2006-11-21 11:00:33 · 14 answers · asked by skybelle24 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They are an occult because they do not believe that Jesus is God. Jesus is the door to eternal life and one must receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Only the blood(sacrifice) of Jesus is able forgive so that the Holy Ghost can come into our lives, through a repentive heart. Any religion that teaches otherwise is a false religion because they do not have the Holy Ghost. Then only through obedience to the Holy Spirit, otherwise called faithfulness, can we retain our salvation.
2006-11-21 12:43:47 · answer #1 · answered by Apostle Jeff 6 · 1⤊ 7⤋
Excerpts from
http://www.stanuu.org/beliefs.html
Our detractors call us "The church that doesn't believe in anything." That is not true. We believe in many things. Our first belief is in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. It gets a little complicated after that, because some of us believe in God and some of us don't. Here is a whole page, with six links for further reading, devoted to our beliefs. . . .
And from
http://www.stanuu.org/newfaq.html
Is Unitarian Universalism a cult?
No. Cults have three hallmarks. They are relatively new, they have a single, charismatic leader, and they share a single mindset. We have been around for 200 years. President John Adams and his son, President John Quincy Adams, were Unitarians. Our leader, the president of the UUA, changes every ten years. Sometimes we elect a person with charisma, sometimes we don't. As to our mindset, some of us believe in God, some don't. We have other differences. We are not a mainline protestant denomination, but we are far from being a cult.
2006-11-22 05:52:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's one of the oldest denominations in the United States. Unitarians founded Harvard, and New England is peppered with UU church steeples in the villages around the countryside.
Unitarians rejected the idea of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, although many of them consider Jesus an authoritative ethicist. They also reject the idea of Hell, which is reflected in their merger with the Universalist Church, forming the Unitarian-Universalist Association.
"There is no formal creed or set of beliefs required to join a Unitarian Universalist congregation, reflecting an institutional consolidation between Unitarianism and Universalism in 1961 in the United States and Canada. Today, many Unitarian Universalists no longer consider themselves to be Christians. Of those who do, there is no requirement of unitarian or trinitarian belief other than what the individual concludes on his/her own, although the Trinity itself, being a dogma, is generally rejected as such by this anti-dogmatic denomination. Unitarian Universalists promote a set of Principles and Purposes rather than a doctrine as their bond of union."
2006-11-21 11:03:21 · answer #3 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
CULT? ... LOL ...
any religious group can be labled a cult, and most have at some stage in their history.
I am not a unitarian, but have talked with some hard nosed closed minded religious leaders and marvel at the way they accuse others. I heard one say ...
"Your group is as bad as the Mormons. You're almost as bad as the Catholics. The only other denomination I can stand around here are the Baptists ... they are still going to Hell, but at least they are more bareable" - to those type of judgemental Christians, I would remind them that Jesus called Satan, "the accuser", and advised us to "Judge not..."
To work out how acceptable a religion is for yourself, don't just look for differences in the dogma ... they will always be there. That was how religious leaders of the time rejected Jesus. Instead, use the guidance Jesus Himself gave ... "You will know them by their fruits ... "
Take care and God Bless
2006-11-21 11:04:41 · answer #4 · answered by wizebloke 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Unitarian Universalists teach that Jesus was an extraordinarily good man only (Not God) Yes it is a cult. To learn more about cult groups you can visit MacGregor Ministries on the web. or go to http://www.carm.org/cults.htm
2006-11-21 16:12:04 · answer #5 · answered by Freedom 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
People slap the "cult" label on anything they don't understand or don't agree with. No, UUism is not a cult. It's a liberal religious tradition that originated as two separate Christian denominations which merged in the 1960s and evolved into a very inclusive denomination. You'll find Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Humanists, atheists, agnostics, Wiccans, Druids--members of just about every religious or moral tradition under the sun--and plenty who are a combination of two or more of these. What binds us together is a respect for the wisdom in all traditions and each person's right to "find his bliss" by his own path.
We don't tell each other what to believe. We respect that each person has the right to search for truth in his or her own way. We offer our assistance and advice to those who ask for it, but mainly we're all about getting together and celebrating the journey.
2006-11-21 11:03:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
A cult is a small group of people that practice mass suicide and bizarre rituals they are not a cult. Even though God is a Trinity
2006-11-21 11:04:12 · answer #7 · answered by Borinke 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Define "cult".
If the definition you seek is that of a "non-Christian" cult, then - yeah - they qualify in that they deny some of the cardinal doctrines of Christianity.
The Trinity (that goes without saying...they are not Trinitarians - they are Uni-tarians)
They deny the Virgin Birth
They deny the unique deity of Christ.
2006-11-21 11:05:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The first link below will give you the characteristics of a cult.
Now look at the principles and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association:
The Principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association
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.
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 and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
The Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association
The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its corporate powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes. The primary purpose of the Association is to serve the needs of its member congregations, organize new congregations, extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement its principles.
The Association declares and affirms its special responsibility, and that of its member congregations and organizations, to promote the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any congregation unless such is used as a creedal test.
If anything, Unitarian Universalism is an anti cult. In fact, I am currently part of a team teaching our "Neighboring Faiths" curriculum to our 6th through 8th graders. This curriculum is designed to help youth explore other faiths and build understanding and tolerance of other belief systems. I believe that this is a unique education program among religious denominations.
You can find out more about Unitarian Universalism at the denominational web site listed below.
2006-11-21 14:45:13 · answer #9 · answered by Magic One 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
See the link below and read their history from their own words.
2006-11-21 11:21:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋