I think that the central question is how one should live in a Mennonite community, given the circumstances of the world such as wars or pop culture. I have no idea what the exact answer is, but I think that the answer might be that you should live by the "rules" and "laws" that were laid out before you.
On page 3 of Peace Shall Destroy Many, you have Thom Wiens calling those that are flying the airplanes overhead in what is World War II "heathens." Throughout the book, we see Thom basically saying, "War is bad." This is something that was forced upon him, not something he could figure out on his own. Also throughout the book, we see Thom having an internal conflict of whether or not to join the military. In Chapter 5, Joseph is talking to Thom. On page 75, Joseph says, "Thom, you personally are hemmed in - physically - you lose all perspective." During one point of the book, Thom sees a Canadian recruitment poster. And when Thom is working at the Block farm, Elizabeth tells Thom to leave the community. On page 285, Thom punches Herb, the first time that he has ever punched anyone. It is the first time that he has done something "un-Mennonite." There may be a lot of "signs" and a lot of people telling him to, basically, think for himself and to leave the community, but the book is left open, making the reader wonder if Thom chose to stay in the community or join the military. As far as we know, he could have stayed in the community and drowned in beliefs that were forced upon him.
In Katya, towards the beginning of the book, you have Katya holding a piece of wool and saying a prayer to God, something her father had taught her to do when she gets angry because it is not "Mennonite-like" to get angry. Throughout the book, we see Katya doing things that are "Mennonite-like" and those that are not (such as throwing a cup down a well). But throughout the book, we see Katya following her religion, not getting into trouble.
In A Complicated Kindness, you have pop culture that is brought into a Mennonite family. On page 5 in the last paragraph, Nomi says,"...a ban on the media, dancing, smoking, temperate climates, movies, drinking, rock 'n' roll... That was Menno all over. Thanks a lot, Menno." She mentions this, because, at least in the past, all of this stuff was banned. No Mennonite was allowed to do any of these things. Towards the beginning of the book, she mentions the family having gotten a TV because someone they knew was going to be on a show. She basically said that Menno Simons would have a cow. She also mentions Queen and Pink Floyd. In Mennonite tradition, none of this would be allowed. Towards the end of the book, she says that her mother left her husband so that he wouldn't have to choose between her and his religion.
So, in the end, it seems like all Mennonites are not supposed to watch TV, listen to music (well, music that is not soft religious music), or anything else. It seems like they are supposed to live in the 1400s rather than the 2000s.
Mennonites definitely have a lot of rules within their community. However it is interesting how those rules are enforced. Sometimes the administration of punishment is very formal and sometimes it is very casual and under the table. Do you have specific questions about each of the texts?
ReplyDeleteNice observation with your theme. I think that also continues into today's modern Mennonites: how do you reconcile your beliefs with the world? How much do you draw back and how much do you participate? Not all Mennonites would "live in the 1400s" as you mention (take many Mennonites at Goshen, for example) though I think the Mennonites in the books we read would definitely give that impression.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that all of these novels show quite conservative versions of the community that are undergoing change even as they resist assimilation. Thus the conservatism is exaggerated to make a point. As you can probably tell from Goshen College today, there are a lot of Mennonites who are living in the 21st century--but they are still in the process of defining how they are similar to and different from "the world."
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