I am a recently convinced Quaker. I was an "attender" at meeting for worship on and off for close to ten years while maintaining my membership in the Episcopal Church. After leaving the Episcopal Church I began the process of examining Quakerism more closely. Over time I found myself opened to God in a new way, a way that was very real and personal. The reality of this inward experience convinced me of the validity of the Quaker approach to faith. Instead of focusing on the acceptance of dogma or a specific creed, Friends rely on direct communion with the Spirit. While simple, that idea is the basis of my spiritual life.

I attend meeting as often as I can - this can prove difficult as the only meeting near my home is around an hour away. I consider myself to be a Christ-centered Quaker, although, there are universalist overtones to some areas of my spirituality. A belief in the inward workings of God can sometimes make it difficult to summarize one's faith. This is an issue that Quakers have had to contend with from the very beginnings of the Religious Society of Friends. In short I would say that the experiences of early Friends inspire me greatly and I rely upon them as a source of guidance in my spiritual life. I don't however, regard them as infallible. I believe that we must be open to new light and the leadings of the Spirit, otherwise, we will have abandoned the very essence of George Fox's contention that "Christ has come to teach his people himself."

I hope to meet a variety of people on beliefnet. I love to study religion and am very open to the wisdom of other faith traditions. Having previously been a Pagan I feel a great connection to that community in particular.

"I hold that skepticism is a religious duty; men and women should question their theology, and doubt more, in order that they might believe more." ~ Lucretia Mott

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