The Accepting Shakers

Two of the most interesting things to me about the Shakers are that they were celibate and very accepting people. Living in a world today where most magazines and TV shows depict that sex and marriage is a good and common thing it’s different to think about a world without it. Since the Shakers were celibate they didn’t have kids. The only way people were brought into their community and religion was by conversion, employing, and adopting orphans. Today it is very usual for people to have multiple children. The Shakers would be amazed if they knew and experienced beliefs of having children today. The only way the Shakers had their own actual children was if they converted to Shakerism after the birth of the child. They were also very accepting as to individuals choices and letting people in their community. They believed in individualism. Although they had strong beliefs they strive to let individuals be themselves. The community is also diverse which was very interesting. When the lady at the museum was showing the slideshow there was a picture of Shakers and she said there were even Native Americans with them which wasn’t very expected. What I really liked about the Shakers is that if needed they would let people come in their community and stay with them. This shows that they are very kind and have hospitality which brings a whole community together. The Shakers seem to be more laid back and accepting than any other group of people we have studied.