Cool Quaker Stuff

War & Peace
by Kris Hillenburg
from Quaker Life and Thoughts
http://www.workhorsegraphics.com/war_peace.htm

     If you pray – pray for peace.
     If you don’t pray – pray for peace.
     War is an opportunistic disease. It is the outward expression of mankind’s own self-hatred. Yet selfish at the same time it says, “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine also.” It is based in the primal fear that there is only so much to go around and that is in short supply.
     War is the antithesis of life. It will not be satisfied until it destroys it. The only joy in victory is the end of conflict. Tranquility knows no enemy. True peace knows no foe. When the battle is over we are all wounded. When we stop trying to understand each other we are doomed to war again.
     Kindness that is not shared freely is no kindness at all. Love that is meant for only a few is not love, but self-preservation. Hope that sees only the filling of the storehouse instead of the bellies of the hungry has no humanity in it. Prizes in and of themselves are empty and hollow. Ownership is merely a claim on something that we only hold temporarily. If, in that ownership, we are not heart-free and spirit-free enough to share it with those who need it then we are spiritual gluttons of obese proportions. This is true whether in regards to material or spiritual matters – for wars have been fought for both reasons.
     When we move to war we enslave ourselves to hate and fear and all the things that rip and tear the nature of God from our hearts and souls and minds. It not only kills the body, but it destroys all that we are meant to be in the fullness of the One who calls us to be truly alive in Him.
     Go, therefore, in peace. Be merciful to all for the sake of love, which leads to Life.

"Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid"
Scripture: John 14:23-29
23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe.

Quaker Quotes

"Be pattterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them. Then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world answering that of God in everyone."
~~~~George Fox, founder of Quakerism~~~~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There must be amidst all the confusions of the hour a tried and undisturbed remnant of persons who will not become purveyors of coercion and violence, who are ready to stand alone, if it is necessary, for the way of peace and love among men."
~~~~Rufus Jones,1940~~~~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"To turn all we possess into the channel of universal love becomes the business of our lives."
~~~~John Woolman~~~~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Within the meeting equality appears in the equal opportunity for all to take part, regardless of age, sex or ability. It means equality of respect and the resulting absence of all words and behavior based on class, racial or social distinction."
~~~~Howard Brinton~~~~