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Quakers
Quakers are rather low-profile people and I would like to share a few fact about them with you for interest. You might find some striking parallels with Buddhism.
You may be wondering why I haven't chosen to put this under Buddhists and Jesus ... but you'll see why.
I was originally put off by the fact that Quaker literature talks about God (capital G and masculine) but I then did some more exploration and found that many Quakers reject that word and use "Spirit, Light or Love" instead. In any dilemma they will ask "What does Love require of me?"
The ONLY founding tenet of the Quaker faith is to have personally experienced God (however you choose to interpret that word) and to be prepared to try to see God in all other people.
That's it. No priests, no sacraments, no festivals. You don't have to believe that Jesus was the son of God, or even that he existed. Most people would agree that even if he didn't exist the example of his life as portrayed in the Bible is a good pattern to follow.
Quakers also don't bother too much with what happens when you die - as their faith is based on personal experience, your own view is valid - and they feel that how you live your life on this earth is far more important than what is going to happen afterwards.
Quaker meetings are held in total silence unless someone feels the urge to share a few motivational words. So in effect it is a group meditation with everyone concentrating on their own personal view of the Spirit and inviting that Spirit into the group - a powerful calling-up of the force for good.
You cannot be baptised a Quaker - everyone has to work it out for themselves and then decide to follow the example of the 17th century founders and live the simple life, seeing God in every person and refusing to take human life.
Quakers don't take oaths - they live by the truth and their word is enough. They also don't use titles - you are not Mr or Mrs, you are name, surname or friend.
They keep some of their quaint original wording. A Friend (with a capital) is another Quaker, a friend (small f) is not a Quaker but someone you know. They call coming to their faith as becoming "Quaker by convincement"
And please don't confuse Quaker with Puritan - despite the determination to live simply they no longer wear the Amish style clothing and they are encouraged to "Walk cheerfully" - which is not the stereotype of Puritanism we mostly have. Indeed the original Puritans in the USA loathed the Quakers and sabotaged their attempts to form or join colonies on several occasions.
They are a remarkably compassionate and practical faith, wishing to promote harmony between all whenever possible and sometimes acceding to others views in order to accommodate peace between different faiths - in the early sixties, the Quakers were one of the first groups to bring out an "advice" that encouraged compassion and love towards homosexuals at a time when this was still illegal in Britain.
Quakers don't proselytize - they live their lives quietly and kindly and hope that others will be inspired to do the same.
You may be wondering why I haven't chosen to put this under Buddhists and Jesus ... but you'll see why.
I was originally put off by the fact that Quaker literature talks about God (capital G and masculine) but I then did some more exploration and found that many Quakers reject that word and use "Spirit, Light or Love" instead. In any dilemma they will ask "What does Love require of me?"
The ONLY founding tenet of the Quaker faith is to have personally experienced God (however you choose to interpret that word) and to be prepared to try to see God in all other people.
That's it. No priests, no sacraments, no festivals. You don't have to believe that Jesus was the son of God, or even that he existed. Most people would agree that even if he didn't exist the example of his life as portrayed in the Bible is a good pattern to follow.
Quakers also don't bother too much with what happens when you die - as their faith is based on personal experience, your own view is valid - and they feel that how you live your life on this earth is far more important than what is going to happen afterwards.
Quaker meetings are held in total silence unless someone feels the urge to share a few motivational words. So in effect it is a group meditation with everyone concentrating on their own personal view of the Spirit and inviting that Spirit into the group - a powerful calling-up of the force for good.
You cannot be baptised a Quaker - everyone has to work it out for themselves and then decide to follow the example of the 17th century founders and live the simple life, seeing God in every person and refusing to take human life.
Quakers don't take oaths - they live by the truth and their word is enough. They also don't use titles - you are not Mr or Mrs, you are name, surname or friend.
They keep some of their quaint original wording. A Friend (with a capital) is another Quaker, a friend (small f) is not a Quaker but someone you know. They call coming to their faith as becoming "Quaker by convincement"
And please don't confuse Quaker with Puritan - despite the determination to live simply they no longer wear the Amish style clothing and they are encouraged to "Walk cheerfully" - which is not the stereotype of Puritanism we mostly have. Indeed the original Puritans in the USA loathed the Quakers and sabotaged their attempts to form or join colonies on several occasions.
They are a remarkably compassionate and practical faith, wishing to promote harmony between all whenever possible and sometimes acceding to others views in order to accommodate peace between different faiths - in the early sixties, the Quakers were one of the first groups to bring out an "advice" that encouraged compassion and love towards homosexuals at a time when this was still illegal in Britain.
Quakers don't proselytize - they live their lives quietly and kindly and hope that others will be inspired to do the same.
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Comments
After one tutorial, I asked him to tell me about the Society of Friends. At the time I was really getting into the study of different faiths that has been with me all my life.
Harold replied: "No need to worry about all the organisation and belief stuff. All you need to know is this: you are unique; you are uniquely valuable; you have never been seen before and will never be seen again; and I meet God in you."
I was 24 but, after 40 years, the memory still makes my hair stand up on the back of my neck. It is a statement that has followed me and informed my relationships ever since.
We have a beautiful Meeting Room near here and an active (if ageing) Quaker community round here. I often use Meetings as times of communal meditation.
Thank you.
As far as I know, there are no Pilgrims any more - except at Thanksgiving!
Anthony
Great! If you want to know any more - this link is for the major Quaker centre in Britain - I am sure there will be an equivalent one in the USA.
Oh yes indeed, Goby. There are still pilgrims.
Indeed!
Those of us who go on pilgrimage are not to be confused with a bunch of sanguinary fanatics who crossed the ocean to find more people to oppress and torture! And comfortable shoes are very useful on the longer pilgrimages, although they didn't prevent blisters on the way to Santiago de Compostela, Hats are optional.
If you think about the ramifications you can see how brave and good this principle is. It means that people can't ignore crimes just because they "don't want to get involved". It also means the witness may be at risk for shining the light on the wrongdoers but according to the Quaker principle, it's more important to stand up for others and for what is right than to look the other way in order to keep themselves away from potential harm.
Imagine if the majority of children in every school were Quakers. Bullying would no longer exist. The Mafia wouldn't be able to operate in such an environment either. I could go on and on....
I love the Quakers and what they stand for. Thanks so much for posting that info, Knitwitch. I think it's an incredibly beautiful religion.
I find myself more and more drawn to their principles and my aunt, who has been a Quaker most of her life tells me I am one, whether I like it or not. So I just accept, I don't really like labels anyway. Whatever you call it, I am how I am and we'll just get on with it, and each other.
But then I do rather think that anyone who has to be TOLD what their religion is by answering a quiz might not have put much personal thought into it.
Whilst I think that this is an admirable sentiment, I also am now convinced that we have to be vary careful about what we mean by "better".
I've been linked to Quakers, Buddhists, Taoists, and strangley enough Platonists by testing.
I really hate to be refered to as an ist.
Palzang
Herbert Hoover was a philanthropist engineer, the only non-military man ever to be elected President without first having served in elected office. He was Secretary of the Interior under Calvin Coolidge and a good man to stand for president. Although he tried to warn people of the dangers of the runaway greed, spending, and financial overspeculation of the 1920s, he was still blamed for the Great Depression, unfortunately. He spent his early days in West Branch, Iowa, just 10 miles east of Iowa City, and was throughout his life a man informed by the "inner light." Touring the Meeting House on the grounds of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch is a very peaceful and profound experience.
Richard Nixon is another story, a nominal Quaker, who had lots of ambitions and their concomitant troubles. But still, he remained as faithful as he could.
My point here is that Quakerism is a very respected and respectful segment of the American religious Establishment. I believe that schoolchildren are still taught that William Penn established Pennsylvania for the Quakers and that Maryland was established as a safe haven for Catholics.
I find there is some confusion between Quaker and Amish and Puritan which is understandable but makes me laugh.
By the way - what goes clip clop, clip clop, clip clop BANG BANG clip clop, clip clop, clip clop?
No idea?
Scroll down a bit
AN AMISH DRIVE-BY SHOOTING
Oliver Cromwell's administration only directly banned two religious groups by name: Catholics and Quakers - an interesting insight into the Parliamentarian mindset. After 1660 and the Restoration, Charles II sent for George Fox, who had been imprisoned for conspiracy. This was the time of the Peace Testimony. Fox was brought to court and refused to remove his hat. The king was, as in his portraits, wearing one of those big, broad-brimmed confections, with a feather. The courtiers were shocked at Fox's refusal and the guards rushed forward but Charles II was a better politician than many of them and certainly didn't want religious strife over a hat. So what does the king do?
He stands up so that everyone has to bow, except Fox, of course, and takes off his own hat, spun it across the room declaring:
"Brother George, protocol demands that one of us must bare our head. If thou wilt not, I shall."