MennoNet Politics Sabbatical

[Dan Z]

MennoNet, as a discussion forum, exists as a place of engagement, enlightenment, education, and edification for Anabaptist and Anabaptist-interested folks.

Recently, board owner Robert, has become increasingly concerned that the Politics forum of MennoNet has become a dominant place of partisan rancor, often a source of "heat rather than light," ultimately throwing the whole board out of balance and detracting from the mission of the site. After consulting with some of the other Moderators, it was decided that the Politics forum will be archived for approx. 40 days (beginning 1/8) as type of "Politics Sabbatical," with the hope of giving us all a break and allowing attitudes and relationships to reset within MennoNet.

We ask that during this period MennoNet members refrain from launching any topics that are overtly political in nature. Politics may enter secondarily into other discussions (e.g. Faith or Current Events) but the moderators reserve the right to lock any topic that becomes overtly political in nature.

Our hope is that this is a positive step for the board community, and we ask that you each take it as an opportunity to reset your own relationships and attitudes toward your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Moderator Team

An additional statement from Robert can be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3471#p113047

[Wade]

40 days... How about we try at least 40 years.

[MaxPC]

40 days... How about we try at least 40 years.

At the very least 40 months?

[Robert]

40 days... How about we try at least 40 years.

At the very least 40 months?

God cleansed the world in 40 days, but suggesting we can do the same in 40 days is quite egotistical, isn't it?

After 40 years in the desert, the Israelites still could not pull it together. What hope do we have for people to show kindness over politics? I fear we are doomed! Oh, wait! We do still have climate change and Corona! We may make it through.

[Wade]

40 days... How about we try at least 40 years.

At the very least 40 months?

God cleansed the world in 40 days, but suggesting we can do the same in 40 days is quite egotistical, isn't it?

After 40 years in the desert, the Israelites still could not pull it together. What hope do we have for people to show kindness over politics? I fear we are doomed! Oh, wait! We do still have climate change and Corona! We may make it through.

If not maybe 400 years of slavery?

[Ken]

I'm fine with it. No one's minds are ever changed here and there are plenty of other forums out there for political discussion. Thousands of them. I admit I get sucked into political discussions here. But in retrospect it's mostly just back and forth between the same few people with never any meeting of the minds.

Of course every other topic can and does take a political tinge. From child abuse to nonresistance. So politics is not going to be avoided. But I expect overtly political forums are not really necessary.

I would encourage the forum owners to allow for discussions of the role of political involvement by the church. By churches themselves and individual members. I suspect that one consequence of the aftermath of this election will be a complete re-examination of the role of Christians in American politics. If those topics can't be discussed here, where can they be discussed?

[Dan Z]

I would encourage the forum owners to allow for discussions of the role of political involvement by the church. By churches themselves and individual members. I suspect that one consequence of the aftermath of this election will be a complete re-examination of the role of Christians in American politics. If those topics can't be discussed here, where can they be discussed?

I think discussing the relationship of Christians/Churches and Politics are quite important...there are already a number of threads related to this in the Anabaptist and General Theology threads. Feel free to jump in or start one!

[RZehr]

I never got even a tiny bit worked up about anything in the politics thread - at least to the best of my memory. But I did participate, and I suppose I may have contributed something that may have been received as an irritant.

[ohio jones]

No one's minds are ever changed here

And you accuse others of living in a black and white world?
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3453

[Ken]

No one's minds are ever changed here

And you accuse others of living in a black and white world?
http://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3453

Touche!

I expect you have an example ready at your finger tips to prove me wrong?