Quakerism - what is a Quaker?

[ABetaDad]

I have been interested in becoming a Quaker (not sure if that is even possible in a formal sense) for a while but I have tried finding out more about it via the internet and am confused as to where to look or what to look at.

I find there are different versions of Quakerism all over the world with US versions seeming much closer to the Mormon or Shaker version of christian fundamentalism while in the UK it seems to almost not to be a religion at all.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Yes, have a look here.

You're right that it is slightly different in the US - more hardcore Christian in a way, though the fundamentals are the same.

I would suggest you find out where your nearest meeting is and go along. You could phone someone in advance or just turn up - they will make you very welcome.

(I am not a practising Quaker by the way - my mother used to attend regularly when I was a child, though she never formally joined, and I have gone along occasionally as an adult. I am actually a bit of an atheist but I have great respect for Quaker values and Quakers themselves are generally pretty cool!)

Its ahrd to say what a Quaker is tbh.... some don't even git the christian definition, some don'teven believe in a God: they just attend becuse they find the meetings spiritually rewarding.

Most are thougyha nd I think theya re mostl;y people ike myself: mroe gentle sould who find peache and spirituality in silence, thougthful types.

have been wanting t attend for years but not practical atm.

introduction

Have you read Patrick Gayle 'Notes from an exhibtion' this gave a good idea of what being a Quaker is all about and it did sound very attractive. I like the idea of the quiet meetings where people just share thoughts if moved to do so.

Thanks for your answers everyone. The links are good.

There is a Quaker meeting house near where I live and I have often walked past and been tempted to walk in and see if anyone was there to talk to.

I feel uncomfortable with organised religion as I was brought up as Methodist but having been forced to go to church 8 times a week for all my teenage life I just cannot bear the thoughts of church services anymore.

I find that I have gradually adopted a lot of Quaker thinking in my life over the years and it woudl be nice to talk to some Quakers even if I do not actually go their Friends meetings. I find the idea of just sitting in silence with a lot of other people in a room quite disconcerting and a bit too much liek a church service.

ABetaDad I am not a Quaker but my good friend is and I have been to a few meetings with her. They are not at all like church services and I expected to be disconcerted but wasn't. You should definitely give one a try, even if just for the experience. Anyone is welcome.

I would love to have the nerve to walk in (Am very shy in RL) - I too am nt organised religion (a degree in it can have that effect) but io coved a lot on Quakers in my dissertation and remain respectful

I don't think you need much nerve TBH. Especially in the larger town and city meetings, from what I gather they get all sorts of waifs and strays wandering in and nobody minds.

My mum goes to Quaker meetings every Sunday - she has lived all over the place and finds attending the local Quaker meeting the fastest way to meet new friends (no pun intended). She describes the meetings as peaceful and there's no evangelising. Also the people are invariably friendly and welcoming.

my boss is quaker and I am very tempted to go along. She is part pagan, part quaker and everyone is very accepting of her beliefs.

I do TLP, i'm of the three-weeks-to-talk-to-anyone ilk

I know they'rewelcoming, i'm just chronically shy

You should come to my church then. I can pretty much guarantee no one will talk to you

Oh I can guarantee that at the local one LOL

I can do tlaking it's approaching I can't manage

I'm not sure that American Quakers are more hardcore Christians

I think Quakerism varies a lot from Friend to Friend as well as from meeting house to meeting house. I know you'd be very welcome at my local one (I am in the US, so that doesn't help you)

You could go to a meeting without talking to anyone easily enough. IME usually at the beginning there are a few people who go straight through and sit down in the meeting room while most people hang around in the foyer chatting for a few minutes beforehand. Then afterwards you could stay for a cup of tea or you could whizz straight off if you were feeling shy.
Though there is usually someone - can't remember if they are called the clerk or the secretary or what - who will try to get your name for the visitors' book. But I don't believe anyone would mind if you slipped out before they had a chance.

Superbunny - apologies if I have got the wrong word there - 'hardcore' is perhaps not the best way of putting it! I was just trying to get at the fact that in my experience (based on people I have known and books I have read) American Quakers tend to put the Bible more at the centre of things where in the UK people are more likely to be ecumenical in their approach - American Friends I have known who have gone to meetings here have been surprised how often people, for example, quoted from scriptures from Buddhism etc. However you are quite right about the diversity - that is one of the great things about Quakerism IMO, the way no-one ever tells you what you should believe.

To anyone feeling shy about going to a Meeting - then the Quakers have a lovely phrase: "Live Adventurously".
When I've been to a Meeting (years ago now) everyone was v friendly, quiet and respectful. You can be a Quaker aetheist, Quaker buddhist, or just a regular Quaker.

At some meetings they do introductions to Quakerism see Quaker Quest
www.quakerquest.org/

Hope this helps