Exercising your critical thinking:

What are the appeals or strengths of this idea?

The strengths and appeals of the Quakers is deffinitly their code of conduct which was "Virgin Purity, Peace, Justice, Love".  This idea, excluding the celibacy, is very appealing becuase a society that sustains from war, injustices, and hate would be extremely popular because peace, justice, and love seem not only socially, but ethically, right.  Another strength of their society was the age that many members seemed to die at was remarkably high and could have been caused by regular sleeping, meals, a communal property to take stress of an individual, and food from the settlement itself.  The equality of men and women especially in the faith could be very appealing to women who were not getting equal opportunities and treatment during this time period.  The respect givin to each sexes within the Church at this time period was very comendable. 

What works against this idea?

What works against these ideas of peace, justice, and love is the fact that within human nature it will not always be peaceful, people have minds of their own and arguments will arise, there will not always be justice, people commit sin all the time even while withstaining from sex.  The idea of celabicy is also a bad idea within this community because the Shakers believed that there would be a second coming of Christ; however, with no children being added to the community except for an occasional adoption there would be no Shaker's community when and if Christ has a second appearance. 

What traces of this idea can we identify in 21^st century  US life?

Physical traces that we can still see from the Shakers in the 21st centuries are Shaker museums, Shaker boxes, and Shaker furniture.  However, ideas are still very much believed in today in people that do not consider themselves Shakers such as peace not war and love not hate.  There are a very large number of people not only in the country but in the world that believe in justice for all rather than a corrupt and unjust world.  If the Shakers tweaked their ideas and didn't outlaw sex they could very much still be around today.

Mother Ann Lee and the Shakers Description