This is not an afront (attack) upon the Quaker Faith nor those who may be a part of it.
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I had no idea...
Homosexuality and Quakerism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_views_of_homosexuality
The views of Quakers around the world towards homosexuality encompass a range from complete celebration and the practice of same-sex marriage, to the view that homosexuality is sinfully deviant and contrary to God's intentions for sexual expression.
The Religious Society of Friends is a Christian movement (though a small minority of contemporary Quakers do not consider themselves Christian) founded in 17th Century England; it has around 350,000 members.[1]
In Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, many Quakers are supportive of homosexual relationships, while views are divided among American and African Friends.
United States
Quakers in the United States of America are divided on the issue of homosexuality, with some (mostly Friends affiliated with programmed meetings) not approving of either homosexuality or the legalization of same sex unions.
Friends associated with Friends General Conference (FGC), the more liberal group of Friends encompassing a large number of yearly meetings and approximately a fifth of all Quakers in the country, are the most tolerant with many monthly meetings and some yearly meetings providing full equality for homosexuals including marriage.
FGC itself in 2004 made a statement on including LGBT quakers as equals in worship and acknowledging their past contributions to the conference.[9] The largely FGC-based FLGBTQC (Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns) group holds meetings twice a year.[10]
Similar positions from other unprogrammed Quaker meetings not affiliated with FGC include that taken by North Pacific Yearly Meeting and Pacific Yearly Meeting, which support same-sex marriage.[7]
On the other hand, Friends associated with Friends United Meeting (FUM) and Evangelical Friends International (EFI), which represent mostly programmed Quaker meetings, have taken stands condemning gay marriage and, in some cases, homosexual relationships altogether.
Indiana and Western Yearly Meetings (members of FUM) issued a statement of "core values" which includes both an insistence on abstinence outside of marriage, and a definition of marriage to heterosexual relationships only. Evangelical Friends Church Southwest, a yearly meeting and a member of EFI, states in its Faith and Practice that homosexuality is a sin and grounds for termination of employment in the church.
However there is dissension within the Evangelical groups. The Friends of Jesus Community, some of whose members were affiliated with EFI, took a public stance in favor of the equal worth of same-sex relationships.[11]
In NorthWest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church (EFCI)(q.v.), one Portland-area Monthly Meeting has minuted its support of same-sex unions, creating a discussion on their statement of human sexuality.
Patuxent Friends Monthly Meeting, a member of Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM, a member of both FGC and FUM) has taken a similar position. Similarly, although perhaps to a lesser extent, some meetings associated with groups on the other side of the issue have dissented.
Swansea Monthly Meeting, under care of New England Yearly Meeting, is one of two meetings in that group to publicly oppose same-sex marriage.
In 2002, FUM and BYM began a dialogue on homosexuality and same-sex relationships. At the 2002 FUM Triennial, Clerk Lamar Matthew was excluded from leading a worship sharing group because he was in a relationship with another man.
(Minutes of 2002 BYM Annual Sessions, page 23) [8] FUM has affirmed in a minute of its General Board that its policy that anyone in sexual relationships outside of marriage - "which is understood to be between one man and one woman" - cannot be in paid leadership positions (a minute approved in 1988) also applies to those in other leadership positions and to their overseas workers.
Since that time, BYM has had a program of intervisitation with other Yearly Meetings on the issue of same-sex relationships. It should be noted that this policy of FUM has been in constant discussion in the FUM board ever since it was originally proposed.
BYM is not the only dual-membership Yearly Meeting (membership in both FUM and FGC). Many members of the New England and New York Yearly Meetings have also been struggling with the FUM position.
--------------
List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominational_positions_on_homosexuality
Quakers
The first recorded same sex marriage by a Quaker meeting in the US was in 1987.
In January, 1987, Morningside Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends became the first Quaker Meeting to take a same-sex marriage (using the word marriage, rather than "commitment ceremony") under its care with the marriage of John Bohne and William McCann on May 30, 1987.[66]
Same-sex couples have been married under the care of many "unprogrammed" Quaker meetings in Canada since 1992.[67]
In Australia, Canberra Quaker meeting celebrated the marriage of two gay men on 15 April 2007.[68][69][70][71] Australian Quakers are prepared to celebrate same-sex marriages despite the lack of legal recognition.[72] See Quaker views of homosexuality
In 2009, the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man decided to authorise same-sex marriage, having previously performed blessings for same-sex civil partnerships.[73][74]
In Australia, the 2010 Yearly Meeting called on the Federal Government to amend the Australian Marriage Act to give full and equal legal recognition to all marriages, regardless of the sexual orientation and gender of the partners. Australlian Quakers had been blessing same-sex unions since 1994.[75]
The Canada Yearly Meeting stated in 2003 that Canadian Quakers "support the right of same-sex couples to a civil marriage and the extension of the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples." [76] Since then a number of same-sex marriages have been performed at Canadian Monthly Meetings.
In New Zealand, the Aotearoa Quaker Meeting in 1995 pledged “to seek formal ways of recognizing a variety of commitments, including gay and lesbian partnerships.” [77]
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There's more but it's just too much to post. I don't know why it shocked me, but it did. I guess it's because I've thought of them as very 'strict' with Bible Principles.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had no idea...
Homosexuality and Quakerism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaker_views_of_homosexuality
The views of Quakers around the world towards homosexuality encompass a range from complete celebration and the practice of same-sex marriage, to the view that homosexuality is sinfully deviant and contrary to God's intentions for sexual expression.
The Religious Society of Friends is a Christian movement (though a small minority of contemporary Quakers do not consider themselves Christian) founded in 17th Century England; it has around 350,000 members.[1]
In Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, many Quakers are supportive of homosexual relationships, while views are divided among American and African Friends.
United States
Quakers in the United States of America are divided on the issue of homosexuality, with some (mostly Friends affiliated with programmed meetings) not approving of either homosexuality or the legalization of same sex unions.
Friends associated with Friends General Conference (FGC), the more liberal group of Friends encompassing a large number of yearly meetings and approximately a fifth of all Quakers in the country, are the most tolerant with many monthly meetings and some yearly meetings providing full equality for homosexuals including marriage.
FGC itself in 2004 made a statement on including LGBT quakers as equals in worship and acknowledging their past contributions to the conference.[9] The largely FGC-based FLGBTQC (Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns) group holds meetings twice a year.[10]
Similar positions from other unprogrammed Quaker meetings not affiliated with FGC include that taken by North Pacific Yearly Meeting and Pacific Yearly Meeting, which support same-sex marriage.[7]
On the other hand, Friends associated with Friends United Meeting (FUM) and Evangelical Friends International (EFI), which represent mostly programmed Quaker meetings, have taken stands condemning gay marriage and, in some cases, homosexual relationships altogether.
Indiana and Western Yearly Meetings (members of FUM) issued a statement of "core values" which includes both an insistence on abstinence outside of marriage, and a definition of marriage to heterosexual relationships only. Evangelical Friends Church Southwest, a yearly meeting and a member of EFI, states in its Faith and Practice that homosexuality is a sin and grounds for termination of employment in the church.
However there is dissension within the Evangelical groups. The Friends of Jesus Community, some of whose members were affiliated with EFI, took a public stance in favor of the equal worth of same-sex relationships.[11]
In NorthWest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church (EFCI)(q.v.), one Portland-area Monthly Meeting has minuted its support of same-sex unions, creating a discussion on their statement of human sexuality.
Patuxent Friends Monthly Meeting, a member of Baltimore Yearly Meeting (BYM, a member of both FGC and FUM) has taken a similar position. Similarly, although perhaps to a lesser extent, some meetings associated with groups on the other side of the issue have dissented.
Swansea Monthly Meeting, under care of New England Yearly Meeting, is one of two meetings in that group to publicly oppose same-sex marriage.
In 2002, FUM and BYM began a dialogue on homosexuality and same-sex relationships. At the 2002 FUM Triennial, Clerk Lamar Matthew was excluded from leading a worship sharing group because he was in a relationship with another man.
(Minutes of 2002 BYM Annual Sessions, page 23) [8] FUM has affirmed in a minute of its General Board that its policy that anyone in sexual relationships outside of marriage - "which is understood to be between one man and one woman" - cannot be in paid leadership positions (a minute approved in 1988) also applies to those in other leadership positions and to their overseas workers.
Since that time, BYM has had a program of intervisitation with other Yearly Meetings on the issue of same-sex relationships. It should be noted that this policy of FUM has been in constant discussion in the FUM board ever since it was originally proposed.
BYM is not the only dual-membership Yearly Meeting (membership in both FUM and FGC). Many members of the New England and New York Yearly Meetings have also been struggling with the FUM position.
--------------
List of Christian denominational positions on homosexuality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominational_positions_on_homosexuality
Quakers
The first recorded same sex marriage by a Quaker meeting in the US was in 1987.
In January, 1987, Morningside Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends became the first Quaker Meeting to take a same-sex marriage (using the word marriage, rather than "commitment ceremony") under its care with the marriage of John Bohne and William McCann on May 30, 1987.[66]
Same-sex couples have been married under the care of many "unprogrammed" Quaker meetings in Canada since 1992.[67]
In Australia, Canberra Quaker meeting celebrated the marriage of two gay men on 15 April 2007.[68][69][70][71] Australian Quakers are prepared to celebrate same-sex marriages despite the lack of legal recognition.[72] See Quaker views of homosexuality
In 2009, the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man decided to authorise same-sex marriage, having previously performed blessings for same-sex civil partnerships.[73][74]
In Australia, the 2010 Yearly Meeting called on the Federal Government to amend the Australian Marriage Act to give full and equal legal recognition to all marriages, regardless of the sexual orientation and gender of the partners. Australlian Quakers had been blessing same-sex unions since 1994.[75]
The Canada Yearly Meeting stated in 2003 that Canadian Quakers "support the right of same-sex couples to a civil marriage and the extension of the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples." [76] Since then a number of same-sex marriages have been performed at Canadian Monthly Meetings.
In New Zealand, the Aotearoa Quaker Meeting in 1995 pledged “to seek formal ways of recognizing a variety of commitments, including gay and lesbian partnerships.” [77]
---------------------------------
There's more but it's just too much to post. I don't know why it shocked me, but it did. I guess it's because I've thought of them as very 'strict' with Bible Principles.
I agree with you on this. They are so 'strict' with everything, or so I thought. It is very obvious that I thought wrong. 
