Nixon's parents were Quakers. Not that this, in any way, addresses your OP.

Well hell sounds really scary, plus ya gotta remember most of the wackier religions started polygamous and commanded you populate the whole planet.

People generally don't like gray areas. Certainty, even if wrong is more comfortable than questioning and searching.

Quakers are interesting, out of all the Christian variants and sects I have quite a bit of time for Quakers and their way of thinking.

And have worked with and co-operated with local Quakers on political efforts and with inter-faith dialogue outreach between with diverse beliefs.

I don't know why people flock to the baptist cult. My guess some people need some kind of goal to work tords. It was forced on my due to my parents and other family members. I'm glad I finally saw the light 4 mouths ago.

It's easier to convince the uneducated that life if very black and white, good and bad. If your religion isn't strict enough your followers will follow a stronger more black and white path.

We have one quaker meeting house in n.ireland that I know about - I wonder if it is because most other peope are needing some certainty in an uncertain world- Quakers don't have certainty and I think-, some people really crave it - something to hang on to that is seriously real to them - rather than 'personal musings'.I guess most people really are 'lost' and not liking that feeling very much of not being supported by somethign outside of themselves.

As a former evangelical I would sum it up in one word "clarity".

Fundamentalism is clear; filled with certitude; unambiguous; in concept if not entirely in practice unchanging. The god concept is also clear. There is no struggling or wrestling with the great questions, only blessed certitude. There are also clear rewards and punishments.

In other words if you're a pleaser -- if you think belonging and worthiness are a function of rightness in the sight of god and man -- then fundamentalism is for you, and liberal Christianity, particularly out at the non-creedal extremes of Quakerism and Unitarian-Universalism -- seems like a joke as they provide no guidance other than perhaps some general principles for finding your own way. Finding your own way is one of the cornerstone sins in fundamentalism -- it is "doing what is right in your own eyes" instead of determining what is right in god's eyes. It is an imperfect work-in-progress rather than something you can insure as a fait accompli in any given moment.

Fundamentalism hopes to converge upon the same beliefs for all. That's not possible in liberal religion where different conclusions are both possible and respected.

Because the Quakers don't use hate, shame, and fear of hell to bully people sticking to their doctrines.

By the way, this website has a bit of a learning curve so here is some information that might be helpful for dating here.

New members are encouraged to earn website points, and help other members get to know them better, by writing an informational profile that includes their hobbies and interests, and answering all the profile questions, since that's the first place many people look when they see a new member.

The website uses profile algorithms to find member matches, so the more details one includes, the better the match.

Also many women prefer to see a written profile talking about interests, hobbies, and backgrounds that can be quickly perused to find compatible partners.

People make comments and write their own posts to earn more points and privileges; for instance, at level two someone can private email people. There are different perks with each level, and when you reach level eight you get an agnostic T-shirt.

To find members near you, click on the "Meet" button at the top of the page, then on "Members," and enter your preferred search parameters.
Or click on the "About" button at the top of the page to find links to FAQ or the website tutorial.
Click on the 'Meet" button to find member matches

Levels are mostly a way to help identify and reward those who contribute to the growth of the community. The website also gives more access and benefits depending on level.[agnostic.com]

Links to FAQ: [agnostic.com],
and a website tutorial: [agnostic.com]

Church membership in general is in rapid decline, and the Baptists are no exception. My opinion is that churches begin to alienate people when they become political in nature. Churches such as the Quakers and Unitarianism became very politically oriented and they ceased promoting spiritual experiences and values—as a result they have dwindled away to almost nothing. Every time a church takes a strong stance on some social or political cause, members with differing views are alienated. It is as if some members announce that their opinion on an issue is THE correct one and that the church MUST endorse that view.

In the case of the Southern Baptists, as long as they stuck with fundamentalist doctrines and promoted love and harmony they thrived, because many people need and want that kind of structure. Some years back however, a few zealous right wingers wormed their way into leadership and plunged the churches into turmoil and controversy. The members are now rejecting that orientation en masse, but a lot of damage has been done.

Echoing some other sentiments in this thread:

Life has lots and lots of choices. There is so much sensory stimulation, and too many events going on at any one time for our higher mental functions to process. A belief-system with a lot of rules and restrictions cuts down on more of those choices, freeing up brain-space. People don't like uncertainty, in general.

As far as I see it it is all about mind control. The religious groups that have the most rigid rules and dogma don't allow any room for the individual to think or query. They place a lot of emphasis on obedience. For a lot of people this is much easier than having to think for themselves as the rules are laid out for them and easy to understand. A more liberal sect like the Quakers leave the individual more freedom of thought.....and we all know where that leads, towards our way of thinking.

Most people who get into the radical religions need to be led. They cannot or will not think for themselves and thus need to follow someone. think trumpists

Quakerism stayed in the north. Babtist dogma took to the south like wild fire because of the southern babtist belief that blacks were descendents of the biblical ham, noah's son. The story in the bible goes noah became drunk and passed out in the nude. His son ham whilst checking on him saw his fathers nudeness and began to have impure thoughts. Noah awoke and cursed ham, stating that his line would be cursed with a mark(color), and they would be the servants of man.

Names and story might be off a little, but that is the idea. It was taught to me from a babtist youth minister 1992 circa.

As far as I am concerned, ALL religions that propose deities are equally ridiculous.