"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty." (Proverbs 21:5)
"Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread." (Proverbs 30:8)
"Honest weights and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are His work." (Proverbs 16:11)
"The inner life is still the most important of all. Unless it be right, nothing can be right." ~ Rufus Jones, #Quaker
Bayard Rustin (1912–1987) was a visionary civil rights activist, strategist, and key adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. An openly gay man and #Quaker, Rustin was instrumental in organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Despite facing prejudice for his sexuality and beliefs, he remained steadfast in his commitment to nonviolent protest and justice, leaving an indelible mark on the American civil rights movement.
https://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/160/Bayard-Rustin
On Martin Luther King Day, it's worth remember all who stood behind him and helped to make him a giant among men.
nostr:note1vr8lkwyuf2tgjch2dcrrems9h5ka7gqaev52wnwu4kujdk7pk6cs3uszlu
#Quaker
Kendrick Lamar
Was giving this a listen. nostr:npub14mcddvsjsflnhgw7vxykz0ndfqj0rq04v7cjq5nnc95ftld0pv3shcfrlx asks, or says rather, “it feels like the internet is going to become unusable.”
Fair statement/question, and the potential downside of #AI and apps like ChatGPT is that everything on mainstream socials especially—MSM, journalists, accounts, will be AI bots basically—and long term that we lose all humanity to it.
Another selling point for #nostr? Nostr: making the internet usable again.
Or #Nostr: Bringing authenticity, humanity, and freedom to the internet.
What do y’all think? #asknostr nostr:note1r5th70xe8cea5rc2pg28yt66e8qu88vrhv6yff8h4ar5mgx543est8sprh
I agree that AI can further degrade MSM, but I'm not sure by how much. The bar is already so low. Strong bias already contaminates all sides. If people don't care about the truth, AI simply gets them there faster.
Dear friends! The light hath shown upon me these 3 months since I took to using Nostr. Many openings have come through connecting with fellow seekers. I thank thee all!
Truth is simpler than you think.
Some of my current notions about God:
* God does not exist as a separate entity, yet is always present as the ground of being.
* God is not an old man in the sky, but the ineffable source of existence.
* God is beyond rational understanding or language. Attempts to define or describe God intellectually are limited and mistaken.
* God is not separate from the universe or nature. The universe itself, here and now, is an expression of God.
* God is not purely spiritual or material. God transcends and includes both spirit and matter.
* God is not a singular force, but the coming together of all things and experiences.
* Experiencing God means being fully present and awake to each moment.
* #Quaker worship + meditation help to strip away limiting thoughts to connect with God.
* God is both personal and impersonal, knowable yet ultimately mysterious.
* God is love, silence, action and stillness all at once.
* Morality is an expression of God's order in the universe. A good life involves living in harmony with this moral order.
* Faith means trusting the ground of being, committing to what is true, not blind belief.
* Doubt and skepticism are necessary counterparts to faith. They keep you grounded and out of cults.
"The pure Spirit of Christ directs to meekness, gentleness, and love amongst all people; and those who live in this Spirit are taught to love their enemies, and to be kind to them that hate them." ~ John Woolman, #Quaker
Jesus
Sermon on the Mount, "The Beatitudes "
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
~ Matthew 5:3-12 (KJV)
#m=image%2Fjpeg&dim=1440x1028&alt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fcnl.org%2Fupdates%2F2023-12%2Fmuslim-and-jew-walk-quaker-office-identity-and-solidarity-peace&blurhash=r5R%7B.600%7EWRjs%3ANGaeRjIUofxuRjR*ayWBs%3Aofay%5E%2BxuNGR%25s%3At7Rjt7s%3AxuRjayofxaRjays%3ARj%7EWofWBbGWBofWVWBoft7WBt7RjWBt7WBWBs%3A&x=ddc9658df4d7a9e7a20b5bef3782ff8c7e04cc29ac3241cb8cd656df5827ff5f
Samuel McPherson Janney (1801–1880) was a renowned American Quaker historian, educator, and minister from Loudoun County, Virginia where he was a member of Goose Creek Meeting in Lincoln. He established several schools emphasizing moral teachings, penned insightful historical works on Quakers, actively advocated against slavery, and widely shared the Quaker message as a recorded minister. His lifelong dedication championed peace, simplicity, and equality.
https://lincolnquakers.com/samuel-mcpherson-janney/
"Authentic abundance does not lie in secured stockpiles of food or cash or influence or affection but in belonging to a community where we can give those goods to others who need them--and receive them from others when we are in need."
~Parker Palmer
#Quaker
"Whether the scarce resource is money or love or power or words, the true law of life is that we generate more of whatever seems scares by trusting and supply and passing it around."
~ Parker Palmer
#Quaker