Quaker Quest

Here are twelve individual views of evil, as seen through the eyes of twelve British Quakers. All contributions are well thought out and well written. Just as in a conversation with any group of Quakers, there is much to stimulate thought. Among the varied opinions and beliefs, there are two views held by all twelve contributors: (1) there is light and dark, good and evil in all human beings; and (2) evil in one’s person and in one’s society must be confronted and combated. “Drag it show more into the light,” one wrote. show less

This is the 3rd pamphlet in a series put out by Britain Yearly Meeting's Quaker Quest team. Twelve Friends wrote a short monograph (is that an oxymoron?) on what it means to them to be a pacifist. Of the twelve, one caught my attention because it is something that I know a few people in my Yearly Meeting wrestle with themselves.

"Pacifism is not for cowards; it demands the courage to give your life, maybe to live with ridicule, even to break the law. Refusing conscription into the armed show more forces used to mean being court-martialled or shot. Now, part of my taxes--perhaps half--finances military action and arms sales. I remember the Quaker annual meeting, when more than a thousand considered the request of some of our employees to divert that part of their PAYE tax to peaceful means, such as overseas development. Our _Advices & Queries_ remind us: 'If you feel impelled by strong conviction to break the law, search your conscience deeply. Ask your meeting for the prayerful support which will give you strength as a right way becomes clear.' I could not support such an impractical idea, yet I had the extraordinary experience in the Meeting for Worship of realising that, in order to follow God with our vision for a peaceful world, we had to try. Over the next year, Quakers pushed the matter as far as the European Commission on Human Rights, forcing the question to be considered seriously. This was when I understood the power of an ideal--the power of God."

All of Testimonies boil down to this: do we remain faithful to what we believe to be true, even when it is uncomfortable? Even when we know we will not succeed? I can only answer for myself, and that answer is "not often enough." But challenges and reminders such as this do help me live up to at least some small measure to what I know the Divine is leading me. show less

Quaker Quest Pamphlet 5. What does simplicity mean in our complex world? Is it a lifestyle option, or is it more than that?
Twelve Quakers write about what simplicity means for them in their lives. The starting point for all is a manner of worship that is stripped of all inessentials to enable a clearer focus on the Divine. They tell of how they try to extend that understanding of simplicity to the way they live their daily lives, and what that means in a troubled world.

Here are twelve individual views of evil, as seen through the eyes of twelve British Quakers. All contributions are well thought out and well written. Just as in a conversation with any group of Quakers, there is much to stimulate thought. Among the varied opinions and beliefs, there are two views held by all twelve contributors: (1) there is light and dark, good and evil in all human beings; and (2) evil in one’s person and in one’s society must be confronted and combated. “Drag it show more into the light,” one wrote. ( ) show less