(i ripped this off wikipedia real fast so sorry if it's lib)

In October 1776, the Public Universal Friend contracted an epidemic disease and was bedridden and near death with a high fever. Their family summoned a doctor from Attleboro, six miles away, and neighbors kept up a death-watch at night. The fever broke after several days. The Friend later reported that [deadname redacted] had died, receiving revelations from God through two archangels who proclaimed there was "Room, Room, Room, in the many Mansions of eternal glory for Thee and for everyone". The Friend further said that [deadname redacted]'s soul had ascended to heaven and the body had been reanimated with a new spirit charged by God with preaching his word, that of the "Publick Universal Friend", describing that name in the words of Isaiah 62:2 as "a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named".

From that time on, the Friend refused to answer to their deadname, ignoring or chastising those who insisted on using it. When visitors asked if it was the name of the person they were addressing, the Friend simply quoted Luke 23:3 ("thou sayest it").  Identifying as neither male nor female, the Friend asked not to be referred to with gendered pronouns. Followers respected these wishes; they referred only to "the Public Universal Friend" or short forms such as "the Friend" or "P.U.F.", and many avoided gender-specific pronouns even in private diaries. When someone asked if the Friend was male or female, the preacher replied "I am that I am", saying the same thing to a man who criticized the Friend's manner of dress (adding, in the latter case, "there is nothing indecent or improper in my dress or appearance; I am not accountable to mortals").

editorial note: I think this is a very cool story and I really love hearing it. We've been around forever and we've been doing variations of this forever. It's really beautiful


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  • Wendy_Pleakley [they/them, he/him]
    ·
    2 months ago

    I feel like an outsider because everyone knows each other already, and then it gets perpetuated because they all keep talking and I keep not knowing how to get in. I basically don't speak unless spoken to, to the point that I don't understand the instinct to go up and talk to someone, like I think that's made up. I really am wilding out

    • ashinadash [she/her]
      ·
      2 months ago

      Like, where, but also you have to speak to make social things happen usually. I say things to people on here sometimes, I talked to you didn't I? and I don't exactly know you, so.

      • Wendy_Pleakley [they/them, he/him]
        ·
        2 months ago

        The etiquette surrounding forums isn't really what confuses me. I struggle with real world interactions

        Like, being spoken over is a thing that happens to me in rooms with people that makes me want to leave those rooms. There's no equivalent on a forum, I fully get that.

        • ashinadash [she/her]
          ·
          2 months ago

          Oh so this is irl, okay I can't help you there. Neurotypicals are a fuck omori-neutral I hat ethem too. I don't speak irl either