Have you ever heard a piece of furniture described as “shaker?” A shaker chair, a shaker table?
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, were one of the several sects of Christians peculiar to the American Northeast. They lived in communes away from the rest of society. They’re the other side of the coin from the Amish or Mennonites; they weren’t deliberately primitive, they shunned no technology and in fact counted among their numbers inventors and mechanics. They did do the “decoration for its own sake is evil” thing, they avoided making or owning things they didn’t need, but the things they did need were built very well, with high quality materials and designed to pleasing proportions. They were weirdly progressive in some ways; though work was assigned along gender roles with women cooking, cleaning and doing laundry and men working in fields or workshops, women were as welcome to lead the church as men. “Sister” was equal in rank to “Brother.”
They were also celibate to a fault. They were so celibate, men and women didn’t walk up the same flight of stairs. Which is why this lecture was delivered in the past tense. As of 2025 there were three active members in the United Brotherhood Of Jeesyboy’s Secret Treehouse Club Or Whatever.
Have you ever heard a piece of furniture described as “shaker?” A shaker chair, a shaker table?
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, were one of the several sects of Christians peculiar to the American Northeast. They lived in communes away from the rest of society. They’re the other side of the coin from the Amish or Mennonites; they weren’t deliberately primitive, they shunned no technology and in fact counted among their numbers inventors and mechanics. They did do the “decoration for its own sake is evil” thing, they avoided making or owning things they didn’t need, but the things they did need were built very well, with high quality materials and designed to pleasing proportions. They were weirdly progressive in some ways; though work was assigned along gender roles with women cooking, cleaning and doing laundry and men working in fields or workshops, women were as welcome to lead the church as men. “Sister” was equal in rank to “Brother.”
They were also celibate to a fault. They were so celibate, men and women didn’t walk up the same flight of stairs. Which is why this lecture was delivered in the past tense. As of 2025 there were three active members in the United Brotherhood Of Jeesyboy’s Secret Treehouse Club Or Whatever.