The Universal Life Church Monastery

"You can become a legally ordained minister, instantly, online, at this website. The Universal Life Church is totally non-denominational, interfaith and welcomes all religions. After you fill out the ordination form, you will receive a pop-up instant credential, which serves as your receipt of your ordination. Print it immediately."

that's right, you can become a legaly ordained minister by just signing up online, and it's free. you can legally give marriages, get tax benefits, and lots of other stuff.

here's the site

I'm seriously considering signing up and ordering one of their more official looking certificates...

anyway, what do you folks think about this?

edit: fixed the url

Well, Mad Hatter, I don't know about ordination, but I think this might be the correct pathway for you:

If you wish to become a monk, use the menu on the right and select "apply to be a monk".

It's quite easy. You'll just need to find a suitable domain name to host your e-cloister.

I'm more interesting in purchasing my Dr. of Divinity degree-- only $35!!!

And their offer of "Instant Absolution of Sin" is quite relaxing to my soul. Salvation is just a click away. "ABSOLUTION." That's my favorite button. (In smaller type below it, "Please click "ABSOLUTION" only once").

At first I wondered whether or not this was a joke. But I'm pretty sure I've heard of this before, so I don't think it is.

As for what I think of this, what would you guess? It's silly, and it completely trivializes the idea of priests or ministers. No qualifications needed, just sign up! I wonder how good the tax benefits are...

You can become an ordained minister by signing up on a website? That seems quite wrong to me it really does. I mean, religious ministers have to train for years and have to deprive themselves of so much to become who they are yet you can become one of something else by going on the internet...I'll pass on that one.

your definition of minister is quite removed from mine. This really sounds like selling grievences though.

Originally Posted by Bobslob

Well, Mad Hatter, I don't know about ordination, but I think this might be the correct pathway for you:

It's quite easy. You'll just need to find a suitable domain name to host your e-cloister.

I'm more interesting in purchasing my Dr. of Divinity degree-- only $35!!!

And their offer of "Instant Absolution of Sin" is quite relaxing to my soul. Salvation is just a click away. "ABSOLUTION." That's my favorite button. (In smaller type below it, "Please click "ABSOLUTION" only once").

At first I wondered whether or not this was a joke. But I'm pretty sure I've heard of this before, so I don't think it is.

As for what I think of this, what would you guess? It's silly, and it completely trivializes the idea of priests or ministers. No qualifications needed, just sign up! I wonder how good the tax benefits are...

haha, the best is the certificate you can buy in a store, where you can choose your own title, and be a wizard, bishop, rabbi, or just about anything.

but the monk thing does sound tempting...

Hey, I disagree with most people here, I love that thing!

Off course, the humour aspect is one thing which makes me like it, but not all.

"We ask only that you promote the freedom of religion and do that which is right. It is up to the individual to determine what is right as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others and is within the law."
That is about the only thing I have ever been certain of when it comes to religion.

And when it comes to that being sacrilege or whatnot; that only depends on how you define minister. They could have chosen any other word, so that's not anything to think about.

And I'm sure there's a lot of complication fi you should every try to marry someone and make it official. I'm sure the main point is that you can call yourself what it was.

The only thing that I don't like is that it seems a bit too serious for me.

Things like that website are dangerous and wrong. They are paving the way toward discrimination against REAL religions, especially Christianity and Judaism. I personally believe that the ultimate result of a society that believes in individual truth and religion is the rise of the Antichrist's evil reign. Plus it makes no logical sense. There can only be one truth. If I say the sky is red and you say it is green, one or both of us is wrong. it is the same with religion. You have the right to decide for yourself which religion you support, but everyone cannot believe that your religious truth is as valid as the next persons. someone, or maybe everyone, has to be wrong. Also, "nondenominational" is not aplicable when you are talking about multiple religions. Buddism, Islam, and Christianity, for example, are not different denominations but whole separate religions. "Nondenominational" is including all the sects within a single religion, exe. Methodist, Baptist, and Catholic are all part of Christianity. Including all the religions under the title of "nondenominational" is ludacrus and incorrect. if you choose to religiously affiliate yourself, choose a single religion. As for me and my household, we are Christian and we will follow God!

Originally Posted by Himura

Things like that website are dangerous and wrong. They are paving the way toward discrimination against REAL religions, especially Christianity and Judaism.

how so?

I personally believe that the ultimate result of a society that believes in individual truth and religion is the rise of the Antichrist's evil reign. Plus it makes no logical sense. There can only be one truth. If I say the sky is red and you say it is green, one or both of us is wrong. it is the same with religion. You have the right to decide for yourself which religion you support, but everyone cannot believe that your religious truth is as valid as the next persons. someone, or maybe everyone, has to be wrong.

antichrist's evil reign? Iis he the guy who tricked me into atheism?
you're right that there is only one truth. but here's where you're wrong. there are different interpretations of truth. this is why many religions have a thing called tolerance. if every religion spent their time trying to get rid of every other belief system, we'd all be dead by now. here's something you should consider: there is nothing that makes christianity more valid than any other belief system. likewise, there is nothing that makes hinduism more likely than christianity. if there is something that makes christianity closer to the "truth" than other religions, or atheism for that matter, please tell me.

Also, "nondenominational" is not aplicable when you are talking about multiple religions. Buddism, Islam, and Christianity, for example, are not different denominations but whole separate religions. "Nondenominational" is including all the sects within a single religion, exe. Methodist, Baptist, and Catholic are all part of Christianity. Including all the religions under the title of "nondenominational" is ludacrus and incorrect. if you choose to religiously affiliate yourself, choose a single religion. As for me and my household, we are Christian and we will follow God!

keep in mind that most churches, synagogues, and mosques would probably not accept someone whose only training is through the universal life church.

Originally Posted by Himura

Plus it makes no logical sense. There can only be one truth. If I say the sky is red and you say it is green, one or both of us is wrong. it is the same with religion. You have the right to decide for yourself which religion you support, but everyone cannot believe that your religious truth is as valid as the next persons. someone, or maybe everyone, has to be wrong.

Religion is metaphorical. It does not deal with facts, so true and false do not apply.

For instance. The modern theory of Evolution and the Genisis myth are the exact same thing. One uses Science to give and explanation, the other uses Religious Metaphor.

If you want to belive in Christianity, then more power to you. But don't go then and lectuare about "truth", when there is no factual basis for the beliefs.

Check this out... Bleh..

"About the Founder

Rev. Kirby Hensley was brought up in a Baptist home in North Carolina. He could neither read nor write, but he still had a strong desire to learn and was a student of life. He began the Universal Life Church in 1959 with the idea that all people should be accepted, regardless of their faith. He fought for that ideal in the courts and preached it throughout the United States for 65 years, before his death in 1999. His second wife of 46 years, Lida Hensley, is the current president of the Headquarters in Modesto."

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

how so?



antichrist's evil reign? Iis he the guy who tricked me into atheism?
you're right that there is only one truth. but here's where you're wrong. there are different interpretations of truth. this is why many religions have a thing called tolerance. if every religion spent their time trying to get rid of every other belief system, we'd all be dead by now. here's something you should consider: there is nothing that makes christianity more valid than any other belief system. likewise, there is nothing that makes hinduism more likely than christianity. if there is something that makes christianity closer to the "truth" than other religions, or atheism for that matter, please tell me.



keep in mind that most churches, synagogues, and mosques would probably not accept someone whose only training is through the universal life church.

Firstly, it will lead to discrimination against christians, jews, and even maybe muslims because these religions generaly side more or less against religious acceptance and unity. For instace, witnessing to others about your faith is very important to christianity. If you are overly lenient in your views of other religions you cannot attempt to convert them to your own as well. judaism draws from the same early roots as christianity and has received discrimination almost as long as it has ben around. Muslims are very radical in their beliefs as well, and are not really that big on religious tolerance. Some even believe that all people who will not become muslim must be killed. These religions have their own reasons for not accepting the universal religion ideals of tolerance, but if the world sways its opinion in favor of religious unity all disagreing religious sects would soon be labled as enemies to the nice, tolerant world and would not be included in the new world religion. This may not happen soon, but the trend already seems to be advancing in that direction. Take the issue of intelligent design versus evolution. maybe you don't realize it, but evolution is a religion, just as much as christianity is. The only form of evolution that can be factually recorded and proven is variation within a species and adaptation, ie. a cat and a tiger coming from a common female ancestor. There is no evidence to factually prove the big bang theory(cosmic evolution) or even to prove that biological evolution crosses species. People must simply believe in the part of evolution that dictates humans evolved from a paramecium or whatever over trillions of years. yet this form of evolution is taught in schools unquestioned, while christians may soon loose the right to mention God in the pledge of allegiance. Why, evolution is a broad and ultimately tolerant religion, one that has been very good at bombarding us with propoganda about its existance as a science. Intelligent design offers many equally valid scientific evidences for its theory, but because evolution has establised itself as he religion of "science" these evidences are often merely ignored. Christians are loosing thier rights already, the right to pray in the classroom, the right to mention the word God in the pledge of allegiance, and in some places even the right to witness. Why, because we believe so strongly in our religious system that we have become "untolerant."
I wasn't trying to imply you don't have the right to chose which interpertation of the truth you believe in, nor did i say christianity is the best choice out there. I merely stated that i choose to believe in Christ, although my approach was a bit assertive. As for tolerance, that is a topic your just gonna have to put up with. I will say it, christians are not supposed to be toleerant. We believe that we are right and we do not have to what you choose is just as right for you too. We are supposed to be, however, loving. We don't have to accept your religion as being equal to ours, but we do respect that you are a human being just like us and have a right to make your own choice. We will not tolerate or accept other world views, but we are supposed to show understanding, to acknowledge them and to show love to the people who believe them. Many christians slip up on this concept, either being too lenient or too hippocritical to even acknowledge other views. Hey, you can believe whatever you want to, but I'm still gonna tell ya that I think I'm right and why don't you join my religion. That is the way christians look at tolerance, and unfortunately they are often misread hippocritically.
The Antichrist is a person in the christian belief who will rise to power in the end days, anihilate all religion in an attempt at unity, become sole dictator of the earth under a false promise of peace, and eventually become Satan incarnate. you don't have to believe it, but if it happens life on earth is really gonna suck for a while. if you want to know more about him you could always find a bible. Look in Revalation, parts of Daniel, and Isaiah.
I actually do have several reasons to choose christianity over other religions, such as limiting factors for the age of the earth, certain principals of astronomical physics, the fossil record and the fact that the geologic column is a lie and uses circular reasoning, as well as many other things. Most are part of intelligent design theory, particularly Hovind theory. I cant list them all here at the moment, and won't try. Maybe i will start a new thread soon to specifically adress this issue. Untill then you can do the research yourself.
I realize religions would not accept these degrees, it is the thought processes behind the website and the ideals it encourages that I have a problem with.

Originally Posted by Himura

Firstly, it will lead to discrimination against christians, jews, and even maybe muslims because these religions generaly side more or less against religious acceptance and unity. For instace, witnessing to others about your faith is very important to christianity. If you are overly lenient in your views of other religions you cannot attempt to convert them to your own as well.

what I'm saying is that not every religion seeks to convert people. a lot of people, like me, don't enjoy having missionaries knock on their door and tell me about my new life in christ. I like the idea of converting people by providing a good example.

judaism draws from the same early roots as christianity and has received discrimination almost as long as it has ben around.

I find that very ironic. I mean christianity originally was part of judaism. now christians, like the ones at stormfront.org, want to kill them. for the record, this is just a side note. I'm not saying christianity is normally that barbaric.

Muslims are very radical in their beliefs as well, and are not really that big on religious tolerance. Some even believe that all people who will not become muslim must be killed. These religions have their own reasons for not accepting the universal religion ideals of tolerance, but if the world sways its opinion in favor of religious unity all disagreing religious sects would soon be labled as enemies to the nice, tolerant world and would not be included in the new world religion. This may not happen soon, but the trend already seems to be advancing in that direction.

wait. are you suggesting that tolerance makes us exclusive?

Take the issue of intelligent design versus evolution. maybe you don't realize it, but evolution is a religion, just as much as christianity is. The only form of evolution that can be factually recorded and proven is variation within a species and adaptation, ie. a cat and a tiger coming from a common female ancestor.

evolution is a theory, not a religion. there is no higher power in evolution. also, evolution is defined as: a genetic change in population over generations. evolution THEORY is simply the extention of this to the point of new species originating. so basically, you just said that evolution theory is true.

There is no evidence to factually prove the big bang theory(cosmic evolution) or even to prove that biological evolution crosses species. People must simply believe in the part of evolution that dictates humans evolved from a paramecium or whatever over trillions of years.

first off, this is not part of evolution theory. the big bang is part of the big bang theory. abiogenesis is part of abiogenesis theory.

there is a great amount of evidence for all of this, which I can demonstrate, but not in this debate.

yet this form of evolution is taught in schools unquestioned, while christians may soon loose the right to mention God in the pledge of allegiance. Why, evolution is a broad and ultimately tolerant religion, one that has been very good at bombarding us with propoganda about its existance as a science.

evolution is taught in schools because it's a valid scientific theory. just like the theory of relativity. as for the rest of that paragraph, I really have no clue what that has to do with evolution.

Intelligent design offers many equally valid scientific evidences for its theory, but because evolution has establised itself as he religion of "science" these evidences are often merely ignored.

I've had a lot of ID "evidence" presented to me, and I have not seen one valid piece. ID is not a scientific theory because it is not a scientific explanation; it's a supernatural one. it provides no mechanism. it doesn't say "how," it only says "what."

Christians are loosing thier rights already, the right to pray in the classroom, the right to mention the word God in the pledge of allegiance, and in some places even the right to witness. Why, because we believe so strongly in our religious system that we have become "untolerant."

the right to witness? where have you lost that? as for the rest, some of it is an overreaction, but some of this is also blown out of proportion.

I wasn't trying to imply you don't have the right to chose which interpertation of the truth you believe in, nor did i say christianity is the best choice out there. I merely stated that i choose to believe in Christ, although my approach was a bit assertive. As for tolerance, that is a topic your just gonna have to put up with. I will say it, christians are not supposed to be toleerant. We believe that we are right and we do not have to what you choose is just as right for you too. We are supposed to be, however, loving. We don't have to accept your religion as being equal to ours, but we do respect that you are a human being just like us and have a right to make your own choice. We will not tolerate or accept other world views, but we are supposed to show understanding, to acknowledge them and to show love to the people who believe them. Many christians slip up on this concept, either being too lenient or too hippocritical to even acknowledge other views. Hey, you can believe whatever you want to, but I'm still gonna tell ya that I think I'm right and why don't you join my religion. That is the way christians look at tolerance, and unfortunately they are often misread hippocritically.

there's a big difference between tolerating and accepting. I'm not saying you should put down all your views, I'm saying you should understand that other people feel differently and you should respect that.

misread hypocritically? what's hypocritical about how they're being mislead?

The Antichrist is a person in the christian belief who will rise to power in the end days, anihilate all religion in an attempt at unity, become sole dictator of the earth under a false promise of peace, and eventually become Satan incarnate. you don't have to believe it, but if it happens life on earth is really gonna suck for a while. if you want to know more about him you could always find a bible. Look in Revalation, parts of Daniel, and Isaiah.

I know who the antichrist is, I was kidding...

I actually do have several reasons to choose christianity over other religions, such as limiting factors for the age of the earth, certain principals of astronomical physics, the fossil record and the fact that the geologic column is a lie and uses circular reasoning, as well as many other things. Most are part of intelligent design theory, particularly Hovind theory. I cant list them all here at the moment, and won't try. Maybe i will start a new thread soon to specifically adress this issue. Untill then you can do the research yourself.
I realize religions would not accept these degrees, it is the thought processes behind the website and the ideals it encourages that I have a problem with.

you know, evolution and christianity are not mutually exclusive.

I've already done plenty of research already. in fact, I have an idea.

we're trying to get the formal debates running (read the post in the suggestions forum if you haven't seen it). you seem pretty well-versed in young earth creationism and hovind theory, so perhaps we can take this up in a proper debate. we'd have to narrow down the boundaries a little, cause we don't want something too broad. but if bobslob's ok with it, I would gladly discuss evolution or some aspect of it in proper form with you.
I've been wanting for a while to debate it in a good environment.

Hey now the new melenia is turned we can do it on the internet as the same way they did it 2000 years ago by writing crap in a book, no one will know what I write so it dosn't matter. Yay now I can be the first person to officially get a Cat and a dog to marry.

Oh and the death certificates .

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

what I'm saying is that not every religion seeks to convert people. a lot of people, like me, don't enjoy having missionaries knock on their door and tell me about my new life in christ. I like the idea of converting people by providing a good example.

Mad Hatter, that's why I'm so fond of Orthodoxy.

LMAO

I am still laughing. sorry if I'm not supposed to do so, but I can't do not do it, it's funny!!!

Well, let me see, yes, I totally agree with that. Priests are simply people who "speak" for their gods, s