Which are the most liberal US organized religions?

[elehhhhna]

...and why? Thanks in advance!

[LiberalEsto]

1. Unitarian-Universalism

Ethical Societies
Congregational churches
Society of Friends (Quakers)

to the best of my knowledge

[Aryo]

2. I concur

Great list

[elehhhhna]

3. GreatGrandma Gustafson was a Quaker!

The UU appeals to me. Need to research them.

[LiberalEsto]

5. Here's a link to the Unitarian-Univesalist Association

http://www.uua.org/beliefs/

I've been a UU for 26 years.

Our congregation's web site: http://scuu.org/site/

[cleanhippie]

4. Definetly the UU's

This is the Seven Principles that guide the UUA.

The inherent worth and dignity 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.

Not sure how it can get any more liberal than that.

[skepticscott]

6. Well, not sure how you can get

any less religious than that, either.

[cleanhippie]

7. Another reason I joined them!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. UUs have two seminaries, but are not explicitly Christian anymore.

The Unitarians believed in one god.
The Universalists believed in universal salvation.

They grew out of the abolitionist movement.

They merged in 1961.

They are unique as a non-creedal religion. You do not have to say you believe in anything in particular.

They have principles but not doctrines.

[DeadEyeDyck]

8. The Bahá’í Faith is also very progressive n/t

[elehhhhna]

9. ...and have the MOST GORGEOUS temple north of Chicago

[Taverner]

20. Although in Bahai, women have to wear a hajib-like headress

Not very liberal to me

[cvoogt]

21. Not at all

Don't know where you got that. In fact google tahirih, who broke with tradition in 19th century iran and took off her veil, shocking those around her.

[ZombieHorde]

10. Probably small Wiccan covens, which promote environmentalism and feminism.

Buddhist sects in the US are usually environmentally conscious, anti-greed, and are fairly peaceful.

Thelemic groups, such as the O.T.O., considers tolerance one of the highest virtues.

Universal Unitarian churches have already been mentioned.

There are organized Taoist groups in the US, but I don't know much about them.

[immoderate]

11. Jews -- and of course there are exceptions.

Most Jews are very progressive and comprise a hefty percentage of socialist organizations. And they are mostly secular. There is a history that goes through Emma Goldman, Wellstone, Reich, Krugman, the Naomis, and many more.

For most, identifying as Jewish is not a matter of belief, it's tradition. Where the Jews get into trouble is Zionism and its political fallout. It's hard to call support for a militarized theocracy liberal. (Obviously. I'm not a Zionist, but I wish nobody ill. :))

I can not ignore that there are still some orthodox who are not liberal thinkers, and some Republicans, the likes of Ed Koch and Eric Cantor, but I also think a certain portion of brains are born with that tendency.

I have known a few Baha'i and Jaines, and it's hard to see how they could not be liberal. I know a few Pagans, and I frequently participate in their rituals (I usually hate rituals:() because they let me play a drum and dance around the fire, something the Jews couldn't match. I found many to be apolitical and some very liberal, but a few Libertarian types too.

I have to acknowledge that historically, and in many ways, both Christianity and Islam have liberal aspects when taken in context. I think part of the marketing of any religion is the prospect of making their lives better.

--imm

[Meshuga]

12. If we divide it by Jewish movements...

...Then we can say that the non-orthodox movements (Reform, Reconstrucionalist, and Conservative) hold a very strong majority of very liberal congregants.

The orthodox movements (a small minority group within the community) tend to be conservative.

The Conservative Movement is a "big tent" movement that include "modern orthodox" and Reform Jews in the same congregation but they tend to be liberal politically. However, there are plenty of politically conservative congregants in the Conservative Movement even when they are a minority.

The Reform movement is the largest group of religious Jews and the members are very liberal politically.

Of course, there are exceptions. For example, the Rabbi (today during Yom Kippur service) made a joke about George W. Bush that received only 1 protest in a room filled with over a hundred congregants.

But I think Reform Judaism by itself is an extremely liberal movement. I have never been to a UU congregation, but from what I hear, it is very similar to Reform Judaism. Except that Judaism is obviously focused on "being Jewish" and "Jewish stuff."

[darkstar3]

13. A good point, but bear in mind

that even some of the most liberal and secular Jews have a blind spot for Israel that the IDF could march through.

[Deep13]

14. Or Lady of the Blessed International Socialism. nt

[kwassa]

15. The Episcopal Church

which is very liberal, as a total church, while there are some conservative churches among the entire church.

Both gays and women are ordained and can obtain any position in the church. The head of the church, the Presiding Bishop, is a woman, Katherine Jefferts-Schiori. The current Bishop of Washington married the assistant rector of my church, a gay woman, in a single-sex marriage ceremony with her partner, at Washington National Cathedral.

[Critters2]

19. among Trinitiarian Christians, the UCC is more consistently liberal than the ECUSA. nt

[Deep13]

17. Honestly, no heirarchical system that relies on revealed truth...

...either to an elite class or through an exclusive book can ever accurately be described as "liberal."

[chrisa]

18. Technically Christianity is supposed to be extremely Socialist