I also think that 12 is kind of young to make decisions on where you'll spend the rest of your spiritual life.

Well, its not like they hold you to it with guns or something.

I think its more a rite of passage. You're raised in a tradition and then they respect that you're old enough to embrace it consciously.

Raq, I really like the "we don't practice infant baptism" answer. It's true and concise and politely ends a discussion that is potentially yet not necessarily nosy.

If I could get past my basic theological issues with Trinitarian doctrine I might be looking for a local congregation.

I've always held what turns out to be (roughly) the Eastern Orthodox assessment of "it's a mystery. relax already."

I was baptized as a baby - i think both of my younger sisters were done later . and I was confirmed. amd it didn't take. The concept of Immersion squicks me - too dramatic. but that is just those WASP roots showing.

now, I am trying to decided weather or not to go into work. I have a cold, but it isn't really bad. But resting for a day is good for me. but if Iam not feeeling bad, I should go to work. but I will be spreading germs... this is the new england work ethic conflicting with sensible one that the WorkEthic thinks is a slacker.

I really like the "we don't practice infant baptism"

Yeah, I do too, and have just been discussing it with my DH, who concurs. It came up in his world because his new boss asked him, in slightly hushed tones, if he was Jewish. Given than boss just came from Tel Aviv, I don't get the hushed tones part, but that may just be how boss asks anything.

I totally forgot to say, DOG~MA to Toby!

what's Trinitarian doctrine?

Three Gods in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Unitarianism (as in Unitarian Universalism) is the belief in One Deity. Period. Although nowadays that's . . . well, flexible, to say the least.

I don't believe Jesus was a god. I find the idea that Jesus was the only begotten son of God the Father questionable, too. Which doesn't make me fit in too well in many Christian denominations.

"it's a mystery. relax already."

I like this. Although I'm hearing it as spoken by that guy from Shakespeare in Love "Nobody knows. It's a mystery."

Unitarianism (as in Unitarian Universalism) is the belief in One Deity. Period. Although nowadays that's . . . well, flexible, to say the least.

The joke a Unitarian friend told me was that "We believe in at most one God."

The joke a Unitarian friend told me was that "We believe in at most one God."

That's how my UU aunt puts it too. "We believe in one God...at most."

Three Gods in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Oh, that's what I was taught. Didn't know the word for it.

one of the movies they have coming up is apparently a Mormon version of Pride and Prejudice.

Do you remember the name? Odds are it was filmed a couple of miles from here.

Does this bother people who do consider themselves people of faith, or members of a particular church?

'Cause it's kind of bothering me, and not just because it's disrupting our xmas morning traditions. Some of you know I have somehting of a minefield of issues regarding churchy stuff, so I don't know that I trust my own reaction on this.

It does bother some people. It doesn't bother me, at all. From my spiritual POV, I get more annoyed at the priests and ministers who refuse to baptize a child, because of something about the parents (i.e. living together outside of marriage; non-attendance, etc.). I understand it is a hard line to toe (Hi Susan), and they are trying to ensure that people aren't *just* using the religious ceremony as a reason for a party or rite of passage--however, because I do believe so strongly, I think most of the refusals I have heard of tick me off more. I don't think it is the business of the church to put up walls between people and God. You never know what little thing a minister/priest/church will do, that will turn off someone who might have become interested, had s/he been treated with much welcome.

Back in the day (like when John Adams and John Q. Adam were in it), UUism passed a lot more closely to mainstream Protestant Christianity. I think it still has some residual Founding Father respectability--all Calling of the Pagan Quarters and so on notwithstanding.

Yeah, and they weren't always combined. There were Unitarians who I would say were Christians, but did not accept/understand the doctrine of trinity. There have always been Christian Universalists (I mean for 2000 years). The movement that came about in this country was partially Christian, partially trancendtalist (I think, unless that was the Unitarians).

United Church of Christ? As in the "we welcome everyone" commercials? I have such a love on for everything I've heard about that denomination. If I could get past my basic theological issues with Trinitarian doctrine I might be looking for a local congregation.

That's my church, too. They're colloquially known as Congregational (although there are other denominations that kept that term, too, and those others are more conservative in doctrine and politics). Because they're congregationally governed, you may well have a UCC church in your area that doesn't give a fig what you think about Trinitarian doctrine. It might be pastored by someone who makes Shelby Spong look conservative, or even orthodox. Take the Democratic party, and make it a Christian denomination, and you end up with the UCC. On the other hand, you might end up in a congregation like mine, which is more typically evangelical, and pretty orthodox in doctrine (but we're in the minority, both in our local conference, and in the denomination as a whole).