TL: Unitarian Universalist FAQ Newsgroups: soc.religion.unitarian-univ,news.answers,soc.answers From: uu-request@iecc.com (s.r.u-u moderators) Subject: Soc.religion.unitarian-univ FAQ Version 1.0 Message-ID: Followup-To: soc.religion.unitarian-univ Sender: uu-automod@chico.iecc.com Supersedes: Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass. Date: Thu, 1 Dec 1994 12:01:05 GMT Approved: uu-request@iecc.com, news-answers-request@MIT.EDU Expires: Sun, 1 Jan 1995 23:59:00 GMT Lines: 340 Archive-name: unitarian-universalism/newsgroup-faq Last-modified: 19 Oct 1994 Version: 1.0 soc.religion.unitarian-univ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This FAQ is a monthly posting in support of the newsgroup soc.religion.unitarian-univ. It is maintained by lab@biostat.mc.duke.edu (Lance A. Brown). Send comments to uu-request@iecc.com Contents I. Who are the moderators of soc.religion.unitarian-univ II. Submissions address III. Moderation Policy IV . Why Auto-moderation? V. The Charter of soc.religion.unitarian-univ VI. Principles and Purposes of the UUA VII. UUA Contact Info VIII. What do Unitarian Universalists Believe? IX. Affiliated and Associated Organizations *************************** I. Who are the Moderators? Lance A. Brown Greg Woodbury Justin B. Alcorn Harley Stenzel II. Submission Address Submissions/postings for soc.religion.unitarian-univ should be sent to: uu@iecc.com Administrative material and queries should be sent to: uu-request@iecc.com III. Moderation Policy Anyone with an interest in Unitarian-Universalism or other liberal or non-creedal religions is welcomed and encouraged to post articles to soc.religion.unitarian-univ. Moderators will only return submissions that violate this charter. Any returned article will have an explanation attached to it about which charter provision was violated. There shall be two to five moderators for soc.religion.unitarian-univ. The newsgroup will be subject to the conventions of network etiquette. In practice, an automoderator software package will approve and insert into the newsgroup all posts that are not caught by the current set of author and subject filters. Posts caught by the filter will be forwarded to the moderators and handled as appropriate. The filters will be modified as necessary to catch off-topic posts such as MAKE.MONEY.FAST schemes and authors who repetitively post off-topic articles. A consensus among the moderators will be required to make a change. These guidelines are intended to regulate only the noise level of the newsgroup and not the content of the discussions. This instruction is not intended to limit discussion and debate. Vigorous discussion and criticism are encouraged, flames are not. Administrative communications, comments and inquiries should be mailed to the moderator(s) rather than being posted to the group. From time to time a moderator may choose to give up his or her duties as a moderator. In such an event the moderators should select a suitable replacement. The retiring moderator may take part in this selection if he or she has not yet given up their responsibilities as moderator. IV. Why Auto-moderation? The concept of an auto-moderator has been talked about for a long time on Usenet. This group is the first formal USENET group to actually use an automoderator program for its operation. The auto-moderation method was proposed and approved due to a sense-of-the-net feeling that another un-moderated soc.religion newsgroup would not be approved by the administrators, and yet the "character" of a UU newsgroup would be best achieved by as minimal a set of moderation policies as possible. The current auto-moderation software attempts to meet this goal; allowing posts to occur nearly as freely as an unmoderated group, yet allowing the newsgroup readership to protect itself from deliberate or inadvertent attacks of spamming or other net.mayhem. [ Thanks for Greg Woodbury for this section. -- Lance Brown ] V. The Charter of soc.religion.unitarian.univ CHARTER ------- This group, soc.religion.unitarian-univ, is to serve as a forum for discussion of issues pertaining to liberal or non-creedal religions, particularly Unitarian Universalism. Discussion of other religions is acceptable insofar as it is relevant to UUism, but keep in mind that another newsgroup (e.g., soc.religion.christian, soc.culture,jewish, etc.) may be more appropriate. Acceptable topics include, but are not limited to, discussion of UU principles and practices, questions regarding locations of UU congregations, organizing, running, administering, and living within UU churches, moral/ethical/philosophical discussion in a UU context, and comparisons of Unitarian Universalism to other religions. VI. The Principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote The inherent dignity and worth 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. 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 societies 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, color, sex, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, 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 society unless such is used as a creedal test. [ Thanks to Gila Jones for providing electronic copies to me. - Lance] VII. UUA Contact Info in the U.S.A.: Unitarian Universalist Association 25 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108-2800 USA (617) 742-2100 in Canada: Canadian Unitarian Council 175 St. Clair Ave., West Toronto, ONT M4V 1P7 CANADA in the U.K.: General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches Essex Hall 1-6 Essex St Strand, London WC2R 3HY. Additions or corrections to this document are welcome. VIII. What Do Unitarian Universalists Believe? [This is the text of the "Red Pamphlet" distributed by the UUA. It is reprinted here with permmission. -- Lance Brown] 1. We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theology, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. 2. We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only an intrinsic merit, but also a potential value for those who have learned the art of listening. 3. We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, or a document, or an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual. 4. We believe in the never-ending search for Truth. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations which appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting. 5. We believe in the unity of experience. There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge, religion and the world, the sacred and the secular, since they all have their source in the same reality. 6. We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice -- and no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life. 7. We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural product of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement. 8. We believe in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy. 9. We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism -- so that people might govern themselves. 10. We believe in the importance of a religious community. The validation of experience requires the confirmation of peers, who provide a critical platform along with a network of mutual support. -- David O. Rankin Copyright 1989 by Unitarian Universalist Association 25 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 (617) 742-2100 IX. Affiliated and Associated Organizations Here is contact information for some of the groups that are Associate Member or Independent Affiliate Organizations of the UUA. Details about these groups and other groups can be obtained from your local UU church or fellowship or directly from the UUA. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee 130 Prospect St. Cambridge, MA 02139-1845 (617)868-660 The UUSC, motivated since 1939 by liberal religious principles, works to promote justice, freedom, and self-determination in the U.S. and worldwide. The UUSC can also be contacted via the PeaceNet and CompuServe networks. UU Women's Federation 25 Beacon St. Boston, MA 02108-3800 (617) 742-2100, x653 The UUWF is the only continental membership organization for all UU women. Formed by the 1963 consolidation of the Association of Universalist Women and the Alliance of Unitarian Women, it is an associate member of the UUA. Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists G-2474 S. Ballenger Hwy. Flint, MI 48507 (313)232-4023 The Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists is an organization of UUs whose purpose is to ensure that all UUs are free to pursue a responsible search for religious truth and meaning in our societies and denomination regardless of their individual views on politics, economics, or social issues. Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans P.O. Box 640 Cambridge, MA 02140 (617)547-6465 The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans was formed at the 1985 UUA General Assembly in Atlanta to enrich and strengthen the religious pluralism of UUism by promoting the study and practice of contemporary Pagan and Earth- and nature-centered spirituality. Fellowship of Religious Humanists P.O. Box 597396 Chicago, IL 60659-7396 (312)338-5493 FRH offers UUs and others the inspiration of a humanist way of life worked out within both liberal religion and the growing humanist movements of over 30 countries. FRH was organized in 1963 to provide publications and conferences for those seeking humanism as a religious philosophy, and regularly presents a lecture at the UUA General Assembly. Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship 110 Arlington St. Boston, MA 02116 (508)365-2427 The purposes of the Fellowship are: to serve Christian Unitarians and Universalists according to their expressed religious needs; to uphold and promote the Christian witness within the UUA; and to uphold and promote the historic Unitarian and Universalist witness and conscience within the church universal. The Fellowship publishes books, pamphlets, study papers and occasional papers, a bi-monthly newsletter, the _Good News_, and a quarterly journal, _The Unitarian-Universalist Christian_, sponsors retreats and public meetings of various kinds; and meets annually at the General Assembly. --