What Unitarian Universalism loses as it becomes politically narrow
The church is becoming increasingly close-minded and intolerant
Unitarian Universalism (UU) stands apart from traditional religious institutions. It is classically liberal, non-credal, and pluralistic, championing individual quests for truth and welcoming members of diverse beliefs including Christians, Jews, Muslims, pagans, and atheists. UU represents a mindset that, at its finest, fosters an appreciation for diverse perspectives and intellectual and spiritual open-mindedness.
I work to be broad-minded and am drawn to insights and knowledge from a myriad of sources and people. I count socialists to conservatives among my friends and make a point to read the writings of important thinkers from across the political spectrum. While I’m an agnostic Jew, I maintain friendships with people of varied faiths, including my Christian neighbors, and enjoy discussing religion with them.
No single group, demographic, or political faction monopolizes wisdom and innovative ideas. Knowledge and understanding are gained when engaging with those who hold contrasting viewpoints, as they offer insights and information one does not get from one’s political or ideological tribe.
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UU has become increasingly politically narrow over the years
While UU has historically leaned left, it used to have more political diversity among members, including a fair number of political moderates and conservatives. There was a national group for conservative UUs, and the church included the Republican U.S. Senators William Cohen and Bob Packwood, and Elliot Richardson, an Attorney General and Commerce Secretary in the Nixon and Ford administrations.
However, this landscape has transformed significantly. The presence of political conservatives and even moderates within UU has dwindled, as the denomination has shifted further leftward and become more and more politically narrow and identity-politics centric.
UU ministers Roger Fritts and Kate Braestrop write about this history in the below two essays.
"Can a Republican be a Unitarian Universalist?" by Rev. Roger Fritts
"Where Are We Headed?" by Rev. Kate Braestrup
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This political narrowing damages UU
The narrowing of political perspectives within the Unitarian Universalist community poses significant harm to the church and its members. This trend towards ideological homogeneity often transforms UU spaces into monoliths, fostering echo chambers characterized by groupthink and intellectual laziness. Such insular environments promote extremism and tribalism, not just within UU but in greater society.
Rev. Braestrup writes the following in her essay:
“Moral psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt has written extensively about what happens when human beings confine themselves within ideological bubbles. Opinions become more extreme and more obdurate, and — because they remain unchallenged — increasingly untethered from reason and facts. Recognizing the seductions of confirmation bias and the power of groupthink to defeat any honest search for truth, scientists deliberately expose their ideas to critique and contradiction. Unitarian Universalism, at its best, has done the same.
Recently, however, we UUs have not been at our best. . . . (W)e have allowed the ideological diversity of our congregations to decline dramatically, demonizing dissent and shielding ‘correct’ ideas from honest and potentially disconfirming confrontation with alternative points of view. The damage is now obvious, and may prove catastrophic.”
Too many UUs have become self-righteous, close-minded, and intolerant towards people who hold different viewpoints. Braestrup highlights this issue in the following congregants’ quotes she uses in her essay:
”On a recent Sunday, we brought my partner’s parents to our service. They are long-time Republicans. We didn’t bring our guests to have them ridiculed! I felt embarrassed and sad that we are so intolerant.”
“My wife and I joined a UU church when our children were very small, and they all went through RE. We became more libertarian as the years went by, and we could no longer stand the bigotry and discrimination we felt from the intolerant Left who dominated the churches in our area (DC). When views we arrived at by careful thought and care for others were openly reviled by the minister, we walked out and never returned.”
“There is a lot of intolerance within our communities. Vitriol spews forth anytime the word ‘Republican’ or ‘political conservative’ is mentioned within UU circles. When we make enemies of so many, we end up making enemies of ourselves.”
Whatever one’s political persuasion, this counters what UU is supposed to be about. It lacks depth and spirituality, focusing solely on descriptive analysis without considering broader universal themes that connect humanity. UU isn’t supposed to be an “us versus them” way of thinking. Healthy spirituality should emphasize listening and the worth and dignity of everyone.
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Things have become only more extreme and political
The trends towards heightened political extremism and politicization of the church have increased within the national leadership, many new ministers and lay activists.
Beyond the increasingly fringe political positions of many leaders and ministers, such as abolishing the police and supporting rioting, the UUA presents its positions as papal bulls, silencing and often even attacking UUs who express different viewpoints. Outspoken ministers who have expressed dissent against these trends have been disfellowshipped. Politically left laity who do not march lockstep with the new dogma have been insulted and marginalized.
In many respects, the national church has transformed into a partisan political organization rather than a religion. Even many UU laity who are politically left and social justice activists have expressed discomfort with the idea of the church functioning as a political platform. They come to a church for spiritual growth and an oasis from the toxicity they get from the news and social media in their daily life.
Below are some quotes from a recent UU online discussion on this topic.
“I don’t mind discussion of political activism here and there as I’m an activist myself, but it’s primary purpose is to be a religion.”
“I've also traveled over the years and have attended services that make the Church seem more like a politicking hub than a place to explore our individual differences safely, celebrate diversity, and nurture our spirits.”
“I don't need a newer, shinier echo-chamber. I need spiritual growth. If I want to serve my community, I'll volunteer.“
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The current church requires major reform
The current UUA resembles a mirror image of a politically conservative Evangelical church. UU is becoming increasingly intellectually and spiritually small, and an increasingly tiny, fringe, and nationally irrelevant church. Many outside observers now see UU as an intolerant politically partisan religion. The church has been losing membership and numbers of congregations at a record pace, and this will likely continue.
UU and many congregations should reestablish the traditions of spiritual and intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness, and once again be a place that welcomes people of diverse viewpoints. While it will always be left-leaning and involved in social justice, it should realize that a church serves a different function than a political party.
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I think UU culture (as an extension of liberal left culture) has created an ugly straw man version of conservatism to hate. Sure, there are some people who self-identify as conservative who are hateful, but the vast majority of people who self-identify as conservative do so for simple cultural reasons that don't fit the broad brush stereotypes of conservatives seen portrayed by many UU's.
this article seems harsh. I think our tendency to be more narrow in our politics may not be entirely the fault of UUs, but is at least partially a reaction to the more and more extreme division in actual national politics. Nonetheless, it is a good warning. Though, I must say that about 30 or 35 years ago, my sister left UUism, claiming it was, "Not a religion, it's a political organization!" While our politics is rooted in our spirituality, perhaps we need to describe how that is more often. Make the connections implicitly in our sermons. I try to do that in my sermons. I wish we were teaching civics in public schools, including explanations of why we are a democracy, not a monarchy. I gave a sermon about the root of democracy being the spiritual ideal of equality. Too many people in this country have abandoned the spiritual idea of equality -- our First Principle. (I am not a minister, my congregation is lay-led, and I get recruited to give a sermon whenever we can't find anyone else.)