I have enough faith to
say there IS NO god. I waffle, although I have completely given up on the idea of a
“personal” God.
I do believe in humankind and our ability to better ourselves and to help each other. This
means that being a UU allows me to practice my religion 24/7.
I don't worry about life after death. In fact as a youngster I was terrified of the thought of
living forever and ever. The Christian concept of a personal god in heaven and a devil in
hell seems nonsensical to me. THIS is the life about which I'm concerned. It is the life I
wish to improve. If I live a good life, it is NOT because I fear punishment in an after life.
It is because I want to live in a place where everyone tries to get along with other people
and there is peace and beauty. I believe one lives after death in the memories of the people
whose lives she or he has touched.
Nevertheless I have a need for a church. Religion and Sunday services were a part of my
childhood and I still believe in their importance – at least to me. I feel more comfortable
with my week if I attend a Sunday service, thus I am inclined to attend one, even when I
am out of town. I gather strength just from singing the one line in Spirit of Life: “Roots
hold me close; wings set me free.”. It's what this church does for me.
Am I a Christian? I would not identify myself that way – even though I follow the
principles of Jesus as I understand them. But that is not important to me – anymore than
life after death is. So how do I carry my belief into action? I attend, and try to support, all
services and activities in our church, to the best of my ability, because I feel that this
church is closer to the truth as I see it, than any other. I am not shy about telling people I
am a Unitarian-Universalist. I am also active in many non-profit, social action agencies,
trying to put my religious beliefs into effect.
I came from a big family and I consider this congregation to be my extended family. It is
important to me to be proud of organizations and agencies with which I'm associated. And
I'm proud of all of you!
