What follows below is my response to a Google Wave query on Unitarian Universalist's views regarding health and faith.
The topics of faith and health are each personally subjective from any individual's standpoint. Several studies have been conducted over the past few years which suggest a strong correlation between spirituality and health.
My primary health interest is substance addictions recovery (alcohol, street drugs & prescriptions inclusive), relative to 12-step self-help methodology. I see Unitarian Universalism as being a logical accompaniment to addicts earnestly seeking recovery, who struggle with the 12-step precept of this system's reliance upon an omnipotent "Higher Power" entity.
Tracing back through 12-step history, it's no secret that its basic tenets were initially constructed upon overtly Christian teachings. Many decades later, today's world-wide 12-step membership base includes people from all socio-economic brackets, and belief systems.
What had been glaringly absent from the traditional 12-step model was consideration for Atheists and polytheists in recovery. Many would undoubtedly argue that no such biases exist within the modern scope of 12-step society. Unfortunately, this Pagan has experienced a far different reality, having actually been verbally dehumanized (and even physically threatened!) in meetings for holding true to my non-mainstream spiritual beliefs.
UUism, being all-inclusive, allows for validation of one's self-worth, independent from issues of spirituality. Regardless of any specific treatment model, what recovering addict couldn't find inherent value in this?
Further information on the UU Addictions Ministry can be found on the Unitarian Universalist Association's official website: http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/addictionsministry/
Belief systems aside, I find this, overheard many 24-hours ago, to hold some merit (source unknown)...
Religion is for people who don't want to end up in hell when they die.
Spirituality is for those of us who have already been through hell- and don't want to return!
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