(posted 9/11/04 at alt.soc.quaker)

George Fox was committed to jail in Lancaster, in 1660, on an
indictment he was not allowed to see.  He was informed of its
contents, however, by Friends who talked to his jailer.  In his
journal, on page 347 of the edition edited by Rufus Jones, he begins
his answer to that "sealed indictment."  On page 350 he reaches the
point at which he answers to the charge that he, and Quakers in
general, are "fanatics."  He writes:

"And as for the word fanatic, which signifies furious, foolish, mad,
etc., he (his accuser, one Justice Porter) might have considered
himself before he had used that word, and have learned the humility
which goes before honour.  We are not furious, foolish or mad; but
through patience and meekness have borne lies, slanders and
persecutions many years, and have undergone great sufferings.  The
spiritual man, that wrestles not with flesh and blood, and the Spirit
that reproves sin in the gate, which is the Spirit of Truth, wisdom,
and sound judgment, is not mad, foolish, furious, which fanatic
signifies; but all are of a mad, furious, foolish spirit in that their
furiousness, foolishness and rage wrestle with flesh and blood with
carnal weapons.  This is not the Spirit of God, but of error, that
persecutes in a mad, blind zeal, like Nebuchadnezzar and Saul."

I reached this passage yesterday at the end of my reading time, and
having a very general sense of it, marked it for more careful
consideration this morning.  It is on September 11 that I turn back to
it and, after more than an hour, have not moved beyond it.  This is
the anniversary of the attacks that have brought on this War on
Terrorism, perhaps more aptly titled the War of Terror.  This is a fit
statement to consider, on this occasion.  What a coincidence.  Perhaps
not.

As it describes those involved in any war with outward, carnal
weapons, so this passage describes the people who are engaged in
this so-called war.  Our President, and many, many others, believe
themselves to be engaged in a struggle with a group of people.
Rather, he chooses to be engaged in a struggled with a group of
people, insterad of struggling with the spirit that animates them,
instead of the power they serve.  The President serves a power of his
own, and pits it against that of those he sees as his enemies.
Perhaps he actually serves the same power they do, a power which,
controlling both, is manifested, glorified, magnified, sustained and
extended in the world--displacing the kingdom/realm of God.

Both the President and his enemies  see themselves as and claim to be
glorifying God in this struggle with carnal weapons.  Neither side can
get far into its rap without getting to the claim that its side is
serving God and opposing evil.

Yet both manifest the fury, rage and persecution which Fox described
(to one who accused him rudely),  earlier in his Journal (p 286), as
signs of reprobation (which means moral abandon, unworthiness, evil,
not enduring trial or proof, according to my dictionary). 

Fox also revealed the source of such reprobation and fanaticism when
Judge Fell  asked him the source of the persecution Fox endured.  He
answered that such people manifested the fruits of their priests and
ministers, and in such behavior of fury, rage and persecution,
they revealed that the profession and religion of these priests was
wrong.

This gives powerful perspective to our predicament in this War of
Terror.  Those engaged in it are captives of such reprobation.  Both
believe--and are taught and are confirmed by their (hireling human)
ministers and priests-- that their evil is actually good, that their
unworthiness is worthy and that their immorality is the highest moral
order.  Each side fairly accurately assesses the other, in a limited
sense, but does not see that it actually describes itself, as well.
(Lay a speech of President Bush and of Osama Bin Laden side by side.
It's chilling to read one in context of the other).  Each side peers
around the log in its own eye and rails about the speck in the eye of
the other.  Each one's corrupt ways are approved by their culture and
the religions that serve them--each one's corrupt ways have finally
made them blind.

Every Quaker knows that there is but one who can speak to this, the
human condition(ing). 

"For Christ is come, and doth dwell and reign in the hearts of his
people.  Thousands, at the door of whose heart he hath been knocking,
have opened to him, and he is come in, and doth sup with them, and
they with him; the heavenly supper with the heavenly and spiritual
man."  Fox, Journal, Jones Edition, p 264.

May God have mercy on us all.

Timothy Travis
Bridge City Friends Meeting
Portland, Oregon

"I was never an enemy to the King, nor to any man's person upon the
earth.  I am in the love that fulfills the law, which thinks no evil,
but loves even enemies; and would have the King saved, and come to the
knowledge of Truth, and be brought into the fear of the Lord, to
receive his wisdom from above, by which all things are made and
created, that with that wisdom he may order all things to the glory of
God."
                               George Fox
                    Journal (Jones Edition)
         p349

On the job and elsewhere in life, choose your friends
carefully. The company you keep has a way of rubbing
 off on you and that can be a good thing, or a bad
 thing.

                       George Bush

8:35:17 AM