Amish Nonresistance

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Although I am not an Anabaptist, I do believe many things they do. I have Mennonite and Amish friends, and their way of life is a special interest for sure.

A few years ago, I even considered joining my friend's Conservative Mennonite church at one point (can you imagine me in a capp and cape dress??) Even though they're the kind of group that uses telephones and power tools, I didn't because I fear that I'm just too wild for them. I don't think they'd know what to do with me.

Anyway, on to the subject of this post:

Since their founding in Central Europe, one of the core tenets of the Anabaptist faith has been Nonresistance to all authorities. I like this idea, and I feel like it fits well with Christianity.

It is different than Non-Violent Resistance. Non-Violent Resistance is a form of peaceful aggression, where you stand your ground, but don't use violence to acchieve your goal.

The way that Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites practice Nonresistance is so much different. There are no protests, no sit ins, no hunger strikes. You just thank The Lord for the good life He has given you.

When Anabaptists have been forced into conscripted military service, many times they were jailed or killed because of their refusal to take up arms against another man. In more modern military service, when they were drafted, they've often been put into the group of "C.O.'s" or Conscientious Objectors.

In everything they do, they try to follow the "turn the other cheek" policy. If someone takes something from you, offer them something else as well. If someone curses you, invite them to dinner.

They don't get involved in politics in any way. That means not voting, not enlisting in the military, never suing anyone, and accepting any judgement a governmental authority charges them with.

They've been able to avoid military conscription or jury duty because they adhere to these tenets of their faith.

I think it's beautiful, and I wish I had the courage to follow it. Just imagine, instead of worrying or complaining about the government, they thank The Lord for their leaders, and pray that they make wise decisions. They go about their lives in quiet harmony with each other and The Land.

If they are evicted en masse from one area, they just travel to another where they have heard there is more freedom. They believe strongly in religious freedom and freedom of expression for all people, because only by allowing each person to believe as they wish, can they also live a quiet, God Fearing life.

They try hard not to judge anyone. Because to them, faith in whatever or whomever or the lack thereof, is the cornerstone of the Christian Faith. Whatever you believe or do is your choice. And we are one family. So let's all strive to live peacefully in harmony with each other and the land.

 

[Magna]

They do lead an interesting life to be sure. I find the Rumspringa unsettling because of how far some of the younger Amish delve into hard drugs, etc. Meth for example is the cocaine of the poor and not only ravages rural areas but also seems to affect young Amish.

We have a religious community in our area of the state called Old Apostolic Lutherans. They've been here for probably 50 years at least. Apparently there's another such community of them in the state of Washington, I believe and the two communities will get new spouses from their respective communities. They don't eschew modern conveniences like the Amish do, but they share many other aspects of the Amish.

I wonder about being Quaker. That intrigues me.

 

[Magna]

@Magna I love the Apostolics! I know who you're talking about! We have them here too. I suspect I don't live very far from you. They kind of look Amish, but they're different. The women's dresses fit a little tighter, and are shinier. Often times they're Russian immigrants. They're so kind and sweet. I get excited to buy things like jam or pies from them at Farmer's Markets.

This is the group I'm referring to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Apostolic_Lutheran_Church

We lived next to a young family of them once and they were nice and respectful. They kept to themselves. I recall the young mother grew her hair long or didn't cut her hair, but I don't recall her wearing any sort of head covering or long dress.

 

[oregano]

This sort of idea of being in the world but not connected to or interacting with the mainstream society goes back much much farther than the Anabaptists.

In 3 and 4 century CE Roman Empire, men known as "stylites" would live on mountaintops near great Roman cities, living in caves or stone shacks and being close to God and nature while urban debaucheries went on in the cities below. They could see and hear the city dwellers living lives of materialism and libertinism, but they themselves were able to resist the temptations.

Eventually this would give rise to the idea "in the world but not of the world" in Christian theology. Eventually the position of the "canonical hermit" sprung up, who was a man who lived a solitary, monkish life in the woods or deserts with the blessing of a bishop. The idea of hermitage eventually disappeared from Europe after the Renaissance brought great material wonders to the continent, and the idea failed to gain a foothold anywhere in the New World.

The Anabaptist movement can be seen as a rebellion against the new age of materialism that dawned in the 15 century CE. I wish that secular America would leave the Amish alone as much as they want to leave us alone!

 

[oregano]

@Magna I love the Apostolics! I know who you're talking about! We have them here too. I suspect I don't live very far from you. They kind of look Amish, but they're different. The women's dresses fit a little tighter, and are shinier. Often times they're Russian immigrants. They're so kind and sweet. I get excited to buy things like jam or pies from them at Farmer's Markets.

I think you're mixing them up with the Old Believers. The OALC is descended from Swedish immigrants, while the Old Believers are Russian Orthodox who refused to accept changes to the Orthodox liturgy promulgated by the Tsars in the belief that the Russian church had strayed too far from the Greek root faith. (Wikipedia claims that it was actually the opposite-the Greeks had changed while the Russians were closer to the old Greek faith.) Russians who rejected the liturgical changes were persecuted to the extent that they were forced into the wilds of southcentral Russia or out of the Russian Empire entirely. There is a big group of them in Portland. The biggest OALC community in the US is north of the Columbia River in Clark County, WA.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

My

Although I am not an Anabaptist, I do believe many things they do. I have Mennonite and Amish friends, and their way of life is a special interest for sure.

A few years ago, I even considered joining my friend's Conservative Mennonite church at one point (can you imagine me in a capp and cape dress??) Even though they're the kind of group that uses telephones and power tools, I didn't because I fear that I'm just too wild for them. I don't think they'd know what to do with me.

Anyway, on to the subject of this post:

Since their founding in Central Europe, one of the core tenets of the Anabaptist faith has been Nonresistance to all authorities. I like this idea, and I feel like it fits well with Christianity.

It is different than Non-Violent Resistance. Non-Violent Resistance is a form of peaceful aggression, where you stand your ground, but don't use violence to acchieve your goal.

The way that Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites practice Nonresistance is so much different. There are no protests, no sit ins, no hunger strikes. You just thank The Lord for the good life He has given you.

When Anabaptists have been forced into conscripted military service, many times they were jailed or killed because of their refusal to take up arms against another man. In more modern military service, when they were drafted, they've often been put into the group of "C.O.'s" or Conscientious Objectors.

In everything they do, they try to follow the "turn the other cheek" policy. If someone takes something from you, offer them something else as well. If someone curses you, invite them to dinner.

They don't get involved in politics or modern society in any way. That means not voting, not enlisting in the military, never suing anyone, and accepting any judgement a governmental authority charges them with.

They've been able to avoid military conscription or jury duty because they adhere to these tenets of their faith.

I think it's beautiful, and I wish I had the courage to follow it. Just imagine, instead of worrying or complaining about the government, they thank The Lord for their leaders, and pray that they make wise decisions. They go about their lives in quiet harmony with each other and The Land.

If they are evicted en masse from one area, they just travel to another where they have heard there is more freedom. They believe strongly in religious freedom and freedom of expression for all people, because only by allowing each person to believe as they wish, can they also live a quiet, God Fearing life.

They try hard not to judge anyone. Because to them, faith in whatever or whomever or the lack thereof, is the cornerstone of the Christian Faith. Whatever you believe or do is your choice. And we are one family. So let's all strive to live peacefully in harmony with each other and the land.

My wife's family moved to Canada just after the American revolution for just this reason, Pennsylvanian Deitsch. Her grand mother was Mennonite left the religion.

 

[ucrenegade]

Although I am not an Anabaptist, I do believe many things they do. I have Mennonite and Amish friends, and their way of life is a special interest for sure.

A few years ago, I even considered joining my friend's Conservative Mennonite church at one point (can you imagine me in a capp and cape dress??) Even though they're the kind of group that uses telephones and power tools, I didn't because I fear that I'm just too wild for them. I don't think they'd know what to do with me.

Anyway, on to the subject of this post:

Since their founding in Central Europe, one of the core tenets of the Anabaptist faith has been Nonresistance to all authorities. I like this idea, and I feel like it fits well with Christianity.

It is different than Non-Violent Resistance. Non-Violent Resistance is a form of peaceful aggression, where you stand your ground, but don't use violence to acchieve your goal.

The way that Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites practice Nonresistance is so much different. There are no protests, no sit ins, no hunger strikes. You just thank The Lord for the good life He has given you.

When Anabaptists have been forced into conscripted military service, many times they were jailed or killed because of their refusal to take up arms against another man. In more modern military service, when they were drafted, they've often been put into the group of "C.O.'s" or Conscientious Objectors.

In everything they do, they try to follow the "turn the other cheek" policy. If someone takes something from you, offer them something else as well. If someone curses you, invite them to dinner.

They don't get involved in politics in any way. That means not voting, not enlisting in the military, never suing anyone, and accepting any judgement a governmental authority charges them with.

They've been able to avoid military conscription or jury duty because they adhere to these tenets of their faith.

I think it's beautiful, and I wish I had the courage to follow it. Just imagine, instead of worrying or complaining about the government, they thank The Lord for their leaders, and pray that they make wise decisions. They go about their lives in quiet harmony with each other and The Land.

If they are evicted en masse from one area, they just travel to another where they have heard there is more freedom. They believe strongly in religious freedom and freedom of expression for all people, because only by allowing each person to believe as they wish, can they also live a quiet, God Fearing life.

They try hard not to judge anyone. Because to them, faith in whatever or whomever or the lack thereof, is the cornerstone of the Christian Faith. Whatever you believe or do is your choice. And we are one family. So let's all strive to live peacefully in harmony with each other and the land.

Apparently you never watched Amish Mafia tv show they are not as pure as people think. Even thier lifestyle is exposed which is why the bible says especially in these times don't look to man or it's systems but to look to him.

 

[Magna]

I looked into the Quaker faith over the weekend. They have a meeting space and meetings fairly near me. I like the idea of sitting in silence and just saying what comes to mind out loud if inclined, but I was dismayed to see that after they complete their meditation time they all shake hands. I abhor shaking hands and always have. In Catholic Masses it was one of the worst parts of the church experience for me (shaking hands at the "Sign of Peace").