The Good Samaritan Called Starbucks!

While Friends Meeting wrangle over organizational rulings and theological conflicts,
millions of refugees are suffering and in desperate need of help!

This sadly reminds me of how our Friends Meeting decided not to help Iraqis during the Iraq War. The leader of our Social Concerns group opposed the name of the outreach organization working in Iraq, because it had the word "Christian" in its name--Christian Peacemaker Teams--and because we didn't have a lot of funds:-(.

And now, allegedly 80% of Evangelical Christians (white) oppose bringing many thousands of these desperate humans displaced and suffering to the U.S.

Have they forgotten the story Jesus, the son of human, told?

MODERN GOOD SAMARITAN

Instead, millions of Christians hold to self-centered views like this famous Christian leader, Dr. Robert Jeffress: "I don’t care about that candidate’s tone or vocabulary, I want the meanest, toughest, son of a you-know-what I can find —
and I believe that’s biblical...because I realized what God had done” to save this nation by electing Trump. “To me, it was so obvious that God had intervened in that situation...intervened for Christians in this country...I think we got a reprieve, we got a little bit longer in this country to share the Gospel..."
DayStar.com, etc.

WHAT IF INSTEAD, ALL OF US FOLLOWED THE LEAD OF STARBUCKS?

BBC News Item
"Starbucks has pledged to hire 10,000 refugees globally over the next five years...chief executive Howard Schultz said...with deep concern, a heavy heart and a resolute promise..." Recruitment will begin in the US and focus on people who had served or supported the military.

The recruitment pledge was "a concerted effort to welcome and seek opportunities for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and discrimination", he said. Starbucks operates more than 25,000 stores in 75 countries worldwide."

Silicon Valley heavyweights including Facebook, Google and Tesla have made public statements, while Airbnb is offering free accommodation to people affected by the travel restrictions and unable to get into the US."
BBC News

What if our Friends meetings in North Carolina, Northwest Yearly Meeting, and many other spiritually focused groups would take a break from in-house disagreements and instead entirely focus for a while on rescuing countless refugees like the secular business Starbucks is doing?!

What if other businesses would also make plans to hire some of these millions of displaced, impoverished, needy Syrian refugees, (and others)?

Even more important, let us as seekers of the Light, reach out to refugees.

Daniel Wilcox

In the Midst of Quaker Meeting Fragmentation

How can a transcendent movement seeking the true,
the good, the just, the right, the compassionate
be an active witness of "truth to power" and to billions of humans in the midst of more severe trials
and crises,
if its own
center
doesn't hold?


How can we bring peace to others if we are caught in the mire of conflict?

How do we 'wrestle' in a loving way with others who understand differently?

Spiritual movements including organized religion, both formal
and informal, traditional and creedal, and revolutionary
and inclusive, indeed ALL human philosophies, lifestances,
worldviews of serious thought and action,
seem given to divisive fragmentation--
to one extreme or another; almost always
leaving us unbalanced, often distorted in our quest for truth.

Yet the Quaker movement itself swings back-and-forth-and-diagonally to 4 sides--
4 different poles of Light, seldom seeming to walk in wholeness.

An excerpt by Howard Brinton:
--

CHAPTER 10
Quaker Thought and the Present

"Through the three centuries of Quaker history the four primary elements present
in all religion have at different times
exerted their influence in varying degrees."

"During the first century an a half mysticism and evangelicalism were
in balance in the group as a whole though many individuals tended to stress one or the other;

during the nineteenth century mysticism and evangelicalism were in conflict,
each pressing the other to extremes
in the group as a whole, though in many individuals the two were in balance;

and during the past half century rationalism and humanitarianism
have assumed greater prominence, sometimes becoming dominant,
though here again there
are some individuals in whom the four tendencies are in balance."

"The best type of religion is one in which
the mystical,
the evangelical,
the rational and
the social
are so related that each exercises a restraint on the others.

Too exclusive an emphasis on mysticism results in a religion which is individualistic, subjective and vague;

too dominant an evangelicalism results in religion which is authoritarian,
creedal and external;

too great an emphasis on rationalism results in a cold, intellectual religion which appeals only to the few;

too engrossing a devotion to the social gospel results in a religion which,
in improving the outer environment,
ignores defects of the inner life which cause the outer disorder."

"In Quakerism the optimum is not equality in rank of the four elements.
The mystical is basic."
To purchase this powerful book check with Quaker Books--
https://quakerbooks.org/products/friends-for-350-years-3445

Brinton goes on to warn against "vitalism which worships the life-force
in its biological sense"
and the other distortions of
true enLIGHTenment.

About the only point where I disagree with Brinton is when he says
the 4 qualities "each exercise a restraint on the others."

Look instead at the four poles--that when most bathed in the Light,
the 4 different aspects,
(parts of true spiritual reality, the Transcendent), can bring reconciliation,
giving a redeeming uplifting of each other
and are the Seed of essential fulfillment,
the true purpose and goal of human beings.

Read Friends for 300 Years or the book's update, Friends for 350 years

Be not only intellectually enlightened, but raised up in the Light
to bring reconciliation, justice, and truth to the world!

In the LIGHT,

Daniel Wilcox

Quaker Corny Humor #15: A Theist, Washington Mall Vigil, and More

In the midst of the weightiness of this current crisis and many conflicts, let's take
a combined;-) break and laugh a little, cough up some corn kernels.

In the old days, Friends used thee's and thou's when talking and writing. Imagine what this would lead to when and old Friend talks to a new Atheist online:

Quaker: "Knock, knock."

Atheist: "Who's there?"

Quaker: "Theist."

Atheist: "What?! Theist who? Who gives a 'dam'?"

Quaker: "Thee ist a friend, despite your use of that beaver construction word."
--

Why did 80% of Evangelical Christians (white) strongly support,
promote, and vote for Donald Trump for president?

Because they read in their inerrant Scriptures
that it declares in 1 Thessalonians 4:16--
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God..."
--

After the very discouraging U.S. Presidential Election results,
a number of D.C. Quakers held a silent vigil down by the Washington Mall.
The men and women were silently meditating for world peace,
compassion, and equality.

Some tourists walked by and one said, "Look at those religious fanatics!

One Quaker responded with a light smile, "But seeking the Light is Oat so simple. Not simplistic, but spontaneous and open to what is good."

Baffled, the visitor walked on, muttering, "Why did that guy say, "Oat?"


--

What does an infant kitten say to his daddy tomcat who is an artist?

"DaDa!"
--


In the Lighten-UP,

Daniel Wilcox

Important Guest Post on Same Sexuality

See below past the brief intro. for the guest post: "A Man with No Past" by Fernando Alcantar

Brief intro:
There are so many Christians and other theists who have recently come out as same sexual. Has this always been true--that many spiritually concerned and focused people have hidden their same sexuality?

And there are so many churches and denominations including Friends arguing over same sexuality, even splitting up as Indiana Yearly Meeting did, and North Carolina Yearly Meeting and Northwest Yearly Meeting are doing now.

Check A Friendly Letter, Chuck Fager's recent blog articles for the details:
http://afriendlyletter.com/breaking-split-over-lgbt-planned-for-northwest-yearly-meeting/
http://afriendlyletter.com/another-day-another-split-attempt-new-target-north-carolina-ym/

Even the huge United Methodist Denomination may split over the ethical issue. Other major denominations have in the recent past.
Etc.

So much division and misunderstanding and sorrow!

But the worst tragedy of the current controversy is that, too often, the very real individuals who are at the center of the controversy get left in the wreck:-(

Think of the loving couples who only wanted to get marriage licenses in Kentucky, but the clerk Kim Davis wouldn't let them.

Remember when Marsha Stevens of the music group Children of the Day announced that she was a lesbian and thankful for being same sexual. What a storm of trouble.

And remember when it came to the news that Lonnie Frisbee, the famous Calvary Chapel assistant minister, was same sexual.

Etc.

I wonder why.

I wonder what all of this controversy says about theism, about Quakerism, about the Christian religion, human nature, human psychology, life, and reality.

Do you have any thoughts about this huge topic?

GUEST POST:

A Man with No Past by Fernando Alcantar

"Fernando Alcántar was born and raised in Mexico and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University, one of the top Christian Universities in the nation.

He is an author, activist...He worked at APU's Mexico Outreach for eight years as Senior Coordinator of North American Partnerships. There, he oversaw hundreds of churches in Mexico and helped mobilize over 9,000 missionaries a year from all over the United States and Canada.

He innovated dozens of new ministries and developed unprecedented partnerships with government officials, nonprofits, schools, businesses, and churches. He has spoken in front of thousands sharing his faith and motivating people into Christian ministry, and traveled around the world serving marginalized communities."
--

Fernado Alcantar:

"I am a man with no past. And you are probably one too.

When I was born, my family put the seal of Catholicism on me and taught me that since I was Mexican, I was Catholic just as much.

The rest is a story I’ve shared on the book To the Cross and Back: An Immigrant’s Journey from Faith to Reason. A story of how as a teenager I converted to Protestant Christianity trying to escape loneliness and seeking healing from childhood trauma.

I then became a state leader for the Foursquare denomination in Baja California...a globetrotting missionary for Azusa Pacific University—one of the largest evangelical colleges in the nation.

And then became head of youth and young adult ministries for the almost 400 churches in the Southern California-Hawaii region of the United Methodist Church.

For about 30 years I obeyed the rules of the Bible as best as I could, including hiding the darkest secret—even from myself—the fact that I am gay. For at least a decade I fought a depression anchored in a never-ending doubt. What happens if I lose faith?"

Read the rest of Alcantar's powerful, sorrowful article at http://fernandoalcantar.com/man-no-past/

What are your thoughts on Alcantar's crisis?

What are your thought on this whole issue?


In the Light,

Daniel Wilcox

Guest Post by Johan Mauer: First Principles

In this dark troubled time, when so many humans are choosing extremism of all sorts,
and are majoring in invective, put-downs, and other forms of denigration,
here is a Friendly
voice of moderation, emphasizing
our need for principled peacemaking:

Can you believe?: First principles

by Johan Mauer

"Russian Army" store near
US embassy in Moscow,
Photo: Max Seddon

Shocking Statements by Two Famous Writers, One an Atheist, One a Theist

Two Contrary Views of Two Famous Writers:

#1 "Union with Christ imparts an inner elevation, comfort in affliction, tranquil reliance,
and a heart which opens itself to everything noble and great not for the sake of ambition
or desire for fame, but for the sake of Christ.

Union with Christ produces a joy which the Epicurean seeks in vain in his shallow philosophy,
which the deeper thinker vainly pursues in the most hidden depths of knowledge.

It is a joy known only to the simple and childlike heart,
united with Christ and through Him with God, a joy which elevates life and makes it more beautiful."1






VERSUS







#2 "You know, I think, that I believe in no religion.

There is absolutely no proof for any of them,
and from a philosophical standpoint Christianity is not even the best.

All religions, that is, all mythologies to give them their proper name, are merely man's invention--Christ as much as Loki.

Primitive man found himself surrounded by all sorts of terrible things he didn't understand--thunder,
pestilence, snakes, etc:what more natural then to suppose that these were animated by evil spirits trying to torture him.

These he kept off by cringing to them, singing songs and making sacrifices etc. Gradually from being mere
nature-spirits these supposed beings were elevated into more elaborate ideas,
such as the old gods: and when man became more refined he pretended that these spirits were good as well as powerful.

Thus religion, that is to say mythology grew up. Often too, great men
were regarded as gods after their death-such as Heracles or Odin:
thus after the death of a Hebrew philosopher Yeshua
(whose name we have corrupted into Jesus)
he became regarded as a god, a cult sprang up,
which was afterwards connected with the ancient Hebrew Jahweh-worship,
and so Christianity came into being-one mythology among many.

Of course, mind you, I am not laying down as a certainty that there is nothing outside
the material world; considering the discoveries that are always being made, this would be foolish. Anything MAY exist."2
--

Oops;-) I got the two photos backwards.

See the surprising footnotes:

NOTES

1. The praise of the Christian religion was written by Karl Marx.
Pub. in "Karl Marx as a schoolboy" in the German volume
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels Gesamtausgabe.
From "The Baptism of Karl Marx" by Eugene Kamenka, lecturer in philosophy, University of Malaya,
The Hibbert Journal, vol. 56, no. 3, April 1958, pp.345-46.

Versus

2. The skeptical dismissal of the Christian religion was written by C.S. Lewis
in a letter to his friend Arthur Greeves on October 12, 1916.
Pub.in They Stand Together, p.135).
--

This conundrum of opposites which reversed in their lives has intrigued me for years--
from devout theist to hard atheist: Karl Marx

versus

from skeptical atheist to devout theist: C.S. Lewis--
especially now that I have also journeyed so very far philosophically from where I was at when a youth.

Are not these two shocking quotes intriguing hooks
to get us into doing biographical and historical
and philosophical research into how Karl Marx and C.S. Lewis so drastically
changed their views in a matter of 20-25 years?

Into inquiring why some humans greatly change
in their lifestances and worldviews,
BUT
others stay put in the place,
culture, and social outlook they were born into?

Search on.

Become seekers of truth.


In the Light,

Daniel Wilcox

Destroying 2,000 Olive Trees

https://www.facebook.com/c4peace/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE

Allegedly, the Israeli government has removed over 1,000,000 trees, taken from Palestinians, the latters' land confiscated, mostly to provide for illegal Israeli settlements, in violation of UN law.

"Pictures of despair this morning from Nabi Elias, West Bank:
The Civil Administration [of the Israeli Government] uprooted 2,000 olive trees,
the source of income of the area's residents, in favor of a new road for Israeli settlers. The area was declared a closed military zone and a few protesters were detained."
--

Also, "Just 2 days ago we joined the villagers near Qalqilya in protest against the plan to uproot 500 olive trees.

Yesterday they woke up to this ugly spectacle. The Civil Administration began to uproot the trees. The young man who was arrested is still in custody.

It's easy to uproot a tree. But to pull out our hope for a better future will be much more difficult.

We will continue our non-violent struggle against the occupation, so that one day we can all live here in peace and with equal rights."

"Combatants for Peace was formed by Israelis and Palestinians who went against the mainstream and decided to resist the occupation through nonviolent struggle...."

"We are a group of Palestinians and Israelis who have taken an active part in the cycle of violence in our region: Israeli soldiers serving in the IDF and Palestinians as combatants fighting to free their country, Palestine, from the Israeli occupation.

During the past three years, director Stephen Apkon accompanied our activists and heard their stories.

The result is the film Disturbing the Peace, that documents the process the members go through, from troops on the battlefield to peace activists seeking to end the violence between the two sides. There is another way.

We – serving our peoples, raised weapons which we aimed at each other and saw each other only through gun sights – have established Combatants for Peace on the basis of non-violence principles."
https://www.facebook.com/CombatantsforPeace/

http://cfpeace.org/




Honoring the witness of Martin Luther King Jr. today.

May more and more Palestinians and Israelis reject war, injustice, unethical actions, nationalism, and theft.

May they seek goodness reconciliation and justice.


In the Light,

Daniel Wilcox