"Your emphasis on an invisible god turns off atheists like me."
I wrote to the new minister of Cascade Unitarian Universalism Fellowship:
I joined Cascade Unitarian and Universalist Fellowship because I thought it was inclusive for atheists and agnostics.
I love the fellowship. These are my people. At my request, the last temporary minister took the word "God" out of the hymn lyrics projected on the screen. Instead "higher power" and "nature" were used. Wonderful.
Your god-emphasis preaching and hymns turn me off tremendously. ("God is watching you" was the repeated refrain.) I am not alone. Today a member called to ask me to volunteer at the fund-raising jewelry sale. I said yes. She said she is also an atheist and was turned off by your god-focused speeches and songs. "A lot of people feel the same way," she said.
Please include atheists and agnostics. Stop forcing your god down our throats.
He replied:
Thank you for writing and sharing your frustration with my words and song lyrics I have included.
I would love to talk with you about this any time. Let me know if I can visit you or we can meet somewhere and talk about how better to include atheist views in our services. My goal is to include everyone, atheists, agnostics, humanistic theists and others, so that each feels heard and understood. Often it helps if you know that I know you as a person.
My reply:
I suggest you ask the congregation. I cannot speak for other members. I am not a minister.
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.No church will ever be as rational as you are seeking. Are there any FFRF gatherings out your way? I know it's a longshot, but they don't have God baked into anything they do. An Ethical Society offshoot might be worth a look. It will be a search out there on the frontier!
alliwant
Level 7
Oct 2, 2023
1
What does FFRF stand for?
@LiterateHiker Freedom From Religion Foundation. Headquartered in Madison, WI and quite active online.
I know nothing about the Unitarian church so I looked online and the first stated belief is that god is a single entity and not a trinity. so I am baffled as to why an atheist would have anything to do with a group of god botherers.
I willingly enter a church for weddings and funerals and just ignore the religious mumbo jumbo , otherwise I would never go near a church, Unitarian or any other
Moravian
Level 8
Sep 30, 2023
1
At age 69, I felt lonely. Older female hiking partners and friends moved away to be close to their children and grandchildren. Many also moved due to dementia, cancer or other health problems.
I want to find new friends and hiking partners.
@LiterateHiker Oh, you will!
My daughter is terrified of steep dropoffs. Another woman refuses to hike (snowshoe) in winter.
I am considering going on Silver Singles again to try to find a hiking partner. Last time I quit after three weeks in disgust. As my mother said, "Older men want a nurse or a purse."
@LiterateHiker Well you are a mere youngster compared to me but I take your point.
When I moved to live in the highlands about 7 years agoI joined the local ramblers group and about half of the members I met then have either died or are now too unfit to come out on walks.
I really enjoyed seeing seeing the photos taken on your hikes and hearing about your exploits in what is beautiful countryside and hope to see many more.
@LiterateHiker I'd hike with you. Except, 3000 miles, you know.
This is one time you missed the boat. You are part of the congregation, you speak for you. Unless you speak up and let him know what you expect, he will not know. Others need to do the same. Sometimes it works to get several small groups together for coffee and cookies to openly state what you expect, freely expressing what you want. The minister can then take all of that into account and tailor their meeting experience to the groups needs.
glennlab
Level 10
Sep 30, 2023
3
I did speak up via email to tell him how I feel. I did not "miss the boat." I couldn't call him.
It's not my job to teach the new minister how to reach every person. It’s going to be a challenge for him to pacify elements of the congregation.
@LiterateHiker What I was trying to say, was that from my experience both as clergy and administration, he presented you the opportunity to tell him how you felt and you didn't take it. Writing and reading for some people is their better form of communication, while others communicate better verbally, he may well be one of the latter.
In the Unitarian Church the only person that speaks for the congregation is the president, everyone else only speaks for themselves and the ministers should understand that. It should be your job to tell the minister how to best reach you.
I emailed to him my phone number and email address.
@LiterateHiker you did your part, the ball's in his court.
I have to admit I am not quite sure what the purpose of such an organization would be. Religious beliefs of some kind seem to be part of the foundation. "Liberal Religion in the Wenatchee Valley". Let us know how it develops. A very interesting circumstance.
Switchcraft
Level 7
Sep 30, 2023
2
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