Amish and Mennonite Beliefs

[GoodTony]

I have the pleasure to live in an Amish/Mennonite county. The Amish and Mennonites are generally friendly, kind and peaceful people. There are times, though, that they will frown when I put the American flag out in front of my house and when I talk about the military protecting the United States.
Has anyone in this forum conversed with the Amish and Mennonites regarding the pledge of allegiance ( a vow) or about pacifism or voting?
Even if you have not, what would you say to them regarding how the bible addresses these areas?
Keep in mind that they state that Jesus was never a fighter. Jesus told a disciple to put away his sword. Then Jesus replaced the man’s ear upon his head. (The Mennonites like to tell this story over and over again when preaching against military service.)

 

[Onegaishimasu]

I have the pleasure to live in an Amish/Mennonite county. The Amish and Mennonites are generally friendly, kind and peaceful people. There are times, though, that they will frown when I put the American flag out in front of my house and when I talk about the military protecting the United States.
Has anyone in this forum conversed with the Amish and Mennonites regarding the pledge of allegiance ( a vow) or about pacifism or voting?
Even if you have not, what would you say to them regarding how the bible addresses these areas?
Keep in mind that they state that Jesus was never a fighter. Jesus told a disciple to put away his sword. Then Jesus replaced the man’s ear upon his head. (The Mennonites like to tell this story over and over again when preaching against military service.)

Any discussion with Mennonites and other pacifistic belief systems needs to be solidly grounded in the Bible. Some things off the top of my head…I’ll try and get the verses and chapters later…

before time began there was a war in Heaven and one third of the angels were defeated and taken to hell by archangel Michael…
Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple

That being said, many Mennonites have been cruelly persecuted for their beliefs…and they are willing to bear the consequences of their beliefs, unlike a lot of people who ran to Sweden rather than serve in Vietnam.

Unfortunately, there are more verses about those who live by the sword die by the sword and such like. I would approach it from the standpoint of protecting the innocent and exploited and that force is usually a last resort.

 

[Contarini]

I have the pleasure to live in an Amish/Mennonite county. The Amish and Mennonites are generally friendly, kind and peaceful people. There are times, though, that they will frown when I put the American flag out in front of my house and when I talk about the military protecting the United States.
Has anyone in this forum conversed with the Amish and Mennonites regarding the pledge of allegiance ( a vow) or about pacifism or voting?
Even if you have not, what would you say to them regarding how the bible addresses these areas?
Keep in mind that they state that Jesus was never a fighter. Jesus told a disciple to put away his sword. Then Jesus replaced the man’s ear upon his head. (The Mennonites like to tell this story over and over again when preaching against military service.)

Well, personally I wish you would listen to them–I think they have good points about the way many Christians trust in the state instead of Christ.

Bear in mind that Catholics have always held that to follow the “counsels of perfection” involves total non-violence (as well as celibacy and poverty). It is not as contrary to Catholic teaching as you may think, it seems to me. There are many Catholic pacifists.

It’s true that the Catholic tradition does allow for just war, but only as a last resort.

I would say that the point on which traditional, conservative Mennonites/Amish need to be pressed is their belief that the sword is ordained by God “outside the perfection of Christ.” This seems to reflect an overly fragmented view of how God works in the world. If it is a good thing for governments to bear the sword and protect the innocent, how can it be a bad thing for Christians to participate in this?

Some modern Mennonites have moved away from this position to a more thorough-going critique of violence, and I find their arguments quite convincing on the whole.

Edwin

 

[Publisher]

There is a slow evoltion in the history of the early church communities…Christians were not allowed to be soldiers in some Christian communities…when aesceticism developed in cloistered communities they took on the “holiness” of non-agression…separate from the rest of society but connected to it by service and ministry…the “virtuous life” was not something all who called themselves “Christian” aspired to…

Friends, Mennonites & Brethren are called the 'Historic Peace Churches"…we came out of the “Radical Reformation”…while differing on many issues…we chose to keep in touch with one another…serve in each others service organizations. Mennonite Central Committee, Brethren Service Commission, American Friends Service Committee, Britan Friends Service Committee…war is contrary to how we AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD to live our lives under the “Rule of God” in this world…“Kingdom of God” is as much a “realiezed” presence or a figurative presence…those precepts of the Kingdom of God of which Isaiah spoke of…the time when “they will beat their swords into plowshears…and practice war no more…”…we are to make this world a fit habitation for the coming King…the People of God do not wage war on the people of this world…nor do we practice agression…turn the other cheek…love your enemy…do good to those who would despitefully use you…“be at peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”…“Blessed are the peacemakers”…

A “realized eschatology” exists in the veins of the Radical Reformation…the Church was made up of those who lived their lives in holiness and righteous…practiced peace…and deeply service to others minded…“the least of these…”“I was hungry…thirsty…lonely…and you did not…”

It has traditionally been held among those of direct Anapaptist, Pietist, Practical Spirituality that we are citizens of a Different Kingdom…we do not swear or perform oaths…therefore it is against conscience of many to salute a national symbol in what appears to be a devotional/ritualistic undertaking of nationalism, which so often is twisted into brutality of the “least of these” among us…

We share with each person on earth the “Inner Light” as Friends spoke of…or the “Inner Word” as some Anabaptists spoke of…the Church of God is present where those who live within the precepts of the Kingdom of God and had covenanted themselves to God thru among the Anabaptists anyway “believers baptism”…only those baptized by their own volition could be named as members of the religious community…it was God’s work in the ministry of the Holy Spirit that makes us the People of God…we cannot be moved to violence against those whom we have been given trust over by God Himself…can we?

We are the Leaven in this world…the “cause of Zion is the pursuit of feet”…"And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace "…we are People of Peace…if we must live in this world and live “sacrificially”…obeying God can sometimes end at a cross…but then three days later…