QUAKER NOTES!

QUAKER NOTES! (after a visit to the Quakers)

The Quakers exercise a choice, Of deities they heed in awe; ‘Creator God's’ commanding voice, Or ‘inner voice’ within their core? Was Jesus Christ the Son of God, Or rabbi in mere mortal form? (1) His views on slavery now seem odd, Despite them being, then, the norm! (2) Thus moral laws for all time based, On dogma from the Iron Age, Should not just blindly be embraced, And locked inside an iron cage. 'Peace vigils' won't prompt war to cease, As such ignore the roots of war; Most homo sapiens want peace, As they abhor the blood and gore. Is conflict thus where we take aim, To contradict our 'conscience guide'? Or is society to blame? A truth religion tends to hide! It's said that every 'son of man', (3) Should heed another's point of view; But with no real debate, how can, The human race decide what’s true? (1) Many scholars believe Paul not Jesus was Christianity’s real founder. (2) The Son of a loving eternal God would surely have condemned slavery outright rather than just say, “Slaves obey your masters”? (3) The patriarchal phrase, ‘the son of man’ refers to human beings. © Richard Layton