Religion: Universalism

“All rivers lead to the same ocean.”

If you approached me with religion conversion in mind, you might be in for a pretty feisty debate. I always welcome passionate discussions to expand the mind.

I was only recently that I found a name to a religion nearest to my belief. Before last week, I never knew that there is an actual religious term catering to that very belief – “All rivers lead to the same ocean” as “Unitarian Universalism”, otherwise known as “UUism”.

I was tickled by an online test

My Favourite Question:

30.	A religion could encourage its members to find their own spiritual truths while unifying around the basic values held by all religions.
	# Yes, I like the idea of an open-structured religious organization
	# No, all of the members should all believe basically the same thing about God

My Answer: Yes

And the result – I am a Unitarian Universalist.*

“Many UUs appreciate and value aspects of Islamic, Christian and Jewish spirituality, but the extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are incorporated into one's personal spiritual practices is a matter of personal choice in keeping with UU's creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith development.”

“Unitarian Universalists encourage individual exploration of many different spiritual truths. They also tend to be politically liberal. It seems that you also see the importance of being open-minded and curious.”

Imagine a world with everyone believing in liberal religion and politics. No more tussles and heated debates on a fixed standpoint. No more pride and ego on who is right and who stands corrected. No more wars? Utopia?

Unfortunately though, this is the statistics of the test results they shared – Unitarian Universalism in US Adult Population: 0.30%

Isn’t it a wonder the world is in such chaos. There are only 0.30% broad minded folk who understand, appreciate and celebrate our differences.

That leaves a whopping 99 over percent of us who tussle over the “I’m greater then thou” concept thinking that everyone needs to be enlightened to “the right path”. Imagine a world spending weeks praying or meditating to different elements, and each believing that their element is the only right method of practicing religion and life. All others are just struggling to find the right path. Everyone else is doomed!!

What a way to live.

Thinking you are ‘holier then thou’ and more ‘enlightened then the next person’. That everyone else is lost except those which follow the path YOU have found.

Yes, all well and good.

Christians, practice and preach their faith. Buddhists, pursues enlightenment. Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Neo-Pagans, Spiritual-ites, Native Americans, Bahais resonate with their own personal religious beliefs too. Leaving the 0.30% UU-ites to spend time chatting and debating over all religions in an attempt to understand the pros and cons on what is being existing-ly practiced and what other else is possible. It fills some of our weekend thoughts and conversations.

By the way, now that I’ve been awakened to such a group of intellects, I would really like to meet more Unitarian Universalists. If you are one (or if you don’t know, don’t mind taking the test on the link below, and find yourself labelled to have an open mind) please do give me a tinkle anytime.

To all my other diversely divisional friends out there, do hope to meet one day to broaden our horizons on life and religion. Please do feel free to put me in my place if you deem I am out of it.

It’s never too late to start expanding our heads. And our heads can never seem to expand enough.

There is way more room to breathe in the broader side of life.

No limitations, no boundaries, no lists of do’s and don’ts or rights and wrongs.

Nothing carved in books or bricks.

Just open skies, good intentions and loads of fun exploring!

* Source: http://web.tickle.com/tests/religion/result.jsp?PREMIUM=Y&test=religionogt

The chart below shows the estimated numbers and percentages of Americans that identify as believers in each of the top 10 American religions.

After selecting the religions, our experts researched each one intensively, drawing distinctions between them and taking note of similarities. A preliminary survey of 3,000 persons with varying religious identities revealed the questions that helped us identify your religious compatibility.

Trina, your belief system is best suited to religions that value open mindedness

How do we know? While you were taking this test, we compared your religious beliefs against 10 of the world's most common religions. Your score shows that you share core beliefs with religions that encourage you to find your own spiritual path.

You are attracted to a religion that tolerates mixed beliefs about the existence of God and upholds the idea that there is something to be learned from every religion. You are open to a wide variety of religious and spiritual ideas. You are attracted to spiritual groups that are composed of typically open-minded and intellectual people who actively engage in individual exploration of many different spiritual truths.

Your belief system is 85% compatible with Unitarian Universalist religious beliefs.

But did you know that even though Unitarian Universalists have mixed beliefs about the existence of God, they tend to share the belief that there is something to be learned from every world religion? It appears that you are also open to a wide variety of religious and spiritual ideas. By accepting differences between individual spiritual beliefs, Unitarian Universalists come together under a few broad and inclusive moral ideologies. They pass their beliefs from generation to generation through their church's literature and their teachings, both of which draw on many of the major spiritual texts from a variety of religions. Typically open-minded and intellectual, Unitarian Universalists encourage individual exploration of many different spiritual truths. They also tend to be politically liberal. It seems that you also see the importance of being open-minded and curious.