how harmful is your christianity?
I recently had the pleasure of meeting my best blogging buddy, Clare Flourish. She’s a religious oddity in my opinion: the deity she believes in does appear to be of an actual benevolent variety. In the course of our conversation, I learned that in the UK, there are less than 20,000 Quakers. In the world, there are around 210,000 Quakers. This strikes me as odd. The little I know of this brand of Christianity, it seems to be the least harmful and the most in step with a constructive, thoughtful, modern society. Let’s look at some of the facts alongside the Catholic Church, the world’s biggest brand of Christianity.
approach to belief
Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Catholics say, “We learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church. In order to be saved, all persons who have attained the use of reason must believe explicitly that God exist and that he rewards the good and punishes the wicked; in practice they must also believe in the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation.”
Quakers say, “Quakers do not share a fixed set of beliefs. Our unity is based on shared understanding and a shared practice of worship, not on our beliefs all being the same. There is a great diversity within the Quakers on conceptions of God, and we use different kinds of language to describe religious experience.”
approach to war
Jesus said, “I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword” and “Blessed are the peacemakers”
Catholics say, “God has conferred upon you above all other nations great glory in arms. Accordingly, undertake this journey eagerly for the remission of your sins, with the assurance of the reward of imperishable glory in the kingdom of heaven.”
Quakers say, “We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any end or under any pretence whatsoever.”
approach to same sex marriage
Jesus said, ” “
Catholics say, “The Catholic Church opposes gay marriage and the social acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex relationships”
Quakers say, “Quakers see God in everyone and that leads us to say that all committed loving relationships are of equal worth and so Quakers in Britain wish to celebrate them in the same way.
approach to hell
Jesus said, “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.”
Catholics say, “The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ “
Quakers say, “The emphasis of a Quaker’s life is on present time―on experiencing and following the leadings of the Light in our lives today. Individual Quakers hold a variety of beliefs about what follows our lives on earth.”
conclusion
If a spine-tingling deity ever comes my way convincing me that the logic of atheism is flawed, my first stop culturally convenient religion of Christianity may be the natural choice. Now, I don’t know about you, but the chances of me being drawn to its most popular variety (featuring dictatorship of belief, violence, intolerance and an ultimately seriously unbenevolent interpretation of the god God) are slim. I would definitely prefer to boost the numbers of quaintly named, gentle, thoughtful and inclusive Quakers. Spread the word to your Christian friends!
It was lovely to meet you.
I heard the alternative translation “I am” is the way, the truth and the life. So you being authentically yourself, rather than conventionally following the herd, is the way to fulfilment. Similarly the broad and narrow way: the broad way is the conventional way, the narrow way is the way which is idiosyncratically you.
In the gospel, immediately after Jesus is asked about divorce, he heals the centurion’s pais, or younger male lover- a juxtaposition I like. Some do not accept that translation of pais.
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Thanks for making me think more about Quakers. I think it’s a real shame that given the other often horrible religious options out there, so few people seem drawn to the Quakers. I guess it doesn’t bind people with guilt and fear as much as the others.
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That’s an interesting interpretation of the alternative translation. I thought it would have been referring to Exodus 3:14 where God calls himself “I am”. So Jesus is basically saying that he is God, and that he is the way, truth and life. I like your interpretation better though 🙂
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Quakers are such a fascinating group of people! I was actually researching them a couple of weeks ago for my “Crazy Christianity” series but decided against including them as I couldn’t find much about them that was actually crazy! The one thing I did find that was really interesting was the fact that there are so many different kinds of Quakers:
Conservative- They reject all forms of religious symbolism and sacrament as they do not feel that those things are necessary to have a relationship with god. They believe that holiness can exist in all facets of one’s daily life. Conservative Quakers only make up about 0.03% of the Quaker population.
Evangelical- They are very similar to evangelical Christians and make up about 40% of the Quaker population. They believe that everyone should experience a personal relationship with god and they focus on evangelizing unsaved people to spiritually transform them.
Gurneyite- They make up about 49% of the worldwide population of Quakers and put authority on the bible being the direct word of god as opposed to a personal experience with him. They put a huge emphasis on teaching and always learning the orthodox version of Christianity.
Holiness- They believe that by loving humanity and god as Christ loved them, it will enable them to live a life free of voluntary sin.
Liberal- They preach a more social gospel and spend a lot of time on biblical hermeneutics. They believe that the bible was a book written by people expressing their feelings about god rather than a divinely written scripture. They are similar to the Conservative Quakers in their feelings about religious symbolism and sacraments.
Universalist-They believe that each person can come to find god in a different way and if that way happens to be a non-Christian religious experience, it is just as valid as a Christian experience.
Non-Theist- They are made up primarily of atheists, agnostics and humanists that value membership in a religious organization. This sect is the most controversial.
Who knows, maybe I will still write something up about them and just settle with having a very short section on why they are harmful to society. Because, other than the fact that they believe in a god, they aren’t really harmful to anyone! If anything they are the only Christian denomination I have heard of today that openly welcomes anyone and everyone (and always has) and understands that because everyone is different, everyone will have a different approach to god.
I can dig it.
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Yes, I agree. If there was any evidence for deities, it would certainly be the least harmful and most logical option to go for. I don’t understand why their numbers are so relatively small. You should definitely work your magic on them!
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Good points, Violet. Some of us try so hard to believe, even when we know better. I choose my LGBT friends over Church dogma now, so I’ve made progress.
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That’s interesting. Don’t you find the approach to belief rather rigid? I just can’t imagine you being part of all that.
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I’m really not a part of “all that.” In the core of my being, I remain a virtual nihilist. Deep down I believe I’m nothing more than a groomed, perfumed, clothed enculturated primate for whom even “free will” is an illusion. My religious “beliefs” are merely provisional assumptions in a desperate, often pathetic attempt to integrate existentially into something larger than self. The problem is that political ideologies are no more “real” for me than religion. So what do I choose? How do I choose? Not choosing is a choice, too. I’m glad I found your blog, Violet.
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Well, that’s confusing! Are there any Quaker meetings near you? It sounds like a closer fit for your beliefs than being a Catholic monk.
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🙂
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And … Lay Carmelites aren’t monks. Besides, upon further reflection, I’ve decided that the Catholic Church’s stance on LGBT people makes my futher involvement with them … problematic. I may be reverting to my former atheism. I don’t know yet.
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Why not join the Quakers then? They have atheists too – all your potential bases covered.
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Where in the DESPERATELY IN LOVE button?
Few photographs can move solar systems. Fewer still can inspire entire galaxies to exalt as if dancing on the fingertips of angels. Such rarefied images are the music to which sprites laugh and pixies sing; art so pure it is the very nectar that surges through lovers veins… the poetry whispered by enchanted woodland creatures. A bumble bee on a sunflower some might see, but to the magicians of old, those first necromancers, this image, this photograph is life’s anabasis.
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The sprites and pixies won me over, even though I’m not sure you’re entirely sincere. There’s a slight chance this may be a cynical attempt to become my best blogging buddy. Surely not! I had to google ‘anabasis’ – military march or phase of a disease??
Next post will be dedicated to my new best blogging buddy! 🙂
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Now we’re talking! I’m going to watch three episodes of Ren and Stimpy to celebrate!
Anabasis is (in the Greek) a journey within; a journey to the source. It was the title of Arrians book on Alexander the Great.
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I didn’t know I was a Quaker.
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Interesting … any meetings near you? Maybe you’ve found your religious home!
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