| Beliefs Shared by Many Unitarian Universalists | ||
| We believe in the freedom of religious expression. |
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| All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theology, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. | ||
| We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. | - | |
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All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only an intrinsic merit, but also a potential value for those who have learned the art of listening. |
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| We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. | - | |
| The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, or a document, or an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual. | ||
| We believe in the never-ending search for Truth. | - | |
| If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations which appear to the human spirit are infmitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting. |
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| We believe in the unity of experience. | - | |
| There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge, religion and the world, the sacred and the secular, since they all have their source in the same reality. | ||
| We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. | - | |
| All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice - and no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life. |
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| We believe in the ethical application of religion. | - | |
| Good works are the natural product of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement. | ||
| We believe in the motive force of love. | - | |
| The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy. | ||
| We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. | - | |
| Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism - so that people might govern themselves. | ||
| We believe in the importance of a religious community. | - | |
| The validation of experience requires the confirmation of peers, who provide a critical platform along with a network of mutual support. |
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| - David 0. Rankin | ||