Comments on: On being a Birthright Friend. http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/ Waddling cheerfully over the world. Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:37:59 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Julia http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-78 Julia Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:37:00 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-78 I have only skimmed your entry, which I ran across while looking for references to the term "birthright Quaker" to compose a few sentences of explanation for the Richmond (Virginia) Friends Meeting newsletter. Our family was members of North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative). The Book of Discipline for NCYM(C) states that "Persons may become members of a Monthly Meeting in this Yearly Meeting by application, by birth, or by transfer from another Monthly Meeting." Further, "Children born of parents who are both members of Monthly Meeting shall also be members of the Meeting, and their births shall be recorded in the minutes of Monthly Meeting." I suspect the practice is dying out, even within this small yearly meeting. Two of our sons, still members of NCYM(C), but married to non-members, turned down the opportunity to have their own sons minuted as "birthright Friends," believing it would be important to the child later to make their own decision. It wasn't my choice or I would have had them minuted. Being "birthright Friends" was important to my father and his brother. It gave a sense of belonging that brought them back to the meeting, my father only in death (a Quaker cemetery), my uncle in choosing to join and support a monthly meeting late in life. I have only skimmed your entry, which I ran across while looking for references to the term “birthright Quaker” to compose a few sentences of explanation for the Richmond (Virginia) Friends Meeting newsletter. Our family was members of North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative). The Book of Discipline for NCYM(C) states that “Persons may become members of a Monthly Meeting in this Yearly Meeting by application, by birth, or by transfer from another Monthly Meeting.” Further, “Children born of parents who are both members of Monthly Meeting shall also be members of the Meeting, and their births shall be recorded in the minutes of Monthly Meeting.” I suspect the practice is dying out, even within this small yearly meeting. Two of our sons, still members of NCYM(C), but married to non-members, turned down the opportunity to have their own sons minuted as “birthright Friends,” believing it would be important to the child later to make their own decision. It wasn’t my choice or I would have had them minuted. Being “birthright Friends” was important to my father and his brother. It gave a sense of belonging that brought them back to the meeting, my father only in death (a Quaker cemetery), my uncle in choosing to join and support a monthly meeting late in life.

]]> By: lexi http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-20 lexi Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:44:58 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-20 My experience here in the States is that birthright is still a specific concept, and it is different from being raised Quaker. People who are raised Quaker often have another religion that their family is involved in - for instance, I had a lot of Jewish friends who were being raised Quaker, and identified as Quaker, but they also had a lot of Jewish traditions. Whereas most birthright Quakers are just Friends, and grow up in the meeting from day one. It's not elitist, it's just different, as it tends to instill a Friends-centric way of seeing the world, god and worship. Like you, purpleduck, I've found that I missed a lot of traditional christian and/or bible education, which other Quakers - having a grounding in other religions as well - bring with them to meeting. My experience here in the States is that birthright is still a specific concept, and it is different from being raised Quaker. People who are raised Quaker often have another religion that their family is involved in – for instance, I had a lot of Jewish friends who were being raised Quaker, and identified as Quaker, but they also had a lot of Jewish traditions. Whereas most birthright Quakers are just Friends, and grow up in the meeting from day one. It’s not elitist, it’s just different, as it tends to instill a Friends-centric way of seeing the world, god and worship. Like you, purpleduck, I’ve found that I missed a lot of traditional christian and/or bible education, which other Quakers – having a grounding in other religions as well – bring with them to meeting.

]]> By: mrspurpleduck http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-19 mrspurpleduck Tue, 26 Jun 2007 06:20:26 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-19 But 'Birthright' isn't so loaded here I don't think, and 'raised quaker' makes me sound like bread. I find it just as clunky. I wrote a lot more but it's early and I don't wish to start a fight. I'm sticking with 'birthright', just as I'm sticking with every other archaic term as long as it's comfortable within the context of my own meeting. As for the wider blogosphere - We need to all expect to run into things that seem odd within the context of our own yearly meeting, and we could all do with being a little less prescriptive. But ‘Birthright’ isn’t so loaded here I don’t think, and ‘raised quaker’ makes me sound like bread. I find it just as clunky.
I wrote a lot more but it’s early and I don’t wish to start a fight. I’m sticking with ‘birthright’, just as I’m sticking with every other archaic term as long as it’s comfortable within the context of my own meeting. As for the wider blogosphere – We need to all expect to run into things that seem odd within the context of our own yearly meeting, and we could all do with being a little less prescriptive.

]]> By: Zach A http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-18 Zach A Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:36:56 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-18 Is it really though giving up a part of your identify to use "raised Quaker" (etc.) instead of the loaded phrase "birthright Friend"? To me it seems you get to have your cake and eat it too that way. I hope you weren't too offended by my vitriol on Jez's blog :) Warm regards, Zach A Is it really though giving up a part of your identify to use “raised Quaker” (etc.) instead of the loaded phrase “birthright Friend”? To me it seems you get to have your cake and eat it too that way.

I hope you weren’t too offended by my vitriol on Jez’s blog :)

Warm regards,
Zach A

]]> By: mrspurpleduck http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-17 mrspurpleduck Fri, 22 Jun 2007 11:31:29 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-17 Yes, my Dad has it still. :) Yes, my Dad has it still. :)

]]> By: quakerstreet http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-16 quakerstreet Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:23:17 +0000 http://mrspurpleduck.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/on-being-a-birthright-friend/#comment-16 like the idea of peace testimony reminder on the wall - is it still in the family? like the idea of peace testimony reminder on the wall – is it still in the family?

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