Plain in the city

A plain Quaker folk singer with a Juris Doctorate in his back pocket, salt in his blood, and a set of currach oars in the closet, Ulleann Pipes under his arm, guitar on his back, Anglo Irish baggage, wandering through New York City ... in constant amaze. Statement of Faithfulness. As a member of the Quaker Bloggers Ad Hoc Committee I affirm that I will be faithful to the Book of Discipline of my Meeting 15th Street Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

Friday, August 26, 2005

I believe Jesus would be shuned by Quakers...

I've been reading and enjoying Bruce Hilton's book, Rabbi Jesus, An Intimate Biography... I've read a lot of history of Jesus' times and a lot of commentary on the origins of the core myth of Christ. I am struck that I don't think I know more than a handful of Quakers, or Christians, who would be any of the very few followers he had in life. John Maynard, I would think, would sit with him, listen and talk and laugh. I am at a loss to name another including myself. I'd likely be put off by his aggressive direct action, and his A personality... most would be pointing to his clear psychological baggage stemming from his being mamzer, a phrase that covers a variety of states of not quiet proper birth... But, I know, with all my heart, most who seek his myth would have shunned and hurt him, as most of his contemporaries did. They did, not because they were Jews, but because HE was a Jew, just as he would have been a Quaker like Fox - ( without the tempering presence of Margaret Fell! ) Let a George Fox stand up in a Quaker meeting today and speak with the directness, and lack of thought to Quaker norms, that Fox spoke to other Churches... well, imagine... I don't know, I suppose the meaning of all this is don't seek him in myth... seek him in lives around you - those who are shunned by you.

4 Comments:

At 12:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pehaps God is calling you to a prophetic ministry much like Jesus and George Fox.

In our Yearly Meeting (NCYM-Conservative), not often, but many times prophetic words are uttered. So, there are still those among us who speak Truth with authority. But remember, when Jesus spoke (and I suppose Fox as well), he spoke with a great Love for the people.

Perhaps it is because I am fairly new Friend, but Quakers would come closer to accepting Jesus and his message than most Christians. I know they live the Message more than any group I have ever been around.

"Though we speak with tongues of men and angels and have not love..."

 
At 1:31 PM, Blogger Larry Clayton said...

Lor, you're right of course BUT

Lorcom, old friend and Friend, you remind me of my early days (47 years ago actually), when I preached my first sermon: prophetic. I'm sure I was more of a Christian that day than I am now. What did I say:

First sentence: You people think you're Christians. Boy I was red hot; I was ready to tell off the bishop, the pope, the president, whoever came within the sound of my voice.

That congregation was 'Christian' enough to accept my offering without murmuring.

Well, Lorcom. I've moderated through the years that followed, and seriously I don't really know whether I'm a better Christian then or now.

I may have been harmless as a dove that day, but not wise as a serpent, as he told us to be. Nor were you, it seems to me, dear friend.

I understand about prophecy, and I still prophesy, but now I'm a lot more devious-- trying to be all things to all men that I might by whatever means save some.

If I could spend time with you, Lor, I think I would try to civilize you. Man, you're a wild Irishman. But I love you. Please forgive me if I by any chance bruised your feelings.

 
At 3:58 PM, Blogger Lorcan said...

No brused feelings at all, Friend, and as to prophetic ministry... naw...

My Catholic wife, Genie, says "You have to learn to lie... just stop telling the truth all the time, that is what gets you in trouble."

She's right, I wont, that's life... I don't think it is prophetic any more than it is possible that a prophet only says what everyone knows, but it is easier to lie about, to others and ourselves...

For more on this, check out the second of my links... the Epistle of the Gray Avenger... with truth ... recorded at 331/3 and played at 78... ( older Friends explain what that means to younger Friends born after the record player... ) :)

Much love
lor

 
At 7:27 AM, Blogger twila said...

Hmm, I've got to read this book. It sounds very provacative. And I must agree, most of the believers in any group I've been to are mainly white bread. And Christ seems to have been multi-whole-grain-full-of-fiber-chewy-and-dense.

 

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