Letters - 14 June 2019

From 'doing God' to Jacob Rees-Mogg

Doing God

Where are Quakers going? The report on Yearly Meeting (31 May) tells of good works, but neither God nor Christ is mentioned anywhere except in the George Fox quote on the first page which uses ‘God’ sixteen times (clearly, in a different context). It appears nowhere else in the official record, except as a quote in the Epistle.

We are a Christian church (despite our 14.5 per cent of so-called non-Christian members), and we need to be seen to base our work in the Spirit of Love. Being a Christian means following the teachings of Christ, not subscribing to a set of words devised to subjugate people.

I fear that Friends centrally are more focused on ‘doing the letter’ than ‘living the Spirit’. Are we losing the spiritual dimension on the altar of doing good, working for equality, fairness and care for our environment? Caring and loving matters most.

As a Christian community are we trying to focus on the Spirit of Love in our individual lives? How do we avoid the constant temptation to take sides, and so being judgmental? We need to learn to accept everyone as they are, all with ‘that of God’ in them, including Jacob Rees-Mogg. We need to share the Spirit of Love through our actions.

Experience tells me it’s who we are that matters most. What we do will inevitably follow.

I fear some Friends are too concerned with the doing, at the expense of the being and living.

David Taylor

History repeating

In answer to Elaine Miles’ suggestion (10 May) of moving the Golden Dome and Mosque, where Muslims have been worshipping for centuries, to Ramallah, I believe Israel is already working on it and has been for some time.

On 2 June this year, during the final days of Ramadan, Israeli police forces allowed more than 400 Israeli settlers to enter Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Compound. There are reports that police chased and brutally assaulted Palestinian worshippers, and Israeli settlers entered the mosque in celebration of Jerusalem Day in the Old City. Settlers led by Rabbi Yehuda Glick desecrated the site and worshippers were subjected to the usual (rubber bullets and tear gas) while some were arrested. The Qubli mosque was damaged. I don’t suppose this was printed in any of our newspapers.

Ethnic cleansing has been going on in Jerusalem for decades. Tom Jackson (31 May) hit the nail on the head. If we, who know what is happening in this region, do not oppose the inhuman alien philosophy currently pulling the strings of the Israeli government, who else will do so? Why let history repeat itself time after time in the name of God?

Jennifer Bell

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