How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
Post Reply
ohio jones
Posts: 2345
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 6:03 pm
Affiliation: Rosedale Network

How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by ohio jones »

JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:22 pm
GaryK wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 1:54 pm
JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 1:38 pm But you don't have to win me over; it's the rest of the Anabaptist world who is starting to view Anabaptist Perspectives (and everything else in the same universe) with deep suspicion.
Really? The rest of the Anabaptist world? Do you speak for everyone?
I don't, but I am observing that, generally speaking, it's being viewed with suspicion by anyone more conservative than the usual ADC/BMA/Keystone etc. level of "conservatism".

That seems a shame to me.
It seems common for people to view a person or organization less conservative than they are with deep suspicion. I've done that myself at times; perhaps less frequently now than in the past. I've been trying to cultivate shallow suspicion, if any at all, rather than deep suspicion.

How can we avoid practicing and promoting this shameful behavior?
1 x
JohnH
Posts: 9501
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:00 pm
Affiliation: Mennonite Church

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by JohnH »

ohio jones wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:38 pm
JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:22 pm
GaryK wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 1:54 pm

Really? The rest of the Anabaptist world? Do you speak for everyone?
I don't, but I am observing that, generally speaking, it's being viewed with suspicion by anyone more conservative than the usual ADC/BMA/Keystone etc. level of "conservatism".

That seems a shame to me.
It seems common for people to view a person or organization less conservative than they are with deep suspicion. I've done that myself at times; perhaps less frequently now than in the past. I've been trying to cultivate shallow suspicion, if any at all, rather than deep suspicion.

How can we avoid practicing and promoting this shameful behavior?
Well, barely-conservative Anabaptists could do themselves a lot of favours if they stopped proving the Old Orders et al. right, who view them as people who simply want to "harvest" their own members, young people, etc. and persuade them to more liberal-progressive views.

I don't see the ADC/Keystone/BMA/Charity/et al. crowd having much self-insight about this, though.
0 x
joshuabgood
Posts: 938
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2024 9:54 am
Affiliation: Mennonite

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by joshuabgood »

JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:58 pm
ohio jones wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:38 pm
JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 2:22 pm

I don't, but I am observing that, generally speaking, it's being viewed with suspicion by anyone more conservative than the usual ADC/BMA/Keystone etc. level of "conservatism".

That seems a shame to me.
It seems common for people to view a person or organization less conservative than they are with deep suspicion. I've done that myself at times; perhaps less frequently now than in the past. I've been trying to cultivate shallow suspicion, if any at all, rather than deep suspicion.

How can we avoid practicing and promoting this shameful behavior?
Well, barely-conservative Anabaptists could do themselves a lot of favours if they stopped proving the Old Orders et al. right, who view them as people who simply want to "harvest" their own members, young people, etc. and persuade them to more liberal-progressive views.

I don't see the ADC/Keystone/BMA/Charity/et al. crowd having much self-insight about this, though.
It is true that a good amount of Old Orders come over, but I am not sure how much of the reason is because of the effort of the above folks. In older decades I heard more language about Old Orders needing to be "saved" but I don't hear that much anymore. But they still come...
1 x
JohnH
Posts: 9501
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:00 pm
Affiliation: Mennonite Church

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by JohnH »

joshuabgood wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:06 pm It is true that a good amount of Old Orders come over, but I am not sure how much of the reason is because of the effort of the above folks. In older decades I heard more language about Old Orders needing to be "saved" but I don't hear that much anymore. But they still come...
One wonders if we'll ever see any repentance for all those who made the false allegation that Old Orders aren't "saved".
1 x
Soloist
Posts: 2106
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2024 11:24 am
Affiliation: CM Seeker

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Soloist »

I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
0 x
Grace
Posts: 4692
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2019 5:26 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Affiliation: Mennonite

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Grace »

Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:42 pm I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
Off topic. But Ernie has a news site? Wouldn’t mind seeing it.
0 x
Soloist
Posts: 2106
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2024 11:24 am
Affiliation: CM Seeker

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Soloist »

Grace wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 5:28 pm
Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:42 pm I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
Off topic. But Ernie has a news site? Wouldn’t mind seeing it.
It’s subscription based https://www.plainnews.org/
0 x
Grace
Posts: 4692
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2019 5:26 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Affiliation: Mennonite

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Grace »

Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 5:31 pm
Grace wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 5:28 pm
Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:42 pm I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
Off topic. But Ernie has a news site? Wouldn’t mind seeing it.
It’s subscription based https://www.plainnews.org/
Thanks.
0 x
Ernie
Posts: 3461
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2024 3:21 pm
Affiliation: Anabaptist Umbrella

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Ernie »

Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:42 pm I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
I don't know of any publishers who don't have a specific agenda and who publish anything and everything. I'd be glad to know about any that do.

I think that publishers and readers both have agendas. It's just part of being human.

Plain News provides filtered news and we are fine with those who don't like our filter choosing a publisher with a different filter that better fits the readers' agendas.
3 x
A wee little man can’t say, I’m sorry. A big man owns his mistakes and apologizes.
A wee little man trusts himself and his own discernment. A big man is humble enough to know that he needs the counsel and input of others.
Soloist
Posts: 2106
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2024 11:24 am
Affiliation: CM Seeker

Re: How to Challenge Conservative Superiority

Post by Soloist »

Ernie wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 7:41 pm
Soloist wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2026 4:42 pm I’ll admit I view them and Ernie’s news site with suspicion.
I don’t view them as evil but having a specific agenda and not actually being open to views they don’t like. Which is their right.
I don't know of any publishers who don't have a specific agenda and who publish anything and everything. I'd be glad to know about any that do.

I think that publishers and readers both have agendas. It's just part of being human.

Plain News provides filtered news and we are fine with those who don't like our filter choosing a publisher with a different filter that better fits the readers' agendas.
Its the bias that isn't being stated that I objected to. Particularly surrounding vaccines but it doesn't overly matter. When you put yourself in a position of informing the uninformed and then selectively provide information that is deceptive to the scope and refuse to publish a contrasting article, that tells me the issue is important enough to you to refuse showing a conservative position thus, I don't trust your agenda to promote conservative values fairly.
0 x
Post Reply