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TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
9. Long after being raised as a conservative Lutheran...
Fri May 17, 2019, 01:56 PM
May 2019

I found myself at a Quaker meeting and became fascinated at how they had no doctrines. "The Light" is a nebulous term that does not require specific beliefs, but could be called 'understandings".

There are now, of course, at least three varieties of Quakers, and one of them even has ministers and actual services, with psalm readings, sermons, and the rest of the trappings of a "real" church. But it's not them I care about. More traditional "unprogrammed" Friends sit in silence in a sort of meditation, speaking only when the Light moves them.

Atheism is quite common in these meetings, but there is still a quite spiritual attitude that's closer to Buddhism than what we know as Christianity. There are strict codes of ethics, but none of that comes directly from God, who does not speak to us. God may or may not be behind it all, but since nobody has heard from she, he, or it in at least 2,000 years, we have developed our system ourselves.

When I moved to an area where the closest Meeting was about 80 miles away, there happened to be a Universalist church two blocks away. There's singing and sermons, and readings from famous UU's, but no Eucharist and no specific doctrines. We have had a few outspoken atheists, but other than them no one has seen fit to mention belief, which is actually a relief. Even the ministers express no beliefs of their own. Their job as ministers is to minister to our own questions and doubts-- not to inflict their beliefs on us. They suggest, but don't preach.

The military chaplain's corps act the same way. Catholic chaplains minister to Jewish soldiers and Rabbis minister to Muslims. (Or at least that's way it's supposed to work.) The point is not the personal belief of the pastor, but the duty to the believer.

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My thoughts then and now would mirror yours exactly, given the same situation (nt) mr_lebowski May 2019 #1
Thanks. It's pretty simple logic, I think. MineralMan May 2019 #6
Thanks for sharing. I suspect there are more than we realize, like the priest you described, SWBTATTReg May 2019 #2
Yes, there is hypocrisy in such pretending. MineralMan May 2019 #5
Televangelists. blueinredohio May 2019 #10
How fascinating, MM. 3catwoman3 May 2019 #3
It sounds like you have found a good place to be. MineralMan May 2019 #4
And a new musical adventure, as I now... 3catwoman3 May 2019 #15
Bonus! MineralMan May 2019 #16
That's not unheard of Major Nikon May 2019 #20
What a long strange trip its been. As for me I believe in G*d even more than ever ... marble falls May 2019 #7
One hopes you do not find yourself on a sidewalk in Bangladesh. MineralMan May 2019 #12
It takes all kinds, brother MM, it takes all kinds. marble falls May 2019 #14
My take as an agnostic Episcopalian wryter2000 May 2019 #8
Ah, yes, OK. I suppose there are many agnostics MineralMan May 2019 #13
Long after being raised as a conservative Lutheran... TreasonousBastard May 2019 #9
That's interesting. MineralMan May 2019 #11
I'm the same way Cartoonist May 2019 #17
That's not really the same, though. Mariana May 2019 #19
I see a major similarity Cartoonist May 2019 #22
You don't admonish them for their vices. Mariana May 2019 #23
Belief is a vice. nt Cartoonist May 2019 #24
I would say faith is a vice, not belief. Mariana May 2019 #25
Many priests do not admonish people who "sin." Sinners go to confession and are absolved. emmaverybo May 2019 #26
I would guess that the priest had convinced himself Mariana May 2019 #18
Could be, but the liturgy of the Mass MineralMan May 2019 #21
I'm curious why you thought you would be chided. N/T Foolacious May 2019 #27
It's a peculiar thing that happens in the Religion Group. MineralMan May 2019 #28
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»Knowing I will be chided,...»Reply #9