Humanism v. theism part 2
There’s probably only one person on my f-list who has any interest in this, but ever since this past Sunday these arguments have been rolling around in my head regarding the idea of everything being explainable by science or everything being explainable by religion/God/faith. Being a Unitarian Universalist I can fall anywhere on this spectrum and still call myself a part of my church community, but I find both uncomfortable. I’m one of those people that when I hear someone argue vigorously for one particular POV I almost automatically step into the role of “Devil’s advocate” because extreme viewpoints automatically make me defensive.
Now, I grew up having to be a fence sitter because I grew up with a foot in my mom’s family and a foot in my dad’s family, which are two extremes on the functional-family spectrum. I had to learn to live in and sympathize with both because no matter how “normal” my mom’s family is or how “fucked-up” my dad’s family is they are both still my family and an important part of who I am today and who I will be for the rest of my life. I live in a very grey area.
And so everything is grey to me - high contrasts worry me. And this Sunday was very high contrast to the humanist/atheist/everything can be explained away with science side of the spectrum. I would never call myself a Christian, but I do believe in a higher power and so I find I have hard time finding anyplace to fit in. Certain ideas in the everything can be explained with religion camp makes be bristle and the science camp is just as bad and I think both camps can make you feel about an inch tall with their “truth.”
Scientists often explain religion as simply a comfort, but isn’t there comfort in saying I can explain everything with my science too? Either way, a person is putting themselves in a position where they no longer have to ask the big, daunting questions (why are we here? How did we come to be here?) and puts themselves in a box where they don’t really have to listen to anyone else’s ideas. And personally I think both are a little counter-productive to what being a UU should really be about - asking questions; building your own theology. Unitarian Universalism is not a community of answers but one of questions and questing. This is why I’m drawn to it.
There is supposed to be a trend of younger theists coming to UU churches but I haven't found many, but the idea makes a lot of sense. I read an article at the beginning of the month written by a liberal Christian here he talked about the need for the church to move with the times in order to people into church; on how to deal with people who say they are "spiritua but not religious" and us pesky gen-Xers and milenials who have become disenchated with the churches we've other grown up in or are expose to just by being in this country. It made me think back to the article I read regarding UU churches figuring out how to deal with the aging humanist and still make a home for younger families and people coming who want more of a God-centered sprituality without the doctrine and dogma. It was very interesting because one so obviously is related to the other and if it was earlier I might have more cohesive thoughts.
But it's all very interesting to me, from a UU ministry perpective as how can we maintain a faith community that is all welcoming to such a large spectrum and not, just by accident or default, make someone feel slighted and displaced? That is a challenge I'm not sure I want or can handle. But it's fascinating to think about and either way I know I am in the right place for my personal journey, but I could see where others would be put off by they ambiguity of it all.
Not a real clean way to end this, so I'll just say I hope everyone is well and constructive conversation is welcome.
Now, I grew up having to be a fence sitter because I grew up with a foot in my mom’s family and a foot in my dad’s family, which are two extremes on the functional-family spectrum. I had to learn to live in and sympathize with both because no matter how “normal” my mom’s family is or how “fucked-up” my dad’s family is they are both still my family and an important part of who I am today and who I will be for the rest of my life. I live in a very grey area.
And so everything is grey to me - high contrasts worry me. And this Sunday was very high contrast to the humanist/atheist/everything can be explained away with science side of the spectrum. I would never call myself a Christian, but I do believe in a higher power and so I find I have hard time finding anyplace to fit in. Certain ideas in the everything can be explained with religion camp makes be bristle and the science camp is just as bad and I think both camps can make you feel about an inch tall with their “truth.”
Scientists often explain religion as simply a comfort, but isn’t there comfort in saying I can explain everything with my science too? Either way, a person is putting themselves in a position where they no longer have to ask the big, daunting questions (why are we here? How did we come to be here?) and puts themselves in a box where they don’t really have to listen to anyone else’s ideas. And personally I think both are a little counter-productive to what being a UU should really be about - asking questions; building your own theology. Unitarian Universalism is not a community of answers but one of questions and questing. This is why I’m drawn to it.
There is supposed to be a trend of younger theists coming to UU churches but I haven't found many, but the idea makes a lot of sense. I read an article at the beginning of the month written by a liberal Christian here he talked about the need for the church to move with the times in order to people into church; on how to deal with people who say they are "spiritua but not religious" and us pesky gen-Xers and milenials who have become disenchated with the churches we've other grown up in or are expose to just by being in this country. It made me think back to the article I read regarding UU churches figuring out how to deal with the aging humanist and still make a home for younger families and people coming who want more of a God-centered sprituality without the doctrine and dogma. It was very interesting because one so obviously is related to the other and if it was earlier I might have more cohesive thoughts.
But it's all very interesting to me, from a UU ministry perpective as how can we maintain a faith community that is all welcoming to such a large spectrum and not, just by accident or default, make someone feel slighted and displaced? That is a challenge I'm not sure I want or can handle. But it's fascinating to think about and either way I know I am in the right place for my personal journey, but I could see where others would be put off by they ambiguity of it all.
Not a real clean way to end this, so I'll just say I hope everyone is well and constructive conversation is welcome.