Separating Religion and Culture

It's been almost a year since I've written here.  There's been a lot going on with my spiritual journey and although I don't think I can pick up where I left off, I'd like to try to fill in a few blanks and move ahead.

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Over the past year, I've continued my spiritual growth, read many books, and conducted a lot of research into Buddhism.  I've discovered something that helps me deal with my mid-western spiritual identity crisis.  I'm having a hard time separating my spiritual beliefs from my religious cultural identity.  I spent most of my life going to church on Sunday mornings, singing in the choir, going to Sunday afternoon pitch-in dinners and having many close friends--friends upon which our relationship was built upon a shared spiritual practice.  So, although, after over a year of study and contemplation, I've decided that Buddhism is the path that makes the most sense to me, I'm still "culturally Christian".

I have been attending the local Unitarian Universalist church, off and on, for over a year and last Sunday I "signed the book" indicating my formal membership.  This seems to be a good place for me to be.  Each Sunday morning, I go to church, we sing hymns, pass the plate and have a sermon.  However, the sermons are sometimes based on the bible, but other times are based on literature, science, the holy books of other faiths.  The message almost always is focused on finding those universal truths that lurk in almost every corner of our world.

In the pews of this "UU" church are seated Christians, Atheists, Pagans, Wiccans, Buddhists, Agnostics, and others whose spiritual identity are less defined.  The common interest drawing this group together is not a shared dogma or creed, but a simple covenant to encourage each other toward spiritual growth, community service and ethical living.  I'm making friends there and I'm excited about the scuttle-butt of a possible "sangha" of Buddhists who are interested in organizing and supporting each other.

For me... for now... it makes sense to work on my Zen practice while attending the UU church.  I hope to find time to visit the closest Zen center and see what's going on there.  I also hope that the 'sangha' group at the UU church organizes and starts some useful dialog.