RE: Plymouth Brethren
Hallo Bellis,
In trying to answer your question, it bought forth quite a lot of old info from my family. Very interesting, thank you for asking.
Puritanical sect founded in Plymouth, Devon in 1830, believeing the bible to be the sole source of truth
[DLMURL] http://withchrist.org/MJS/pbs.htm [/DLMURL]
Plymouth Brethren
Fundamentalist Christian Protestant sect characterized by extreme simplicity of belief, founded in Dublin in about 1827 by the Reverend John Nelson Darby (1800–1882). The Plymouth Brethren have no ordained priesthood, affirming the ministry of all believers, and maintain no church buildings. They hold prayer meetings and Bible study in members’ houses
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0012874.html
I asked my great Aunt Poppy about this as she is a Quaker, and she told me they are actually an EXTREME form of the Quaker movement, and have no longer anything significant in common. Her words not mine;)
Quakers (a favourite of mine) do allow free will, and ask you to think for yourself, although to me, personally, they are still influenced too heavily influenced by the Bible which is , to me on a personal level, an historical document, and not to be taken as anything other than that, or moral concepts of life. Too heavily weighted against women too, if you read the OT, very constricting and overpowering of all female kind.
Love Gillyxxxxx
RE: Plymouth Brethren
Thanks Everyone for your responses.
I did think of Witness (Harrison Ford fan here!) when I first met the first patient who came to me from the Plymouth Brethren. It was fascinating to hear of the biblical references and you're so right Sacredstar - I have asked them about their beliefs & have met a mixture of willingness to share to almost hostile secrecy!
I have been involved with the treatment of quite a number of Plymouth Brethren families over the past 4 years or so (word went around their congregation!) and I do believe I am quite honoured to be involved in their healthcare - I know that if they had a homoeopath amongst themselves, I wouldn't be consulted at all. I thought I'd share my observations with you as you might meet them yourselves.
As mentioned, all the women have the most amazingly long hair and they all (even the little girls) wear headscarves when out in public. The men all have short back & sides haircuts. I haven't met a blond adult(!). On the telephone, the women are indistinguishable from each other - they all talk in exactly the same way - very hesitant - only speaking a few words before saying "erm" and their intonation, accent and use of language are identical. I have always found them profoundly respectful & polite and as I say, only met some guardedness when I asked about their religion (perhaps it was the way I asked?). They don't listen to radio, TV or have mobile phones although they do use telephones. In their businesses, they don't use computers at all (or have anything to do with them infact) and all their business paperwork is done by hand or typewriter. They seem to own their own family businesses and live in detached houses (don't want to share a party wall with non-Brethren). Marriages are small affairs carried out without pomp & circumstance. They meet in windowless halls (the local one is huge) on a daily basis and Sunday begins at 5am when they have some special breakfast I believe. Sundays are also days that they entertain other Brethren families. Unlike Witness - they do drive cars (all seem to have quite new models) - no horses seen! The younger children attend state schools but not pre-schools or nurseries and the older children are educated at home. They have a special fund that pays for this and they raise money through sales of their home made goods. I have been priveledged to go to one home which was very spartan but had rows & rows of little books which contain messages from their prophets I think.
That's all I can remember at the moment & hope I've not rattled on too long but thanks again for the information.
Kind regards x
RE: Plymouth Brethren
Dear Bellis
Thank you for sharing yes I get that picture of Harrison Ford as well!
Amazing that groups like this still exist today I wonder how they can justify car but not the computer hmm......very interesting......
You probably sounded too interested big smiles! Which took some into defensive maybe.....e.g suspicious of why you should wish to know. Even so you managed to find out a lot.
Just continue to give it the love that you are and I'm sure they will melt.
being love
kim xx
RE: Plymouth Brethren
Fascinating Bellis,
Thanks for sharing that with us! Fascinating. I'm sure that you really are honoured to have your services accepted like this. Does this mean that they prefer homeopathy to medicine?
I go to an ecumenical group of universty professors (I always feel very intimidated, but as I'm the only woman, they make quite a fuss of me.) One of the professors specialises in studying the ways groups of people speak - their jargon, the words they use, their intonaton etc (forgotten what it's called) - he'd be interested in what you've said about how they all sound the same.
Love and peace,
Judy
RE: Plymouth Brethren
Hi Gilly,
I haven't had anything to do with the Plymouth Brethren before, but it does sound as if they follow an extreme form of Quakerism. I 'tinkered' with the Quaker thought at one time and I found all Quakers to be welcoming, accommodating and very hearty people. I would go so far as to say that they were among the most tolerant of folks, too. They have a love of God, and see God in all things.
There is a sect of Plymouth Brethren not far from where I live. I hardly ever see them though, which is a shame.
Love,
Patsy.
xxxxxx