It took about 5 months from when I "discovered" the Quakers until I went to my first meeting. Part of that was due to previous commitments but also I needed to learn more about the Friends before stepping into the water. I had had unsatisfying experiences with other religious organizations and had pretty well left the idea of "God" behind but still I felt that there was something more to life that was just out of my reach. By the end of that first silent meeting I knew that I had found what I was looking for and God became a personal relationship. I felt more faith and depth in that one hour than I had ever felt anywhere else. It was a paradigm shift in my life and I'll be forever grateful.
I went to my second meeting today and It was wonderful!!!! A man there said “I just want to let you know... we aren’t perfect” and that was music to my ears!!!!!!! PERFECT
Ah... My Granny Stuart was a quaker who divorced her abusive husband and was shunned for it. What I remember most about her was her peaceful way, her innate peace that was part of everything she did. She remained a quaker all her life, and had a profound effect on me. My parents were both disasters as parents- mental illness married to mental illness, and my two grannies, one Quaker, one Catholic, gave me the example I needed to follow to be a whole person.
I started getting curious last year and started watching these videos and visiting facebook pages. Went to my first meeting last week, 1/22. So nice, inviting, and willing to provide information. Looking forward to my next visit.
I am really considering being a Quaker. I learned about Quakers while reading my American Literature book, and it made me realize that the feeling I've had my entire life of God calling me but not knowing in which direction to go, could only mean I might already be a Quaker and did not even know it. I was born in a very Catholic family, and ever since I was little, I remember being forced to go to mass twice a week and I simply could not understand the reason behind the repeated prayers and prewritten sermons, the statues, and candles in front of them, the hypocrisy of the people criticising each other behind each other's back while reciting The Lord's Prayer. The idea of a Priest being considered as a high authority, or something like that, has always bothered me. Being denied spiritual guidance (not confessing- I was going through a phase where I needed to talk to someone closer to God than I thought I was) only because I was not married by the church made me realize I didn't belong there in the first place. These scenarios and so many other ridiculous rules I simply cannot agree with made me try other religions that ended up having, even more, stricter rules and wanted me to carry a bible everywhere I went. Religions that judge everything. That did not agree with me either. I want to be able to have a connection with God, and only Him, and let Him be my only judge. But I need to learn more about being a Quaker before I decide if it's really where I belong.
I spent my teens and 20s looking for God, mostly bouncing between Wicca and various forms of Christianity. In my 30s and 40s, I was an atheist. In both phases of my life, I still felt something within, guiding me. As a theist, I called this God. As an atheist, I called this my conscience, or sometimes, whatever it was that Humanists mean when they describe a common humanity. In my late 40s, I heard about the Society of Friends, and found out that this Something had been guiding me in the Quaker Testimonies most of my life, even though I had never heard of them before. That's how I became a Friend, the realization of "Oh, so THAT'S what I've been listening to."
If I didn't have to belong to a meeting, I would consider myself a Quaker. The Quaker Testimonies resonate with me more than anything in any other religion. I love silent retreats and communing with God in nature, but whenever I meet for worship at a Quaker house, the exprience falls flat for me. I wish I could be a solitary practitioner, but I do not want to appropriate the label without joining a meeting, and I don't see myself joining a meeting without intending to attend regularly.
I know this was a long time ago, but maybe try a few different meetings. It sounds like it’s very diverse and different meetings are very different, and you may be able to find one that fits better.
I would love to become part of a quaker meeting group but I work at a local church nursery every Sunday and Wednesday. For now I'll just implement what I've learned on this channel and see if it feels right to me. Thank you for all of these educational videos.
I used to go to first friends-Indy… I didn’t like pastoral and I just went to silent meetings. But for the most part I felt like I was being judged and several of the established people were not welcoming to me. As well as I was being questioned when I spoke in silent meeting. I loved being in presence of Jesus but I couldn’t get past the judgement… I left that meeting. I haven’t been to any meetings in over 7+ yrs… but I am still a Quaker in my heart.
Chris W , yes you can be a Quaker without becoming a formal member. Having said that, membership for me was putting into practice our belief of community, becoming part of. I have been a Quaker for over twenty years, but looking back I believe I have always been one, even before I new what a Quaker was! Hope that answers your question.
Absolutely. One of our attenders of more than 30 years died last summer. She gave Meeting her special ministry of care for the children, teaching First Day School for parents of my grandchildren. Betty never applied for formal membership, but she attended nearly every First Day. Her husband and four children were/are Baha'i's - a religion that shares Quakers' peacemaking. Our newsletter used to have a column "A Friend in Deed" where a member or attender would be commended for appreciation of unsung service to the Meeting. Betty was the second recipient of this honor, and several other non-members soon followed.
The largest number of Quakers in one country, is now in the East African nation of Kenya. The other comment here about needing to be an English speaking person is not quite true. There are small groups of Quakers in Japan, Germany and in South Korea. Go well.
That's not an easy question to answer. Certainly, one can find that the Quaker message resonates with one's ideas and spiritual needs. There are lots of resources in print and online ( like QuakerSpeak videos!) that can teach about the Quaker way. And one can practice the principles, as well as silent prayer or singing or whatever worship one prefers. However, Quakers have always highly valued living in community with other seekers. The worship, whether programmed or not, is an activity shared together. The Spirit moves differently among a group than when one is praying or worshiping alone. Furthermore, the way that decisions are made among Quakers relies upon the multiplied Light that a community has, which is so much more illuminating than just one person's Light. Now, all of that said, there are certainly people who feel that they are Quaker, but do not live geographically close to a Quaker Meeting or Church. So for those folks, attending Quaker Meeting is difficult or infrequent. And there are some who have been alienated somehow from the local Quaker Meeting or Church, and likewise then may not participate in that community. Are they still Quaker? Maybe, of a sort. But ideally, a Quaker is someone who is in ongoing relationship with other Quakers. I hope that this helps begin to answer your question, Olivia.
Donna Would it be inappropriate to call yourself a Quaker, if you practice the values of Quakerism but you aren't currently in a position to attend meetings but plan to in the future?
It’s optional, some have it there to read from, but you can read from any book or say anything that you want after the silence. Be better to each other and do good and make the world better any way you can.
I am watching several videos on them, and it appears they do not abide in scripture. Quakers are sounding more new age and occult to me, and not abiding in Jesus Christ or even using the word of God, the holy Bible.
@@TheForkedtoungue I have ancestors who are Quakers. But the thing I've come to understand about Scripture is, that, if it wasnt important, Jesus wouldnt have quoted from it and he wouldnt have said, "it is written...". Perhaps the people of the day, and in our day actually, just didnt use it correctly? Or maybe they didnt have the Holy Spirit showing them how to understand it...Scripture teaches us about God, who he is and where we fit in that. Without it, it's like a new microwave without the manual.
I started going to a friends church not knowing what it was. They are conservative and that is similar to my Christian upbringing, but I think I need to find a different church. I am reformed baptist
putting a Label on your soul is a devious act , simply You are unique their are no one like me i am an original , i have ideas , i have artistic intentions , i have common sense , I have love for the beautiful women, I do not peddle in falsehoods , if i can i will help , im not comfortable with groups of men , i do not worship, when i decipher texts signs and symbols i understanned it might be decieving, have a contextual mizssundwerstanding , or plain flatout wrong. i put my beliefs in personal experience , i have a hunger to learn , usually the forbidden things are the most knowlegable things to learn about , simply by not wanting to participate in these awful acts
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Interesting video really informative watching from London UK 🇬🇧
It took about 5 months from when I "discovered" the Quakers until I went to my first meeting. Part of that was due to previous commitments but also I needed to learn more about the Friends before stepping into the water. I had had unsatisfying experiences with other religious organizations and had pretty well left the idea of "God" behind but still I felt that there was something more to life that was just out of my reach.
By the end of that first silent meeting I knew that I had found what I was looking for and God became a personal relationship. I felt more faith and depth in that one hour than I had ever felt anywhere else. It was a paradigm shift in my life and I'll be forever grateful.
I went to my second meeting today and It was wonderful!!!! A man there said “I just want to let you know... we aren’t perfect” and that was music to my ears!!!!!!! PERFECT
Ah... My Granny Stuart was a quaker who divorced her abusive husband and was shunned for it. What I remember most about her was her peaceful way, her innate peace that was part of everything she did. She remained a quaker all her life, and had a profound effect on me. My parents were both disasters as parents- mental illness married to mental illness, and my two grannies, one Quaker, one Catholic, gave me the example I needed to follow to be a whole person.
I started getting curious last year and started watching these videos and visiting facebook pages. Went to my first meeting last week, 1/22. So nice, inviting, and willing to provide information. Looking forward to my next visit.
I love when the lady said "committed to peace and making this a better world "💚💚💚
I am really considering being a Quaker. I learned about Quakers while reading my American Literature book, and it made me realize that the feeling I've had my entire life of God calling me but not knowing in which direction to go, could only mean I might already be a Quaker and did not even know it.
I was born in a very Catholic family, and ever since I was little, I remember being forced to go to mass twice a week and I simply could not understand the reason behind the repeated prayers and prewritten sermons, the statues, and candles in front of them, the hypocrisy of the people criticising each other behind each other's back while reciting The Lord's Prayer.
The idea of a Priest being considered as a high authority, or something like that, has always bothered me.
Being denied spiritual guidance (not confessing- I was going through a phase where I needed to talk to someone closer to God than I thought I was) only because I was not married by the church made me realize I didn't belong there in the first place. These scenarios and so many other ridiculous rules I simply cannot agree with made me try other religions that ended up having, even more, stricter rules and wanted me to carry a bible everywhere I went. Religions that judge everything. That did not agree with me either. I want to be able to have a connection with God, and only Him, and let Him be my only judge. But I need to learn more about being a Quaker before I decide if it's really where I belong.
😛🤭😃 you don't have to "belong" to be a Quaker😃 just be
Thanks for being present on this app.
I spent my teens and 20s looking for God, mostly bouncing between Wicca and various forms of Christianity. In my 30s and 40s, I was an atheist. In both phases of my life, I still felt something within, guiding me. As a theist, I called this God. As an atheist, I called this my conscience, or sometimes, whatever it was that Humanists mean when they describe a common humanity.
In my late 40s, I heard about the Society of Friends, and found out that this Something had been guiding me in the Quaker Testimonies most of my life, even though I had never heard of them before. That's how I became a Friend, the realization of "Oh, so THAT'S what I've been listening to."
If I didn't have to belong to a meeting, I would consider myself a Quaker. The Quaker Testimonies resonate with me more than anything in any other religion. I love silent retreats and communing with God in nature, but whenever I meet for worship at a Quaker house, the exprience falls flat for me. I wish I could be a solitary practitioner, but I do not want to appropriate the label without joining a meeting, and I don't see myself joining a meeting without intending to attend regularly.
I know this was a long time ago, but maybe try a few different meetings. It sounds like it’s very diverse and different meetings are very different, and you may be able to find one that fits better.
I visited a Quaker Meeting this morning...yes, I now know that I'm a Quaker!
I would love to become part of a quaker meeting group but I work at a local church nursery every Sunday and Wednesday. For now I'll just implement what I've learned on this channel and see if it feels right to me. Thank you for all of these educational videos.
I used to go to first friends-Indy… I didn’t like pastoral and I just went to silent meetings. But for the most part I felt like I was being judged and several of the established people were not welcoming to me. As well as I was being questioned when I spoke in silent meeting. I loved being in presence of Jesus but I couldn’t get past the judgement… I left that meeting. I haven’t been to any meetings in over 7+ yrs… but I am still a Quaker in my heart.
My ancestors were Quaker’s. They are good people
Can an attender be a Quaker without holding formal membership?
Chris W , yes you can be a Quaker without becoming a formal member. Having said that, membership for me was putting into practice our belief of community, becoming part of. I have been a Quaker for over twenty years, but looking back I believe I have always been one, even before I new what a Quaker was! Hope that answers your question.
Absolutely. One of our attenders of more than 30 years died last summer. She gave Meeting her special ministry of care for the children, teaching First Day School for parents of my grandchildren. Betty never applied for formal membership, but she attended nearly every First Day. Her husband and four children were/are Baha'i's - a religion that shares Quakers' peacemaking. Our newsletter used to have a column "A Friend in Deed" where a member or attender would be commended for appreciation of unsung service to the Meeting. Betty was the second recipient of this honor, and several other non-members soon followed.
Asking myself this today...
Can one still become a member even if there aren't any gatherings nearby?
The largest number of Quakers in one country, is now in the East African nation of Kenya. The other comment here about needing to be an English speaking person is not quite true. There are small groups of Quakers in Japan, Germany and in South Korea. Go well.
i’ve completed several online questionnaires about what type of Christian I am.
It keeps telling me that I’m. Quaker
Can you be a Quaker without attending meetings?
That's not an easy question to answer. Certainly, one can find that the Quaker message resonates with one's ideas and spiritual needs. There are lots of resources in print and online ( like QuakerSpeak videos!) that can teach about the Quaker way. And one can practice the principles, as well as silent prayer or singing or whatever worship one prefers. However, Quakers have always highly valued living in community with other seekers. The worship, whether programmed or not, is an activity shared together. The Spirit moves differently among a group than when one is praying or worshiping alone. Furthermore, the way that decisions are made among Quakers relies upon the multiplied Light that a community has, which is so much more illuminating than just one person's Light. Now, all of that said, there are certainly people who feel that they are Quaker, but do not live geographically close to a Quaker Meeting or Church. So for those folks, attending Quaker Meeting is difficult or infrequent. And there are some who have been alienated somehow from the local Quaker Meeting or Church, and likewise then may not participate in that community. Are they still Quaker? Maybe, of a sort. But ideally, a Quaker is someone who is in ongoing relationship with other Quakers. I hope that this helps begin to answer your question, Olivia.
Donna Would it be inappropriate to call yourself a Quaker, if you practice the values of Quakerism but you aren't currently in a position to attend meetings but plan to in the future?
You can, go out in nature, reveal yourself there, value yourself, love yourself and do good I this world. That’s all you need to do
Seek and you WILL find ...
A Seventh Day Adventist who
Lived in an Underground Railroad House, asked me if he saw me on the street would he know I was a Quaker?
Peace & Justice
✌ ⚖
Yes, Quaker philosophy is me.
I always looking for the right God ,i did not find but certain i wil visit Quackers churchs
My, maternal,. ancestors were Quakers. I've always been intrigued.
God is love, know that and judge only yourself. Do good in this world and leave it better.
I feel pulled
Do Quakers not learn from the Bible at Quaker meetings?
It’s optional, some have it there to read from, but you can read from any book or say anything that you want after the silence. Be better to each other and do good and make the world better any way you can.
I am watching several videos on them, and it appears they do not abide in scripture. Quakers are sounding more new age and occult to me, and not abiding in Jesus Christ or even using the word of God, the holy Bible.
@@TheForkedtoungue I have ancestors who are Quakers. But the thing I've come to understand about Scripture is, that, if it wasnt important, Jesus wouldnt have quoted from it and he wouldnt have said, "it is written...". Perhaps the people of the day, and in our day actually, just didnt use it correctly? Or maybe they didnt have the Holy Spirit showing them how to understand it...Scripture teaches us about God, who he is and where we fit in that. Without it, it's like a new microwave without the manual.
Yes, I am. I belong to a programmed meeting.
What is the status of Jesus in Quakerism. Same as Christians, son of God died on the cross for the sins of the world? Or a prophet of God?
It depends who you ask. The whole point is that there is no set doctrine.
that fpnf pg
Do not rely on priests, prelates or intermediariès ( Sidartha) representative of common sense ❤
I started going to a friends church not knowing what it was. They are conservative and that is similar to my Christian upbringing, but I think I need to find a different church. I am reformed baptist
putting a Label on your soul is a devious act , simply You are unique their are no one like me i am an original , i have ideas , i have artistic intentions , i have common sense , I have love for the beautiful women, I do not peddle in falsehoods , if i can i will help , im not comfortable with groups of men , i do not worship, when i decipher texts signs and symbols i understanned it might be decieving, have a contextual mizssundwerstanding , or plain flatout wrong. i put my beliefs in personal experience , i have a hunger to learn , usually the forbidden things are the most knowlegable things to learn about , simply by not wanting to participate in these awful acts