TJHairball said:
What, can't take a little expression of doubt? The suggestion that you may have been exaggerating a bit, albeit not necessarily intentionally, when you claimed to know thousands?
Review. You and I have been disagreeing somewhat over UUs, both in what UUs believe and how they interact with other denominations. I make a claim to greater expertise, based on a vast familiarity with thousands of UUs from a variety of places and a variety of churches, along with their interactions with the rest of the community and people from other denominations. You return to say that you believe firmly that you are as much of an expert as I am; I express polite but firm doubt, suggesting that officiating now and then at the local UU church may not develop the same broad expertise that I have, both on UUs and on their interactions with members of other denominations and/or faiths.
In a word, you're throwing a hissy fit over this point of contention now, instead of discussing the matter further until we either agree to disagree or take another's "expert" opinion under consideration.
I never was commenting on how UU's interact. I know for a fact that UU's tend to be open minded and accepting...as a rule. I was commenting on how other denominations view them. I'm not throwing a hissy fit, I'm just stating outright that you don't know what you're talking about when you try selling the idea that "Christians" have more than a tolerant regard for UU's.
The unwritten doctrine of "we're right, you're wrong" is intrinisic to most Christian denominations. This principle is practiced interdenominationally with other Christians, and applies even moreso to any who are not Christians. UU's open their doors to pagans and buddhists, for example, and those individuals are welcomed as part of the congregation. In most Christian churches, pagans and buddhists may be allowed into the building, and may be welcome to stay for the sermon or homily, but they are, most decidedly
not welcome as part of the congregation, part of the church family. They are not welcome to participate in the ritual (for instance, pagans or buddhists are not welcome to take the sacrament of communion, nor would congregation leader, priest or minister allow them to be married according denominational tradition). If they accept the tenets of Christianity officially, renouncing their previous beliefs, they will then, generally conditionally, be welcome.
You're simply kidding yourself if you believe that Christians embrace the Unitarian Universalists as anything but a cult. Oh, they may be worthy of prayers for salvation, but so far as dogma is concerned, they're beating a path to hell, or are, at the very least, going to need a generous portion of mercy for following an errant belief structure when they go to get their rewards. That is the Christian company line, and those who don't tow it fall out of favor.
As for your aspersions about my experience: I've had either a direct or peripheral association with the UU church, as well as a number of others for the last 25 years. I'm not a believer, but I have found to my involvements with religion to be quite educational.
