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Neto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 27, 2026 1:06 pm I hope this isn't considered political, because while it does involve the belief in non-participation in political action and advocacy, I'd like to avoid the straight political angle here.

I'm writing this because some comments elsewhere here on MN brought up a memory regarding the official Wycliffe (WBT) position and warning regarding such things as I put in the subject title.

We were warned that any time we might see a crowd gathering while in the city, to avoid even going over to see what it was about. I think I only saw a crowd milling around in our state capitol (Porto Velho, Rondonia) once, and we never found out what it was about. However, there were frequently illegal camps set up by the Sem Terra (Landless) group (The full name is Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra - MST; translated as Movement of Landless Rural Workers), usually on the grounds of the local INCRA offices (Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária - National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform), At least that was the case in our capitol city, PVH.

A somewhat related type of "event" was witnessed by one of our co-workers, and he DID stick around to see what would happen. A military jeep parked in a no parking zone along the main street in the capitol. A policeman stopped and started writing out a ticket. A military guy came back to the vehicle and confronted him. At some point they both pulled their guns. Then the policeman called in for reinforcements. Soon after, more military jeeps arrived as well. So it looked like there was going to be a violent conflict between the military and the police. However, Brazilians rarely (from my observations of conflicts) come to blows. They get right in each others' face, yell, cuss, etc., but then just walk away. (I only saw a 'fight' escalate once. Two taxi drivers were arguing over where they could park. One of them shoved the other back, and he stumbled over the curb and fell into the street. Fortunately no cars were coming right then, or he could have been run over. But that was the end of the 'fight'.)

So the above is just memories that came back to me this morning, thinking about the question of Christians, and especially "anabaptists", participating or not, in demonstrations or protests. I am not aware that our congregation has anything at all in our conduct standards about this entire question. Actually, I know for certain that there is no mention of this at all. How about you all's congregations? Any statement about this?

Valerie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:12 am I do believe Black Lives Matter but my spirit was troubled about the “movement” & founders & turned out my spirit was right to not join as they were exposed & honestly I think things got worse from it, not helping.

Valerie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:12 am We did attend a Trump rally about a half hour from us (stuck in traffic 2 hours getting into the grounds) but I told my husband it was too worldly for my liking

JohnH wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:43 am

Valerie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:12 am I do believe Black Lives Matter but my spirit was troubled about the “movement” & founders & turned out my spirit was right to not join as they were exposed & honestly I think things got worse from it, not helping.

It turns out the leaders of that movement were actually interested in starting a nonprofit that paid themselves a big, six figure salary and used the donated funds to go buy themselves mansions. They also weren't black.

Valerie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:12 am I think was a Christian it is important to not be “guilty by association “ aligning ourselves with an angry mob.