What about the Amish?

The beliefs and practices of the Amish were based on the writings of the founder of the Mennonite faith, Menno Simons (1496-1561), and on the 1632 Mennonite Dordrecht Confession of Faith.

Here is what that confession says about salvation.

8. We believe that, through Jesus Christ, God offers salvation from sin and a new way of life. We receive God's salvation when we repent and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In Christ, we are reconciled with God and brought into the reconciling community. We place our faith in God that, by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we may be saved from sin to follow Christ and to know the fullness of salvation.

I don't believe that this is the statement of a cult but rather is closer to what the Bible, and especially Jesus himself, says than many Baptist churches today who refuse to obey Christ's call to "come and folllow Me." Most would call this "works salvation" and heretical but obviously it is not since it was said by Jesus Himself. Do you reject the way to salvation as defined by our Lord?

 

Amish/Mennonites must be protected

As I would teach it Live! and let live...live your life and let your light shine and let others live their lives...the Amish and Mennonites are living examples of grace but it always happens someone or fundy extremism must control or find someone to scapegoat.

The Amish and Mennonites where persecuted in Europe I know I have been to Switzerland and Status Archives and read where they were basically drowned in the rivers and told to get out or die...and then their is America where they were persecuted and put down for being anti-war like the Quakers. They are a tight society and it is a hard agrarian lifestyle but it does seem to be pure and they practice what they preach but with the onslaught of corporate agriculture they have suffered economically.

They have had some bloody noses as with Mennonites involved with the Marijuana trade coming out of Mexico again their reason was for economic survival but was still wrong.

I disagree with the inequality of women within the society but individuals make choices and you must allow them to live their lives as they will allow you to live yours. People can leave but it does mean severe silence and loss of family if they do...it is a high cost. Marcia mentioned rape and women being basically 2nd class...some merit to that but at the same time the women have purpose and fulfillment as well ..their are trade offs but I would not like it, again a woman can leave but at high cost. I would like to think most of the society is filled with fairness and grace but it is hard to know for sure.

The Amish are a minority and they must be protected as that is a major on what our country stands for to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.

It is a tight and strict society and they miss out on a lot but at the same time we miss out on a lot from their perspective in living an agrarian life filled with nature and animals but it is also hard work.

I wish them the best and survival.

 

You can't always tell from a Statement of Faith. I've seen what appear to be sound Stmts of Faith on sites of cultic churches or groups. It depends on how they use terms. Notice the term "reconciling community." If they believe that describes themselves only, that means you are not part of that community, and therefore not saved, if you are not in their community. "Saved from sin" could mean lots of legalism. So what is meant by these statements is what counts, and you can't tell from this. Therefore, I would not count on this as necessarily meaning they are totally sound or that they are not legalistic. Unusual phrases like these should jump out at one.

 

In other words, you're taking what two or three Amish say over their written statement of belief. Do you think we could do that with the SBC?

 

True in many respects of what little I know of them. They are not of the "dispensational grace gospel" in the "Body Church", but it is possible they may be proselytes of the "Kingdom Church" if they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. I really don't know enough about them to give a label.