Friday, February 11, 2011

Bible Life Q and A - I go to a UU church. Some of my friends say that it is a cult. Is it a cult?

Wow!  I was thinking that answering these questions during this year was going to be easy.  There are a few things to consider.  First of all I don't consider that everyone that attends a Unitarian service is necessarily in understanding or agreement with the polity and teachings of the Unitarian Church.  Having said that, I also don't agree that anyone should go to any church, week after week, year after year, and not know the cardinal beliefs and some of the hidden beliefs of that church.  It's really not fair to those who are counting on agreement from you nor is it fair to you who could be enjoying a flourishing relationship with God, good company and good theology.

The first Unitarian writer was Martin Cellarium 1499-1564.  He was a friend of Martin Luther, but went on to espouse beliefs that were not in the same vain as Luther.  Martin Cellarium did not believe in the trinity of God and formed somewhat of an alliance, at least in thought, with Ludwig Haetzer (1529) and Michael Servetus (1531).  Later years John Mayhew, Joseph Priestly and Hosea Vallou were preachers in America teaching the Unitarian beliefs.  Unitarianism has evolved over the years, not unlike many denominations. 

What concerns us today is primarily what modern Unitarians believe.

Unitarians do not believe that the Bible stands alone as the one holy book.  They believe that many books were divinely inspired equal to the Bible which include: The writings of Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Lao, and the Vedas and Upanishads, among others.

Unitarians do not believe that Jesus is Lord or Messiah or God.

Unitarians do not believe in the virgin birth.  They do not believe that Jesus is God incarnate.  They do not believe that Jesus is the second person of the trinity, but they do believe that the Jesus that we trust in and serve is a Christian fantasy.

Unitarians find it offensive, un-biblical and even immoral that Jesus came as the only begotten Son to die for sinful man. 

Unitarians do not believe in the heaven of the Bible or the hell of the Bible as real places.

Unitarians do not believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

Unitarians do not believe in Jesus's atoning death, bodily resurrection, or triumphant second advent.

Unitarians do not accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
   That's a really disturbing sign for me.

Unitarians have been excluded from the National Council of the Churches of Christ.

Unitarians stand against all of the major Christian doctrines of the Bible.  To quote enough scripture verses to account for all the views of the Unitarian Church that are different from mainline Christianity is more suitable for a book than a blog.

"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  John 3:15-18

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."  Romans 10:4

"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture (not all writings or all books) is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"  2 Timothy 3:14-16

I would find a church where Jesus is Lord and salvation is through faith in the wonderful grace of God.

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