I'm developing my list of progressive faiths ..

[Maat]

and helpful websites.

This is what I have so far:
My list of Progressive Churches: questions about them can be answered at the following websites.

Church of Religious Science (focused on affirmations, positive thinking, affirmative prayer),
http://www.rsintl.org/
http://www.religiousscience.org/

Metropolitan Community Churches,
http://www.mccchurch.org/

Quaker – Society of Friends (peace-oriented),
http://www.quaker.org/

United Church of Christ (Rev. Barry Lynn, J.D., of Americans United for Separation of Church and State is ordained through these fine folks; they did the great welcoming commercial),
http://www.ucc.org/index4.html

Unitarian-Universalist,
http://www.uua.org/

Unity,
http://www.unity.org/

And to find the perfect faith for you, a very helpful test:
http://www.beliefnet.com/index.html?rnd=538
(take the Belief-o-Matic Test)

I could use a good general/main website for the Episcopal Church, on which an individual could locate a church near them.

Also, one could always become a Pagan, but then I would probably refer the person to a book, because they do not have a national coordinating org. (at least I haven't heard of one).

Also, Methodists, do you think that your church is progressive, or is it an individual congregational thing?

[elshiva]

1. Thank You again, Maat

Main Website for Episcopalians:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/index_flash.htm

[Maat]

2. And THANK YOU!

This helps!

I get asked quite a bit by people who want to leave a more traditional church.

Also, there is Reform Judaism.

And, recently, I heard that an even more progressive branch of Judaism was formed, but I forgot what it was called.

Many progressive people I know are Methodists, but, while their individual congregations are progressive, the main body denies GLBT individuals roles as pastors.

Interesting ...
Take care!

On edit:
I love your pictures.

[elshiva]

3. Reconstructionist Judaism, Maat, that's it!

My Jewish father calls Reconstructionism "Unitarianism for Jews"
Main website:
http://www.jrf.org/sitetour.html

[Maat]

4. That's it!

Many thanks!

Do you know someone who has gone there? Did your Dad? What does he think about it?

[elshiva]

5. My Dad...

That's complicated. His parents are (modern Democrat) Conservative Jews, he was raised that way. He doesn't go to synagogue anymore, but he still believes in God. He doesn't like Reconstructionism because he thinks it's more a philosophy than a religion (THAT IS NOT MY OPINION, THOUGH!) I think he went to a couple Reconstructionist services, but I've never gone to their services, so I can't say anything about them. Sometimes we attend Reform, Conservative, and/or Modern Orthodox services at JHU's interfaith center.

[Maat]

6. I see what you're saying.

See, my pastor speaks of our church as a philosophy or a teaching. We were discussing this in class last Tuesday night. She felt that, since many people who come to CRS or UU had been through traumatic experiences with traditional churches, she avoided the word, "religion."

She and I have become friends, and I explained to her that I proudly called CRS a religion. It worked for me when I was having a conversation with a member of the Religious Right. Moreover, the #2 definition of religion in my dictionary refers to a 'belief system,' which is another term I like. I guess that I like to fight for my progressive church to be recognized, much like you fight for the values you believe in.

Many of my Jewish friends go to Synagogue on Saturday, and then our church on Sunday. My favorite is an elderly gentleman who was in a concentration camp in Germany during WWII. He talks with the teens about the experience, so that, hopefully, humankind will never be that inhumane to humankind again (he says that his warnings obviously weren't listened to by the current administration). He made it out, his brother made it out, and his mother made it out. All came to the U.S. Sadly, the rest of his family perished.

[elshiva]

7. The Jewish side of my left Latvia around 1900.

I guess we were the lucky ones...

[Maat]

9. Well, yes and no.

My relatives gradually came over on boats since the 1600's (I'm Heinz-57-varieties).

Our predecessors came over, but, Gee, they certainly faced some hardships I wouldn't have wanted to face.

None of mine ended up in a concentration camp, however. I'm glad we have "Oscar" to talk to (the gentleman at my church; he showed me the tatoo on his hand - from the camp).

Many of my German-American relatives actually fought in WWII against Hitler et al. I remember my "Uncle Bob" talking about it.

Hey, Elshiva, my paternal grandmother, born in 1895, was a real "20's flapper." Wore her hair that way until she died in 1975 at 80. Most independent woman I've ever met - and she essentially raised my sister and I (my parents had other things to do - like drink). I had them through my teens, basically, and then I met Hubby, and he's taken care of me since. I'm independent, but I sure have been glad for the support.

[elshiva]

11. Cool grandmother! My grandmothers are pretty cool, too.

My paternal Jewish grandmother always used to remind that women didn't get the vote for the longest time.... One of the reasons I still care about voting...

[Maat]

13. Yes!

And women in California didn't get the right to manage community property (the marital home) until 1975 (a year before I graduated high school). I used to wonder why my grammie kept certain property in her name alone. Now I know. She was married for over 50 years, but she always treasured a little independence.

I vaguely remember husbands controlling bank accounts, and the like.

I graduated and went onto college. By that time, feminism was in vogue, and I never was discriminated against in those ways; however, I do remember when I started out as a young accountant - the old guys used to call us 'accountantettes' and 'honey.' They never made a pass at me, though, because I used to ever-so-sweetly ever-so-nicely be able to shoot a look that, well, really discouraged that.

And "Roe" came in '73, after I had just started high school.

So much progress.

Now, it breaks my heart to see us swinging back the other way (maybe I'm just seeing it the wrong way).

Some of us fought the battles in the 70's; now, it seems as if we are going to have to fight the same ones again.

Disappointing.

[elshiva]

14. Yeah, I'm a feminist.

I try to appreciate all my elders in feminism did and still do for women. I'm only 23 so I don't know a lot about things like before Roe and all...

All I know is that I got chewed out a lot about my looks, much more than my male classmates. I'm tired of women judged solely on their looks. Something recently about WAITRESSES being fired because they were judged "too fat" (i.e. ugly)nothing about WAITERS! It has everything to sexism, racism, and ageism etc...

[Maat]

15. Yes, I know what you mean.

The local steakhouse we go to suddenly started looking like a "Texas Loosey's." The gals wear tight jeans, and a t-shirt, with a bare middle.

They are all fairly thin; however, miraculously, they all have big busts. I wonder how that happened (just joking).

Eh, time for rest. Have a good night!

[Telly Savalas]

8. United Church of Canada is pretty progressive

Here's their website:

http://www.united-church.ca

[Maat]

10. Thanks, Telly. I added it to my list.

Is it really you (the suave detective)?

[Telly Savalas]

17. I'm not even bald.

[Maat]

20. LOL!

n/t

[elshiva]

12. God loves ya, baby!

[Maat]

16. Those two ladies there...

now they impacted the world positively. They had true backbone.

Let me guess: Barbara Jordan and Shirley Chisholm.

[elshiva]

18. Yes!

left to right : Shirley Anita Chisholm and Barbara Charline Jordan. Both would have made great presidents.

[Maat]

19. Yes, when I see, I think about hard it was for women,

particularly women of color, in those days (when they started out). Both were very strong women (they had 'backbone'). They are examples for us all.

[elshiva]

21. Still next to impossible for a woman to be president

especially black women. I don't think Hillary Clinton or Barbara Boxer have a chance.

[Maat]

22. Hi, Elshiva!

I don't think that we will have a woman president for at least a couple of decades - especially with many parts of the rest of the world becoming more traditional.

I had the 'Separation of Church and State" Meeting at my house today - I'm the Chair; we are a 'mini-group' of the Democracy for America - Temecula Valley.

We are also starting an Interfaith Alliance chapter. I know that you can see that these groups are compatible - because progressive people of faith believe in the separation, so that all faiths can flourish equally.

[elshiva]

23. You go Maat!

Thank you for being a part of DFA and starting the interfaith group.
God/ess' Blessings on you work!

[Maat]

24. Just having a little ol' mid-life crisis ..

and becoming quite the little activist!

Take care!

P.S. I'm twice your age (but I feel inside just like a 23-year-old)!

Blessings to you and your husband!

[Sgent]

25. United Methodist Church

Is somewhat progressive as a whole, but individual churches can be all over the map -- from very conservative to very liberal.

I would consider Conservative Judaism to be a progressive religion as well, pro-choice 1st trimester for Jews -- but a private decision, separation of church/state, anti-dealth penalty, and major charity all being progressive values. Modern Orthodox could even be in there on some things, but the have been trending rightward recently.

Lutheren is also fairly progressive.

[Maat]

27. Thanks.

n/t

[elshiva]

31. Thanks Maat! Thank you for this thread!

[kwassa]

26. The Episcopal Church site

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/index_flash.htm

with a church finder on the front page, along with the Episcopal News Service that talks about all issues related to interests of the members of the church.

Much of the church is very progressive, some of the church is regressive.

[Maat]

29. Well, no org. is perfect.

Thanks.

[SPKrazy]

41. As We Are Seeing Now, About 10% Possibly

apparently up to 10% of dioceses are expected to ask the Archbishop to have alternative leadership form the newly elected presiding bishop

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

28. interested in Sufi sites?

Here's one:

Church of All

http://www.churchofall.us

There are links to Sufi Orders there.

[Maat]

30. Of course.

Thanks. I really need to know more about that faith.

[elshiva]

32. Sufis are wonderful. We all need to know more...

[wildflower]

33. How about Buddhism, Taoism

The poster intheflow would probably know much more about this.

And the ancient wisdom, indigenous peoples, and earth-based faiths? Again, I'm sure someone here knows about this area more specifically than I.

-wildflower

[Maat]

34. Still looking for good links for Buddhism and Taoism.

They are definitely faiths I am studying.

It gets kind of circular, because both UU and CRS (Church of Religious Science) encourage their parishioners to explore other spiritualities.

My brain is slowly absorbing it all.

[sam sarrha]

38. here are some good on Buddhism,...

http://www.lamazopa.com ..check out their prison project

http://www.buddhanet.net.

actually it might abe hard to really understand Buddhism till you get to a particular place in your life and it clicks.. then it is like being home after a terrible long journey...

check out the Dalai Lama, he is supposed to be the 14th reincarnation of Chenrezig, who was called the Lord of Compassion

[Barking Spider]

42. taoism

Here's some for Taoism.

Check out the Western Reform Taoism Community/Congregation:
http://www.westernreformtaoism.org/home.php
Look up their creed and beliefs under 'About Us' - sounds like my kind of people.

Also check out taoism.net - a lot of really great food for thought in the 'Tao Living' section.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

52. another Buddhist link you could check

http://www.sgi.org/

It's the largest lay Buddhist organization in the world; supports the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, a school of Buddhism begun in Japan, 13th century by the monk, Nichiren.

The practice centers on chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

53. gee, I just read the article in Tricycle

at the bottom of the page I gave you. It's very good, good overview for you.

ohhh now I'm LOLing too---just noticed this thread is OLLLDDD!!!

:rofl:!!

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. Cool links. I will have to

to add some to my site.

[soleft]

36. Check out Bill Donahue at www.hiddenmeanings.org

some of his ideas are a little out there, but he's worth checking out - name of his church in south Jersey is New Age Christian Village

[hvn_nbr_2]

37. Looks like the URL should be www.hiddenmeanings.com

I got a "not found" error on www.hiddenmeanings.org.

www.hiddenmeanings.com appears to be more a personal page of Bill Donahue's (and very much under construction) than for the church. Some of the subjects sound interesting but I haven't had time to read anything beyond the initial page.

[KitchenWitch]

39. For pagans there is a clearinghouse type website

http://www.witchvox.org

It has links to literally hundreds of pages.

[Maat]

40. Hey, I just saw this.

Thanks for the link.

[insane_cratic_gal]

43. What about Buddhism?

I think you'd fine it to be very progressive in it's belief system and practices.

[lukasahero]

44. I grew up in a Methodist church

and it was extremely progressive. But since W claims to be one, I now have to believe it is the individual church that designs it's position on the progressive scale. Of course, I believe the Council just re-iterated it's disgust over Georgie's war. Some Methodists have tried to excommunicate him.

[bianca2001]

45. DEISM

DEISM was what Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and a lot of the

Founding Fathers believed in. Anyone interested, please go to:


<positive deism.com>

[jadedconformist]

46. Thanks, I've learned a lot about myself:

My results (below):

I actually drive by a Unitarian church (#2 on my list) everyday to Christian's daycare. I've read this on their website:

I've heard that Unitarian Universalists can believe anything they want to. Is that true?

No. One could not be considered a Unitarian Universalist and believe that subscription to specific doctrines or creeds are necessary for access to God or spirituality or membership in our congregations.

Unitarian Universalists could not believe that God favors any group of people based on any inherent qualities, such as skin color, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.—or that any group of people is more worthy of access to opportunities than any other as a result of these qualities.

We don't believe that autocratic, undemocratic or overly hierarchical systems are appropriate methods of organizing our congregations or the larger society.

We don't believe that humanity has the right or moral authority to exploit the environment or other life forms with whom we share this planet.



1. 
Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%)
2. 
Unitarian Universalism (96%)
3. 
Liberal Quakers (92%)
4. 
Secular Humanism (88%)
5. 
New Age (84%)
6. 
Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (82%)
7. 
New Thought (79%)
8. 
Nontheist (77%)
9. 
Reform Judaism (77%)
10. 
Neo-Pagan (77%)
11. 
Taoism (76%)
12. 
Scientology (67%)
13. 
Mahayana Buddhism (66%)
14. 
Theravada Buddhism (66%)
15. 
Bahá'í Faith (64%)
16. 
Orthodox Quaker (52%)
17. 
Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (52%)
18. 
Sikhism (47%)
19. 
Orthodox Judaism (42%)
20. 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (39%)
21. 
Hinduism (37%)
22. 
Jainism (36%)
23. 
Seventh Day Adventist (33%)
24. 
Islam (32%)
25. 
Jehovah's Witness (21%)
26. 
Eastern Orthodox (17%)
27. 
Roman Catholic (17%)

[grantcart]

47. Well

matched Mahayana Buddhism 100% and Theravada Buddhism only 88%


Please keep this to yourself and don't tell the missus.


She would be shocked to learn that I went Chinese on her! lol

[Qanisqineq]

48. I took the Beliefnet quiz and I am still lost

For a long time I considered myself an atheist. A couple years some things happened in my life and I changed. I was raised in a liberal Lutheran church but I don't consider myself a Christian. I took the quiz and I looked at the religions that were my best match. I still don't feel like those really fit, or it is very hard to tell just reading the stuff off of a website.

I just feel really lost.

[GliderGuider]

49. It was an instructive test for me

I was raised in a Unitarian home as a hard-nosed, anti-religious atheist. Like you, a couple of things changed my outlook recently. I took the test again, and found that my views were still primarily Unitarian (100%) with Neo-Pagan in second place at 97%. That outcome felt very right to me.

If you want to explore a really wonderful human community, try the Unitarians. They're open, accepting, and have very balanced views of humanity and spirit. For me, many of the neo-pagan beliefs have recently acquired a strong resonance. If you need a belief system that's more overtly spiritual than the Unitarians, but is still open and accepting, dive into paganism a bit more.

Mostly, though, I find that looking into my own heart during meditation reveals more than looking to a religion. Religions can help put some structure to what you find within yourself, but your needs must come before their definitions.

[Qanisqineq]

50. I have been meditating

for about the past 6 months. It hasn't helped much. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am "lost" in so many areas of my life.

[conscious evolution]

51. Falun Gong

China buddha school
http://www.falundafa.org/eng/home.html