Recently, I've been doing a lot of reading about religion. I'm bothered by a lot of things done in the name of religion (none seems immune). It has also always bothered me that people equate religion with morality. I've known immoral people who consider themselves to be good Christians. I know many Christians who wouldn't raise a finger to help another person. I know many atheists who are kind and caring and give back to the world. I believe that morals and religion are independent of one another.

Some background: I was raised as a Presbyterian and confirmed as an Episcopalian. However, I've never had that all-encompassing faith that there is truly a god out there; I've been jealous of people that do. Even as a child, there were things in the Bible that just didn't make sense to me. Take the three wise men for instance. For them to have come from the East (let's, for fun, assume that means Arabia), that star would have had to have been in the sky for an awfully long time. Jesus would have been a few months old by the time they got there.

Many religions, when taken as a group, are ridiculously intolerant, which to me seems contrary to the entire idea of religion. (Here I must stay that I am talking about the religion as a whole, and not individuals. That said, how can one say one believes fully in a church and yet not adhere to all of the doctrines of said church? Do you really just get to pick and choose?)

My readings and journey have lead me away from Christianity. I don't know that I believe in god, and I don't really believe that Jesus was more divine than anyone else anymore than I believe that Joseph Smith was. Religions are creations of man.

That said, I still feel a spiritual hunger. A search for something. I don't know what I'm looking for. I do hope I know it when I see it.

My first step is going to be exploring Unitarian Universalism. It's a liberal fellowship without a creed. Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven principles.

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
   
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
   
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
   
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
   
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
   
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
   
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
   

Those are seven principles that I can fully support