Furly's Lantern
@furlyslantern.bsky.social
Microblogging the ineffable. One Friend's exploration of the Quaker tradition of experiential mysticism.
The account is named after early Quaker Benjamin Furly's circle of contacts in Rotterdam. My name's Evan, he/him, member of Australia Yearly Meeting.
The account is named after early Quaker Benjamin Furly's circle of contacts in Rotterdam. My name's Evan, he/him, member of Australia Yearly Meeting.
I have too much respect for Jesus to call myself a Christian. I don’t mean that to offend. As a gay man I have seen first hand how much of Christianity is not of Christ. The life, example and loving message of Jesus will always be there for us even if institutional Christianity tries to exclude us.
May 24, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I have too much respect for Jesus to call myself a Christian. I don’t mean that to offend. As a gay man I have seen first hand how much of Christianity is not of Christ. The life, example and loving message of Jesus will always be there for us even if institutional Christianity tries to exclude us.
‘The nakedness of life’… If I were to summarise Quakerism in one word, it would be ‘immediacy’: the immediacy of truth, the immediacy of love, the immediacy of life, the immediacy of God. Concerns like status, human hierarchies, and a focus on the self stand between us and the light, if we let them.
May 18, 2025 at 1:15 AM
‘The nakedness of life’… If I were to summarise Quakerism in one word, it would be ‘immediacy’: the immediacy of truth, the immediacy of love, the immediacy of life, the immediacy of God. Concerns like status, human hierarchies, and a focus on the self stand between us and the light, if we let them.
However:
'...if there is not a careful Attention to the Gift, Men who have once laboured in the pure Gospel-ministry, growing weary of Suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a Fire, compass themselves about with Sparks...of that Fire which they, going from the Gift, have kindled.'
'...if there is not a careful Attention to the Gift, Men who have once laboured in the pure Gospel-ministry, growing weary of Suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a Fire, compass themselves about with Sparks...of that Fire which they, going from the Gift, have kindled.'
April 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
However:
'...if there is not a careful Attention to the Gift, Men who have once laboured in the pure Gospel-ministry, growing weary of Suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a Fire, compass themselves about with Sparks...of that Fire which they, going from the Gift, have kindled.'
'...if there is not a careful Attention to the Gift, Men who have once laboured in the pure Gospel-ministry, growing weary of Suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a Fire, compass themselves about with Sparks...of that Fire which they, going from the Gift, have kindled.'
As someone who loves to think and puzzle through the systems that make things work, I need to remind myself of this regularly. The key to the kingdom doesn’t lie in thought, but in being present with a sincere heart.
April 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
As someone who loves to think and puzzle through the systems that make things work, I need to remind myself of this regularly. The key to the kingdom doesn’t lie in thought, but in being present with a sincere heart.
If you look on the Internet Archive for 17th century books about Quakers there are far more anti-Quaker books than those by Quakers. And there were anti-Quaker popular songs (some quite sexually explicit) and anti-Quaker plays and dances. It was a major industry.
March 8, 2025 at 8:18 PM
If you look on the Internet Archive for 17th century books about Quakers there are far more anti-Quaker books than those by Quakers. And there were anti-Quaker popular songs (some quite sexually explicit) and anti-Quaker plays and dances. It was a major industry.
I guess it reflects the fact that we have no images of meetings (that I’m aware of) by Quakers themselves in the 17th century, sSo on one level I do understand using anti-Quakeriana for the purpose. It just feels kind of odd when you actually look at the images and what they’re saying.
March 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
I guess it reflects the fact that we have no images of meetings (that I’m aware of) by Quakers themselves in the 17th century, sSo on one level I do understand using anti-Quakeriana for the purpose. It just feels kind of odd when you actually look at the images and what they’re saying.