Letters - 27 March 2015
From being a Quaker to socialism
Being Quaker
As we struggle to define, for ourselves and others, just who and what we are, I would like to pass on a comment from an old friend. We were brought up together as Anglicans in the 1930s. ‘Quaker?’ she said. ‘In their quiet way they just get on with things.’
This chimes well with Hugh Rock’s ‘Quakerism, the religion of what is done’ (Friends Quarterly, February 2015) and with this quote from Terry Pratchett, that most humane and perceptive of writers now sadly deceased, who wrote in his novel Snuff: ‘Goodness is about what you do, not who you pray to’.
Ruth Jennings
Tax Justice
I wish to express strong unity with David Heathfield (13 March).
If we read Advice & query 4 we are reminded of the teachings of Jesus, whose second commandment is to love our neighbour.
To be effective, love requires action as well as words.
Why can’t ‘Friends’ see that claiming Gift Aid is effectively acting against our neighbour? This would not be so if there were unlimited state welfare funds available for those with insufficient money to pay for food and health. Currently, despite the total of combined taxes being so high, it is patently not enough to cover these basic needs.
We do not need state aid to ‘be a Quaker’. As a simple act of loving our neighbours, let us stop taking money they need for living.
John Arnold
You need to login to read subscriber-only content and/or comment on articles.