Unitarians prepare to marry gays | Boston Globe

[Ediacara]

Unitarians prepare to marry gays
Denomination set to 'make history'


The Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie greeted David Wilson, center, and his
partner Rob Compton yesterday at Arlington Street Church, where she
will join them in marriage May 17.
(Globe Staff Photo / Matthew J. Lee)

By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | May 10, 2004

At a time when many of the major religious denominations of the United States are riven by divisive debates over homosexuality, a small Boston-based denomination, the Unitarian Universalist Association, is preparing to supply ministers to officiate at large numbers of weddings of same-sex couples.

A Cambridge minister is going to City Hall as licenses are handed out to let gays and lesbians know she is ready to marry them. Three Unitarian Universalist congregations, two in Boston's Back Bay and one in Lexington, have placed ads in a gay weekly, Bay Windows, signaling their desire to perform gay weddings; one ad invites couples to "come make history."

On May 17, the day same-sex marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts, the denomination's president, the Rev. William G. Sinkford, will officiate at the wedding of Hillary and Julie Goodridge, the lead couple in the lawsuit that led to the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruling that the state cannot deny the benefits of civil marriage to same-sex couples. The Goodridge wedding is being held at the Unitarian Universalist Association's historic headquarters, 25 Beacon St., which overlooks the State House, where Governor Mitt Romney and various lawmakers have tried to block gay couples from getting

More at the Boston Globe

[xultar]

1. Kewl, so here is the irony of this thing...If Unitarians do begin to marry

Gays and Lesbians, who is the Government to say that they aren't married since under GWB Gawd is running the show.

Know what I'm saying?

Since GWB has a close relationship with Gawd and Gawd told the Unitarians who are Christians go a head marry Gay and Lesbian Christians, GWB has got to go with it because Gawd evidentially couldn't get through his thick skull and had to tell the Unitarians to do it for him.

Since GWB is letting Gawd determine foreign and domestic policy when Gawd is the witness to a marriage in a Christian church then, GWB has got to go with it.

This is going to be interesting.

[ezee]

2. Bush will just say

that he didn't get THAT message, his line must have been busy when Gawd called!

[Book Lover]

3. See, this is true freedom of religion

As even though I am an atheist, this is a good thing. Religions must be free from entanglement with the government.

[gauguin57]

4. unitarians aren't all "christians"

... just to be clear. It's more of a Higher-Power kind of church ... a church of tolerance for all belief, love of others, liberal volunteerism, humanism, etc. It's a peace-and-justice kind of church. A church of spiritual seeking. Jewish and Christian theology INFORM the church's teachings, but it's not a "Christian" church.

Most of the people i know who go to the U.U. church are atheist or agnostic, as a matter of fact. And lapsed Catholics!


From the U.U.A.'s Web site (uua.org):

"The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches "

[Book Lover]

6. Thanks for the clarification!

Can't get away from those lapsed Catholics - they make the majority in my mother's born-again church!

[displacedtexan]

5. I'm an atheist Unitarian.

While there are 'Christian Unitarians,' the UU Church isn't a Christian church.

People of all faiths and no faith congregate in the UU Church to find enlightenment and/or a spiritual path.

[Book Lover]

7. Thanks for your point

Because it is true for me (that my atheism equates with no spirituality at all), I incorrectly assumed it is true for all atheists.

[Roaming]

8. I'm interested in finding out more--one of my relatives belongs to

a UU church -- how can you be an atheist and attend a church ? Just curious.

[OKNancy]

10. I do!

My church is a little bit "churchy", but there is another in town that is much less traditional. Right here in Oklahoma... my UU is one of the largest UU churches in the country.

We are real "do-gooders". It's fun.

[LeftHander]

11. Church does not mean "God" or "Jesus"

Walk in the door of UU church (at least in my congregation)...and you will see that there are no crosses or scenes of crucifixtion (in general) unless it is an older facility adopted from another denomination. "God" and Jesus are not specifically promoted all the time...

Many of the sermons I have heard drawing from Christianity recognize a more Jeffersonian view of Jesus. A less mystical and more humanist view of the life and teachings of Jesus. Social responsibility is as important as spritual fulfillment, community service, respect and compassion are held in high regard. UU's draw from many traditions from the broad experience of human religion to come together in a single free church.

Our Sunday service experiences are varied from guest speakers on social justice, the environment to guest preachers from other faiths to pagan ceremonies, jewish and christians traditions we reamin one community of seekers. And the music...oh my that is awesome. I don't know for sure about all congregations but ours contains a large number of musicians.

For myself I was never comfortable in any church until I attended a UU service. I wish I had known about them so many years ago...

But maybe I hadn't recognized what was missing in my life until then.

Peace.

[LeftHander]

9. UUs rock!

Being a member of a UU congregation for the past 4 years has changed my life. My wife and I realized we were UU long before we became members.

UU's are a creedless faith that is guided by these principles adopted by the UUA.

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

* The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
* Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
* Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

I recommend anyone searching for a spritual community to visit a UU congregation there is probably one in your neighborhood.

Peace!

[Triana]

13. there's at least one where i live...

...they rock! they're very open to all spiritual beliefs (even pagans)...

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

12. Ive been going to a local UU church....just a bit...intimidating.

I've been to two services and also one of their Sunday "community classes". They are a very friendly group, but a bit intimidating (for me) as these are obviously smart and well-read people, and I'm pretty much an average joe.

I'm still trying to find out more about them, and will be going to some more of their "extracuricullar" (non-sermon) meetings....

[robbedvoter]

14. There's a chrurch for those catholics denied communion

I was just reading about a rep from NJ leaving the church and seeking an alternative.

[Snow]

15. Yo! UU members? Is this really the first same-sex marriage in UU-dom?

That would surprise me; I thought I'd heard of earlier marriages. If so, though, the unitarians are further behind the quakers than usual - first quaker same-sex marriage was in Seattle University Friends' Meeting, 1982. (I was there).

[Malva Zebrina]

16. I like the unitarians

several of my atheist friends attend Unitarian meetings and do enjoy it.

we are, after all, only human beings.