Love as a Testimony Against Madness
There must be love remaining. / I believe in love / In spite of things said / And deeds done or hate. / There must be love / In the space of things— / Worlds turning and fixed / Stars burning.
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A Security Which the World Cannot Take Away
“Christian peace is rooted in faith, nourished by hope, and perfected by love. It is a peace which is not achieved directly by man, but given by God to those who are disposed to receive it. […] When you realize that God has found a home in your spirit, which is the apex of your soul, you feel a security which the world can neither give nor take away.”
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There Is Not “That of God” in Every Idea
“While there is that of God in every person, there is not that of God in every idea. Practices that dehumanize people do not have a place in our Quaker community. They have no light.”
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Acknowledging a Person’s Whole Self
“I see God as life, force, spirit, power, and presence. It’s an energy which we can connect to in others and in ourselves. So it’s beyond good and bad. For me the core of this energy and presence is love and wisdom, which hopefully leads to good actions, certainly good intentions.”
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Loving and Appreciating is Sacred
“I believe that appreciation is a holy thing – that when we look for what’s best in a person we happen to be with at the moment, we’re doing what God does all the time. So in loving and appreciating our neighbor, we’re participating in something sacred.”
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However Skewed Our Vision, Something in Us Still Recognizes God
“Although human life as we know it without God may appear hopelessly broken, God’s image remains within us—partially erased or covered over but still there. This means that, however skewed our vision of God, others, and ourselves becomes, something in us still recognizes God. The image of God that is in us is the part of ourselves that never stops desiring to move toward love.”
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However Quietly We Speak, Spirit Will Hear Us
“Remember how St. Augustine tells us about his seeking God in many places and eventually finding him within himself. Do you suppose it is of little importance that a soul which is often distracted should come to understand this truth and to find that, in order to speak to its Eternal Father and to take its delight in Him, it has no need to go to Heaven or to speak in a loud voice? However quietly we speak, He is so near that He will hear us: we need no wings to go in search of Him but only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us.”
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Quakers and the Light
“There’s not an authority that I need to appeal to or try to seek from somebody else. [The light is] here and it’s there and it’s in all of us, together. Seeking my piece of that is incredible. But being in a community that is seeking that same thing: amazing.”
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The Inward Light Has Two Dimensions
“First, the Inward Light reveals our shortcomings (sins) and second, it guides us towards a better life. Many liberals don’t feel comfortable with the word “sin” so I’d like to suggest a definition that is both biblical and compatible with our modern Quaker ideas. “Sin” in the Bible is not primarily about morality; it is about ethics. Jesus didn’t condemn the adulterer; he lambasted religious hypocrites and those in power, especially the 1%. The prophets of the Hebrew Bible were more concerned with justice than with personal morality. Prophets condemned the rich, lifted the concerns of the poor, and called on God’s people to live lives of justice and truth [….]”
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Seek that of God in Yourself, Too
“Self-compassion is extending toward one’s self the same kindness that one would show toward a good friend in pain. Imagine the situation: Someone you care about confides over a cup of coffee the news of a job loss or failing health. As they describe their situation, you notice their head lowering, the suffering in their eyes. Most likely, you would listen with care and patience, rather than reacting with harsh judgments or impatience.”
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