Unitarians

[bwilson4web]

A week ago, I was at the dog park when a young man asked, “Do you believe in God?”

“Yes of course but I need to finish this” holding my cell phone.

Done, I explained of course God exists and described my Unitarian experience. Then he explained that Alcoholics Anonymous has a strong inclusion on God as part of their principles that was causing him a problem.

I explained that the 12 steps are a buffet of practices that have worked and should each be tried experimentally to find the ones that work for you. For example, I found the 5th step very useful:

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“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” ​

So I had coordinated with my Unitarian minister to give her my “letter to God.” I still have copies on my laptop. Writing each letter, I would wait hours or the next day to edit before printing. I would drop them off at her office and I got better. Four years sober come May 18.

I met him the next day leaving the noon meeting and managed to toss a dollar in the collection. So like the tax collector’s prayer in the corner of the temple, I too confess my sins to God.

So who loudly thanks God for not being the lowly tax collector? Who takes on the name of God to claim damnation on others?

Bob Wilson

 

[SouthernDude]

Did Jesus die on the cross and resurrect 3 days afterwards?

Yes or no.

 

[bwilson4web]

Yes or no.

Works for me.

Jesus' ministry on how to bring the "Kingdom of God" is what makes his life important: Jefferson Bible - Wikipedia

. . . The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, was completed in 1820 by cutting and pasting, with a razor and glue, numerous sections from the New Testament as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's condensed composition excludes all miracles by Jesus and most mentions of the supernatural, including sections of the four gospels that contain the Resurrection and most other miracles, and passages that portray Jesus as divine​

I don't have a copy of the Jefferson Bible but sounds like it matches my Unitarian beliefs.

Bob Wilson

 

[R P]

So, is that a no?

 

[bwilson4web]

So, is that a no?

I'm a firm, unknown. Modern medical technology such as brain activity, was not available back then. Today, we use brain activity as the determination of death for things like organ transplant donors. For example: Woman Wakes Up in Coffin After Brother Tried to Donate Her Organs and Have Her Cremated

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November 23, 2025​

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A woman recently woke up inside a coffin alive after being transported to a local temple for cremation.​

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The 65-year-old, from Thailand, was being driven by her brother to the Wat Rat Prakhong Tham Buddhist temple in the Nonthaburi province for cremation when the incident occurred on Sunday, Nov. 23, according to the Associated Press.​

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Pairat Soodthoop, the temple’s general and financial affairs manager, told the outlet that the woman's brother said he heard a knocking noise coming from the coffin during the drive from the Phitsanulok province.​

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Surprised, Pairat said he “asked them to open the coffin.” That’s when they saw the woman — alive.​

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A woman was found alive inside a coffin after her brother brought her to a temple to be cremated in Thailand.​

What was his core body temperature? Blood oxygen level? Heart electrical activity? What clinical instrumentation was used to verify his dead? Regardless, these clinical tests are not as important as what Jesus taught us,

In a similar fashion, I was not there when Joseph Smith took direction from an angel. Nor was I there when Muhammad wrote down what the angel told him. We can add Vernon Wayne Howell (aka. David Koresh), Marshall Applewhite, and Jim Jones. Modern medical practices have confirmed they died. As for what they taught, I am not inclined to follow.

In contrast, Jesus taught us how to bring the Kingdom of God by how we treat each other in life. Do not let "Bible Idolatry" lead you to disregard what Jesus taught us.

Bob Wilson

 

[R P]

OK, I understand your point of view, which I think is how a lot of people think about it. But if I understand the scriptures, unless you have absolute faith that God sent Jesus down to earth to die for our sins and be resurrected, you don't get into Heaven.

If you believe in Jesus, why wouldn't you accept him as your saviour? Or do you not believe in Heaven and Hell either? The consequences of a wrong decision with this is unimaginable.

 

[bwilson4web]

OK, I understand your point of view, which I think is how a lot of people think about it. But if I understand the scriptures, unless you have absolute faith that God sent Jesus down to earth to die for our sins and be resurrected, you don't get into Heaven.

If you believe in Jesus, why wouldn't you accept him as your saviour? Or do you not believe in Heaven and Hell either? The consequences of a wrong decision with this is unimaginable.

This requires absolute faith in "the Scriptures" just as Islam and the Quran or the Book of Mormon and the Latter Day Saints. Having multiple "words of God" is the same as having multiple moralities ... it becomes situational morals or functionally none at all. But this is how I choose to live my Unitarian life.

I am not a missionary to others. I am explaining what I believe and choose to follow in life. If others choose to follow a different path, fine. I choose to bring the Kingdom of God to my Unitarian life:

• 
  Mark Twain’s most significant fictional correspondence regarding non-Christian views is found in
  Letters from the Earth, specifically written from the perspective of Satan observing humanity. In these, he satirizes traditional religious beliefs, arguing that the biblical God is cruel, contradictory, and demands irrational worship.
  
  Key elements from Twain's skeptical, anti-orthodox writings include:
  • Letters from the Earth (Letter III): Satan describes God’s "one code of morals for himself, and quite another for his children," criticizing the harshness of the Fall of Man.
  • Definition of Christianity: He famously noted, "There has been only one Christian. They caught him and crucified him—early".
  • Critique of Faith: Twain argued that the "easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly" is a hallmark of human ego, often writing that there is no evidence for Heaven.
  • "Letters from the Earth" (Letter X): He posits that God is to blame when a man goes wrong, as the man is merely acting in accordance with how he was created.

Bob Wilson