Advices and queries, 4
Jun. 4th, 2019 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
notreallystarsIt's time for another one of these! Life has been getting in the way of me trying to do thinky things recently, but with any luck the worst of that is nearly over so let's get back into trying to figure out Quakerism and me.
4. The Religious Society of Friends is rooted in Christianity and has always found inspiration in the life and teachings of Jesus. How do you interpret your faith in the light of this heritage? How does Jesus speak to you today? Are you following Jesus’ example of love in action? Are you learning from his life the reality and cost of obedience to God? How does his relationship with God challenge and inspire you?
- "Quaker Faith and Practice, Advices and Queries"
I value that Quakers are described as "rooted in Christianity" rather than Christian. I value that it suggests I follow Jesus' example rather than following Jesus.I had enough of being told to follow Jesus when I was a teenager, thanks. Really, my feeling for several years now has been that, though I reject what churches teach about Jesus, he comes across as a good role model in a lot of ways. He tells his followers to love one another. He doesn't reject the socially ostracised. He does reject the authorities. I like to think that I am trying to live a life of love in action. I like to think that I am prioritising the people who need over the people who have.
I do struggle with the rest of it. I struggle with the idea of being obedient to god. I argue with my gods. Sometimes I argue and eventually come to an agreement, and sometimes I argue and hold my position. I am not subservient to my gods, and I struggle with the idea that I should be subservient to this god. But I think this is a language issue again. In one of my earlier posts I said that I felt more at ease with Quakers who talk about 'the Light' than Quakers who talk about 'God', and if I reframe this as 'following where the Light leads' rather than 'being obedient to God' it sits much better. The basic meaning is very similar but the connotations are different. To me the Light is impersonal and transcendent. It cannot be obeyed because it cannot issue instructions. It can only guide.
It's interesting that the more I attend Quaker meetings, and the more contentment and spiritual satisfaction they bring to my life, the more vehemently I want to argue about things. Lucky for me that they aren't dogmatic!
4. The Religious Society of Friends is rooted in Christianity and has always found inspiration in the life and teachings of Jesus. How do you interpret your faith in the light of this heritage? How does Jesus speak to you today? Are you following Jesus’ example of love in action? Are you learning from his life the reality and cost of obedience to God? How does his relationship with God challenge and inspire you?
- "Quaker Faith and Practice, Advices and Queries"
I value that Quakers are described as "rooted in Christianity" rather than Christian. I value that it suggests I follow Jesus' example rather than following Jesus.
I do struggle with the rest of it. I struggle with the idea of being obedient to god. I argue with my gods. Sometimes I argue and eventually come to an agreement, and sometimes I argue and hold my position. I am not subservient to my gods, and I struggle with the idea that I should be subservient to this god. But I think this is a language issue again. In one of my earlier posts I said that I felt more at ease with Quakers who talk about 'the Light' than Quakers who talk about 'God', and if I reframe this as 'following where the Light leads' rather than 'being obedient to God' it sits much better. The basic meaning is very similar but the connotations are different. To me the Light is impersonal and transcendent. It cannot be obeyed because it cannot issue instructions. It can only guide.
It's interesting that the more I attend Quaker meetings, and the more contentment and spiritual satisfaction they bring to my life, the more vehemently I want to argue about things. Lucky for me that they aren't dogmatic!
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Date: 2019-06-05 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-06-07 10:48 pm (UTC)