{"id":1711,"date":"2015-06-07T18:05:11","date_gmt":"2015-06-07T22:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/demo.uuatheme.org\/?page_id=1711"},"modified":"2024-06-12T19:54:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T02:54:47","slug":"our-beliefs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs","title":{"rendered":"Our Beliefs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"We Are Unitarian Universalists- full video\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-3UYWnngiEo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, and your expansive heart.<\/p>\n<p>Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves, and reflect together, about important questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The existence of a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/what-we-believe\/higher-power\">Higher Power<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/what-we-believe\/life-death\">Life and Death<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/what-we-believe\/sacred-texts\">Sacred Texts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/what-we-believe\/inspiration\">Inspiration and Guidance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/what-we-believe\/spiritual\">Prayer and Spiritual Practices<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Though Unitarianism and Universalism were both liberal Christian traditions, this responsible search has led us to an inclusive spirituality: from scriptural wisdom to personal experience to modern day heroes.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>SEVEN PRINCIPLES<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides:<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6856 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?resize=820%2C296&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"820\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?w=820&amp;ssl=1 820w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?resize=420%2C152&amp;ssl=1 420w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Our beliefs are diverse and inclusive. We have no shared creed. Our shared covenant\u00a0supports \u201cthe free and responsible search for truth and meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We are united in our broad and inclusive outlook, and in our values, as expressed in our\u00a0seven Principles. We are united in shared experience: our open and stirring worship services, religious education, and rites of passage; our work for social justice; our quest to include the marginalized; our expressions of love.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>KIDS PRINCIPLES<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Tapestry of Faith children\u2019s program articulates our seven Principles in simpler language.<\/p>\n<p><em>We believe&#8230;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>that each and every person is important.<\/li>\n<li>that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.<\/li>\n<li>that we should accept one another and keep on learning together.<\/li>\n<li>that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life.<\/li>\n<li>that all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them.<\/li>\n<li>in working for a peaceful, fair, and free world.<\/li>\n<li>in caring for our planet Earth, the home we share with all living things.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>SIX SOURCES<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>We live out these Principles within a \u201cliving tradition\u201d of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;<\/li>\n<li>Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;<\/li>\n<li>Wisdom from the world&#8217;s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;<\/li>\n<li>Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God&#8217;s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;<\/li>\n<li>Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;<\/li>\n<li>Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>These seven Principles and six\u00a0Sources\u00a0of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\">Unitarian Universalist Association<\/a> (UUA) grew out of the grassroots of our tradition, were affirmed democratically, and are part of who we are.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>OUR SYMBOL: THE FLAMING CHALICE<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot) is a primary symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. Many of our congregations kindle a flaming chalice in gatherings and worships and feature the chalice symbol prominently.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4964 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uu-site-icon-420x420.png?resize=300%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uu-site-icon.png?resize=420%2C420&amp;ssl=1 420w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uu-site-icon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uu-site-icon.png?resize=250%2C250&amp;ssl=1 250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/uu-site-icon.png?w=512&amp;ssl=1 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II. To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.<\/p>\n<p>To Unitarian Universalists today the flaming chalice\u00a0is a symbol of\u00a0hope, the sacred, the quest for truth, the warmth of community, the light of reason, and more.<\/p>\n<p>We light a flaming chalice in worship to create a reverent\u00a0space for reflection, prayer, meditation,\u00a0and singing.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about Unitarian Universalists from a variety of beliefs and backgrounds:<a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/atheist-agnostic\">Atheist\/Agnostic<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/buddhism\">Buddhist<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/christianity\">Christian<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/hinduism\">Hindu<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/humanism\">Humanist<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/judaism\">Jewish<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/islam\">Muslim<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\/pagan\">Pagan<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.uua.org\/beliefs\/who-we-are\/beliefs\">more<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, and your expansive heart. Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves, and reflect together, about important questions: The existence of a Higher Power Life and Death Sacred Texts Inspiration and Guidance Prayer and Spiritual Practices Though &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Our Beliefs<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1705,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1711","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, and your expansive heart. Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves, and reflect together, about important questions: The existence of a Higher Power Life and Death Sacred Texts Inspiration and Guidance Prayer and Spiritual Practices Though &hellip; Continue reading Our Beliefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-06-13T02:54:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\",\"name\":\"Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-06-07T22:05:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-06-13T02:54:47+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?fit=820%2C296&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?fit=820%2C296&ssl=1\",\"width\":820,\"height\":296},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About Us\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Our Beliefs\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/\",\"name\":\"UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County\",\"description\":\"A Unitarian Universalist Congregation\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County","og_description":"In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, and your expansive heart. Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves, and reflect together, about important questions: The existence of a Higher Power Life and Death Sacred Texts Inspiration and Guidance Prayer and Spiritual Practices Though &hellip; Continue reading Our Beliefs","og_url":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs","og_site_name":"UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County","article_modified_time":"2024-06-13T02:54:47+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs","url":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs","name":"Our Beliefs - UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg","datePublished":"2015-06-07T22:05:11+00:00","dateModified":"2024-06-13T02:54:47+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?fit=820%2C296&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_1507.jpg?fit=820%2C296&ssl=1","width":820,"height":296},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us\/our-beliefs#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About Us","item":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/about-us"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Our Beliefs"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/#website","url":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/","name":"UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County","description":"A Unitarian Universalist Congregation","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P79A7i-rB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1711"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6919,"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1711\/revisions\/6919"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stanuu.org\/uufsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}