Gilberto, At 10:05 AM 12/17/2004, you wrote: >>I wonder how Bahais generally view the Quakers? I've been to Quaker-style >>service where most of the people in the room weren't even Quaker.<<
I subscribe to four Quaker-oriented email lists. There is currently an online culture war being waged between Christ-focused Quakers and liberal/universal Quakers. On those lists, I repeatedly read comments from Quakers complaining about the elevation of tradition over mysticism in Quaker meetings. The following essay is fairly typical: http://www.pendlehill.org/frames%20lectures/caldwell.html The appeal of Quakerism, especially its focus on the inner Light, to many people is understandable. However, most self-defined Christians are not joining Quaker churches and meetings (Friends United Meeting, Evangelical Friends International, etc.), and the more liberal Quaker meetings, such as those associated (in the U.S.) with the Friends General Conference, are experiencing similar declines in membership to liberal churches. >>There was one more conventional Quraker one who came from a Quaker-Buddhist >>background, 2 Bahais, 1 Muslim, and one or two others who are perhaps harder >>to describe religiously. Like Bahais I guess the Quakers don't think that >>revelation ends, but then they are less into the idea of "authorized >>interpreters".<< Not all Quakers believe in the concept of divine revelation. Many are both anti-supernatural physicalists and secularists. Some are also involved with the Ethical Culture Society: http://www.aeu.org/ There are also many Quakers who define themselves as Jews, Buddhists, and neo-pagans. >>Would the Bahai faith be opposed to Bahais participating in such services and >>trying to listen to revelation through the "inner light"?<< Only if they officially joined the one of the Religious Societies of Friends. Mark A. Foster * http://markfoster.net "Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger" -- Abbie Hoffman __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
