I grew up in a united church, I’m agnostic/atheist now (I believe in the ideas and lessons that Jesus taught, but I know I can’t know the truth of the universe’s creation)

I will defend the united church, they’re generally a very open minded and accommodating community. I think it’s great they’re apologizing and trying to both make their mistakes clear and show they’re open to accept people.

As far as churches go, united church of Canada is a good community.

Religion seems to be a necessary mental and emotional crutch for some people to function. Do I like that? No, but at the same time I would no more try to get rid of all religion that I would throw someone's physical crutches into a fire without being able to immediately replace them with something better. And we don't appear to have a "something better" for these people yet.

The United Church of Canada is distinctly progressive, and if someone needs to follow a religion, I'd much rather they pick it rather than one of the pseudo-Christian Bible-thumping cults that thinks that anyone who isn't a straight cismale is a lesser being. There still aren't many religious groups who would make such an apology, alas.