Quaker Universalist gathering
Friends gathered to discuss 'Language, Truth and Religion'
Thirty people gathered at Friends House, London, this month to consider the topic ‘Language, Truth and Religion’.
The discussion, jointly arranged by London Quakers and the Quaker Universalist Group (QUG), on 8 February was led by QUG committee member Alan York.
According to Tony Philpott, clerk of QUG, Alan York laid out his belief ‘that there is a primal spiritual experience shared by all which is expressed particularly by the mystical practitioners of all religions. He sees a remarkable commonality in a felt sense of peace and love for one’s fellow creatures, in a losing of one’s sense of self and of separation from others, and in a sense that time, decay and death are of no consequence.
‘However, Alan explained that as the various religions became organised into communities they expressed this primal spiritual experience in different languages, creeds, rules and regulations, political structures and ethical systems, and this fact has led to conflict and violence in the world.’
The talk was followed by ‘lively discussion’ in groups, then questions and further debate in a plenary session.
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