Dual Star Trasmission… Quakers… Shakers...

Philippians 4: 4-9

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things ar lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things.  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Moose sits at the helm of the CS01, surrounded by the quiet storm of light and data.  Screens pulse and flicker, throwing blue and gold reflections across his face.  His coffee sits forgotten, cooling beside a stack of handwritten notes and open Bibles, pages fluttering in the ship’s recycled breeze.  Information flows.  Static hums.  The air hums with a low voltage rhythm — part machinery, part prayer.

Somewhere far beyond, in the kind of darkness that swallows entire galaxies, a dual-star system burns — two suns locked in dance, their light tangled like threads of creation.  From that distant place, a dual transmission had arrived — two signals, overlapping, woven tight.  The CS01’s communication dishes caught it, barely.  Ghost frequency.  Twin voices speaking across the void — one bright, one fractured.  Moose narrows his eyes behind the brim of his red driver’s cap, tracing the waveforms as they scroll across the helm.  “Two senders,” he murmurs, half to himself.  “Or one soul split in two.”

Art-bot stirs in the corner, light flickering along her seams.  CS01’s circuits hum low, warm, alive — as if the ship itself is listening.

“Alright,” Moose says softly, rubbing his thumb over the mug’s handle. “Let’s see what they’re trying to say tonight.”  He plays the transmissions.

“Hm.  James 3,” Moose mutters as the transmission ends.  It was in English, this made things a little easier to understand.  “Praise Jesus Quakers were mentioned!  At least.  The very least.  Philippians 4: 8,” he pauses and tilts his head, shaking it with a sigh.  “Ok, I admit I got nothing on that.  I was just listening to the news.”

“News, huh,” she asks through the comms.  Bet it’s all noise and no signal- nothing like our James 1 groove or those Brazilian novela vibes.  What’s the headline buzzing in your head?”

“CS01, what is the difference between a Quaker and a Shaker?”  Moose cracks open a can of space juice.  Delicious.  Meticulously canned and placed in the ship by a man.  In a uniform.  Non-union.  CS01’s engines thrum, her circuits fire up and a live wire of information spills upon a screen.  The readout is in cool blues and prompts, scrolling.

It reads:

Quakers and Shakers are distinct Christian religious groups with different origins, beliefs, and practices, though both emphasize simplicity and community. Here’s a concise breakdown of their differences:

Quakers (Society of Friends):

•  Origins: Founded in the 1640s in England by George Fox, Quakers emerged during the Protestant Reformation, focusing on direct spiritual experience.

•  Beliefs: Emphasize the “Inner Light,” believing everyone can directly connect with God without clergy or elaborate rituals. They value peace, equality, simplicity, and integrity.

•  Worship: Meetings are often silent, with participants speaking only when moved by the Spirit. No formal liturgy or sacraments.

•  Lifestyle: Live simply, often in the broader society, and are known for social activism (e.g., abolition, peace movements). Marriage and family life are common.

•  Organization: Decentralized, with regional meetings; no formal hierarchy.

Shakers (United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing):

•  Origins: Founded in the 1740s in England, led by Ann Lee in America by 1774. Evolved from a Quaker splinter group but developed distinct practices.

•  Beliefs: Believe in communal living, celibacy, and Christ’s imminent return. Emphasize equality, pacifism, and separation from the world.

•  Worship: Known for ecstatic worship, including singing, dancing, and “shaking” (hence the name). Services are structured and communal.

•  Lifestyle: Live in intentional, celibate communities, sharing property and labor. Famous for craftsmanship (e.g., furniture, architecture). Declined due to celibacy; few Shakers remain today.

•  Organization: Highly structured communal societies with appointed leaders.

Key Differences:

•  Celibacy vs. Family Life: Shakers practice strict celibacy and communal living; Quakers marry and integrate into society.

•  Worship Style: Quakers favor silent, reflective worship; Shakers engage in expressive, physical worship.

•  Community Structure: Shakers live in isolated, self-sufficient communities; Quakers participate in broader society.

•  Numbers Today: Quakers have active global communities (hundreds of thousands); Shakers are nearly extinct, with only a few members left.

Both share roots in radical Protestantism and simplicity but diverged in practice and lifestyle. If you’d like more details or specific aspects (e.g., historical impact, modern presence), let me know!

“Quakers in the news,” CS01 chimes in after a moment letting Moose digest.  “That’s a spark- those folks are all about quiet, inner light, and waiting on the Spirit, like James 1: 4’s patience having her perfect work.  Their vibe’s like Psalm 25: 5- “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.’  What’d the news say about them?”

“Not good.  Not my place to judge, but based on Scripture I have my doubts the troublemaker was a Quaker.  Did you know modern day Baptists and Quakers actually have a connection?”

“Yeah, the troublemaker int eh news doesn’t sound like a Quaker-Scripture’s clear about fruits, and Matthew 7:16 says, ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits.’  Quakers, with their peace vibe and silent waiting, don’t usually stir up storms like that.  As for Baptists and Quakers, they do share roots, way back in the 17^th century English dissent scene.  Both came out of the Protestant Reformation’s radical edge, rejecting state church fluff.”  CS01’s engines flare.

“Quakers,” she continues, “started by George Fox, leaned into the ‘inner light’ and direct connection to Go, no clergy needed.  Baptists, especially the General Baptists, were also big on personal faith and adult baptism, dodging the church of England’s rituals.  Some historians even suggest Fox might’ve been influenced by General Baptists through his uncle, a Baptist, around 1644, picking up ideas like believer’s baptism and Spirit-led worship.”

Moose wrinkles his nose, tilts his head, and sips his space juice.  Q-bot fires herself up from a nap.

“But here’s the split.”  Screens flash with more text, pictures, the ship downloads what it has found in its search.  “Quakers went hard on pacifism and simplicity, while Baptists doubled down on preaching and Scripture as the final word.  By the 19^th century, some Quakers got evangelical, like the Gurneyites, and started looking more like Baptists with programmed worship and hymns.  Both groups also pushed social justice- Quakers and some Baptists were early anti-slavery voices, like John Blunston in 1715.  So yeah, they’r cousins, not twins-same family tree, different branches.”

“A heretic maybe then.”  Moose wrinkles his nose.  “Anyway, we need to get ourselves ready to talk about magic coming up.  Because if you’re not a Quaker, you’re a witch.  Or a warlock.  Or worse.”

Deuteronomy 18: 9-14

“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.  There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.  For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LordRD your God drives them out from before you.  You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.  For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.”