I'm generally anti-religious
and as such cop a lot of flak from Godders and the occasional atheist who feel that I'm too strident in my criticisms of religion, so I want to try something else - I'm going to praise one, because out of all the various faiths, cults and creeds I've encountered only one seems to me to be particularly praiseworthy. That is the Religious Society of Friends, or the Quakers.

The reason that I'm doing this is that as far as I can tell, the entire organisation has a public profile of just above zero - indeed, the only times I've head of them doing anything at all have been word-of-mouth reports of the (basically anonymous) donations they have made to deprived and disabled children on the council estate where my mother teaches. I've never seen them advertise, proletise or evangelise. I've known a few of them and they don't boast or brag about their religion, they don't attempt to spread it, in fact most of them aren't that keen to talk about it at all. A quick Wikipedia check tells me that there are even Quaker atheists and agnostics.

So, that's pretty much the benchmark by which I'm judging other religions. If all religions except the Religious Society of Friends disappeared tomorrow, I'd be a happy man, because we'd get on just fine. A religion that does a lot of charity work but doesn't like to talk about it, or indeed anything else, is the ideal, surely?
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 10:51, 5 replies)

I've done a fair bit of work for Quakers
(landscaping, general handymanning, bit of painting and decorating etc)

Without fail they treated me like I was shit on the bottom of their shoes.

Shame, cos I'd had a similar opinion to yours, which was the only reason I agreed to work for them. Sadly they turned out to be arseholes, did their best to weasel out of giving me the agreed prices, I could go on but I'm supposed to be doing work...

Note: this was at three or four of their 'churches' (they call them meeting houses or something I think? Can't be arsed to check), not just one.
(username1, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 10:57, closed)

Hmmm, thanks for that
Like I say above, I generally don't hear of them at all, but that's food for thought. I'd hope they'd be a bit more...friendly, I suppose. The ones I knew were quiet, but nothing like that.
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:09, closed)

My sister
Went to a Quaker school, and said that it was great.
She's not of a religious persuasion, but she's not got a bad word to say about 'em.

I went to a C of E-based school, and our Chaplain was fired for repeatedly fucking a 16-year-old pupil. Typical.
( Cawl, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 10:58, closed)

Hmmm...
Unless they cult-brainwashed her.
Hadn't thought of that.
( Cawl, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:04, closed)

My Grandparents...
...were Quakers, but to be honest I don't really know anything about the religion. Their funerals, though, were absolutely lovely. Rather than have someone at the front telling you about your own relative (or friend) as if you hadn't known them, it is performed as a collective. Basically, you go in, and for 45-odd minutes anyone can stand up and say whatever they want. Nobody in charge, no rhetoric, no readings, just the people who loved the deceased speaking their memories and loss. I think that's a great way to have a funeral - it belongs to the mourners.
(HarryTheMole whatever's on my finger is going in your mouth, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 13:37, closed)