A challenger appears

[Josh]

I have not read all of his posts but his walk is impressive- just from what I've read- and his direction-

How do you know what his walk is? We don't know anything about him; we just know what he decided to show up here and post for the last week.

I agree with him on health issues (so far as I've read)

You do? What is his actual stance on health issues?

I find it interesting that his posts are very thought provoking & his love for the Lord sincere while myriads of posts are basically back stabbing- not a fruit of the Spirit-in other words-lots of time wasted 'about' him, and part of that is because his thought provoking posts seems a waste of time- seems somewhat hypocritical? I don't know- just seems that way

I have not found his posts to show much "love for the Lord"; instead, he proclaims loudly that if you don't agree with him, you don't agree with the Bible, don't love the Lord, and aren't a Christian.

His test of Christianity is about as works-based and anti-grace as it can get. He claims that if you suffer from cancer or that if you ever get a cold, you aren't obeying the Bible. It's a ridiculous stance to take, it's anti-Christian, and it's not "back stabbing" to openly question it.

[Somebody]

Some of the responses on this thread begin to feel like some are making fun of him. I often couldn't follow his thoughts but it seemed he's sincere in his beliefs and trying to do whats right. I'm guessing he thought he found a group that believes like he does.

[Aaron]

Some of the responses on this thread begin to feel like some are making fun of him. I often couldn't follow his thoughts but it seemed he's sincere in his beliefs and trying to do whats right. I'm guessing he thought he found a group that believes like he does.

As I posted in joining , so to speak, I was looking for pure Anabaptists, following Jesus. Didn't find any here(as you noticed also?) that I could verify. A lot following other voices though - I was hopeful not that many....
Still looking.

[Signtist]

As I posted in joining ...I was looking for pure Anabaptists... Didn't find any here...that I could verify.

What's the criteria?

[Josh]

Some of the responses on this thread begin to feel like some are making fun of him. I often couldn't follow his thoughts but it seemed he's sincere in his beliefs and trying to do whats right. I'm guessing he thought he found a group that believes like he does.

Forums on the Internet aren't a place to find "pure Anabaptists", particularly when many people participate anonymously.

[Valerie]

Some of the responses on this thread begin to feel like some are making fun of him. I often couldn't follow his thoughts but it seemed he's sincere in his beliefs and trying to do whats right. I'm guessing he thought he found a group that believes like he does.

Forums on the Internet aren't a place to find "pure Anabaptists", particularly when many people participate anonymously.

Why not?

And why be anonymous?

[Szdfan]

Some of the responses on this thread begin to feel like some are making fun of him. I often couldn't follow his thoughts but it seemed he's sincere in his beliefs and trying to do whats right. I'm guessing he thought he found a group that believes like he does.

As I posted in joining , so to speak, I was looking for pure Anabaptists, following Jesus. Didn't find any here(as you noticed also?) that I could verify. A lot following other voices though - I was hopeful not that many....
Still looking.

If you’re looking for “pure Anabaptism,” I think you’re going to be disappointed, because it doesn’t exist. Anabaptism is a diverse group, with a broad range of people and beliefs (which is often what happens when faith and ethnic identity are intertwined). This forum reflects that identity and there are also plenty of people here who are not Anabaptists.

Maybe instead of framing it as a search for “pure Anabaptism,” a better question is to ask yourself which characteristics you’re looking for in a faith community. It’s not fair to place expectations on any group that they’re going to be a “pure” expression of what you expect them to be (and I say this as someone who has had multiple conversations with people disappointed that we weren’t who they thought we were). Also, this is a web forum, not a church.

This forum is made up of moderate conservative to liberal Anabaptists. If by “pure Anabaptism,” you mean Old Order and Amish, you’re not going to find them online. You mentioned Oklahoma, I have distant relatives in Thomas. Perhaps that’s a place to start.

Blessings on your journey.

[Josh]

Forums on the Internet aren't a place to find "pure Anabaptists", particularly when many people participate anonymously.

Why not?

Anabaptism isn't something that is experienced on an Internet forum. It's something that happens in real life, with people who want to spend quality time with you, in a church, family, and in a one on one setting.

Anabaptism is primarily not an intellectual exercise, and Internet forums aren't useful for much other than intellectual discourse.

And why be anonymous?

I don't know; I'm not anonymous, but people like MaxPC and Aaron are. We don't know anything about them, and folks like them don't want to identify themselves at all.

[steve-in-kville]

325 posts in 14 days is just over 23 posts/day.

Those are rookie numbers! Time to pump those numbers up!!

[Robert]

As I posted in joining , so to speak, I was looking for pure Anabaptists, following Jesus. Didn't find any here(as you noticed also?) that I could verify. A lot following other voices though - I was hopeful not that many....
Still looking.

======================================================================
There was an old farmer sitting on his front porch. A car loaded down with belongings stopped in front of his house. It was easy to see they were moving. The man driving called out to the farmer, "What are people like in your community?"

The farmer asked in response, "What were the people like int he community you just left?"

The man said, "They were mean and judgemental."

The farmer said, "You will find them the the same way here." The man shook his head and drove on to the next town.

A while later, another car loaded down with possessions stopped at the farmer's house. The man driving asked the farmer, "What are people like in your town?"

The farmer asked in response, "What were the people like in the place you are coming from?"

The man smiled at his family and said, "They were nice and helpful."

The farmer smiles and said, "You will find them the same way here."

========================================================================

We often create what we experience. When we are friendly and caring, we often receive that back. When we are judgemental and abrasive, we often receive that back.

I do think this is why Jesus tells us to remove the log from our own eye before we worry about the splinter in someone else's.

God is love. We are called to be God's ambassadors. Our role is to spread love and leave the judging to God. Pure Anabaptists devote their lives to loving others, even their enemies but also their siblings in Christ. We love them so much we will not return harm when enacted on us.