3 February 2017 £1.90 the DISCOVER THE CONTEMPORARYFriend QUAKER WAY Becoming Quaker the Friend INDEPENDENT QUAKER JOURNALISM SINCE 1843 Contents VOL 175 NO 5 3 Thought for the Week: Faith and scepticism John Anderson Freethinkers 4-5 News ‘Freethinkers are those 6-7 Newark Meeting who are willing to use their minds without prejudice Chris Rose and without fearing to 8-9 Letters understand things that clash with their own customs, 10-11 The Chertkov archives privileges, or beliefs. Daphne Sanders 12 Becoming Quaker ‘This state of mind is not common, but it is essential Alex Thomson for right thinking; where 13 Quakerism and spiritual awakening it is absent, discussion is John Elford apt to become worse than useless.’ 14 Out of the silence Rosalind Smith Leo Tolstoy 15 q-eye: a look at the Quaker world 16 Friends & Meetings Cover image: Frost on a fallen leaf. Photo: @notnixon / flickr CC. 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William Le Fevre f we require evidence that Homo sapiens is not, in the nature of things, the topmost predator, we need look no further than the evolution of these counter-balancing virtues – faith and scepticism. Credulous gazelles that mistake a crouching lion for Ian anthill are easy prey, and nature, red in policy and performance, makes short work of the credulity gene. At the other extreme a gazelle that suspects every anthill to be a crouching lion soon dies of starvation, if not from nervous exhaustion. Our sense organs have evolved to help us to locate good things (pasture, shelter, mating opportunities) and dodge the bad (lions). But the knowledge (learnt the hard evolutionary way) that, one way or another, the world out there is trying to deceive, causes us constantly to question the evidence of our senses. Evolutionary pressures ensure those ‘prey species’ that successfully negotiate the narrow straits between these contraries out-survive the others (this also explains the total absence of solipsist gazelles). A top predator has no such imperative or need to question his impressions: mistaking a gazelle for an anthill is not, for the lion, an immediately lethal misapprehension. Quakers are, I believe, unique in placing scepticism at the heart of a belief system: Advices & queries 17 counsels us to ‘Think it possible that you may be mistaken’. Members of the Religious Society of Friends believe, and are sceptical about, many different things – each belfry with its full and different quota of bats. Even so, Quakers are pretty much agreed that there is more to life than pasture, shelter, mating opportunities and the avoidance of lions. Consequently, we aspire, among other things, to answer that of God in everyone and live in the ‘Light and Power’ that takes away the occasion of war. Of course, we cherish belief, but always with a degree of provisionality and in the knowledge that a multitude of perfectly reasonable people believe something diametrically different. Experience may lead to increasing certitude, even to convincement, but never beyond; perhaps what we all might aim for is a living faith as opposed to a dead certainty – for in the Society of Friends scepticism is returned home to its proper abode in the soul as this counterbalance to credulity. So, there remain these twin virtues – faith and scepticism. Both are necessary and, give it a tweek, neither is more necessary than the other. The appropriate function of scepticism is not to critique the experience of others but my own. John Anderson Taunton Meeting the Friend, 3 February 2017 3 News Building trust at climate talks FAITH AND science communities met earlier this human behaviours at the root cause of climate change, week at Friends House in London as Quakers set out to behaviours often exacerbated by economic and political build communication and support between them. priorities. Faith communities offer an empowering Two interfaith luncheons were held, hosted by voice of hope over fear, of compassion over indifference, Quakers in Britain and the Quaker United Nations and urgent and fair action as a moral obligation.’ Office (QUNO), with the Intergovernmental Panel on QUNO has observer status at both the IPCC Climate Change (IPCC). and the climate negotiations under the United Paul Parker, recording clerk for Britain Yearly Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Meeting, said: ‘We are aware that humanity has a short (UNFCCC). window of time to help ensure against catastrophic A statement from Friends House said: ‘Quakers are climate change. We observe that current political will motivated by a moral duty to cherish Creation for is not sufficient to address the root causes of climate future generations and to speak out against climate change caused by human activities, effectively, urgently injustice that causes huge inequalities across the world. and fairly. However, we have faith that change is They have a long history of quiet diplomacy work possible.’ with diverse groups to encourage in-depth discussion QUNO Geneva director Jonathan Woolley, who was in which understanding may grow. These meetings at in attendance at the meeting, said: ‘While technical fixes Friends House in London were informal and off-the- may address some symptoms, they may not address record.’ Trident peace activists found guilty FIVE peace actiVists were Ditchfield, Joanna Frew and Alison The judge, who said he admired found guilty on 26 January in Parker – are members of Put Down the defendants, gave them a six- Reading Magistrates’ Court of the Sword, a Christian nonviolence month conditional discharge and wilful obstruction of the highway. group. Some are also members of ordered them each to pay £120 On 27 June 2016, using lock- the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), in costs, considerably lower than on tubes and superglue, the five which includes pacifists of several the £920 each that the Crown Christians blockaded the road religions and none. Prosecution Service had asked for. leading to Burghfield Atomic At the start of the trial Nick On behalf of the PPU, Symon Hill Weapons Establishment (AWE) Cooper stated: ‘The ongoing threat said: ‘This is the latest in a string in Berkshire, where the Trident of a global nuclear holocaust is of trials of nonviolent activists. nuclear warheads are assembled. already terrifying enough. The last They are a reminder that pacifism As the defendants lay in the road thing we need are missiles going off is not passive. Pacifists reject both declaring that they had ‘no faith in course and a seemingly respectable violence and passivity in favour of Trident’ they were joined in support prime minister who misleads nonviolent resistance to war and by Christians from around the parliament and the public.’ injustice.’ UK in protest ahead of the vote in After the first day of the trial parliament on Trident renewal. Nina Carter-Brown said: ‘I was Day of action against The convictions came even arrested and am on trial because though another five activists, who of my Christian faith, which is in drones blocked a different entrance on no way compatible with support Campaigning organisation Fly the same day, were acquitted in for weapons of mass destruction. Kites not Drones is asking Friends December after the judge threw I could not stand by and watch as in Britain to take part in a day of out the prosecution’s case as the the government voted to replace action against armed drones on police had failed to follow their Trident at an obscene cost without 19 March. The day involves flying own procedures (see ‘Witness at knowing I had done everything kites to show solidarity with those Burghfield’, 27 January). I could to oppose it.’ When the affected by ‘weaponised’ drones Other activists involved on prosecuting counsel suggested to around the world. The use of the day were given a conditional Nina Carter-Brown that ‘you could drones has increased dramatically discharge. have moved, couldn’t you?’ she in recent years, and there are claims The five defendants – Nina replied: ‘No, because my conscience that many of those killed in drone Carter-Brown, Nick Cooper, Angela wouldn’t allow it.’ strikes are not the actual target. 4 the Friend, 3 February 2017 reported by Harry Albright [email protected] Record suicides in prisons A record number of they take their own life, and yet on prison staff – a forty per cent people, 119, killed themselves in every three days a family is told increase on the year before.