Upchurch
Papa Funkosophy
I've been a Unitarian for just about three years now. In that time, I have defended them a lot on this board that they're not all the crazy woo-woo people that is the stereotype. And I stand by that, they are not all the crazy woo-woo people.
But, this last week, I attended the UUA's General Assembly and I have a much better idea where the stereotype comes from. Outside of the official UUA business, there was an exhibition hall and a variety of talks/classes/lectures. I'd say roughly half of exhibits and talks were of a far-out-wooish nature. The other half of the exhibits were of a social justice/political activism nature. The other half of the talks were more pedestrian things like building management, congregational growth and, what I found very interesting, were discussions that focused on the religious right's dominance in the perception of religion in America.
The argument was that the perception of religion in America is based almost entirely on a small, but highly organized and vocal, religiously fundamentalist fringe. This is why, the argument goes, that news sources turn to people like Pat Buchanan and Jerry Falwell as religious authorities even though they are not representative of the majority of America's religious communities. This is also why issues like a pro-separation of church and state stance are seen as secular despite the fact that quite a few religious leaders support and lobby for them.
I have no idea what the actual statistical break down of US religions are in terms of left, right, and center. I would like to believe that the majority of Americans are not fundamentalist nut cases and that the above argument has some validity.
Having said all that, I will grant you that there were definitely some religious nut cases on the left side as well. I helped work tech on a plenary session where they argued for an hour whether or not their conscience statement should state, in effect, that we think that global warming is bad, very bad, or very very very very bad.
But the majority of the ministers I met seemed to have a level head on their shoulders.
But, this last week, I attended the UUA's General Assembly and I have a much better idea where the stereotype comes from. Outside of the official UUA business, there was an exhibition hall and a variety of talks/classes/lectures. I'd say roughly half of exhibits and talks were of a far-out-wooish nature. The other half of the exhibits were of a social justice/political activism nature. The other half of the talks were more pedestrian things like building management, congregational growth and, what I found very interesting, were discussions that focused on the religious right's dominance in the perception of religion in America.
The argument was that the perception of religion in America is based almost entirely on a small, but highly organized and vocal, religiously fundamentalist fringe. This is why, the argument goes, that news sources turn to people like Pat Buchanan and Jerry Falwell as religious authorities even though they are not representative of the majority of America's religious communities. This is also why issues like a pro-separation of church and state stance are seen as secular despite the fact that quite a few religious leaders support and lobby for them.
I have no idea what the actual statistical break down of US religions are in terms of left, right, and center. I would like to believe that the majority of Americans are not fundamentalist nut cases and that the above argument has some validity.
Having said all that, I will grant you that there were definitely some religious nut cases on the left side as well. I helped work tech on a plenary session where they argued for an hour whether or not their conscience statement should state, in effect, that we think that global warming is bad, very bad, or very very very very bad.
But the majority of the ministers I met seemed to have a level head on their shoulders.
