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avoiding simplicity and being humble is good

here is the thing: i am a navy vet and even though i never had to fire a gun in defense or anger i am aware that in some way i may have contributed to deaths even though i served in peacetime - the eisenhower presidency. but i was also there as a representative of our culture to japan and other places in the far east. yet, i humbly concern myself that in some way i may have contributed to violence.



now then i do not hear any of the same type of humiity from quakers or others of the… Continue

Added by marv ostberg on 5th mo. 24, 2009 at 9:25pm — 6 Comments

One of Those Externals....

Just a suggestion... but how long does it take a typical Quaker to get tuned in?



My impression is that it takes longer than an hour.



I know we've had some groups experimenting with at least occasional longer meetings. Even considering the fact that these would be self-selected, unusually spiritually-inclined members in the first place--I understand that the results have been generally good.



Over an hour is not unusual for a church service.



Among other… Continue

Added by Forrest Curo on 5th mo. 23, 2009 at 7:31am — No Comments

red lotus

Yesterday I got a strong sense of why traditional Quaker preachers were so keen to suppress their own personalities.



I still think it was an error, from applying a crude theology to reality: the notion that we are a Christ spirit tangled within an unruly animal self--within a personal self that must be murdered to let Christ rule in us all alone.



But I had this responsibility to not blow it, to pass on the Transmission with the cleanest possible signal.



I'd just… Continue

Added by Forrest Curo on 5th mo. 21, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

It is all about the Spirit



For me all the reasons I am a Quaker are more superficial and it is not about the qualities that define my Quakerism, but my relationship to God/Spirit.



As I have learned to see 'that which is of God' in every one, I have learned to give up judgment and love each person for who they are, regardless of their beliefs and practices. I fully understand that some people need different practices in their religious services than the… Continue

Added by Scott Holloway on 5th mo. 17, 2009 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Found this old blog post describing how I was "convinced"--PART 3

Final: part 3

I did church crawl the next week. I went to a yuppy church near my apartment. This is one of those churches were there's one old couple, but everyone else is 20-30 somethings. The opening hymns were played by a rock band. I had to give them credit for being great musicians--even if they were the type of Christians who creep me out. They seemed to be of a self-righteous bent. These are Christians who are frustrated because they limit themselves to tools and…

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Added by Darrin S. on 5th mo. 17, 2009 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Found this old blog post describing how I was "convinced"--PART 2

Here's part 2:

I went to the meeting the next week. I couldn't resist. Those three hours I'd spent at meeting the week before had been the shortest of my life. I felt completely at home. I had read everything I could find on the internet about the Quakers. I had to know if that was a fluke or if that experience was my home, at least for now.



I will say that the next meeting was less impressive than the first, but still excellent.



I managed to show up…

Continue

Added by Darrin S. on 5th mo. 17, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Found this old blog post describing how I was "convinced"--PART 1

I had almost forgotten how I discovered the Quakers! So I'm grateful that I left detailed comments in my first blog post on this site. Here they are reproduced, from May 17th, 2009 (5th mo. 17, right?):

I'm considering expanding this blog a bit.



One day, I conceived the idea of doing a church crawl - a trip to a different church every week. After much hemming and hawing, I managed to drag a friend along. We went to a Catholic church in an up and coming…

Continue

Added by Darrin S. on 5th mo. 17, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

THE ETERNAL SOURCE - A NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE TAO TE CHING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, BY RICHARD GORDON ZYNE

THE ETERNAL SOURCE



A new interpretation of the Tao Te Ching for the 21st Century



By



Richard Gordon Zyne











© Richard Gordon Zyne, 2009













































Dedication



To Paula,

a pure emanation of the ETERNAL SOURCE.











Prayer



For my wife,

my children,… Continue

Added by Richard Gordon Zyne on 5th mo. 13, 2009 at 8:56pm — 3 Comments

Watching a Dream Grow Up

Watching a Dream Grow Up - The Bridge Film Festival turns 10 in the country where the Society of Friends began.



Ten years ago I returned from summer vacation to begin my second year as a film and video teacher at Brooklyn Friends School with a simple idea to create a film festival that encouraged students to produce work containing… Continue

Added by Andrew Swartley Cohen on 5th mo. 10, 2009 at 7:10pm — No Comments

San Diego Meeting May Newsletter

(until we get a site that supports this elsewhere)

May Newsletter.pdf

Added by Forrest Curo on 5th mo. 8, 2009 at 1:13am — No Comments

This Matter of God

Many of the difficulties of atheists... come from the way God has been described to them.



They start wrestling with the question, "Can an infinitely good being be in charge of, be responsible for, this universe full of Historical Events and other forms of suffering?" They see some Christians in terror of this allegedly good and loving being, whom they are told intends to inflict eternal suffering on many people for having turned out Bad--or merely turned out impolite to deities, too… Continue

Added by Forrest Curo on 5th mo. 5, 2009 at 7:07pm — 1 Comment

Is cooking a divine gift?

Just posted on Hungry Friends about a book that inspired a conversation about many things, including whether good cooks have a certain divine je ne sais quois, or if they just follow cookbooks really well. What do you think?

Added by Shaun Chavis on 5th mo. 5, 2009 at 1:54am — 3 Comments

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger turns 90 tomorrow. There is going to be a big celebration at Madison Sqaure Garden. Performers include Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, Billy Bragg and many more. Pete is certainly a kindred spirit as far as this Quaker is concerned. I saw him once in 2003 at a small congegational church is Greenwich NY and talked with him briefly. I remember asking him who he was reading lately and he mentioned Barbara Kingsolver and Arundhati Roy. I don't know that he professes any religious belief and I… Continue

Added by Mike LaBelle on 5th mo. 2, 2009 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment

I'm Convinced

Hi everyone,



This blog will be documenting my Quaker life, such as it is. I'm not really a Quaker - my parents aren't, and really, I've just been to one meeting in my life. But I was impressed.



This blog will be the thoughts I care to share - perhaps my attempt to clarify my own thinking. It may not be very sociable or agreeable to read. It's hard to say.



I have a background in philosophy of science, history, and applying that to philosophy of religion and other… Continue

Added by Darrin S. on 5th mo. 1, 2009 at 12:25am — 6 Comments

Death in the family: Philadelphia's Laurence Sigmond

Laurence Sigmond, a Germantown Meeting Friend (and QuakerQuaker member) died in his sleep Wednesday morning. From the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Young Friends page:



Many of you know Carl Sigmond from Young Friends. I have learned that Carl Sigmond's father, Laurence Sigmond, died in his sleep at about 5:00 A.M. this morning,… Continue

Added by Martin Kelley on 4th mo. 23, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

San Diego Meeting newsletter, April

I was wondering if I could do this....

April Newsletter.pdf

Added by Forrest Curo on 4th mo. 22, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Simplicity

My beloved, Monica Tetzlaff, and I are participating in planning the Illinois Yearly Meeting 2009 Annual Gathering. The next Illinois Yearly Meeting annual sessions will be held June 17-21, 2009, at the historic Illinois Yearly Meeting house in McNabb, Illinois. I am seeking comments and observations from you all. We are setting up workshops now, and suggestions for workshops are welcome on that theme.



Here is the notice that is being sent out:



Illinois Yearly Meeting:… Continue

Added by Bradley Laird on 4th mo. 20, 2009 at 10:50am — 2 Comments

Readings

Is it best to begin with the Journal of George Fox for an introduction?
Thanks,
Amy

Added by Amybee on 4th mo. 12, 2009 at 12:01am — 9 Comments

Hello to all

I am not yet a "Friend" but have begun some preliminary reading out of curiosity and would love to learn more. I am somewhat isolated as I do not drive and am not sure how easy it would be to attend a nearby meeting. Can anyone recommend some resources for me that are reliable, generally approved of, and which might help me learn without totally confusing myself? I am just delighted to learn of the openness, thoughtfulness, and philosophical liberality of the RSOF. Having studied comparative… Continue

Added by Amybee on 4th mo. 11, 2009 at 11:23pm — 4 Comments

On Being a Non'Quaker' Quaker

All this started, some time ago, with the Jews. As it happened, they came to consider themselves a people uniquely chosen, to serve God’s purposes in the world. Then, as the Christian sect became increasingly estranged from the Judaism of their time, Christians began to consider themselves to be the ‘real’ Jews, to be a people called to take on the duties and especially the rewards of being God’s people.



The Hebrew Scriptures are an account, by some of the People of Israel, of what… Continue

Added by Forrest Curo on 4th mo. 8, 2009 at 4:25pm — 1 Comment

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