I believe there is something inside each of us that shows us right from wrong. It is not conscience but deeper and more wise. It doesn't depend on any book or minister or even our parents instructing us. We can ignore it or drown it out but it is still there and we can always return to it. It is how I describe "that of God" the Quakers talk about. Contacts with other people work best when I believe in it in other people and appeal to it when I speak to them. I believe every person has their own spiritual journey to God and that no one else can tell them how to get there. I don't believe any religion is the true religion but there is probably a little bit of the truth in each. Any Religion that states they are the only true religion isn't. I know that when we reach Heaven, what God thought was important will surprise us. --Jan Robinson

I believe that each person on this planet has a Divine spark-or as the Old Quakers used to say, "that of God within." How do I answer that of God within myself and with each person I meet? Do I have to "meet" them in person to care about them? A Quaker meeting helps me in my journey to be more conscious of the God within myself and every other human being. Together we try to live out this reality, both locally and across the planet. --Anonymous

I attend the Meeting because I believe in the basic principle of Quakerism and that is the belief that there is something of God in every person. I also believe in the teachings of Jesus and many of the sayings that are in the Bible. I like to worship and thank a higher Deity for the beauty of the Earth and for enjoying and loving family and friends. --Anonymous

I believe in a forgiving, compassionate God. --CK

I believe that there is that of God-or an Inner Light-in everyone, and I began attending North Branch Friends Meeting after 9/11 as I sought constructive solutions for a complicated and often too-violent world.  Understanding that we are all children of God can transform how we think about and interact with the world and its people, as the Quaker emphases on pacifism, simplicity, and stewardship suggest.  The strong sense of community that pervades North Branch Friends Meeting provides positive and sympathetic support as I strive to live a better life in harmony with the Light that we all share. --AA

I believe that there is a holy "spirit" within each person.  Each of us is responsible for maintaining the integrity of our own spirit.  We do this by acting from the most loving and centered "place" within ourselves.  There are many challenges to be faced and the spirits' work takes many lifetimes.  The spirit never judges another-only strives to be a better life force. --VA

I believe that there is a vibrant, universal life force that permeates and animates every living thing. Some people relate to that force directly, and call it "God," or "Goddess," or something else. Others don't, and may still be spiritual in other ways. I find peace, guidance, and a sense of something greater than myself both in communing directly with nature and the universe, and in acknowledging and relating to the divinity within people and all other living things. To me, that's the essence of spirituality-connection with something greater than oneself.  I also believe that "religion" is generally best when lived, and often worst when preached. --WC


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