Statements from North Branch Friends, 2007

I believe there is something inside each of us that shows us right from wrong. It is not conscience but deeper and more wise. It doesn't depend on any book or minister or even our parents instructing us. We can ignore it or drown it out but it is still there and we can always return to it. It is how I describe "that of God" the Quakers talk about. Contacts with other people work best when I believe in it in other people and appeal to it when I speak to them. I believe every person has their own spiritual journey to God and that no one else can tell them how to get there. I don't believe any religion is the true religion but there is probably a little bit of the truth in each. Any Religion that states they are the only true religion isn't. I know that when we reach Heaven, what God thought was important will surprise us. --Jan Robinson

I believe that each person on this planet has a Divine spark-or as the Old Quakers used to say, "that of God within." How do I answer that of God within myself and with each person I meet? Do I have to "meet" them in person to care about them? A Quaker meeting helps me in my journey to be more conscious of the God within myself and every other human being. Together we try to live out this reality, both locally and across the planet. --Anonymous

I attend the Meeting because I believe in the basic principle of Quakerism and that is the belief that there is something of God in every person. I also believe in the teachings of Jesus and many of the sayings that are in the Bible. I like to worship and thank a higher Deity for the beauty of the Earth and for enjoying and loving family and friends. --Anonymous

I believe in a forgiving, compassionate God. --CK

I believe that there is that of God-or an Inner Light-in everyone, and I began attending North Branch Friends Meeting after 9/11 as I sought constructive solutions for a complicated and often too-violent world.  Understanding that we are all children of God can transform how we think about and interact with the world and its people, as the Quaker emphases on pacifism, simplicity, and stewardship suggest.  The strong sense of community that pervades North Branch Friends Meeting provides positive and sympathetic support as I strive to live a better life in harmony with the Light that we all share. --AA

I believe that there is a holy "spirit" within each person.  Each of us is responsible for maintaining the integrity of our own spirit.  We do this by acting from the most loving and centered "place" within ourselves.  There are many challenges to be faced and the spirits' work takes many lifetimes.  The spirit never judges another-only strives to be a better life force. --VA

I believe that there is a vibrant, universal life force that permeates and animates every living thing. Some people relate to that force directly, and call it "God," or "Goddess," or something else. Others don't, and may still be spiritual in other ways. I find peace, guidance, and a sense of something greater than myself both in communing directly with nature and the universe, and in acknowledging and relating to the divinity within people and all other living things. To me, that's the essence of spirituality-connection with something greater than oneself.  I also believe that "religion" is generally best when lived, and often worst when preached. --WC


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Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's
Faith and Practice "details the beliefs and practices of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) within the area served by the Yearly Meeting."

Videos from Watford Friends Meeting in the UK
An Introduction to Quakers
An Introduction to Quakers, pt. 2
What do Quakers Believe about God?
The Quaker Testimonies
Quakers and the Bible
Are Quakers Christians?
Quakers and Other Religions
Quaker Business Method
Quakers: White and Middle Class?
Quakers: Woolly-Minded Liberals?

Audio Interviews from the High School First Day Class of Live Oak Friends Meeting


Current Google News about Friends
Statements from North Branch Friends, 2009

(Transcribed from quick notes jotted down during Adult Discussion;
not polished or edited, and in no particular order)

There is that of God or The Divine in each of us. I want to honor it both in myself and in others. We each have access to Spirit or God always; sometimes te access seems foggy & dark. Living in the Light informs my living in this world which includes living with myself, with riends & family, with acquaintances, and with all inhabitants in the world.

I believe in the coporate wisdom of our meeting. I believe our shared experience and discernment is valid and essential. I believe we are held together by a Spirit of love that teaches us to listen fully to one another and to care for our fellow human beings, and that the evidence of this Spirit is visible in our actions--both among ourselves and in our wider community. This visible evidence of Spirit is our Testimony, and I believe Faith & Practice does an adequate job of describing our shared Testimonies.

I believe that the Light (God/Goddess) is a part of everyone ... That we are all capable of having a direct connection to --- ... Under the layers of what makes us individuals is a common source--a Oneness--the Light. To recognize the Teacher and have that within oneself and others--to live from that sacred space.

- Direct experience of god
- No bible
- Pacifist
- No conscription
- Universalist
- Continuing revelation
(Jim F.)

I believe in a personal, intelligent God whose life and presence is in all things and persons, as well as "out there," and who shares his life with us. Our life is his life. All things live and exist in him/her/it and this presence/life/light can be experienced directly.

I believe that there is a divine presence in the wold & that ther exists a spark of that divine presence in each human being. The divine also exists strongly in nature. I believe that this spark, or light, can uide us if we can "listen" to it or access it. I believe that the words & actions of Jesus were strongly influenced by the divine.

Everyone has to find their own path to God. Quakerism supports and encourages the search. The destination is not as important as the journey itself. When one realizes one doesn't have all the answers, one is less likely to fight someone else wih a different view. In Quakerism it is all right not to know.

The Bible is God's word. Jesus died so our sins could be forgiven.

I believe in the inherent goodness of people. I believe that human beings should care for one another and uphold basic values. These values include basic health--mental, emotional, and physical--for all humans; education; and safety. I believe that we need to take care of our planet and the universe around us, and that we need to be kind and courteous to all people, no matter who they are. I think that ethics should be an issue completely apart from religion. People shouldn't need the desire for eternal happiness or the fear of eternal damnation to spur them into these values. People should care about other people because they're people and they deserve it--not because they'll go to Hell if they don't. --Danica Cooper, age 16