# Is Quakerism a "Passive" Cult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 24, 2011, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684 "2011-06-24T09:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/21 "2011-06-24T16:55:52Z")
Being scared of Quakers is like being scared of puppies and kittens. They are the most absurdly innocuous and unobjectionable religious group out there. They don’t seek converts and they don’t follow leaders. They don’t believe in violence and they don’t expect others to agree with them, except by finding their example worthy. Half the time they don’t say anything at all. OP, I can understand not sharing their views, but if you actually feel threatened (LOL!) with their position on non-violence, or the fact that they truly attempt to love their enemy, or that they advocate for human rights, it really says something about you and not the Quakers. They haven’t managed to destroy Pennsylvania with their zany ideas, much less all of Western Civillization (again, the thought inspires major lolz). ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/22 "2011-06-24T17:02:45Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > In any case, you need people like Quaker to remind you that everyone has the same rights that you do – even (and especially) people you hate. This quote makes me wish we had a like button! And it makes me wonder what has made Jinx so full of suspicion that non-violent people who believe in social justice are a cult. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/23 "2011-06-24T17:04:50Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > They haven’t managed to destroy Pennsylvania with their zany ideas, much less all of Western Civillization (again, the thought inspires major lolz). I suspect they might be pro-pothole, given the condition of the roads here. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/24 "2011-06-24T17:27:06Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I hear there’s even been one in the White House! (Gasp.) I don’t think that’s a good example. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/25 "2011-06-24T17:45:58Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > They haven’t managed to destroy Pennsylvania with their zany ideas, much less all of Western Civillization (again, the thought inspires major lolz). Well, with their ideas about “inclusion” and “treating everyone as equals,” Pennsylvania did get over-run with anabaptists and other unsavory sorts. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/26 "2011-06-24T17:58:55Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t think that’s a good example. 😉 I was going to make a joke about how the one who wasn’t Nixon wasn’t _that_ bad, but then I realized it was Herbert Hoover. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/27 "2011-06-24T18:04:04Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > I was going to make a joke about how the one who wasn’t Nixon wasn’t _that_ bad, but then I realized it was Herbert Hoover. I thought Nixon was too. I think the OP needs to give us definitions that make clear the difference between a religion and a cult to make the question meaningful. Cult often is used to mean a religion one doesn’t like. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/28 "2011-06-24T18:18:57Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I know a Quaker IRL. He thinks the US should sell 100% of its military assets to Saudi Arabia. Oh, and he went to Harvard law. I’m calling you on this one. There’s no reason associated with the SOF that would involve selling military assets to Saudi Arabia. But yes, there are a few Quakers who can only make it into the Puritan schools. They’re not all brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/29 "2011-06-24T18:56:14Z")
Well, I think what the OP was getting at is that if everyone in the US were a Quaker, wed be in a world of shit. But given their non-proselytizing nature and fairly moon-bat ideas (eg, pacifism to the point of suicide), there’s not much chance of their ideas taking hold in a wide-spread way. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/30 "2011-06-24T19:01:43Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I thought Nixon was too. He was. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/31 "2011-06-24T19:40:49Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Well, I think what the OP was getting at is that if everyone in the US were a Quaker, wed be in a world of shit. But given their non-proselytizing nature and fairly moon-bat ideas (eg, pacifism to the point of > suicide), there’s not much chance of their ideas taking hold in a wide-spread way. Personally I think the OP and your post show a lack of knowledge about the Quakers and what they believe. The doctrine of pacifism is left to personal interpretation by Quakers, like most everything else. How about doing some googling and perhaps asking some questions before painting all Quakers as having “moon-bat” ideas. Here is another forum where you could do this. [http://www.quakerinfo.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3](http://www.quakerinfo.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3) ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/32 "2011-06-24T21:58:00Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > … and fairly moon-bat ideas (eg, pacifism to the point of > suicide), … Would you mind telling us where you got _that_ particular idea? SS ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/33 "2011-06-24T22:13:58Z")
Yeah, pacifism to the point of sucicide…like that Jesus guy did. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/34 "2011-06-24T22:19:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m calling you on this one. There’s no reason associated with the SOF that would involve selling military assets to Saudi Arabia. But yes, there are a few Quakers who can only make it into the Puritan schools. They’re not all brilliant. “Puritan” schools? I’m curious about this–do you mean schools like Bob Jones U., which represent a Biblical fundamentalist interpretation of Protestantism? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/35 "2011-06-24T22:20:42Z")
Moving from IMHO to Great Debates ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/36 "2011-06-24T22:29:33Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > He was. Not practicing, though. > [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > “Puritan” schools? I’m curious about this–do you mean schools like Bob Jones U., which represent a Biblical fundamentalist interpretation of Protestantism? He was making a joke. Harvard was founded by Massachusetts Puritans. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/37 "2011-06-24T22:45:20Z")
No. twicks, birthright Quaker with a PhD in sociology of religion, expertise in American cults ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/38 "2011-06-24T22:54:38Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > “Puritan” schools? I’m curious about this–do you mean schools like Bob Jones U., which represent a Biblical fundamentalist interpretation of Protestantism? No. The Quakers established schools in the Philadelphia area, while Puritans were establishing schools in the Boston area. The real Puritans are long gone, most merging into the Episcopalian movement I think. But the Puritans in Massachusetts were hanging Quakers who tried to reside there, so besides the general religious rivalries, Puritan was an epithet to some Quakers. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/39 "2011-06-24T23:30:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > No. The Quakers established schools in the Philadelphia area, while Puritans were establishing schools in the Boston area. The real Puritans are long gone, most merging into the Episcopalian movement I think. But the Puritans in Massachusetts were hanging Quakers who tried to reside there, so besides the general religious rivalries, Puritan was an epithet to some Quakers. The Puritans merged into the Congregationalists – Episcopalian is from Church of England, the group from which the Puritans were trying to purify the church. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684/40 "2011-06-24T23:33:14Z")
> [@lexi](#): > > The Quakers brought us women’s rights, the underground railroad, social justice organizations and environmental organizations. You may not agree with the liberal or pacifist view points, but that doesn’t make them a cult. And chocolate. Don’t forget the chocolate! OK, a few others got in on the game too, but Cadbury’s, Rowntree, Terry’s and Fry’s were all instrumental in creating the chocolate we know today. Hershey’s idea for a town based around his business, treating the employees well, was feasible because Cadbury had already done the same. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-quakerism-a-passive-cult/586684.md?page=3)