OK, how many more Quakers...

[TreasonousBastard]

hang out here?

Me, LynneSinn, and Snow, fessed up. And then there's "Quaker Bill" That's 4, but there are about .04% Quakers in the US population, so the same distribution would give us about a dozen here, and many more if political leanings were taken into account.

Who's missing?

[Khephra]

1. I don't belong to any certain sect or creed

But I align myself with Quaker beliefs more times than not...on the "not" times, I'm more of a Gnostic.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. I didn't know cereal could post on a web forum. (nt)

[TreasonousBastard]

5. No, but...

motor oil can.

(We've heard all the jokes)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. For years I thought this fellow was sponsored by oat bran:

On edit: smaller pic

[Malva Zebrina]

3. I am an atheist but I really do like the Quakers

a lot.

[JohnKleeb]

4. Catholic who feels the same way

[Dogmudgeon]

6. Friendly but not yet Called

I'm also a Universalist, so that also puts me in the UUA wing of Libbrul Religion.

I once wanted to start my own schism of Quakerism -- the Reformed Progressive Society of Universal Friends. Or, the Space Quakers for short.

Thou mayest be Klingon, but I pledge this unto thee: That all Sentient Beings are Bretheren in the Lord's Family, and I shall act toward thee as thou art my Brother in the Lord and as if thou werest my Brother in the flesh.

--bkl
Foxy.

[grannylib]

7. I'm just plain ol' Christian, no particular denomination or anything, but

have always admired the Quakers; my high school biology teacher was a Quaker, really good guy...

[arwalden]

8. I'm A Quacker...

does that count?

-- Allen

9. Friends

a Quaker here. Throughout junior high and high school attended meetings. I like the name Friends myself more than Quaker.
Hardly ever go to an organized church these days, but the last time I went (other than for a wedding) was Quaker.

[stinkeefresh]

10. yup.

While I haven't been a regular attender since I was 5, I my Dad's side of the fam is Quaker and I was extremely active in the New England Quaker youth group: "Young Friends".

So if I have to be something, I'll take the Quakes.

on edit: Space Quakers sounds pretty tempting...

[enough]

11. Do you count lapsed Quakers?

I was brought up in the tradition, and married in the meeting, but my husband and I have both ceased to be identified with it. Organized religion seemed to matter less and less . Still, a lot of our friends and relatives are still participating, and it seems as if those Quaker mafia connections never fade. As we get older we're spending more time in meetinghouses again -- at memorial services.

I think the thing that finally sent us away was the fact that there was so little silence in the meetings for worship. We tried several meetings in our area, but they each had a core of people who seemed to feel compelled to speak at every meeting. The meetings appeared to be simply venues for these folks to speak, rather than a place of silent opening to inspiration.

I have sometimes wondered if I had searched harder, would I have found a group more focused on silence. Actually, I came closer to it in various meditation groups in the buddhist tradition.

[stinkeefresh]

12. that sounds like a drag!

Where are you located? I sampled meetings all over New England in the late 80s and there would be maybe 4 speakers in the hour. I can't say if they were always the same folks, but it seemd that silence was recognized as the key.

And I've been to meeting in Santa Monica meeting within the last year and they seemd to be hep to the silence issue.

What you describe sounds like it would drive me away too!

[Snow]

21. If you're in LA area, the other really big Meeting (I think) is my own,

the Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena. Total silence for an hour is not unusual at all.

[enough]

25. Coastal split?

I'm wondering if this could be an east-coast west-coast cultural divide. My experience is mid-atlantic, mostly southeastern PA.

Your Orange Grove Meeting sounds wonderful. It's not that I would want a RULE about total silence, just that it would be wonderful to know that it could happen, and that people wouldn't feel obligated to fill it up with their own voices.

[Nikia]

13. Religious quiz says my beliefs are closest to Quaker

I took an online religious preference quiz and that was my result. There isn't an organization in my area though. When they say simple living as a virtue, how simple are we talking about. I could live simply but I don't know about my husband. I suppose that I'd have to give up pot too.

[Leados]

14. Quaker

Quakers are definitely cool.

[enough]

15. Simple living

Simple living is no longer a requirement for being a Quaker. I know numerous active Quakers who live in million-dollar houses (protected by complicated alarm systems), own multiple high-end vehicles, and hire out their house-cleaning and yard work. They live just like everyone else in their economic bracket, with lots of vacations and lots of telephone numbers.

I also know active Quakers who live below the poverty level so they do not have to pay taxes to the war machine, do not own a car, and devote their lives entirely to the struggle for peace and justice. They work alongside Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, and atheists who have the same beliefs and committment.

I would guess that most Quakers, like most of the population, live somewhere between these two extremes.

[Snow]

22. *snicker* Why would you have to give up pot?

your sword, for as long as you can wear it (William Penn/George Fox reference), but pot? Where did you hear that? We have some serious vegetarians in my Meeting, though. You're in Wisconsin? There're surely Meetings in Milwaukee and Madison, but if you're outstate, dunno. I'll look 'em up in Friends' Journal. You could always start a Meeting; I've been in on that. It's no big deal; just ask another Meeting to be your caretaker Meeting.

[bloom]

16. I attend a Quaker meeting

It has a nice mix of silence/speaking.

It's gotten to be the only kind of church that I would want to go to regularly (other than maybe a Buddhist meditation or something).

I don't know if I'll ever become 'official' - but if I were to move - I would hope to find another meeting.

[never cry wolf]

17. I dated a Quaker for a year...

Took her to prom my senior year in HS, 1972. I attended a few meetings with her family. When the '72 elections came around (I was politically naive) and I was able to vote at the age of 18 for some reason I remembered her dad espousing the virtues of McGovern and voted for him, I have never voted for a repuke since.

I would think that the percentage of Quakers here would be higher than the general population since they are really true believers in the words and actions of Christ, the original liberal.

True peace loving compassionate people, I have nothing but respect for them.

[oneighty]

18. Grand parents

were Quakers. I spent much time with them but never became a Quaker. I have much respect for Quakers and donate to the AFSC now and than.

180

[oneighty]

19. Grand parents

were Quakers. I spent much time with them but never became a Quaker. I have much respect for Quakers and donate to the AFSC now and than.

180

[liberalhistorian]

20. I belong to a Friends church, which

is the modern-day equivalent of the Quakers, so I guess I'm one of the missing ones!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

23. I'm sort of a Gnostic Friend

Perhaps an Illuminated Quaker? In any case, I'm pretty sure that technically, I'm a heretic.

Gnostic Friends Network: http://www.enemies.com/