I found myself in a Unitarian Universalist service this morning as a result of my new granddaughter's dedication. The minister's offering was on the value of a religious left. It was actually wonderful to hear someone in public pronounce unapologetically liberal ideas. It became obvious over time that these Unitarians must be ever vigilant to not allow any creed to slip into their covenant. It is the only way to keep a diverse universalist body glued together without creating exclusionary rules to define the borders between them and the rest of the world. It seems to be something that requires constant vigilance.
Vaguely related to this is the religious right that seems to abound in exclusionary rules for membership. On thing I can't resolve is the need for those waiting for the rapture to have the Jews return to Israel as a condition for the rapture. What motivated that? Is it because the Jews are the chosen people only to not be chosen at the rapture itself? Did the biblical writer not see how the later Christians would place the Jews outside their rapture even though they share a major part of their holy scriptures? Why would god require the Jews to be back home only to reject them during the rapture? Very confusing?
Dave
