Simple

Like the Amish, the Quakers reflect a simpler lifestyle. Although they may blend more with modern society and modern technologies, the Quakers can teach us all something about what is important in life and what is not.

The book Plain Living by Catherine Whitmire collects a wide variety of quotes from Quaker writers through the centuries, promoting simplicity.

She quotes George Peck 1973, "So I don't spend much time with the radio, television, and the daily paper. A car without a radio is a place for contemplation. When friends object that I don't know what is going on and am not concerned with the life of our society, I answer that they are deluded. History does not happen by the day. Once I read every copy of a leading newspaper from January to September 1870, with the intention of discovering the nature of the historical forces of that period. What I did discover was a host of superficialities, fleeting illusions, and enormous blind spots as to what was really going on...." The news media is not presenting important long-lasting news. Let us turn off the media and love our neighbors.

She quotes Elizabeth Watson 1992, "In many ways those of European background in the United States still live with the mindset of Columbus. We believe that we are the greatest nation on earth; our democratic government and capitalist economic system represent the acme of civilization. Our political and economic interests are of the utmost importance and we are justified in exercising some control over the rest of the world, making war where our economic interest requires it, and covertly overthrowing governments not in our orbit. And like Columbus and his friends, we are driven by greed. The bottom line is more important than human need and the fate of the earth." Let us say no to society pressures and love our neighbors.

She quotes Richard Foster 1981, "We plunge ourselves into enormous debt and then take two and three jobs to stay afloat. We uproot our families with unnecessary moves just so we can have a more prestigious house. We grasp and grab and never have enough. And most destructive of all, our flashy cars and sports spectaculars and backyard pools have a way of crowding out much interest in civil rights or inner city poverty or the starved masses of India. Greed has a way of severing the cords of compassion." Yowza, so true. Lord, steer us away from avarice, that we may love our neighbor.

Be sure to read the many other great quotes collected in this Quaker book.