WHAT MAKES THIS CHURCH DIFFERENT?

Universal Spiritual Church ministers come from all walks of life and spiritual traditions worldwide. What we have in common is our adherence to the universal doctrine of religious freedom. The specific purpose of this corporation is to engage in the study and application of religious and spiritual truths as taught and demonstrated by prophets and metaphysical teachers of all the ages.

As a non-denominational minister you may, or may not, have ties to any particular set religion. Membership in our church does NOT preclude your membership in other churches or religious organizations.

As a non-denominational minister you are free to serve all who come to you, WHATEVER their religion, as they (the person you are serving) so choose, as well as those who do not subscribe to any religion. If someone has come to you, whatever their personal religion, they chose you for a reason and you are free to serve them as needed.

Minister practitioners shall be authorized to perform all ceremonies allowed of a duly ordained minister, including, but not limited to, baptism, marriage and last rites; to perform all duties that may develop upon them such as giving counsel, spiritual assistance and help as practiced by this organization, to comfort members, individuals and other fellow beings for their spiritual and temporal good (including giving spiritual comfort in hospitals, prisons, etc.); to perform missionary work; to conduct religious services and teach study groups; and to engage in all phases of holistic and other practices.

BUT THE MAIN THING THAT MAKES THIS CHURCH DIFFERENT, IS THAT IT WAS SET UP TO HELP PROTECT INDIVIDUALS WHOSE RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE INCLUDE THE AREAS OF PSYCHIC, PSYCHIC HEALING, OR NEW AGE STUDIES.

TO THE VERY BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE... People think that because they are ordained ministers in a church that they are legally covered for all that they do. YES - it WILL allow you to perform marriages and give last rites, but will NOT, for example, cover most forms of psychic or spiritual healing.

Most people don't know this: if anyone who is a minister gets arrested (for example, say, working a psychic faire doing healings or body work, or fortune-telling) the authorities look at the by-laws under which a church was set up.....if the by-laws of the church don't specifically state that the person was "ordained" to do this.....they are in trouble. Almost every church allows for "the laying on of hands" - but if you move those hands while doing so - its "massage" and you have gone beyond what your by-laws say you were ordained to do. All it takes is one person you touch in the course of your work to file a legal charge against you and you have a serious problem! You could easily be charged with practicing medicine or medical techniques without a license.

The minister's license is not, as many believe, card blanche to cover everything many of us do.....and most churches, like the Universal Life Church, for example, the one most have joined because it costs $10 and no questions are asked (and, of which I was actually a member, before discovering what I am telling you and finding another church), DO NOT COVER (nor will it come, stand up or protect anything not covered) ANYTHING IN IT'S BY-LAWS BEYOND THE SIMPLE LAYING ON OF HANDS!!

The numerous center's I have taught from that have minister programs generally mention "the laying on of hands" but nothing else....which means ANYTHING else is technically illegal and prosecutable......I don't even know if they cover counseling.....but in some states that is illegal EVEN if allowed in your by-laws.

We discovered this years ago when a number of psychics and healers who thought they were covered were arrested and then discovered that they really weren't!

Eventually, I became a minister through the "Universal Creative Dynamics" Church, a real church, in Maricopa County, Arizona, begun on September 1, 1977, whose by-laws were so well spelled out that it was up to the authorities to prove that no one in history had ever done (whatever it is) we were doing! I still have a copy of those by-laws, and our church, officially sanctioned by the state of California, on April 10, 2002, was modeled on those bylaws.

Our minister's are ordained, as stated in our bylaws, to study and utilize, as part of our basic religious practice, a holistic healing program, which involves bringing one's self into balance through a harmonious blending of the spiritual / mental / emotional / physical aspects of the human experience, not excluding any acceptable therapies as practiced by physicians, metaphysicians, spiritual or traditional healers historically worldwide.

While you may not have to worry about this because of the area you live in......many will....and, again, while NONE of these churches, even ours, will come and defend you or pay their legal costs, we WILL send your lawyer a copy of our bylaws to show what you were ordained to do!!!

Finally, consider this: if anyone can pay $10 for a minister's license.....what would be the incentive for a “real” (meaning only “un-bought”, someone who works and studies for years) minister to go through all the time and work it takes?

Our minister's license costs a bit more - but it offers you a protection other churches do not.

~ Master Ho, Founder & President