Sunday, October 29, 2006
limbo
This morning I went to hang out with the unitarians. There was a cute boy there, but my social meanderings didn't bring me across his path. It's just as well. I do so hate disappointment.....
The unitarians were celebrating All Saints Day by remembering and sharing stories about loved ones who have passed on, people who have had a significant influence in their lives. It was lovely, really. I've been in quite a few churches who spend the sunday closest to halloween discussing how evil the holiday is, and as far as I can see, this serves no purpose.
But why shouldn't we spend time remembering and honoring the people who made our lives better? What better time than on All Saints day? And why leave this out of the community experience?
The sharing that I witnessed today seemed to draw the humans in that fellowship closer. During coffee time afterward, I heard comments like "I had no idea that...." and "I can relate to....." as people learned things about each other that were big parts of what made them tick. I thought that was very cool.
Right now I feel like I'm stuck in between. On the one hand I have good friends in a church community that I like, but more and more lately I feel like I don't fit in there, or like I have to keep certain thoughts secret. The pluralist atmosphere of the unitarian church is attractive to me because the understanding there is that it's okay for me to not know, or to have different ideas. But I find aspects of the services tedious and at some point in my life I would like to find some sort of peer group. Supposedly that's a healthy thing. I don't know.
So I guess I'm stuck in between, which is little more than a reflection of my spiritual state. I guess it's fitting. Today I crave something, and I'm not sure what it is. I'm not sure if what I think it is, is just a symptom of something else. That's as specific as I can be because I don't really know right now what's going on my brain.
The unitarians were celebrating All Saints Day by remembering and sharing stories about loved ones who have passed on, people who have had a significant influence in their lives. It was lovely, really. I've been in quite a few churches who spend the sunday closest to halloween discussing how evil the holiday is, and as far as I can see, this serves no purpose.
But why shouldn't we spend time remembering and honoring the people who made our lives better? What better time than on All Saints day? And why leave this out of the community experience?
The sharing that I witnessed today seemed to draw the humans in that fellowship closer. During coffee time afterward, I heard comments like "I had no idea that...." and "I can relate to....." as people learned things about each other that were big parts of what made them tick. I thought that was very cool.
Right now I feel like I'm stuck in between. On the one hand I have good friends in a church community that I like, but more and more lately I feel like I don't fit in there, or like I have to keep certain thoughts secret. The pluralist atmosphere of the unitarian church is attractive to me because the understanding there is that it's okay for me to not know, or to have different ideas. But I find aspects of the services tedious and at some point in my life I would like to find some sort of peer group. Supposedly that's a healthy thing. I don't know.
So I guess I'm stuck in between, which is little more than a reflection of my spiritual state. I guess it's fitting. Today I crave something, and I'm not sure what it is. I'm not sure if what I think it is, is just a symptom of something else. That's as specific as I can be because I don't really know right now what's going on my brain.
posted by ursa smaller at 5:21 PM |
3 Comments:
That was really good!
I've never been to a unitarian "service", but it seems like it's just another formal representation of a perceived obligation. In other words... "part of pleasing God is in fulfilling our requirement to gather, sing, preach, etc."... I just don't accept that. And I can't seem to benefit from it. It's mearly going through the motions of religious activity.
Don't get me wrong. I love to gather with other believers, but only in an environment where all all equal, and open to share life with one another honestly and freely.
I like where your head's at... I think you'd love to hang out with the group I know here in Pittsburgh. So much good life is discussed, and encouragement abounds. We openly discuss our thoughts and ideas, and offer different perspectives to ponder. It's all good!
Now that you bring it up, that's something else that I enjoyed with the unitarians.... there are no ministers, everything is done by laypeople, which I think is cool.
You're probably right, I'd love to drop in on you and your humans in pittsburgh. Perhaps once I've moved into my bus and begun the life of a nomad, me and the bitch twins will come visit you for a while. On our way to somewhere warm, of course ;)
I say be content no matter where you find yourself..in that is great respect. I find myself comfortable in the presence of all types of dialogue and I like to learn from others...nothing wrong with Unitarians...they are human.
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