Issue 23-11-2012
Featured story
Thought for the Week: Our common humanity
Prisons Week is a reminder of the common bonds between us and people in prison. The populist news media bombard us with the message that people in prison are dangerous, a threat to society and beyond redemption. Scaremongering by some politicians increases the erosive and damaging fear of crime that...
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Finding a Quaker voice
Public consultations are all the rage. In the UK, canvassing public opinion is now an intrinsic part of the democratic process and the exercise of citizenship. At least, for certain types of legislation, we are regularly asked to express our opinion through a public consultation held by a government department...
Two faces of conflict resolution
‘Violence prevention initiatives at a local level, combined with the support of middle and top level leaders, using various combinations of technology, have saved and can save lives.’ Joseph Bock, humanitarian aid worker
Filled by the Spirit
‘The Quaker position is really summed up in the words “John indeed baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” It is the inward change, the inward purification, the spiritual fact and not the outward symbol that belongs in truth to the Kingdom of God.’ ...
Inverness
Covering the greater part of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness Meeting has the largest catchment area of any Friends Meeting in Britain. Of the eighteen members by the close of 2010, four were living over 100 miles from the city with a further two resident in France. Advancing years together with the nonattendance...
Being the change
A once-opulent eighteenth century abbey house stands apart from the town, its hall-guarding grandfather clock filling every space with its chimes. Outside it’s been a rain-threatening two days with mush underfoot. Leaves hang dejected. Inside my head the dog-eat-dog world of competing religions enters through a book on Jerusalem...
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Quaker statement on Gaza
Quakers in Britain have called for an immediate end to the use of force by all parties in Gaza. A statement, signed by Paul Parker, recording clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting, was sent to William Hague, foreign secretary, and to the Israeli embassy and the Palestinian embassy in London...
Charity highlights tax dodging
Christian Aid has urged the government to help Pakistan boost its disastrously low tax revenues by breaking down global financial secrecy and helping the country get information on Pakistani citizens’ accounts in Britain and other tax havens.
Quakers join John Lewis protest
A group of Quakers took part last Saturday in nonviolent protests at some John Lewis stores in Britain. They were raising concerns, as customers, about the exclusion of cleaners from the John Lewis ‘partnership model’ and challenging the store’s reputation as one of the country’s leading ethical...
Inter Faith Week challenge to build friendships
David Urquhart, bishop of Birmingham, has issued a community challenge for national Inter Faith Week urging people of different faiths to build friendships and challenge stereotypes.
Prisons Week 2012
Prisons Week 2012, which runs between 18 and 24 November, will be highlighting important issues of concern to prisoners in all parts of Britain.
Catholic Church endorses Living Wage
The Catholic Church has endorsed the Living Wage ahead of the forthcoming Church of England debate on the subject.
Eye - 23 November 2012
The butcher’s tale The team were tickled by the story of a butcher from a baker. Margaret Baker, of Welwyn Garden City Meeting, set to agitating our funny bones: ‘The arrival of this week’s Friend (16 November) has reminded me of a time, many years ago, when one of...
Letters - 23 November 2012
Grieving I know that I am not the only person who has had a similar experience to that of the writer of the article on grieving (16 November). I was bitterly hurt that during my mother’s long and distressing illness and even at her eventual death, and at the death...