Reeka's blog: "Survey"

Several people have asked me about my religious beliefs.  I decided it might be a refreshing change from my usual whining / ranting blogs, so I thought I'd share some of my history and details of my beliefs.  As always, if ya don't wanna read it, stop now.

I was raised by a single mom.  Since she worked full time, and they didn't really have latchkey childcare at the schools then, I spent a lot of time with a family nearby.  They were Free Methodist.  I only went to church with them once, but often stayed at their house on Wednesday evenings when my mom wanted to go out, so I went to their church youth group.  Luckily, it wasn't terribly religious, because I'd learned early on that the rhetoric they were spewing didn't make sense.  I learned the basics of their beliefs, and the one time I went to church was because I won an award for my essay on what Christmas was - the other kids had all talked about presents and Santa, but I was clever enough at the ripe old age of 8 or so to realize that it was the church asking for the essay, so I should write about Jesus.  I had to go to the service so the pastor could present me with a bible - which I liked only because I could practice looking up passages so I could win more of the contests in the youth group :P

After I was old enough to watch myself, I stopped going to church.  Except the occasional weekend when I'd stay with friends and go to their church Sunday morning just 'cuz.  I knew the basics of what they believed, but still wasn't sure why people who were supposed to love others spawned so much hate at those who didn't believe what they did.  Eventually, I learned that I mostly blamed organized religion because they perpetuated hate, especially in the middle east.  That might've had something to do with the face that I was dating an arabic guy when the Kuwaiti attacks happened and Desert Storm started - and people would jeer at us.

Fast forward to my daughter being born in 2002.  It got to be a big hassle to travel for holidays - hubby's father lives in WI and his mom is in IA.  In the summer of 2003, his stepmom had a proposition for her sons and extended family - we all go to a Unitarian Universalist summer camp in Lake Geneva for a week.  The reasoning being, they had plenty of room for us all, and we'd be able to spend all our time socializing with each other instead of cleaning and cooking and such.  She offered to pay for all of us, in hopes that we'd enjoy the experience enough to come back every year.

The week was like nothing I'd ever experienced.  So many people from so many walks of life, but all FRIENDLY.  Bumperstickers proclaiming liberal beliefs, and often atheistic, littered the cars in the parking lots.  Openly gay couples not afraid to hold hands in public, and nobody giving them dirty looks.  In a word: acceptance.  I came back from that camp with a new outlook on life.  We returned the following year and I had a similar experience.  At this point, I started asking my anti-religious husband if he would accept me finding a UU church and going.  We tried to find one, but they tend to be closed for the summer while everyone's off doing their own thing.  It took a few more years before we stuck it out long enough to go to one of our local UU churches.  I walked in and immediately saw a coworker, and we were greeted with teh same kind of attitude we'd seen at camp - just a very welcoming and familial experience.

The beliefs of unitarian universalism range the gamut from wiccans to recovering catholics / lutherans to atheists.  Personally I identify myself as agnostic because although I don't believe in a deity, I'm prepared to change my mind if someone can provide me with enough proof.  The principles of the "religion" are based on acceptance, keeping an open mind, and being the best person we can be because we respect our fellow man, not because we're motivated by what may or may not happen when we die.  And what really draws me there is religious education - they essentially teach the kids about all the major religions so that they can make an informed decision when they reach age of consent to join the church themselves.

I have lots more to say, but this is long-winded enough already :P  Stay tuned for the next part, where I'll explain the 7 UU principles.