Quakers

dreamingoak

I am facinated with the Quaker way of spirituality. It seems, like buddhism to be a practice rather than a religion, really. I am seriously considering converting. does anyone have any info, points of interest, advice etc? I am just outside Dublin, southside.:o

6th

There is a Quaker meeting house near milltown in south dublin. I nothing nothing about their beliefs though.

dreamingoak

They meet once a week and sit in silence for an hour "listening' together, for the divine. its all about personal experience, non violence , aceptance of individuality etc. very like buddhism. and they have no priests or ceremonies. i dont know how they do weddings or funerals.

joseph dawton

From what I know, at their meetings they sit and pray (much akin to meditating) until they feel inspired by the holy spirit to speak, which might even mean the whole meeting is silent sometimes.
They are pacifists and also known for honesty and fairness in business as they take the 10 commandments and teachings of Jesus very seriously.

6th

Sounds very pleasent, wouldn't want one as my lawyer though.

TnJ

dreamingoak wrote:

They meet once a week and sit in silence for an hour "listening' together, for the divine. its all about personal experience, non violence , aceptance of individuality etc. very like buddhism. and they have no priests or ceremonies. i dont know how they do weddings or funerals.

Are you still interested in Quakers Dreamingoak? I have attended a few meetings and find it an amazing experience to be a part of. Have you ever attended a meeting?
I'm hoping to convert myself shortly.

PDN

I have attended many Quaker meetings. The emphasis tends to be on experience more than doctrine or dogma, which many will find attractive.

President Richard Nixon was a Quaker.

dreamingoak

i went to my first actual meeting the other week after much postulation! It was lovely and I still feel just as interested. I felt just as at home in the meeting as i thought i would. The only thing is that there were very few younger people, (im 31) which is a bit of a shame, without being ageist, at all,It would be nice to develop Friendships lol with people of at least similar ages to myself.

dreamingoak

look at that, ive just noticed these last two posts were today and yesterday, and i havnt looked at this for ages. Divine order, lol.

karen3212

I was just watching a series on youtube and I'm sure you may know all this anyway, but I found this lecture on the quakers very interesting.

The sound is terrible at the end, but most of the info has good sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K9U22ZELPo&feature=PlayList&p=D9592FA7CAC67331&index=19

edit Sorry I forgot some of the begining of it is irrelevant too

dreamingoak

thanks!

luckat

In my experience, Quakers can be quite good at a kind of polite unspeaking hostility, mind you. Don't know if this counts as violence!

You might be interested in this film, The Friendly Persuasion, which plays out some of the themes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Persuasion_%28film%29

Asiaprod

PDN wrote: »

The emphasis tends to be on experience more than doctrine or dogma, which many will find attractive.

Indeed we do.

Enjoy the journey, dreamingoak:)

dreamingoak

thanks. havnt been back yet... life busy etc, but I really loved it. without wanting to sound ageist, I was hoping for more youngish people.. i'm 31. Not that I couldn't pray, or be present with older people, of course I could and do, but the social side that I was hoping for is a little lacking. Im told its different in england, much more vital. Any advice?

I still definitely and strongly feel that quakerism is probably my spiritual home as it were.

luckat

There are bunches of meeting houses in different parts of Dublin. The Quakers in Ireland site lists meetings all over the country:

http://www.quakers-in-ireland.org/

If you want a fairly idealised view of Quakerism, read the novel Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale, a current bestseller (around €8 in Reads of Nassau Street).

dreamingoak

cool i'll have a look for that...

Talliesin

dreamingoak wrote: »

It seems, like buddhism to be a practice rather than a religion

How does that make either not a religion?

PDN wrote: »

President Richard Nixon was a Quaker.

In fairness to Quakers though, many Quakers were involved in protests against Nixon. One scumbag shouldn't be used as a brush to tar all Quakers.

luckat

Quaker Weddings: Wiki is your friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_wedding

dreamingoak

ooh thanks. i'd love a quaker wedding