Significant and Binding ~ Britain Yearly Meeting

"Our testimony to equality stems from our experience of a divine love for all at the heart of the universe. This love is oblivious to wealth, status and power. It was this conviction that led early Friends to refuse to doff their hats to social 'superiors'; even today Friends tend not to use titles and many do not accept honours either. But, it is this original, underlying religious understanding that we need to hold on to. There is, indeed, that of God in everyone, and so we need to build all our relationships, personal and political, near and far, and all our actions in the world, on the basis of this experience.

If we know and remember this, we will come to accept and value the diversity of all people. In early centuries Friends took what was considered to be a progressive approach to women, to children, to prisoners, to those with psychiatric illnesses and eventually to slaves. More recently we have been challenged to understand how we and society marginalise people affected by unemployment, homelessness, homophobia, racism, and disability. This continues to be a very significant and binding part of our common spiritual experience."

More at  http://www.hampshirequakers.org.uk/testimonies.php

Atrwork from Nicola Barsaleau http://www.nicolabarsaleau.com/