Quakers?

[Walt1093]

Recently I read Leo Tolstoy's "What I Believe", and found myself agreeing emphatically with the things he said in it, particularly about putting the sermon on the mount into practice in your life. (A few things I STRONGLY disagree with, such as his rejection of the divinity of Christ and denial of heaven's existence). But after reading this book, I feel very lonely, because no one in my life or church believes like I do. This has made me suspicious that I might be a quaker. If any of you on here are members of this branch of Christianity, please post and tell me what you guys are all about. (And hopefully, how I can meet some other quakers in person.)  

[nebula]

Hi Walt -

 

Are you saying that no one in your church believes the sermon on the mount should be put into practice in your life?

 

If that is what your church preaches, there is something wrong with that church.

[Walt1093]

Hi Walt -

 

Are you saying that no one in your church believes the sermon on the mount should be put into practice in your life?

 

If that is what your church preaches, there is something wrong with that church.

 

They profess the sermon on the mount, but they place little importance on it. To make things worse, they try to "intellectually interpret" Christ's commands until they have little, if any, significance for a Christian at all.  I've been to churches of different denominations, and it seems that they all have the same disease. Even if they DO accept the Gospel in it's pure form, they do not encourage practicing it. 

 

I am desperate to be around people that believe like I do; that when Jesus said "Whoever takes your shirt, give him your cloak also", He meant every word of it.

[missmuffet]

 

Hi Walt -

 

Are you saying that no one in your church believes the sermon on the mount should be put into practice in your life?

 

If that is what your church preaches, there is something wrong with that church.

 

They profess the sermon on the mount, but they place little importance on it. To make things worse, they try to "intellectually interpret" Christ's commands until they have little, if any, significance for a Christian at all.  I've been to churches of different denominations, and it seems that they all have the same disease. Even if they DO accept the Gospel in it's pure form, they do not encourage practicing it. 

 

I am desperate to be around people that believe like I do; that when Jesus said "Whoever takes your shirt, give him your cloak also", He meant every word of it.

 

What do you believe Walt?

[Walt1093]

 

 

Hi Walt -

 

Are you saying that no one in your church believes the sermon on the mount should be put into practice in your life?

 

If that is what your church preaches, there is something wrong with that church.

 

They profess the sermon on the mount, but they place little importance on it. To make things worse, they try to "intellectually interpret" Christ's commands until they have little, if any, significance for a Christian at all.  I've been to churches of different denominations, and it seems that they all have the same disease. Even if they DO accept the Gospel in it's pure form, they do not encourage practicing it. 

 

I am desperate to be around people that believe like I do; that when Jesus said "Whoever takes your shirt, give him your cloak also", He meant every word of it.

 

What do you believe Walt?

 

 

Ha, this post made me smile. If you are asking whether I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for my sins and rose from the grave, that he gave us commands that we are perfectly capable of fulfilling, and that he is coming to take us home when the rapture comes, then the answer is yes. However, I suppose that I was being unclear when I said "believe like I do." To put it more coherently, I do not feel comfortable in the churches I have visited because of the culture that I find there. To put it simply, there is a contradiction between what Christians profess to believe and what they show by their lives. There is a disturbing eagerness to condemn, to attack, to name-call, to exact revenge on one another. These things are entirely contrary to what Christ taught us on the sermon on the mount, and when I try to say something about it, they go into "theologian" mode and start making countless excuses for their behavior, interpreting God's word in the way that best suits them. 

 

And no, I am not new to the faith. Raised by a Pentecostal evangelist and grew up in church. This concern stems from a spiritual journey that I have undergone ever since my decision to take my faith in Christ seriously, and it has led me to this crossroads. But this thread isn't about my personal testimony, I was merely asking if Worthy Christian forums had a quaker who could tell me something about their faith. 

 

[Guest]

The lack of a creed or clear description of Quaker beliefs has sometimes led to the misconception that Friends do not have beliefs or that one can believe anything and be a Friend.

 

Most Quakers take the absence of a creed as an invitation and encouragement to exercise an extra measure of personal responsibility for the understanding and articulation of Quaker faith.

 

Rather than rely on priests or professional theologians, each believer is encouraged to take seriously the personal disciplines associated with spiritual growth.

 

Out of lives of reflection, prayer, faithfulness, and service flow the statements of belief, both in word and in deed.

--from Pacific Yearly Meeting FAITH AND PRACTICE

 

Snow White

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

 

And The Poison Antidote

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:160 (KJV)

 

It's Truly An Affair Of The Heart

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV)

 

~

 

Are Quakers Christian?

The Quaker way has deep Christian roots that form our understanding of God, our faith, and our practices. Many Quakers consider themselves Christian, and some do not. Many Quakers today draw spiritual nourishment from our Christian roots and strive to follow the example of Jesus. Many other Quakers draw spiritual sustenance from various religious traditions, such as Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and the nature religions. http://www.fgcquaker.org/explore/faqs-about-quakers

 

Life, Death

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:35-36 (KJV)

 

And The Fellowship

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 16:4 (ESV)

 

Of The

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18 (KJV)

 

Damned

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:19-20 (KJV)

 

You See

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:21 (KJV)

 

~

 

Recently I read Leo Tolstoy's "What I Believe", and found myself agreeing emphatically with the things he said in it, particularly about putting the sermon on the mount into practice in your life. (A few things I STRONGLY disagree with, such as his rejection of the divinity of Christ and denial of heaven's existence). But after reading this book, I feel very lonely, because no one in my life or church believes like I do. This has made me suspicious that I might be a Quaker. If any of you on here are members of this branch of Christianity, please post and tell me what you guys are all about. (And hopefully, how I can meet some other Quakers in person.)  

 

One Of My Uncles Was A Quaker

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

 

To The Day He Died (99 1/2 Years Young)

 

~

 

Nowhere are these differences more marked than in the United States which contains four distinct branches of Friends. In worship, some Friends still practice unprogrammed "silent" meetings where the entire meeting for worship is held in expectant waiting on God, while other Quakers now have programmed services led by a pastor, similar to many Protestant denominations. In belief, some Friends place most emphasis on the authority of Christian Scripture, while others give greater emphasis to the authority of the immediate guidance of the Spirit. This dynamic tension has allowed for a wide range of religious perspectives. For more information, see branches. http://www.quakerinfo.org/quakerism/beliefs

 

All Interpretations

And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. Genesis 40:8 (KJV)

 

Belong To

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

 

God

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

 

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 (NASB)

 

~

 

 

Worldwide, the vast majority of Friends confess an orthodox Christian faith. Friends' emphasis has always been on the role of the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit, however, most Friends believe that the Spirit is unchanging and will not contradict itself. On this basis, the Christian Scriptures and tradition are highly esteemed as testimony to God's relationship with our spiritual ancestors. Crucially, because most Friends consider the Scriptures to be inspired by God, the Bible is helpful in weighing whether new inward guidance comes from the Spirit of God or from another source. http://www.quakerinfo.org/quakerism/beliefs

 

Check

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. Psalms 12:6 (KJV)

 

Check

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:11 (KJV)

 

Check

"Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock? Jeremiah 23-29 (NASB)

 

~

 

However, for some Friends (especially the Liberal-unprogrammed branch) it is not important that we have similar beliefs. These Friends would say that is not one's beliefs that make one a Quaker. Rather, it is participation in Friends community, the deep search for divine guidance, and the attempt to live faithfully in harmony with that guidance that make a person a Quaker. http://www.quakerinfo.org/quakerism/beliefs

 

And 

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

 

knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 

 

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:17-21 (NASB)

 

Check

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

 

~

 

 

What are Quaker testimonies?

Quakers find that attending to the Light Within influences the ways we act in our personal lives, as well as the changes we work for in the wider world. We have noticed that certain values seem to arise more or less consistently when we try to stay close to the guidance of the Inward Teacher, and we call these principles our “testimonies.” They are not so much rules that we try to obey as the outcomes of our efforts to live in harmony with the Holy Spirit. Some commonly recognized testimonies include peace, integrity, equality, simplicity, community, and care for the earth. http://www.fgcquaker.org/explore/faqs-about-quakers

 

 

The Light

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12 (KJV)

 

And The Liar

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44 (KJV)

 

Be Wise

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Matthew 2:1-2 (KJV)

 

Believe

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 (KJV)

 

And Be Blessed Beloved

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25 (KJV)

 

Love, Joe

[Walt1093]

Thank you, your post was really informative. I didn't know that Quakers did not believe in a specific creed or doctrine. My mom always thought that they were the hard-core pacifists, but I suppose that would be a stereotype.

Edited August 18, 2013 by Walt1093

[Guest]

I am desperate to be around people that believe like I do; that when Jesus said "Whoever takes your shirt, give him your cloak also", He meant every word of it.

 

 

No

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3

 

Profit

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Luke 17:10

 

~

 

They profess the sermon on the mount, but they place little importance on it. To make things worse, they try to "intellectually interpret" Christ's commands until they have little, if any, significance for a Christian at all.  I've been to churches of different denominations, and it seems that they all have the same disease. Even if they DO accept the Gospel in it's pure form, they do not encourage practicing it.

 

 

~

 

The

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

 

For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Isaiah 66:2

 

Sermon

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. John 16:20

 

On

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

 

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. Psalms 37:9

 

The

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

 

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1

 

Mount

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

 

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

 

You

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:10

 

See

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9

 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45

 

For

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

 

Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. Isaiah 66:5

 

It's

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matthew 5:11

 

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation. Isaiah 51:7-8

 

All

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:12

 

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16

 

About

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

 

Jesus

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

 

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:20-23

 

And Not About Our Righteousness

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

 

You See

[franciskelsey]

I got a book on it. Let me see if I can post their basics after a bit. My laptop is not running good right now. It has been on 2 hours straight. LOL  I will post later. I gotta let my laptop take a break

[franciskelsey]

I am sure some others can give you much more insight than me but on my findings they are certainly different. The very basics are, from what I read in my two books on the Quakers, they consider themselves a third sect of Christians (friends) meaning not Catholic, not Protestant but Quaker. They put spirituality as #1. The only true "must believes" are no war and a moral busy standard of life. They debate little is little is absolute and most things are left up to you and the "inner light" including the deity of Jesus Christ and the Trinity as well is abortion. They believe in Jesus but leave it up to each person to determine who Jesus is and/or how He relates to their inner light. They believe in spiritual baptism but do not allow water baptism. 

 

Any rituals are forbidden and though some sects have changed a bit now it was traditional to meet on Sunday and have no singing or preaching. They let the Spirit move their time together, Their seems to be no true leader and every one as held to equal standards though some have more prominent roles in leadership and decision making. They have no Creeds or real doctrines as every one decides with their own inner light.

 

It should be notes they do consider themselves Christian and they do believe in God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, though the trinity and deity is left to each person as to what to believe. The same is true for heaven and hell. There is no right and wrong answer in these regards. It is all about learning and discerning from your inner light, which I am sure is generally considered the Spirit, however, as every thing else, they have no standard on grace nor sin either. 

 

It is almost as most things are just up in the air and left up to the persons inner light though they regard the bible extremely high and read it much. They do have different sects with slightly different traditions or beliefs. In general, a sect seems to be what they are in a way. I believe many are Christian but I believe "friendship" and inner light plays a bigger role  than any "Christian doctrine" or what the bible states clearly. Good, busy, holy lives are what they are all about but they go about it in a "inner light feel good" sort of way. They seem to substitute "inner light" with biblical doctrine. That being said, I believe I will stay believing what the bible states is true.