Sunday, July 02, 2006
I attended my local Quaker meeting this First-Day, and held myself as close as I could to the depth of Christ's inward fountain. Once again, the vocal ministry turned political, and a long-time member began to speak on the war in Iraq.
I oppose the war, but wonder how many modern Quakers came to the society because they are pacificists, and how many are pacifists because Jesus described his Kingdom of being not of this world, admonishing his followers to love their enemies. "Were my Kingdom of this world, my followers would fight. But as it happens, it is not here," Jesus told Pilate.
As Quakers, we must strive to live in that Kingdom and not in the world. Yet so many who consider themselves Friends still view war as a political issue rather than a failure of the spirit. In my heart, I have come to feel that attending rallies that demonize those we oppose is just another form of strife and contention. Individuals or politicians who oppose the war today on secular or practical grounds may reverse themselves tomorrow. Only a spiritual opposition to war can be reliable and permanent, but such is not the case in many Quaker meetinghouses.
This secular focus is to be found without the meetinghouse as well as within. Bumper stickers outside of the meetinghouse hold the names of political candidates -- despite the scriptural recommendation that we put our faith not in men. Other bumper stickers suggest that we outlaw war, even though Christ made it clear that the external law of antiquity now must live within us. Another sticker proclaims that the driver is a proud member of the religious left -- yet the love of Christ by definition transcends partisanship and political left and right, which are positions of convenience for those who value the opinions of men before the truth as revealed by God.
Where are the bumper stickers that proclaim that Real Men Love Jesus, or My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter? I am loathe to put any bumper sticker on my Mazda 3, but were I to do so this would be the type of bumper sticker I would choose.
Which begs not only the question -- not What Would Jesus Drive -- but What Bumper Sticker Would George Fox have? I would not presume to make assumptions on what Jesus would drive. Such a topic needs to be discussed by weighty theologians like Dan Daniels and Your No Good Buddies (see http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/ddyngb-03.m3u). But I feel Fox would drive a smallish, practical station wagon appropriate for his itinerant journeys. And his bumper sticker would say something like:
The Power of the Lord is Over All!
~or~
Christ is the Light of the World!
~or~
Hearken to the Inward Free Teacher!
Wars come not from being affilitated with the left or the right. They come from an alienation from God and from living in the temporal world rather than in the Kingdom of God. Fox stressed that the Kingdom of Heaven "has come and is coming." If we recognize this and live in the light of this Kingdom, we can not be moved to fight each other with outward weapons, and we will also disavow the political posturing and intrigues that are also parts of the secular world. Those who would prevent war should simply spread the Everlasting Gospel and allow God to transform the hearts of men.
I oppose the war, but wonder how many modern Quakers came to the society because they are pacificists, and how many are pacifists because Jesus described his Kingdom of being not of this world, admonishing his followers to love their enemies. "Were my Kingdom of this world, my followers would fight. But as it happens, it is not here," Jesus told Pilate.
As Quakers, we must strive to live in that Kingdom and not in the world. Yet so many who consider themselves Friends still view war as a political issue rather than a failure of the spirit. In my heart, I have come to feel that attending rallies that demonize those we oppose is just another form of strife and contention. Individuals or politicians who oppose the war today on secular or practical grounds may reverse themselves tomorrow. Only a spiritual opposition to war can be reliable and permanent, but such is not the case in many Quaker meetinghouses.
This secular focus is to be found without the meetinghouse as well as within. Bumper stickers outside of the meetinghouse hold the names of political candidates -- despite the scriptural recommendation that we put our faith not in men. Other bumper stickers suggest that we outlaw war, even though Christ made it clear that the external law of antiquity now must live within us. Another sticker proclaims that the driver is a proud member of the religious left -- yet the love of Christ by definition transcends partisanship and political left and right, which are positions of convenience for those who value the opinions of men before the truth as revealed by God.
Where are the bumper stickers that proclaim that Real Men Love Jesus, or My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter? I am loathe to put any bumper sticker on my Mazda 3, but were I to do so this would be the type of bumper sticker I would choose.
Which begs not only the question -- not What Would Jesus Drive -- but What Bumper Sticker Would George Fox have? I would not presume to make assumptions on what Jesus would drive. Such a topic needs to be discussed by weighty theologians like Dan Daniels and Your No Good Buddies (see http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/ddyngb-03.m3u). But I feel Fox would drive a smallish, practical station wagon appropriate for his itinerant journeys. And his bumper sticker would say something like:
The Power of the Lord is Over All!
~or~
Christ is the Light of the World!
~or~
Hearken to the Inward Free Teacher!
Wars come not from being affilitated with the left or the right. They come from an alienation from God and from living in the temporal world rather than in the Kingdom of God. Fox stressed that the Kingdom of Heaven "has come and is coming." If we recognize this and live in the light of this Kingdom, we can not be moved to fight each other with outward weapons, and we will also disavow the political posturing and intrigues that are also parts of the secular world. Those who would prevent war should simply spread the Everlasting Gospel and allow God to transform the hearts of men.
Comments:
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I see from your Blogger profile that you live in Milwaukee, a city whose Friends Meeting became my spiritual home for seven years.
I began attending as a non-practicing Jewish woman who knew that God existed and could touch our lives directly. I also placed a high value on truthtelling and integrity.
Today I find myself serving as clerk of a worship group that has been considering affiliating with Conservative Friends in the U.S. And I have had to wrestle with the place of Christ among the Religious Society of Friends as I have deepened my relationship to Quakerism.
Had Milwaukee Meeting been overtly Christ-centered, I probably would have run the other way. But the teachings of Jesus are about radical inclusive Love, and I have witnessed that Love and have been embraced by it--and consequently have been more diligent about testing my leadings, living up to my measure of Light, and striving to extend that Love to others.
Charles, it sounds like you might be called to bear witness to what you know, experientially, of Christ. It is a tricky line to walk, as I have been walking, to seek to hold Friends accountable to our practice as Friends, while speaking from a place of Divine Love that can be heard above and through our words.
I have not mastered that yet, though I hope I have been faithful when called upon.
Thanks for writing. I hope that you may find Friends in the Quaker blogosphere who share your concerns so that you may feel less alone.
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
I began attending as a non-practicing Jewish woman who knew that God existed and could touch our lives directly. I also placed a high value on truthtelling and integrity.
Today I find myself serving as clerk of a worship group that has been considering affiliating with Conservative Friends in the U.S. And I have had to wrestle with the place of Christ among the Religious Society of Friends as I have deepened my relationship to Quakerism.
Had Milwaukee Meeting been overtly Christ-centered, I probably would have run the other way. But the teachings of Jesus are about radical inclusive Love, and I have witnessed that Love and have been embraced by it--and consequently have been more diligent about testing my leadings, living up to my measure of Light, and striving to extend that Love to others.
Charles, it sounds like you might be called to bear witness to what you know, experientially, of Christ. It is a tricky line to walk, as I have been walking, to seek to hold Friends accountable to our practice as Friends, while speaking from a place of Divine Love that can be heard above and through our words.
I have not mastered that yet, though I hope I have been faithful when called upon.
Thanks for writing. I hope that you may find Friends in the Quaker blogosphere who share your concerns so that you may feel less alone.
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
Thanks to Liz for her ministry here. Liz, I am in fact in touch with Iowa Yearly Meeting and the worship groups under their care.
Your story about how you got involved in Milwaukee Meeting is interesting. Those who would distance themselves from the apostastate "professing" Christians of today often, unfortunately, throw the baby out with the bath water.
Rather than run the other way, we need to reclaim that baby, and reclaim Christ and the scriptures from those who have co-opted them. We need to revert to the role of prophetic Christians, charged with telling all of humanity -- in the true, original "universalist" spirit of Quakerism -- that Christ has come to teach His people Himself!
Could I bear witness to Christ in my liberal meeting. I have and do this. But my family and I still need Christian fellowship and support, and know I will need the influence of others in order to deepen my life in Christ. Some, once they have crucified their carnal selves and put on this "new man" that is Christ, have an easier time of it after the fact -- living examples of the "preservation of the saints." I, on the other hand, will always need a lot more help remaining true to the Christian path.
Thank you again, Liz.
In the Light of Christ,
~ Charles Rathmann
Your story about how you got involved in Milwaukee Meeting is interesting. Those who would distance themselves from the apostastate "professing" Christians of today often, unfortunately, throw the baby out with the bath water.
Rather than run the other way, we need to reclaim that baby, and reclaim Christ and the scriptures from those who have co-opted them. We need to revert to the role of prophetic Christians, charged with telling all of humanity -- in the true, original "universalist" spirit of Quakerism -- that Christ has come to teach His people Himself!
Could I bear witness to Christ in my liberal meeting. I have and do this. But my family and I still need Christian fellowship and support, and know I will need the influence of others in order to deepen my life in Christ. Some, once they have crucified their carnal selves and put on this "new man" that is Christ, have an easier time of it after the fact -- living examples of the "preservation of the saints." I, on the other hand, will always need a lot more help remaining true to the Christian path.
Thank you again, Liz.
In the Light of Christ,
~ Charles Rathmann
Charles, thank you for lifting this up: ...my family and I still need Christian fellowship and support, and know I will need the influence of others in order to deepen my life in Christ.
My experience has been that worship is deepened and a refreshment of ones's spirit does in fact happen when we come to Meeting, or come to worship, with a shared understanding of how to use our time together: to listen for and seek the will of God and to open ourselves to the leadings of Divine Love.
I have seen and heard great joy from those Friends who attend our small-but-ever-growing worship group, and it seems to stem from our shared theology and practice.
That is, a shared belief in a Divine Something that is at the center of our worship, our business, and our fellowship.
Engaging in conversation and get-togethers with a few Conservative Friends over the years has also seemed to nourish the worship group, so I am glad you have the awareness to seek out the sweet living waters that will sustain you. They are not too far from you...
Will you be attending Iowa Conservative's annual sessions at all later this month? I plan to, so perhaps we can look for one another if you make it.
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
My experience has been that worship is deepened and a refreshment of ones's spirit does in fact happen when we come to Meeting, or come to worship, with a shared understanding of how to use our time together: to listen for and seek the will of God and to open ourselves to the leadings of Divine Love.
I have seen and heard great joy from those Friends who attend our small-but-ever-growing worship group, and it seems to stem from our shared theology and practice.
That is, a shared belief in a Divine Something that is at the center of our worship, our business, and our fellowship.
Engaging in conversation and get-togethers with a few Conservative Friends over the years has also seemed to nourish the worship group, so I am glad you have the awareness to seek out the sweet living waters that will sustain you. They are not too far from you...
Will you be attending Iowa Conservative's annual sessions at all later this month? I plan to, so perhaps we can look for one another if you make it.
Blessings,
Liz, The Good Raised Up
Liz -- Alas, I have a family commitment that will keep me from Iowa. but God willing our paths will cross before too long. Having made the journey to Barnesville, my travel budget is pretty much shot as my lovely bride and I are saving for the pending adoption proce$$.
BTW -- check out http://members.lycos.co.uk/rathmannschramm/index.htm
In the Light of Christ,
-- Charles Rathmann
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BTW -- check out http://members.lycos.co.uk/rathmannschramm/index.htm
In the Light of Christ,
-- Charles Rathmann
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