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The
Mennonites have not always lived in Canada. If we look at how they
began, we will have an easier time understanding why they did not
want to fight during the Second World War.
Mennonites
trace their history back almost 500 years. They are named after
Menno Simons. Menno Simons was trained as a Catholic priest, but
as he read the Bible for himself, he began to see differences between
the Bible and the Catholic church. Based on his understanding of
the Bible, Menno Simons disagreed with many of the practices and
beliefs of the Catholic church as he knew it. Around this time,
other men and women also began to challenge the Catholic church.
This movement is known as the Reformation.
Menno
Simons made the Bible his only authority. He thought that all people
should read the story of Jesus in the Bible and then decide for
themselves how to live. When Menno Simons read the Bible, he believed
that the example of Jesus was calling him to live a life of peaceful
obedience. Simons emphasized the need for believers to dedicate
their lives completely to God and to become disciples, or followers,
of Jesus.
Canadian
Mennonite Brethren Church leader Frank C. Peters, reflecting on
his time as a conscientious objector stated “From the beginning
to the end of his life, Jesus grappled with the problem of force….
I can come to no other conclusions than that Jesus was the first
Christian pacifist.” [ Frank
C. Peters, “Moderator's Corner”, Mennonite Brethren Herald
July 9, 1976 p. 19.]
The
Mennonites knew that following Jesus completely was a difficult
decision. For this reason, they did not baptize babies like the
Catholic church did. In order to be baptized and become a member
of the Mennonite church, you had to be old enough to understand
the sacrifice you would have to make.
So
far, we know that the Mennonites have certain beliefs that set them
apart from many other Christians. What exactly
did they believe, and how did they live such a difficult life?
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