Some Friends have come to the conclusion that we must "conscientiously object to and resist capitalism and white supremacy" just as we have historically conscientiously objected to military service. To live faithfully requires us to seek and build alternatives that are rooted in our spiritual principles. The antidote is LANDBACK, Mutual Aid, and Abolition.
Category: Indigenous
Decolonial Path for Quakers 9 – Asking the right questions
It became clear that many of our queries make assumptions about the legitimacy and ongoing presence of our current systems of Christian colonial capitalist violence. I recently wrote about settler futurity, which is the idea that settler colonialism isn’t just about taking land in the present, but also about controlling the very idea of the future. It’s a way of thinking that presents the settler society as the only possible future—as a permanent and natural reality.
Decolonial Path for Quakers 8 – The other side of the paradox
This is where the spiritual practice of conservative Quakers, seeking continuing revelation, can find Spirit-led guidance for a more just world for all. You don't need to be a Quaker to do this, of course. We need a spirit guided movement of multitudes of people.
Decolonial Path for Quakers 7 – The Paradox
Quakers aren't exempt from doing harm. But we have the spiritual tools to guide us toward a better world for all. That's why this decolonial journey is so important.
Decolonial Path for Quakers 6 – Spirit and Testimonies
The deeper question was what was I willing to risk for my faith and principles? Confrontations with the state have been common throughout Quaker history, particularly in terms of war and peace.
Decolonial Path for Quakers 5 – Don’t be a colonizer
But the greatest argument for decolonization is the horrible shape we and Mother Earth are in after more than five hundred years of living this way in this country.
Decolonial Path for Quakers 2 – Christian colonial capitalist violence
An important step in Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)'s decolonial journey could be to bring settler-colonialism into the advices and queries. This revision should explicitly name and reject settler-colonialism as a system of violence contrary to the Spirit and should include a clear commitment to decolonial repair into the core testimonies of Peace, Equality, and Integrity. This would bring these matters to the spiritual attention of each monthly meeting in an ongoing manner, year after year. In addition, selected responses from the query responses from the monthly meetings are read during the annual yearly meeting sessions.
Decolonial Journey 18 – Settler Futurity
This post demonstrates how I used Guided Learning to teach me about the concept of settler futurity.
Decolonial Journey 17 – This is the question
I believe we must stop our complacency and complicity in accepting the ongoing injustices of colonization.
Decolonial Journey 15 – Incommensurability and Quaker Conscience
For any settler institution, a decolonial path requires moving beyond reconciliation to repentance and restitution. It means embracing the incommensurable demands of LANDBACK, Mutual Aid, and Abolition. This is not a rejection of values like peace and justice, but their most rigorous and honest application-an act of faith in a more just world yet to be built.