Post by pentangleafternoon on Mar 6, 2008 0:50:55 GMT -5
quaker
i grew up searching for my own answers and was pleasantly surprised to see how closely eveything lined up with the traditional religion of my family.
its really got nothing to do with the oatmeal heh. quakers believe that an inner light shines at all times even when there is 'nothing' to see. they have meeting sessions but dont employ a priest. the actual name is the society of friends (the term quaker came about in the early 20th century as they were often seen in public shaking their hips). officially a sect of christianity, the quaker view has been called the closest section of christianity to the proverbial mystic or eastern tradition. to me its interesting how close quakers and hippies relate to things. and for the record, the quaker guy on the oats box is wearing the plain grey jacket and wide brimmed hat (women wore plain dresses and bonnets). this happened in the 17th century when the religion was getting started, and the reason dressing plainly is because appearances were not of major concern. quaker history shows a group of people who are notorious for pacifism, kindness to strangers, and a fiercely independant spirit that makes them at times seem strange or otherworldly to the unwitting observer. to me at the end of the day, a quaker is someone who puts anything and everything aside to recognize that we are all friends on a wonderfully special journey that will eventually lead back home.
in the form of a band setlist, my religious background goes:
raised quaker> agnostic> atheist> agnostic> buddhist> quaker reprise
i use to hate organized religion. my view was that lots of people need directional leadership and are willing to settle with the best bargain on the shelf. however after thinking about atheism for quite some time, i came to the conclusion that refusing to believe is simply organizing your subconscious to look elsewhere for belief.
i can tell a quaker out of a crowd anywhere i go really. to put it simply, conversations with god are always possible.
and by the way i absolutely enjoy oatmeal
i grew up searching for my own answers and was pleasantly surprised to see how closely eveything lined up with the traditional religion of my family.
its really got nothing to do with the oatmeal heh. quakers believe that an inner light shines at all times even when there is 'nothing' to see. they have meeting sessions but dont employ a priest. the actual name is the society of friends (the term quaker came about in the early 20th century as they were often seen in public shaking their hips). officially a sect of christianity, the quaker view has been called the closest section of christianity to the proverbial mystic or eastern tradition. to me its interesting how close quakers and hippies relate to things. and for the record, the quaker guy on the oats box is wearing the plain grey jacket and wide brimmed hat (women wore plain dresses and bonnets). this happened in the 17th century when the religion was getting started, and the reason dressing plainly is because appearances were not of major concern. quaker history shows a group of people who are notorious for pacifism, kindness to strangers, and a fiercely independant spirit that makes them at times seem strange or otherworldly to the unwitting observer. to me at the end of the day, a quaker is someone who puts anything and everything aside to recognize that we are all friends on a wonderfully special journey that will eventually lead back home.
in the form of a band setlist, my religious background goes:
raised quaker> agnostic> atheist> agnostic> buddhist> quaker reprise
i use to hate organized religion. my view was that lots of people need directional leadership and are willing to settle with the best bargain on the shelf. however after thinking about atheism for quite some time, i came to the conclusion that refusing to believe is simply organizing your subconscious to look elsewhere for belief.
i can tell a quaker out of a crowd anywhere i go really. to put it simply, conversations with god are always possible.
and by the way i absolutely enjoy oatmeal