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Today, I learned a little about Mennonites. I didn't know that they existed. In the UK, there are only two Mennonite churches and they are disappearing, while in the US, there are some 110,000 members (as of 2010).
The interesting fact is that Mennonites have received conscientious objector status since World War II, working in community and government positions instead of the military.
It seems odd, or wrong rather, that a certain religious group is granted a special entitlement by the US government, or the government of any country for that matter.
The article I was reading is a little old. Still... [mysanantonio.com]
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.My Dad was born a Mennonite. During WWII, non Mennonite people would come in the middle of the night painting a yellow stripe on the doors of their houses, a way of calling them cowards. Here is the thing, while being a Mennonite meant you could not take up arms against your fellow man, many did serve in non combat positions as clerks, drivers, medics on the front lines. Imagine the courage one had to have to go into enemy territory and NOT carry a way to defend yourself. Dad's family left this way of life (though it did not leave them as evidenced by the skills taught us kids) and both he and his brother joined the Navy and served during the Korean war.
misstuffy
Level 7
May 4, 2022
3
I have no problem with those people that have deeply held beliefs, not serving in the military or combat, so long as they do some service. People that don't believe in what they are doing present a clear and present danger to the others involved in the operation.
However, I believe that all should serve in some capacity, so that everyone has skin in the game. I believe that every person should serve in some government service for 2 years, sometime before they turn 26.
glennlab
Level 10
May 2, 2022
3
Ryo1:
Yes, we can all make meaningful contributions to society in different ways, believers and non-believers alike.
Many did serve as non combatants.
Many did serve as non combatants, i.e. Clerks and medics as stated earlier, also truck drivers.
I work in a small town in mid Missouri where we had a Mennonite Bakery. I loved eating there at their deli and they had better food. Recently the head man sold the Bakery to another local group who still honors them by keeping the Mennonite deli items with fresh meats, cheese, and bread. They are very friendly and I was sorry to see the Bakery change hands.
A few years ago I had a girlfriend in Texas who was once a Mennonite. She was married once to a Lutheran and had 2 children. My parents told me that I should have married that woman and my parents were Pentecostal.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Apr 30, 2022
1
My ex-wifes family is Menno, as is her German mother. I'm surprised there are only 110,000 of them . Hmm, lots around here.
They split off from the Amish many years ago.
And yes her Dad & uncles, back in the draft days, did not have to go.
Her dad, Bob, met her mom, Dietland, in Germany in 1950's, when he was there, serving the "cause". Mom was pretty much a war orphan. Her dad disappeared in the German Army. Died somewhere, body never found.
Story is that the Mennos here didn't like her, cause she drank wine @ dinner and....there was supposedly a local lady here for Bob to marry, when he brought home the Fraulein !
SCANDAL !
He was unlike most of them, artistic and studious, rather rebellious, but true to the religion.. The others were slugs chasing the $'s, like many of us. Sadly, he was the 1st of the brood to die.
twill
Level 7
Apr 30, 2022
1
Actually, the Mennonite were the original group and it was the Amish who were the splinter group. They had decided we were getting too worldly and interacting with non Mennonite too much. Their ideal was no interaction with non Mennonite whatsoever. Something even back then, Mennonite saw as an impossibility. Most people make this mistake believing the Amish were the original group, but it is not so,
Quakers can get conscientious objector status. And the Moslem Mohamed Ali (the boxer formerly known as Cassius Clay) was ultimately vindicated in his conscientious objector claim. I bet an atheist could successfully claim it too.
Flyingsaucesir
Level 8
Apr 30, 2022
2
Ryo1:
So, basically, everybody can get conscientious objector status. If so, that's not so bad.
I bet they cannot get it.
@Jolanta This bears some looking into.
Ali also did prison time over it
@twill Sadly, yes. I wonder how much that was driven by racism and politics.
@Flyingsaucesir Correct. All of it.
@Ryo1 Being a CO is supposed to be non religious, yet, it really varied by location as to whom was accepted. Back during the draft, one had to go in front of a review board. A friend of mine, being from D.C. where they had a plentiful male population for the snagging (mostly POC) walked in and was rubber stamped- his father had been one in WWII. The draft ended as I turned 18; that said, I doubt I, or any non believers, would have been accepted since Lancaster County Pennsylvania already had a large number of religiously exempt men.
Ryo1:
@Beowulfsfriend It seems that in America, religious groups, mostly Christians, have a lot of influence on governmental decision-making. I think that's wrong.
@Ryo1 Totally agree.
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