Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...

Subject: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 04:51 PM

I have to chuckle about the way a few catter's assume that because one is a Quaker, one should be a pious saintly creature. JEEZE LOUEEZE! If you guys only knew what growing up Quaker means, there is the Quaker girl (whose name I will not mention, though she'd giggle at the memory I am sure) who took a shower with the Friends School basketball team to spur them on to victory! There is the Elder of the meeting, who has since died, who was the greatest respository of dirty jokes of any one I knew, who once said, I drink therefore I think... there is the clerk of our meeing who asked about Universalism, said, "I'd like to call my self a universalist... but frankly... I don't believe ANYTHING!" The same fellow who, when a Mudcatter called me out for saying give me an Effing break, by saying Would You Say that To God in Meeting! This friend (John...) and I rememinced about times when Friends HAVE said just about that very thing in meeting!
It is a concept not unlike the magic Indian.. . the wize other... I don't see Mudcatters saying, "Some Catholic YOU are!" or "What kind of a Jew are you to say such and such!"
NEWSFLASH!!! QUAKERS ARE HUMANS!!! and some of us have a limit to our piousness, one of which is folks who are afraid of putting their names on their views getting on a soap box about things I say... SO, m'dears... thanks for the chuckles. John and I sometimes crack each other up without saying a word at silent meeting, and you have given us ample fuel for the next set of yucks! Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: MMario
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 04:57 PM

waitaminit! we're suppossed to believe Quakers are Human? Wow! wait'll I tell my cousins - they've always maintained that they are super-human....

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Mark Clark
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:00 PM

Larry, I've known quite a few Quakers over the years and they're all pretty much like the ones you describe. I never met any I thought were overly pious though they are mostly quite moral in the human sense of the word.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Mad4Mud
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:03 PM

...and they make damned good oats, too!

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: MMario
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:04 PM

the oil's pretty good too

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:09 PM

Trolling for sympathy I see. Larry, I'd like to nominate you for Mudcat Victim of the Decade.

Subject: ADD: ALL THE QUAKERS ARE SHOULDER SHAKERS
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:47 PM

ALL THE QUAKERS ARE SHOULDER SHAKERS
(Down in Quaker Town)
Words: Bert Kalmar and Edgar Leslie. Music: Peter Wendling
1920s (I think)

Oh! I just got back today,
From a town not far away,
I've been looking at the Quakers,
In their clothes of gray;
And it strikes me mighty strange,
'Cause there's been an awful change;
If you think those folks are slow,
There's a lot that you don't know.

Chorus:
All the Quakers are shoulder shakers,
Down in Quaker town.
Things are upside down.
The jazz bug hit 'em,
How it hit 'em;

Ev'ry wiggle just makes you giggle,
At the meeting hall;
Bands are playing,
Folks are swaying,
To the lovin' "Strutters Ball."

Ev'ry sister is quite a twister,
Of a wicked knee;
Baby brother, dad and mother,
Do the "Memphis Shiveree!"

It's a most peculiar sight,
And it doesn't seen quite right,
To see all the Quakers dancing,
Way into the night;
When the curfew starts to ring,
Ev'rybody starts to sing;
And they grab their dancing shoes,
While they hum a Quaker blues.

Brother Halsey, with the palsy,
You remember him,
He's the man who first began
To teach them how to "shim!"
Oh! the home of William Penn,
Won't be quite the same again,
"Cause all the Quakers are shoulder shakers,
Down in Quaker town.

Brother Morgan at the organ,
Jazzes all the notes,
Gee it's simply great
To watch them sow their Quaker Oats;
You should see how Sister Birch,
Does a foxtrot down to church,
'Cause all the Quakers are shoulder shakers,
Down in Quaker Town.

With best wishes to InOBU.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: toadfrog
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:49 PM

Query, what is the purpose of this thread?

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 05:56 PM

Could this be Larry's sheepish apology, in an oddly extroverted way, for behaving badly here of late? Just a guess.

The man does seem to need either a tremendous amount of emotional support and encouragement right now, or therapy. Apparently being raised a Quaker has left him with identity and self-esteem issues, hence his need to start this thread.

Maybe it was the Sorcha Dorcha thing that set him over the edge.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:08 PM

Larry, I get the "Some Catholic YOU are" treatment quite often. You're not alone, my friend.
The Levy sheet music site has several interesting songs that probably enhance the Quaker stereotype, such as There's a Quaker Down in Quaker Town.

See, Toadfrog? This is a music thread.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: alanabit
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:09 PM

Frankly, I have always ben amused by folks who assumed that Jesus was a pious, precious aesthetic. I do not know much about fishermen, carpenters and assorted other craftsmen in Judea in the First Century, but I would me most surprised if it turned out that they had followed a pious man, who never swore, took the odd drink or enjoyed the sight of a well formed woman.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:19 PM

Frankly, I have always been amused by people who perpetually invoke their religion when trying to score points in arguments on the internet--especially when in virtually the same heart beat, said moralists turn around and accuse those to whom they have been piously lecturing ad nauseum, of victimising them for suggesting they first learn to practice what they preach.

To be a leader with integrity, one must first prove themselves worthy of being followed.

Too many cats and black kettles don't offer much comfort for the weary.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: alanabit
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:22 PM

I'm not religious at all, but before I'll follow anybody, I'll at least know their name!

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:41 PM

Larry, take a look at the Bodelian site sometime. "The Quakers Farewel to England, 1675, is there, along with some other ballads. Another, "The Quaker," might be revised for Sorcha Dorcha.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 06:49 PM

alanabit, some of us are religious, but we neither advertise the fact in internet chat forums, or use it to score points in arguments.

Some of us also don't feel a need to hang our hats on an internet identity hook, or follow a leader at all.

Crux, lux, dux as they say.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 07:16 PM

Thanks for the songs... Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Willie-O
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 07:21 PM

Some of us...who is us? You are boring, Guest.

Having married into an inTENSley quaker family some 18 years ago, I struggle constantly to maintain my identity as a backslid unitarian.

Sometimes I even feel the need to go to that discussion group about heaven...

W-O

nobody jokes about Unitarians or mandolin players, except themselves. In fact, most people are unaware of the existence of either.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 07:27 PM

The only joke I know about Unitarians is the one about the Klan burning question marks on their lawns.

Usually if someone bores me W-O, I ignore them. You might try the same.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Oct 02 - 07:29 PM

Did you hear the one about the Unitarian mandolin player who...
Larry

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST,Steve the Elder
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 02:37 PM

I sat down in meeting with thee
prim and proper as a Quaker should be,
thy rumblings abdominal
were simply phenomenal
and everyone thought it was me
(Oh boy)
Everyone thought it was me...

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: 53
Date: 24 Oct 02 - 02:41 PM

I thought it was the amish.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Davetnova
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 03:47 AM

Why do mandolin players have eight strings?
So theres a chance at least one will be in tune.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 12:38 PM

Being reminded that Jesus was a carpenter, I wonder what he said whenever he hit his thumb with a hammer. . . ?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 25 Oct 02 - 01:00 PM

I don't seem to recall much about Jesus's personal life in the NT. Could it have been edited? Heaven forfend!

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 26 Oct 02 - 12:11 AM

Obviously, Don, he said, "Oh, me!"

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: toadfrog
Date: 26 Oct 02 - 12:24 AM

Yes. I'd like to know where that idea came from, Quakers have to be pious and saintly! Look at America's most famous Quakers! A. Mitchell Palmer, the fighting Attorney General! Was he pious? Richard Nixon, the celebrated President! Was he pious? Was he saintly????????? Not one bit! It's all a lie and a base canard! Give em hell, Larry!

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: CapriUni
Date: 26 Oct 02 - 12:33 AM

Get two Quakers in a room talking, and you'll wind up with three opinions! ;-)

Anyhoo, I think one reason Quakers may be held to a "higher standard" (if indeed, they are... part of me suspects each of us thinks the world holds us to a higher standard than our neighbor, regardless of our faith... a variation on "The grass is always greener" motif), is that it is perceived as an "old fashioned" faith... And the "Good old Days" were unquestionably better than today, right? Right?! ;-)

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: DougR
Date: 26 Oct 02 - 08:34 PM

You're right, Larry. I, for one, hold you to a higher standard. :>)

DougR

Subject: Lyr Add: THERE'S A QUAKER DOWN IN QUAKER TOWN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 May 04 - 02:51 PM

Here's the song that Joe Offer mentioned above.

Lyrics below from Duke University's 'Historic American Sheet Music' collection:

THERE'S A QUAKER DOWN IN QUAKER TOWN.
Words, David Berg. Music, Alfred Solman. 1916.

Two hours' ride from old Broadway,
There is a sleepy town, they say.
"Old Philadelphia," you opened my eyes,
And I apologize.

CHORUS: There's a Quaker down in Quaker town.
When I am 'round, she sighs.
But down in her heart, I know, she's not so slow,
For, oh, oh, oh, oh! Those eyes!
Like the waters still, she's very deep.
She knows a heap, I found.
She has that "Meet me later" look, and oh! she knows her book,
This little Quaker down in Quaker town.

Old William Penn, please pardon me.
One of your sons I want to be.
You love your Quakers, and I love one, too.
That's why I'm strong for you. CHORUS

[The Virtual Gramophone has a recording by Albert Campbell and Henry Burr, from 1916.]

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST,harlowpoet
Date: 08 May 04 - 03:14 PM

When I hung out as an attender with the quakers, we went to a weekend retreat at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk (uk). I organised the Saturday night entertainment. All the Saturday I was dying for a drink. Afterwards three or four of us ended up sharing a great big bottle of whiskey in one of the rooms. It was so needed.

The quakes are nice, decent people, and I was glad I met them.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Megan L
Date: 08 May 04 - 03:25 PM

Why shouldnt those who claim a faith be held to a higher standard, after all it should be a case of practice what you preach.

PS But where do folk get the idea faith means lack of fun and enjoyment of life.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST,harlowpoet
Date: 08 May 04 - 04:38 PM

Megan, I agree.

I like being around people of strong and good faith. When the chips are down, they are always there. So are a lot of atheists as well..

Must admit though, I don't know why so many people have hang ups about Jesus, as he hung up for everyone.

Soz for the preachy bit, but for a great speech read Sermon On The Mount in Matthews gospel. One of the best oratations ever.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 08 May 04 - 05:35 PM

The American Friends Service Committee can be counted on to help out in a flood or fire disaster, famine relief, or any rescue operation. They have a history of working to better the world through action and not just talk. They have my utmost admiration for opposing all war. They are classified by the US government as a "historic peace church" although they don't do church sermons.

Are they perfect? Who cares! They're great in what they accomplish.

They are social activists and that's OK in my book.

I worked in the AFSC warehouse shipping CARE packages to hungry children,
clothing and food.

So would anyone like to nominate somebody for purist human being of the year? :)

Frank

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: GUEST,harlowpoet
Date: 08 May 04 - 06:10 PM

I'm with you from England on that

All the best and peace

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 May 04 - 08:50 PM

Somebody had to write 'Merrily Kiss the Quaker'

Guest reminds me of young people who all want to 'be individuals and do their own thing'- and all dress and act alike. Not to fear; they eventually grow up.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: LadyJean
Date: 08 May 04 - 11:30 PM

Some years back, a friend of mine was in town. After two days of telling us about her hideous childhood, (It was truly horrible. She wasn't whining.) she asked me to take her to Meeting. I am not a Quaker. But we went. After two days of horror stories, I found myself enjoying the silence. Then my memory told me one of my favorite funny stories. I had a terrible time not laughing. I think they thought I was going to have some kind of seizure.

Subject: RE: Quakers Held to a Higher Standard...
From: Megan L
Date: 09 May 04 - 12:47 PM

the thing is harlowpoet any athiest will tell you they have faith in themself not nescessarily the peg I'd use but if it is their peg .