Looking around the US in the fall I am struck by how the majority of my fellow citizens can be broken down into two camps.  The first camp spends Monday through Saturday talking about the past Sunday's events and what the next Sunday has in store for them.  Some of them do it on the radio, at work, at family gatherings, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  They do it with strangers as well as co-workers, friends and family.  Then on Sunday they gather at places of public assembly or, if they can't get there they camp out in front of a tv or radio and watch and listen to the battle of good vs. evil and cheer every time good gets the best of evil.

The second camp spends Monday though Saturday going over their playbook, discussing what they have to do for good to win over evil.  They focus on the tricks that they expect to encounter in the coming battle.  They recuperate from the last week's battle but continue to work out for the next battle that will determine their future and how they can expect to be remembered by History.  Finally when Sunday arrives they gather in places of public assembly to wage the good fight of good vs. evil.  They sacrifice their bodies, their brains and even their hearts for the sake of victory.  They expose their weaknesses for the sake of the team and work together selflessly for the sake of victory.  And when the battle ends they start all over to prepare for the next battle.

Some in the first camp call themselves Football fans, others churchgoers.  Some of each much more fanatical than others.

Some in the second camp call themselves Football players, other's preachers, pastors, or Quakers, some of each much more fanatical than others.

Yes, Quakerism is a contact sport.  Quakers aren't observers, they aren't meant to be fans of the Light or of the Truth.  They come into Sunday prepared to open themselves up fully to the Light to let it shine on their weaknesses, exposing their lives, their thoughts, their feelings to contact with the Divine.  They prepare themselves for this weekly contact session by spending time in prayer, time in reading the history and battle plans of the men and women who went before them, biblical and otherwise;  they examine their past failures and the schemes and plays that the enemy has used successfuly in the past against them and others; and finally on the day of full contact battle they enter a place of public assembly to join others in moving on in their journey towards a successful life.  One that will result in victory not just for a day or even a year but for eternity.  Or at least they should, because from its beginning Friends of the Truth yearned for direct contact with the Divine - not satisfied to simply observe or be told of the battle of good vs. evil, nor to be satisfied with the retelling of past victories - but to be actual partakers in that battle where light overcomes the darkness; to put their bodies, heart and soul on the line for the team that Good may prevail.  Yes, Quakerism is a contact sport!  Anything less and it doesn't matter where you spend Sunday.