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).

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."

Heh. The UCC (United Church of Christ) is often known as "Unitarians Considering Christ".

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.

I'm shocked, because I'm thinking you were raised Lutheran. If you weren't, disregard my shock. While I'm here, I might as well be pedantic (so you know it's really me) and say it's really not Three Gods in One. It is One God, in three persons. I'd explain it further, but it is impossible to do without veering into one of the classic heresies. I'm with Trudy and the Greek Orthodox, on the "relax, it's a mystery" take.

Hi Lyra Jane! Hi Lyra Jane! Hi Lyra Jane!

Hi Laura! Hi Laura! Hi Laura!

I'm shocked, because I'm thinking you were raised Lutheran.

Yep. Why, what do other Lutherans believe?

(Something tells me I should know more about this....)

ma~~~to the toby dog

and I loved the rose pictures , Gud. some of those shots were truely amazing.

As far as I know, babe, but I was not-confirmed from the harsher synod. "Mayo or death?"

Yep. Why, what do other Lutherans believe?

(Something tells me I should know more about this....)

No, I'm shocked you didn't know the word Trinitarian, given that you were raised Lutheran. Lutherans definitely believe in the Trinity.

I was baptized when I was old enough to underestand it. At least, that was the idea; I only did it because my mother wanted me to so bad. I don't remember which denomination we were at that time. It was full immersion, in the river. Yes, the river, mud and all, and the preacher dunked me backwards and dropped me. I staggered to my feet, missed whatever he said next, and then went to sit dripping, cold, and all alone on the tail of our station wagon, while my mother happily received her friends congratualtions. I kinda regretted that I'd done it. I don't think I knew, when I agreed, that an actual river was part of the deal.

Gud. some of those shots were truely amazing.

Thanks. My wife accidently dropped and broke the wider lens so I was stuck with just the telephoto lens for taking pictures. It kind of worked nicely since that gave the subject better isolation from the background in the pictures. It's also why I couldn't really take a picture of the whole garden. Of course the quality of the pictures really is more the camera (Canon Rebel XT, super camera) than me, I just take a lot of pictures and throw away the bad ones.