How To Be A Quaker "Terrorist."

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In her book, Walking In The World As A Friend, Nadine Hoover poses this question when discussing the role of Quakers as Witness: 

• How am I a terror to the adversaries of God? 
• How do I do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God?
  

I've sat with this question for some two weeks now.  At first this query seemed like an odd way to phrase witnessing.  Yes, in my mind, I asked myself "could I be a Quaker terrorist?"  Obviously, I'm not going to be a bomb chucker but I might throw a Molotov Cocktail of a question in someone's direction if they needed a little jolt of conscience.  

And that brings me to a story I'd like to share about a friend whose conscience was piqued by a single question.  A question that changed his life. 

My friend is a 29 year Veteran of the Army.  He served as a jet pilot in many theaters of war, but while serving in Afghanistan he came back from a sortie and during the debriefing a government inspector came up to him and said "was that ethical what you did?"  

"Ethical?" he replies "I'm in the flying business not the ethical business.  If you want ethical I'd go back to Washington and ask them why we're here."

And that little question caught fire in my friend's mind and a year later he was out of the military.  

I imagine that's the kind of "terror" Nadine Hoover was referring to.  The kind of question that puts everything into stark relief. The kind of question that has you start examining the assumptions that you made about life. What's important and what's not. 

So, yes, there is a way to be a Quaker "terrorist."  Don't hold back.  Listen carefully, but also ask the tough questions.  Be a witness.  Be still in the quiet conviction of your values.  

It is important because lots of folks have not challenged their assumptions in a long time.  They may be running on autopilot not realizing that they are about to run out of fuel.  A simple question can bring them down for a safe landing.  

~ Joseph Olejak