Re: [UUPoly-L] UUPA and independent affiliate status

["Desmond Ravenstone" <gentlemonster@lycos.com>]

   I really don't see anything wrong with that. I see nothing wrong with

   a UU congregation which is all Christian, or all Humanist, or all

   pagan, or all of anything, and that congregation acknowledging that

   that is the spirituality and theology that they share, and that

   someone who is not of that spirituality and theology would probably

   want to go to a more diverse congregation. As long as they are

   theologically universalists (that is, do not believe in hell or in any

   "elect" of believers) and are socially accepting, then there's no

   reason for them to not be UUs and be Christians who want to talk about

   Christianity.

   The problem goes way beyond just identifying as a UU Christian
   congregation. There is another Christian-identified UU church in the
   Boston area, and they are much more welcoming towards newcomers, including
   non-Christian UUs. And at least one of the people who have complained
   about this is a UU Christian. Identifying as UU Christian is one thing;
   behaving as though non-Christian UUs don't exist, or are some sort of
   embarrassment to UUism, is quite another.

   Now imagine a UU congregation where polyfolk are given similar regard --
   you can attend their services and activities, but don't bring up the fact
   that you are intimate with more than one person at a time, or that you
   accept the very idea that someone can be ethically non-monogamous. Better
   that polyfolk don't exist, or at least stay out of their comfortable
   world.

   And that can be hard when, unlike areas like Boston, that can be the only
   UU congregation in your area.

   Desmond Ravenstone

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