Is there anything like church without the church? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 weeks ago by epicthundercat@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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I am not religious and have no desire to start being now but sometimes I just want the community people get with church. I am craving connection with the community and feel it's very healthy for families and neighbors as well. The United States is seriously lacking in third spaces and communities. It's leading to a serious loneliness epidemic... Just wondering if there is anything that can fill that need for non-religious folks?

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[-] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yes, Quakers. They sit reflectively with one another instead of listening to services (generally speaking). Some don't consider themselves religious

[-] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago

Some prominent non-theist Quakers out there, like Charlie Brooker, creator and head writer of Black Mirror and the various Philomena Cunk series Cunk On...

[-] ace_garp@piefed.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

TIL, Charlie identifies as Quaker.

Been watching his content since Oink! Comics, highly approve.

[-] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 1 points 2 weeks ago

Imagine if the west had been dominated by the quakers during colonialism, instead of the puritans, how different the world would be.

[-] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Interesting thought experiment. The thing is, Puritanism is older than Quakerism, I think. Oldest long term English Settlement in the region is Jamestown from 1607, but quakerism is 1657'-52. The Puritans had a head start.

I also get the feeling Catholics and the other protestant groups, who later settled in the USA in huge numbers, would have hated the hypothetical Quaker majority and done violence against them or driven them out.

Fun fact: Quakers were important advocates against slavery in the UK (presumably in the USA too), from its very inception.

this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2026

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