Cut out the middleman: yes to church, no to god!

Research reveals that community can change your life. But research also reveals that religion can ruin your life.

Have you, like most people, been to church or another religious environment at least once in your life?

Did you enjoy the fun bits – like making friends, having quiet time, and being a part of something bigger?

But did you find problems with all the bad bits – the preachiness, the sexism, the homophobia and, well, the God bit? Did you object to being told you might go to hell?

We seek out churches because they bring us closer together. But, too often, God gets in the way.

At our non-religious church, we asked our members why they come they along. 82% said that their main reason was so that they could become a better person. 

And at “real” churches? The most popular answer, at 81%, was “to become closer to God”. Which one would you choose?

Fact check: Research by Pew Research Center, Dec 2017, among US adults. Title: “Why Americans Go (and Don’t go) to Religious Services”

Here are some of the things that attendees at our non-religious church had to say about why they come along:

“Accessible, without religiosity baggage.”

“I love being able to take the positives from a religious gathering such as learning and stories and putting them into a non religious setting.”

“It is so awesome how you/NU can mobilise the best of religious traditions without getting caught up in the worst aspects of them.”

And here’s what we’ve been reading in the press about traditional churches…

“Many suffer for decades from post-traumatic stress disorder-type symptoms, including anxiety, self doubt and feelings of social inadequacy.”

“The leader, who demanded absolute obedience, bullied Mr. McNeely from the pulpit for the slightest infractions.”

“I became sick because of stress, depressed and paranoid.”

God not for you?

There’s a better way to get your community fix. 

New Unity is a community not of religion, or of preachiness, or of winners and sinners. It’s a community of two much more transformational principles – love, and justice. 

We were the first “church” in Britain to refuse to marry anyone until we could marry everyone. We proudly fly a Black Lives Matter banner outside our building. And we believe that people will change the world – not God.

And while the pandemic has caused serious problems for everyone, it’s given us a chance to take our gatherings entirely online. We now have people from countries and continents across the globe joining us on a Sunday. 

Wherever you are, and whoever you are, you are welcome here. All you need is an open mind and an open heart.