DS Forums

 
 

Shakers last stand


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-01-2017, 17:18
Grafenwalder
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 4,949

This was a curious report on BBC news earlier.

A religious sect known as Shakers and formed in Manchester in 1747, fled to the US after persecution in Britain. One of it's members died on Monday at 89.

The last remaining community is Sabbathday Lake, which now has only two members.

This is not a surprise. The Shakers practice celibacy, in addition to pacifism, equality of the sexes and communal ownership of property.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.17bb861f9fd6
Grafenwalder is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 04-01-2017, 17:33
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
They sound perfect, except perhaps for the celibacy Although, reading the article "the sect grew both by converting adults and by raising orphaned children and, when they reached age 18, giving them the option to remain a member of the sect or to leave the community."

Although this option is available to all children growing up in a family that practices a certain religion, at least this one seems to make it clear to them!

Interesting - "Although it may sound like an old-fashioned religious sect by today’s standards, at one time the Shakers were considered progressive. As PBS noted, “Seventy-five years before the emancipation of the slaves and 150 years before women began voting in America, the Shakers were practicing social, sexual, economic, and spiritual equality for all members.”

In their Southern communities, members freed all of their slaves in 1817 and began buying other black believers out of slavery"

It sounds like they are too progressive even for these days, in some respects!

ETA: I like their furniture!
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:33
Richard46
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: London
Posts: 41,688
If they lasted that long I suspect they cheated on the celibacy rule.
Richard46 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:36
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
If they lasted that long I suspect they cheated on the celibacy rule.
Read the bit about adopting orphans, plus I imagine they had a convert or two on occasion.
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:39
Richard46
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: London
Posts: 41,688
Read the bit about adopting orphans, plus I imagine they had a convert or two on occasion.
Adopting orphans eh? Likely story.

I want to see the paternity tests.

Converts to celibacy?? Get out of here.
Richard46 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:53
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
Adopting orphans eh? Likely story.

I want to see the paternity tests.

Converts to celibacy?? Get out of here.
Well, I was trying to put a positive spin on it They sound a lot better than some religious groups.
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:53
Grafenwalder
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 4,949
It sounds like they are too progressive even for these days, in some respects!

ETA: I like their furniture!
It says where unlike the Amish which many often confuse them with, they embraced modern technology such as the internet. They even have a website! http://maineshakers.com/

I'd heard of the furniture as it's extremely well made and highly valued. I've no idea how much it costs but it certainly won't be cheap. It's not Ikea flat pack rubbish!

edit; this gives some idea. A 10" hand turned maple wood bowl $80 (£65).

http://maineshakers.com/product/bowl-10d2/
Grafenwalder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:55
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
It says where unlike the Amish which many often confuse them with, they embraced modern technology such as the internet. They even have a website! http://maineshakers.com/

I'd heard of the furniture as it's extremely well made and highly valued. I've no idea how much it costs but it certainly won't be cheap. It's not Ikea flat pack rubbish!
Now I know where my 'shaker-style' furniture get's it's name (mine is flat pack from Argos so obviously just 'style' not 'real' ).
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:59
Richard46
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: London
Posts: 41,688
Well, I was trying to put a positive spin on it They sound a lot better than some religious groups.
You know me I am the eternal cynic.
They sound like good people and in advance of their time. Their demise is a loss.
Richard46 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 18:22
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
You know me I am the eternal cynic.
They sound like good people and in advance of their time. Their demise is a loss.
I guess you put 'half empty' on the cup half full/empty thread
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 19:18
swingaleg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,804
Up The Shakers !
swingaleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 19:45
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,126
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 20:15
solarflare
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,016
I assume they split off from the Movers at some point...?
solarflare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 20:20
LykkieLi
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Suffragette City
Posts: 4,660
I assume they split off from the Movers at some point...?
They joined the Rattlers and Rollers for a while.
LykkieLi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 20:28
RobinOfLoxley
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Devon
Posts: 12,829
Darwinism at work
RobinOfLoxley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 22:24
CaptainObvious_
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,400
Peaceful , lovely big ol' building in Maine countryside- sounds good! How do I join?
...

'To join you must be sound of body and mind'

oh...

CaptainObvious_ is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:18.