tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post3384832820235785783..comments2024-03-24T11:30:08.199-07:00Comments on Can you believe?: Diffident no moreJohan Maurerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771067774042071617noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-11147823637442695402012-02-12T20:53:46.927-08:002012-02-12T20:53:46.927-08:00Johan, Hi! surprise! Your last paragraph really ...Johan, Hi! surprise! Your last paragraph really struck me, as well as other questions you raised. No great wise conclusions hereā¦..most of us see the wonderful gifts of being "in" a strong faith community as such a special place to grow, listen to God in community, and as one of the best places to practice Jesus' teachings (and stumble and get up again). To love and be challenged- like the sign on a church near me: "Love the people you live with". Yes, Quakers are still peculiar enough that mentioning the identity often immediately witnesses to important practices and beliefs. That's good. But as you ask Does God really care about our particular denominational identity? Who knows, but my guess is- it's way down on God's list. My sense is that we connect even more with God, and advance God's realm here when we are able to reach out and love those in the groups you mention- go where it's hard, where the suffering is, where Jesus goes. Those hidden murky places with myself. I'd include loving myself and loving the people I "live with" , those most different than me. There is so much love and yet sometimes much discomfort for me when I'm among Quakers. So- I have felt the need to be a part of another church here too. And guess what? I think that Friends are no more closer to perfection nor further away- than many other faith groups! It's all about Love and Living Love and spreading that Love. It's not all about contemplating our belly buttons. Tor and I are visiting and worshipping with prisoners, vigiling against Fl's death penalty and other things we feel called to do. (What blessings for ourselves we receive- though we don't expect them). After prison release, can they find a place among Quakers if they desire? That is certainly a pertinent timely question! A Quaker identified ex-prisoner may be coming to showing up at your meeting! More than enough ramblings for now. Love, AliceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-62488265164202204682012-02-11T16:46:10.367-08:002012-02-11T16:46:10.367-08:00Johan, I appreciate your post and am very concerne...Johan, I appreciate your post and am very concerned with the question of what it means to be a Friends. Having gone through the "trauma" of Portland friends School, Reedwood, Multnomah, etc. and now going through, somewhat vicariously, the Indiana YM split (My uncle was Clerk of the Yearly Meeting, I believe at the time of the 1982 homosexuality minute and my cousin is currently Treasurer of IYM, a possibly very difficult position in deciding what comes next. In addition the current issues in Philadelphia YM giving rise to the Special Session called for today, plus some current identity issues with quakerfaithandfellowship.org regarding the possibility of establishing an On-Line Meeting.<br /><br />For me the identity of a Friend is so tied up with the identity with my father and family as well as the searching done my entire life that I find it difficult to imagine separating from this history, tradition, reality, etc. I am somewhat concerned with your concept of elitism among Friends as a "traditional"reality. It has been my experience that those among Friends who have f"fought" the "Lamb's War" have fought against elitism, in Friends Schools, Friends Churches, Meetings, etc.Tom Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12194918323559385371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-19982342260544883152012-02-09T23:25:08.099-08:002012-02-09T23:25:08.099-08:00Hello Pamela! Enjoyed catching up on Meladramas, m...Hello Pamela! Enjoyed catching up on <a href="http://meladramas.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Meladramas</a>, maybe especially your iPod update! (Saw Etta James in there....) Hope everyone in Tokyo has noted your Jazz Spot "J" show date.Johan Maurerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13771067774042071617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-73198461832105980932012-02-09T23:13:22.868-08:002012-02-09T23:13:22.868-08:00Howdy, stranger! 'Just dropped in to see what ...Howdy, stranger! 'Just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in...<br /><br />I enjoyed your post, and this rendition of one of my favorite songs! <br />Nice resonator sounds! Yeeeeeah!<br /><br />XOXOXO<br />'Mela <br />(Pamela in Tokyo)'Melahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651686814843386962noreply@blogger.com