does anyone know the name of this religion?

Question

my bf's grandparents go to "meeting" every sunday. they have no name for it as far as we know. they have yearly congregations, have these meetings in peoples houses and have no real preiests but instead have "workers". they believe that everyone who doesn't go to meeting will go to hell. any insight as to what this religion is would be helpful. and they won't really tell anyone much of anything else.

Answer 1

That would be the Quakers.

The Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, is a body of Christians that originated in 17th century England under George Fox. In 1988 the society had 200,260 members, with heavy concentrations in the United States (109,000), East Africa (45,000) and Great Britain (18,000). Quakers unite in affirming the immediacy of Christ's teaching; they hold that believers receive divine guidance from an inward light, without the aid of intermediaries or external rites.

Meetings for worship can be silent, without ritual or professional clergy, or programmed, in which a minister officiates.

Although their antecedents lie in English Puritanism and in the Anabaptist movement, the Society of Friends was formed during the English Civil War. Around 1652, George Fox began preaching that since there was "that of God in every man," a formal church structure and educated ministry were unnecessary. His first converts spread their faith throughout England, denouncing what they saw as social and spiritual compromises and calling individuals to an inward experience of God. In spite of schism and persecution, the new movement expanded during the Puritan Commonwealth (1649 - 60) and after the restoration of the monarchy (1660). By openly defying restrictive legislation, Friends helped achieve passage of the Toleration Act of 1689.

The Society of Friends (in full, Religious Society of Friends), is the designation of a body of Christians more commonly known as Quakers. Their fundamental belief is that divine revelation is immediate and individual; all persons may perceive the word of God in their soul, and Friends endeavor to heed it. Terming such revelation the "inward light," the "Christ within," or the "inner light," the first Friends identified this spirit with the Christ of history. They rejected a formal creed, worshiped on the basis of silence, and regarded every participant as a potential vessel for the word of God, instead of relying upon a special, paid clergy set apart from the rest.

Beliefs
Quakerism emphasizes human goodness because of a belief that something of God exists in everyone. At the same time, however, it recognizes the presence of human evil and works to eradicate as much of it as possible. Quakerism is a way of life; Friends place great emphasis upon living in accord with Christian principles. Truth and sincerity are Quaker bywords; thus, Quaker merchants refuse to bargain, for bargaining implies that truth is flexible. Emulating Christ, the Friends attempt to avoid luxury and emphasize simplicity in dress, manners, and speech. Until late in the 19th century, they retained certain forms of speech known as plain speech, which employed "thee" as opposed to the more formal "you"; this usage indicated the leveling of social classes and the spirit of fellowship integral to Quaker teaching.

In the administration and privileges of the society, no distinction between the sexes is made. Membership qualifications are based on moral and religious grounds and on the readiness of the candidate to realize and accept the obligations of membership. Meetings for worship are held regularly, usually once or twice a week, and are intended to help members to feel God's presence as a guiding spirit in their lives. In these meetings the members measure their insights and beliefs against those of the meeting as a whole. Because the religion of the Quakers was founded as a completely spiritual belief requiring no physical manifestation, the meetings have traditionally had no prearranged program, sermon, liturgy, or outward rites. Today, however, more than half of the Friends in the U.S. use paid ministers and conduct meetings for worship in a programmed or semiprogrammed manner.

In both the unprogrammed and programmed meetings members accept a great deal of responsibility. A group called Worship and Ministry, or Ministry and Oversight, accepts considerable responsibility for the spiritual life of the meeting. Overseers undertake to provide pastoral care for the member or share in that care when a regular pastor is employed. The religious discipline and administration of the society are regulated by periodic meetings known as Meetings for Business. One or more congregations constitute a Monthly Meeting, one or more Monthly Meetings form a Quarterly Meeting, and the Quarterly Meetings within a stated geographical area form a Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. The decisions of the Yearly Meeting are the highest authority for all doctrinal or administrative questions raised in any subsidiary meeting within its jurisdiction. Usually no voting takes place in Quaker meetings; members seek to discover the will of God by deliberation concerning any matter at hand. As an integral part of Quaker doctrine, at meetings members are regularly and formally queried on their adherence to Quaker principles. These queries relate to such matters as the proper education of their children, the use of intoxicants, care of the needy, and, on a broader scale, racial and religious toleration and the treatment of all offenders in a spirit of love rather than with the object of punishment. Most American groups of Friends are represented by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), founded in 1917. Originally established to handle many of their philanthropic activities, the organization today is primarily concerned with creating a society in which violence need not exist.

Known also as Quakers, the Society of Friends can best be understood through the lives of the early leaders. The founder was George Fox, whose youth saw the rule of Charles I and his marriage to a French princess who was a Roman Catholic, the Petition of Right, Archbishop Laud's harsh rules for Nonconformists, the Puritan emigration to America, and the meetings of the Long Parliament. His public career coincided with the defeat and execution of Charles I, the Puritan Commonwealth under Cromwell, the Stuart Restoration and the rule of James II, the Bill of Rights, and the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. Some of his contemporaries were Locke, Hobbes, Milton, Dryden, Bunyan, Cromwell, Newton, Harvey, Baxter, and Ussher.

Quakerism took on certain characteristics such as simplicity in the manner of living, encouraging women to be ministers, spiritual democracy in meeting, absolute adherence to truth, universal peace and brotherhood regardless of sex, class, nation, or race. Quakers refused to remove their hats to those in authority and used the singular "thee" and "thou" in their speech, while the common people were supposed to address their betters as "you." In turn, they influenced the thought and social ethics of the English - speaking world far out of proportion to their numbers. Fox was imprisoned eight times during his life, but he pioneered care for the poor, aged, and insane, advocated prison reform, opposed capital punishment, war, and slavery, and stood for the just treatment of American Indians.

Answer 2

I don't know the name of the religion. It seems odd that his grandfather is so fervent about the rules, but does not want to discuss it. Maybe he is very private and feels you would not understand. A lot of older people are not very trusting. You might try to figure out what nationality he is and ask some questions about his culture and upbringing. Perhaps that would help him trust you both more and might open up a little. Besides, grandparents have such great stories and love to tell them.

Answer 3

This isn't an answer, but a Kick to all the idiots above. The Occult is not a religion, it is the study of lost and forbidden knowledge.

Answer 4

Sounds like Southern Baptist Snake Handlers to me. Don't really have a name. They usually consider themselves Baptists and handle baskets full of snakes during there services. Down here in the south sometimes you hear about them getting bitten and dieing. They are very secretive. And they do usually meat in each-others homes.

Answer 5

"This sect goes by many names. Some include Truth, True Wayers, Bunheads, Friendlies, Reidites, Cooneyites, People of God, the Lord's people, sheep,God's chosen few,lowly way of truth, the Truth of God, Church of George Walker,little lights, Jesus Wayers, Truth of God, Nondenominational Christian Church, Non denominational Church, Christian Conventions, Undenominational Christians, way, the elect, the Truth, the Testimony, The Jesus Way, The Friends, Meetings, Black Stocking Sect, Black Stockings, Two by twos, 2X2s etc..."

check the website.

Answer 6

Sounds very cultish to me.. I would stay away from that . I think the mormons believe in a similar thing.... whoever isnt part of their group will go to hell.. but I am not positive.

Answer 7

Sorry, sounded a little like Quakers but I don't think so, Maybe some Amish form that is more worldly?

Answer 8

When you use the word "meeting", it does conjure up images of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). However, most of them are so liberal that they would not condemn anyone to hell.

Answer 9

Sounds like a possible cult to me, but I'm no expert on this topic

Answer 10

Strange.

Answer 11

Dictatorship!