Safe, Valued and Inspired

It would seem to me that human beings have three basic requirements before they are able to do or learn anything new.

Safe

To me is the first requirement and fundamental to survival. When talking or writing about religion it is very important to recognise an individual's integrity and space. We all have our own perspective and every starting point is different. For this reason I do not find it very helpful to be preached at. It seems to me that when people do this they are assuming some kind of moral or intellectual superiority which however well intentioned, I personally find quite threatening. In turn it would seem most unreasonable and unkind if I tried to inflict this preaching strategy upon others.
Instead it would seem my responsibility is to do things as they seem right to me, to be merely a pattern as originally suggested to Quakers. At times I may lapse but the intention here is to avoid some hefty manufacturing process that identifies a desired end-product and then stamps on it an opinion.

Valued

The reason I am writing the blog is because I care about you the reader. I also care about Quakerisim, the legacy we have inherited from the past and how it relates to the world around us today. Quakers sometimes talk of how our testimonies are changing but I wonder if we should ever believe ourselves to be entitled to forget them. There are times when Quakerism frustrates me, when being in a Quaker Meeting can feel very lonely and so different from the experience of being surrounded by Friends.
It seems to me that there is much confusion about our historic Christian identity, and through a wish to be inclusive, a well-intentioned growing secularisation in our Meetings which concerns me. These days we do not seem to distinguish between a Seeker after Truth and those who talk of having been convinced by the Light and Love of God. Should there be more leadership among Quakers because I wonder if the Society of Friends has a future if it does not seem to mind in which way it is heading.
To me that responsibility of being inclusive is not about adapting to your surroundings so as to fit in with everyone else. In the past Quakers were prepared to stand out, at times very uncomfortably in society. It was I believe this quality of integrity and loyalty to their convictions which made them trustworthy. Everyone knew where they stood so it was possible to communicate, establish understanding and feel very safe with a Quaker.

Inspired

The Quakerisim we have inherited from the past was built upon a shared insight, loyalty to the truth and love among Friends. These days we may not have that same shared insight. Many Quakers do not even attempt to understand the ministry of early Friends. At times I am ashamed because these Early Friends were prepared to go for prison for their beliefs, some banished and others even died. It seems that we have let them down, betrayed them, so much of our past is lost.
In all our changes I believe there is hope because there is still love among Friends. For the future there may be a challenge to re-trace our steps, whilst the things we are prepared to do for love will still be the most important things we do.