I have grown up in a UU church and I sometimes take it for granted how fortunate I am to have had such a positive and supportive influence on my life. I love this video because it truly reminds me how positive discovering a community that is so supportive and easy to connect to can effect ones life. This video reminds me to self reflect and appreciate what I have. Thank you
The testimony was quite inspiring. I'm glad that there are still open hearts and counsciences to aknowledge reality and truth concerning Love. There's hope for blindness. Bless you all on your path.
Thank you all for watching this video. In the UU spiritual practice, there is no dogma or "belief" to which one must adhere. My congregation is 50 % humanist/aetheist. The other members are a variety of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Pagan Buddhist, and so on. Here are the 7 principles of Unitarian Universalism. 1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person Unitarian Universalism is a high humanist system of thought, emphasizing the inherent worth of all people rather than any inherent flaws in humanity. 2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations While UUs do not have a specific list of laws of behavior and are encouraged to personally consider the nature of ethical choices, they do agree that ethical behavior should include notions of justice, equity and compassion. 3.Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth UUs are very non-judgmental. A UU gathering might easily include atheists, monotheists and polytheists, and this diversity is to be tolerated and encouraged. Spirituality is a highly complex and subjective topic to UUs, which can lead to multiple conclusions. UUs are also encouraged to learn from this diversity as they develop their own personal ideas of spirituality. 4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning UUs focus on their own personal spiritual development and understanding rather than being concerned about everyone reaching a consensus. Every person has the right to their own spiritual seeking. 5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process UUs egalitarian outlook lends itself to the promotion of democratic organization. As a second ethical statement, UU also endorses action based upon one's own conscience. 6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all The notion of inherent human worth lends itself to an emphasis on the world community and the allowance of basic rights for all members. 7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part UU acknowledges that reality consists of a complex and interconnected web of relationships. Actions taken seemingly in isolation can still have far-reaching effects, and responsible behavior includes being mindful of these potential consequences.
@@Michael-dj1zt - "christians" sit in the pews of all UU congregations. Our historical roots are in Christianity. You will often hear a story from the Old and the New Testament. Jesus is thought of by some as the son of God and by all as a very important teacher.
@@DrDoerk it's just not Christianity in the traditional sense. From my understanding it's a spiritual community that uses the western judeo Christian cultural ethic and borrows from Anglicanism for ceremony, then adds in ideas of spirituality from Eastern religion and spiritual traditions, takes none of these things literally, or as official doctrine but offers them for each individuals personal betterment and spiritual fulfilment. Personally I both get it and don't, as I grew up in a liberal jewish context which is in many ways similar to this,and in other ways, probably more like the traditional Christianity or other religion you may have grown up with. That is, like many reformed /secular Jews the spiritual context or substance of the practice was not in any way constant of literal belief, but in the act of carrying out culturally meaningful and family oriented traditions that had been passed down the generations. This is of course different than many religions that are strictly theistic and are focused on literal belief, such as commonly found in mainstream Christianity and islam, as well as many others. But this is not the only fundamental attribute of what makes a religion or spiritual practice. Examples outside of the judeo Christian context would be shentoism in Japan or Sikhism, many others as well though. Where I would not myself be interested in practicing universal unitarianism however is in its lack of foundation or tradition as a sort of identity onto itself. I just think that in the absence of any focus on literal spiritual truth or religious knowledge, that there has to be a orientation towards tradition, cultural history, or ceremonial practice. In the absence of these things, and with the seeming aim as to keep any of these things from coalescing moving forward, I personally wouldn't find much in such a community. That said, I do understand the aims, and believe spirituality can be achieved without belief. The question of belief and the truth of spiritual realities, at least for myself, is a separate question, likely one we'd disagree on, but just wrote this in the hope I might be able to convey something lost in translation. My apologies if it makes little sense or rambled. All the best
Ironic, Judaism that Christianity began with ALSO believes ppl don't suffer for eternity and get destroyed. "Hell" is a reforming process that purifies, not destroys or punishes. So like UU is closer to THEIR origins in that regard... Live a good life, be loving and tolerant, and in the end we're preserved by the Divine. What a shock...
Thank you, Clark. Like you, I was very moved by Tandi Rogers' approach to finding common ground and showing respect for people regardless of differences in beliefs. "Love is all you need." Well, almost.
What a kindly spoken message. I would be a hypocrite if I did not show respect for the Unitarian Universalist view for who scoffed at the notion of Jesus’ divinity more than I once did, though I have always liked the humanitarian message of His peace and love. There is one thing (of utmost importance) that was not included in this message however. She said she accepts Jesus as a Rabi (Jewish teacher) but not as The Son of God (God incarnate). In the Gospels Jesus claimed to be able to forgive man of sin. In Jewish tradition only God can do that and Jesus was a Jew. This is why He was charged with blasphemy, convicted, sentenced to death, and crucified by Rome on behalf of the Pharisee. This is supported by both the Gospels and secular historic accounts outside of the Gospels. Make no mistake that Jesus Christ claimed to be God. Of course just because He claimed this does not make it so. It does however bring upon a trilemma that each and everyone of us must work out for ourselves. “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - a liar, or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman, a liar, or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a liar or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.” - C.S. Lewis
What a marvelous and powerful talk. I was born into a Universalist church and was part of the coming together of Universalists and and Unitarians which resulted in the UUA. I wish this video had some statement as to the context of this talk: where, when and what the occasion was. Knowing that would not make it more or less powerful, but, as you know, we UU's always want to know more. I would love to meet and talk with Rev. Rogers.
Hi Gary, This video was part of a ceremony in West Vancouver, BC, Canada installing Samaya Oakley as a UU minister in 2016. Rev. Tandi gave me permission to post her talk. Thank you for helping to join the Universalists and Unitarians together. Finding the UUs in my early 30s in Berkeley, CA, was a life changing experience.
Has this talk been transcribed to text? If it is, is there permission to distribute the text? And, may I have permission to translate it into Portuguese (in which I am fluent, and working on spreading UUism in Brasil.)
Hi Marian, Rev. Tandi Rogers and Rev. Stephen Atkinson, have both said that they like the idea of you translating the speech into Portuguese. Thanks for asking. Here is the text. "I used to serve the Pacific NW District as the Program Specialist. I now serve our wider Unitarian Universalist Association as the Growth Strategist. I am paid to evangelize, grow current congregations and plant new congregations. I’ve been lurking on internet sites of fundamental evangelists, because quite frankly, they have systems for planting new congregations. I mean, they’ve got systems! They have trainings and boot camps and conferences and coaches just for planting. I have a hot case of holy envy. I was contemplating attending one of these conferences as an add-on in a city I was already working in on behalf of our Association. Well, going to the conference didn’t work out. But guess who my seat-mates were on the plane back to Seatac? That’s right two fundamental, evangelical men who had been to this church planting conference! I strained my ears to hear what they were saying. The older man seemed to be the one in charge. The one closer to my age deferred to him. The older one quoted scripture every other sentence and talked a lot about saving people. They’re whole mission is about converting people to Christianity so they may be saved and get into heaven. And they seem to be very good at planting congregations. I slyly got a pen out of my bag and started writing madly all over the Star magazine I was reading. · Concern with personalities determining prophecy. · Worry that the self-imposed isolation of certain planters was a sign of future problems. · A rapid saturation of a certain city seemed to be gathered because of charisma and eloquence of a leader, but if that leader didn’t train other disciples to also lead, it wasn’t going to be sustainable. · The cheapest place to hold a conference is Las Vegas, which can be a hard sell to donors. · There was also gossip about other planters, which shocked me, but I didn’t write that down. I’m madly scribbling down everything I can until I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to jump in, interrupt with my myriad of questions I had for them. For a split second a voice in my head warned me, “stop… foreign land.. don’t go there… possibilities for hostility… what are you going to do once they find out your Unitarian Universalism?” But that didn’t stop me… “I couldn’t help but overhearing. Do you plant congregations? Did you just go to the church planting conference? I wanted to go so badly, but had other work to do. I plant congregations for my denomination. I’d love to hear more about what you learned.” The older man said, “we’re non-denominational.” The younger man, “Which denomination are you?” Me, “Unitarian Universalist.” The younger man looked blankly. The older man grinned like he had something on me. My heart fluttered a bit. “Jason, you never heard of the Unitarian Universalists? They’re the ones with all the ethics and none of the doctrine. They do good without believing in hell.” My breathing stopped. That’s NOT where I thought the conversation was going. Jason looked at me with the fascination as if he’d just discovered I was a unicorn. “You don’t believe in hell?!” The older man smiled to himself as he put his headphones over his ears and settled in for the rest of the flight. I shook my head and before I could get a word out he asked if I believed in Jesus. “Jesus the Christ or Jesus the radical, fierce loving rabbi? I love Jesus the Rabbi and consider him one of my greatest teachers. But I don't have any belief or use for the Christ part. No offense. I’m glad it works for you! I just want everyone to find his or her or zer own way that amplifies love and brings out his, her, or zer authentic self. Does that make sense?” He’s still looking at me like I'm a unicorn. “But how do you reconcile John 14: 6? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” I lit up. I know this chapter and love it. In my seminary at Seattle University (Jesuit) I spent a lot of time meditating on it with my Christian cousins in faith. I said, “I can reconcile it by the four verses prior to that. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. Many Mansions for so many expressions of the Spirit of Life and Yahweh and Allah and Ultimate Source and Most Awesome Goodness and Fierce Love and Holy Yes! I went on with Jason, “Let me explain Unitarian Universalism in comparison to what I think your understanding and living of Christianity is. Do you believe we are born sinners? And if you take Jesus Christ as your Savior then you are saved and when you die you are going to live an everlasting life with him in heaven. Okay, my faith tradition comes out of Judaism and Christianity - you and I share the same roots. Unitarian Universalists believe that we are born from Goodness, a Fierce Love that would blow our minds it’s so beyond our comprehension, and when die we go back to that Ultimate Source of Goodness and Love-love-love. But that’s all out of our control. It’s already a done deal. And our current brains and scientific tools can’t even comprehend it. It just is whatever it is. So we don’t spend much time arguing about it. The important part is the in-between, is the doing. Our job as children of God is to remember as best we can, that mind-blowing fierce love goodness and build it here are earth. We work to eradicate all barriers to love and authentic self. We believe that what we DO, not so much what we believe, matters. Don't get me wrong, beliefs matter! But what we believe is only important in the way that it helps us Do better and love each better. We stared into each other’s eyes for a long time. I had a melting experience. I broke the silence by asking him his Conversion Story. Everyone has a story of some epiphany or a-ha or conversion of some sort. I have one. These fascinate me. Glimpses of Holy Yes! And the Spirit of Life. Over the course of about an hour (we had lots of time) Jason told me his tale of parents who weren’t enough, his own drug abuse and domestic violence and giving up and then someone invited him to church. The church’s very clear doctrine held his despair and gave him direction and hope. His was a moving and beautiful story. We each had tears in our eyes at various times throughout his telling. He asked if Unitarian Universalists believe in conversion. Some. I’m one. I was converted. As a bisexual I felt early on that my sexuality was very tied to God, but that’s not what my church of origin was teaching. Quite the opposite. And the Unitarian Universalists took all of me, and sees me as whole (even in my brokenness), as holy (even at my base self) and precious (even when I feel unlovable.) Jason nodded. Teary eyes again. Mutual understanding of the possibilities and blessing of religious communities. I asked, now secure in our bonding, if his church spoke out against homosexuality. He paused. I could read an unresolvedness in slow nod. And I took a leap of faith. I honestly don’t understood that. Remember in Matthew where the Pharisees ask Jesus, 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” That right there is what Unitarian Universalists Do. We may not all profess to believe in those words. But that’s what we do. What we do Matters! Jason said that I was probably right. It really only comes down to that. Love. He asked me if I was a minister, and I nodded and then noticed he was now staring at my Star Magazine. Yes, an obvious incongruence by most standards. I blushed and explained that I like to keep up on pop culture and that I also pray down the magazine, like I regularly pray down the newspaper, and I pray down the congregations in our Association. Jason wanted to pray with me right there on the spot. Yes, I lead a prayer for Miley Cyrus. I lead a prayer for a pop culture character with a tongue that needs an exorcism at 10, 000 miles above the earth holding hands with someone I would usually think hates me and what I stand for. Except for that day. As we were deboarding the plane, I overheard the older man ask Jason if he saved me. Jason said, “Nah, she was already saved.”
I have been a UU for 45 years. The very core of being a UU is "The free and responsible search for truth and meaning". I am a UU humanist and there are lots of us. I don't know where you got ".. we are born from goodness... and when we die we go back to love...", or "We are children of god " or that "Love god with all your might" is somehow a UU foundational command? Is there a UU equivalent of the Apostles Creed that I don't know about? What you told the younger man on the plane were your personal beliefs about the nature of reality and you should not have represented them as UU dogma. Bill MacTiernan
The main difference between Uuism and basically any other religion is that kfor examplel, the fundies actuall have beliefs. Their various practices stem kat least in partl, from those beliefs. Uuism, by contrast, makes few to no truth-claims about the world, and thus, offers no central "problem" to which they are the "one true" solution.
Also, more from the Holy Bible: 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ. and Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. If one claims to be a Christian, they must understand these verses and realize that Jesus is the ONLY way to God.
“Many ,”doesn’t mean as many as we might think. Though I will admit, as a Christian, i’m sure I will be pleasantly surprised by who is there in heaven. What about the “remnant?”That’s a very few people.
This is the big one. "Many" does not equate to infinite. There are many different ways to get to Christ, but unless you get there, you're not getting anywhere past it
john clhugyugihjbvgbkj God saves the remnant in order to work through them to save the rest. God will work through Christ and his ecclesial to reach and reconcile the rest of humanity. God created the all in order to save and reconcile the all. That's good news
Not true. All Unitarian Universalist ministers study the Bible. And some UUs like me were raised as Christians. Other were raised Jewish. As the daughter of a Christian minister I know the Bible quite well ;-)
Robbie Gorman to your credit, you've picked a safe place to troll. No one here is likely to be nearly as rude to you as you are to them. Happy fishing.
They may not discover reality until they stop pretending to know unknowable things such as... 1. A supernatural realm exists, inhabited by invisible and all-powerful entities possessing the authority, and absolute right to micromanage every aspect of human existence. 2. Religious leaders are authentically ordained by supernatural masters in the supernatural realm, to act as intermediaries between the supernatural realm and the natural world. They have been charged with the authority and responsibility of communicating and enforcing the divine will and dictates of the supernatural realm. 3. No human being has a right to question, object, challenge or resist any of these unfalsifiable presuppositions. All of humanity is justly obliged to submit to every aspect of this faith-based self-subjugation or face severe punishment. It is under this coercive tyranny that we supposedly exercise freedom of conscience and free will.
So just a quick question to consider…Did Joseph Stalin go to heaven? After all he shook his fist at God on his deathbed according to witnesses. What a loving God for somebody into heaven against their own Will?
RMvideos Are you a sinner unworthy of salvation? Yes! just the same as Stalin and Hitler and all the wicked. Christ died and came into the world to save sinners, no exceptions. God has the wisdom power and goodness to save all. All judgments are temporal. God's grace is greater than any judgment. God is love, not hate.
Hell is a frightening concept. But just because it's scary, makes us uncomfortable and makes unbelievers uncomfortable, that does not mean we ignore what Christ says for our own benefit. And remember, what you believe about Christ makes all the difference. It truly does. Galatians 1:8. 2 Corinthians 11:4. You've probably heard this before and even created ur own ideas. But I urge you to read and hear it again and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the importance, truth, and urgency in these scriptures. In all of scripture for that matter
As a Christian, we must speak truth in love. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me". John 14:6 "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear." 2 Timothy 4:3 The sad reality is an Unitarian Universalist path will not lead to God. I applaud the love & care for others - but Jesus alone is truth. You can't love others & neglect obedience to the Lord who is Jesus.
@@vandysavagefeisty I have an open heart, full of love for all, filled with the Spirit & unafraid. Just want to honor the king of kings, lord of lords - no matter how much we wish it so, not all roads lead to truth. Matthew 7:13 - Knock & you can enter. too Matthew 7:7
Well I believe in a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous. As Jesus, the 12 chapter of Daniel , Paul before Felix, and Revelation shows. It is in Christ we are held together and are sustained. He is the true vine that nourishes the branches. Neither Christ nor His Apostles were Universalists. So for you own sake go to Him for life. Those who listen and learn from the Father go to Jesus. And it is the Fathers will that Jesus raise them up on the last day. I suspect since I don't find dissenting comments to your beliefs you are shadow banning them. That to is not hidden from the Lord. Jesus is the judge not you. It will be His words that prevail in judgments made. Is it for man to choose how God chooses to forgive sin? So for your own sake I suggest you go to Jesus for salvation by the forgiveness of sins. You clearly abide by your own authority.
There is only one way. Jesus is The Truth and The Life. Being redeemed by Christ's she'd blood is the only way one goes to those mansions to be the Lord. Look around with riots, murders, covit, etc. Sin is the ultimate cause of these. No one is good but Jesus sacrifice makes one redeemed not good. One is made whole and holy by Christ. I pray for this speaker and all within this group.
John 14:1-6 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s House are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. This preacher left out vital verses and inserted her own interpretation. The mansions are arrival places in heaven, in God’s house. They are not a number of avenues to heaven. Jesus says that he will receive you to Himself, that He is the way. The way (Jesus) is the avenue. The mansions are PLACES Jesus is preparing for those who trust that He is the way. Please do not be misled by this lady’s interpretation. Read the Bible for yourself.
bixntram Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on thins point. She told her experience with love, communicating that both she and Jason, because of their talk were able to grow. Not only did they grow, but barriers came down. It sounds to me as if it was a wonderful bridge building moment. I'm sure neither will forget that conversation.
bixntram really, I didn't get that at all. I am an atheist belonging to no congregation and I teared up a bit watching this. The positive force of human connection and mutual understanding were clearly displayed in this story. So Beautiful!!! There is enough room in the world for everyone if we would only acknowledge that there are an infinite number of ways to be in the world.
I disagree. To me all sides come out looking good. I love the way the older clergyman smiled, withdrew, and let the younger one have a learning experience.
"They've got systems...", our systems are rooted in God's Word and empowered by the Spirit of God. Your congregations will grow, but your congregants journey will end by dying and going to hell! "Many mansions..." refers to there will be many people who come to know Yeshua (Jesus), who is the way, truth, and life! Tandi is dead wrong.
This is what an Antichrist church will look like. You believe in the word of God or you are just one of the many Antichrist. Antichrist is another christ not the true Christ. The true Jesus Christ is God in human flesh lived a perfect life rejected by His people Israel and died on the cross for our sins. And rose the 3rd day. And sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Just preach the scripture! I hope that this reaches the ears of some in this gathering of Christ rejecting people. This is not salvation, Jesus Christ is salvation
+Steve Payne They *are* facts. At least when discussing Christianity. It's not up for debating. Universalists are not biblical and completely contradict scripture. *core* scripture, might I add.
+Andrew Kibler No, they're not. Sorry, but they're just not - not even when discussing Christianity, since assuming the truth of something for the sake of a discussion never made that something true. That's not how reason works, I'm afraid.
+Andrew Kibler As for universalists contradicting scripture, firstly: so what? Secondly, they're probably well aware that scripture contradicts itself every few pages, so what's the problem? For practically any viewpoint or stance that you can find in the Bible, somewhere else between the same covers you can - and be assured, you will - find its diametric opposite.
The real problem is Universalist reject the Fact that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Sadly to say otherwise is a path to destruction. Although you can feel real good until you face judgment. That nonsense about many mansions won't do you any good. Nice fairy tale.
Faith is a wonderful thing, and there are many who have faith that you are the one lead to destruction. It is in the fellowship of such faiths that humanity truly finds its strength. In its divisions it finds its destruction.
Dan: if that is true then why when people have near death experiences for years now they see people of all cultures and religions although there is no religion in heaven ---just love, but the people recognized them by their dress and actions and remembered who they were on earth, wouldn't we only see Christians when we crossed over according to your theory? Even gays have had experiences with Jesus upon crossing over, He does not tell them to get their act together, he does not tell them to start going to church, oddly enough he doesn't even tell them to read the bible: he says to go back and love everyone they come across, that is it ........don't be so hateful to others cause that is whats important on the other side is how you treated people here on this side ......
She seems to want to cause division as she describes the looks from other people. This seems like negative gobly goo disguised with fake good lines. I couldn't listen past 6:00.
