{"id":82,"date":"2026-08-08T19:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.uuha.org\/?page_id=82"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:40:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:40:26","slug":"freethinker-friendly-congregations-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/?page_id=82","title":{"rendered":"Freethinker Friendly Congregations Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignwide is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-93 size-full\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/test.uuha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chang-duong-Sj0iMtq_Z4w-unsplash.jpg\" style=\"object-position:50% 89%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"50% 89%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uuha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chang-duong-Sj0iMtq_Z4w-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/uuha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chang-duong-Sj0iMtq_Z4w-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/uuha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chang-duong-Sj0iMtq_Z4w-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#b89977\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d73719c73649808af72f0066434659f1 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:54px\"><strong>We are a Freethinker Friendly Congregation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33fedb5cfef6c7dffc1bc4f844c31ecf wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:33px\"><strong>We provide a welcoming community for people with all spiritual beliefs, including beliefs that do not include a god or higher power.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the Freethinker Friendly Congregation Program?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unitarian Universalist congregations have been welcoming humanists, atheists, agnostics, and other freethinkers for over 100 years! Families, especially, find supportive and loving community and a village to help raise their children \u2014 often an oasis of acceptance within the larger culture. For some non-theists, a UU congregation is the only place they can be open about their beliefs and still share in the opportunity to express their love for humanity through service, and to engage with others through life&#8217;s joys and challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, Unitarian Universalism\u2019s historically Christian origins, and the church-based language and style that comes with that history, can be a potential barrier for newcomers who identify as non-theist or spiritual but not religious. Studies show that the younger generations in particular have become much more secular, and also that they are experiencing \u201can epidemic of loneliness\u201d and disconnection. Now your congregation can extend a warmer welcome by becoming a <strong>Freethinker Friendly<\/strong> congregation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Importantly, being Freethinker Friendly does not imply being unwelcoming to theists. Unitarian Universalists are proud to be part of a pluralistic religious tradition that celebrates our diversity and rich heritage of sacred and secular sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Benefits of Achieving the Freethinker Friendly Congregation Designation<\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"193\" src=\"https:\/\/test.uuha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/FreethinkerFriendly-logo-200px-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-132\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Freethinker Friendly logo for your website <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Freethinker Friendly certificate to frame and display proudly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listing on our website to help non-theists and secular newcomers to find you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assistance with implementing and maintaining your program<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help retain Humanists and other freethinkers who already are part of your community\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Show readiness to serve the &#8220;nones,&#8221; the huge and growing segment of the population who have rejected traditional organized religion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other perks may be coming in the future\u2013keep an eye on your email!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test.uuha.org\/?page_id=124\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"124\">What is the process to receive the Freethinker Friendly Congregation designation?<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the Freethinker Friendly Congregation Program? Unitarian Universalist congregations have been welcoming humanists, atheists, agnostics, and other freethinkers for over 100 years! Families, especially, find supportive and loving community and a village to&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-82","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133,"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/82\/revisions\/133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuha.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}