Thought for the Week: Andrew Sterling has experience

‘I think belief and faith might be opposites.’

Friends often refer to their Quaker ‘faith’, but what is meant by this can vary. We have theists, nontheists, universalists, pantheists, Christians, pagans, Buddhists, agnostics, and more. We’re rather proud that we are open to all these identities. It’s part of how we define ourselves as Quakers.

Let me explain. On one hand, beliefs are concepts: ideas, narratives, thought – head stuff. It’s what most religion is founded on, and most of it is pretty metaphysical. One believes what one wants to – ‘make believe’, you might say. But our beliefs are slippery customers, never feeling quite settled, and prone to being shaken. Does one lose ‘faith’ when life’s bricks are thrown? If so, is it really faith? Indeed, Quakers sense this and we see ourselves as seekers. 

On the other hand, we have the felt experience (ie not ‘head stuff’) of the light within. That, in turn, is to deeply experience the sense of ‘being OK’ – the sense that others are OK, and that life is OK, regardless of beliefs or condition. 

‘Experiencing inner faith is a deep state of wellbeing.’

Perhaps if we haven’t experienced unqualified acceptance, faith and love, this feeling would be extinguishable. Indeed, when people struggle to feel OK, it suggests to me that they lack such a grounding experience. It can make us suspicious of ourselves, of others and of life.

In such circumstances, it would be natural to seek an identity, a solace and security, through the adoption of certain attitudes, behaviours… and beliefs. These can offer a sense of affirmation, particularly in the eyes of others. We are deeply social beings, after all.

In this way, beliefs develop differently to faith, and can be substitutes for it, subject to endless and frequently-awkward debate, as well as conflict, over many centuries and into the future. 

Experiencing inner faith, however, in oneself, in others and in life, is a deep state of wellbeing. This state, being experiential, is abstract, unlike those specific beliefs. It is the very essence of ‘that which is eternal’ – unchanging but vibrantly forever new. 

To get there, however, takes letting go, and letting be – allowing ‘what turns out’ to turn out. It means not being anxious for the world to accord to one’s wants and wishes. Yes, this means losing control over fear and anxiety. But it’s not difficult, once experienced – it’s always ‘on’, in practice, as part of the process of being alive, in the day-to-day, as well as in our more demanding times.

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Comments

I now do not even get a prompt email - to remind me the Friend has been published and thus simultaneously give a shape to my week - as with the days I have Milk delivered and such like or no newspaer is delivered on a saturday or Sunday, so in my diminished way I kmow what day of the week it is. It is as if nothing absolutely nothing i sustains a routine.

By Tolkny on 26th September 2024 - 10:21

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Hello Friend,

We have been encountering some bugs that are preventing all of the emails that we’re sending from the website reaching Friends on the mailing list. However, now I know you haven’t been receiving the notifications, I will add you to the list of people I’m sending the notification to manually in the interim.

If any other Friends are affected, please let me know at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

In Friendship,
Elinor

By Elinor Smallman, Production manager at The Friend on 26th September 2024 - 10:53

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Thank you - sorry for posting in the wrong place.

By Tolkny on 26th September 2024 - 14:24

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