I was raised Mennonite. My mom is from Ohio and my dad, from the land of Mennonites & Amish, Lancaster, PA. They met in Sarasota, Florida, which is where a lot of northern Mennonites and Amish go to retire or for the winter.
I didn't really know what being Mennonite meant, like what their doctrine was. Because we're not as conservative as some other Mennonites, I dressed like other kids (though my dad is on the conservative side and didn't want us girls wearing pants -unless we were horseback riding- and we weren't allowed to cut our hair, though my mom cut hers anyway). My mom wore a covering for many years, but by the time I was about 10, she had stopped wearing one. So I didn't feel like we were any different than the Baptists, Lutherans, and other denominations. As I got older, I learned about how Mennonites are different for their pacifist and anabaptist beliefs (anabaptist means you don't baptize your babies, you let them get baptized when they are old enough to decide for themselves.). I have come to really appreciate my background. I compare Mennonite to Jewish, it's a culture as well as a religion, so no matter if you're a practicing member or not, you still consider yourself one.
I do consider myself a practicing Mennonite and I am definitely on the very left leaning side of the Mennonite spectrum. Like any denomination or religion, there's going to be people you disagree with. I was happy to find a great Mennonite church here in Portland and the church is welcoming of everyone (Though under the Mennonite conference we aren't allowed to marry gay people...which I hope is changing...).
I consider myself tolerant of other's religious beliefs. I want mine to be respected just as much I respect yours. I do not wish to force it onto anyone. I think it's impossible to change people's minds so easily.
1 comment:
Really interesting, thanks for sharing
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