Mennonite Quaintness

[Anthony]

Ive never seen much discussion on the mennonite apperance of their “quaintness” or how they seem sort of “cute” dressing up and living on farms.

Do mennonites think of their culture/lifestyle in this way?

[seinetsodumm]

No. It’s not quaint. It’s our way of life. It’s a good life. Although not all Mennonites live on farms. Many (maybe most) on this forum do not.

[barnhart]

Ive never seen much discussion on the mennonite apperance of their “quaintness” or how they seem sort of “cute” dressing up and living on farms.

Do mennonites think of their culture/lifestyle in this way?

Why do you think of mennonet this way?

[Anthony]

Ive never seen much discussion on the mennonite apperance of their “quaintness” or how they seem sort of “cute” dressing up and living on farms.

Do mennonites think of their culture/lifestyle in this way?

Why do you think of mennonet this way?

What do you mean?

[barnhart]

Ive never seen much discussion on the mennonite apperance of their “quaintness” or how they seem sort of “cute” dressing up and living on farms.

Do mennonites think of their culture/lifestyle in this way?

Why do you think of mennonet this way?

What do you mean?

I meant to ask why do you think of mennonites this way?

[temporal1]

Why do you think of mennonet this way?

What do you mean?

I meant to ask why do you think of mennonites this way?

Anthony, Welcome to the forum.

You have “Con Mennonite” as your affiliation. Are you new to conservative Mennonites/Anabaptists?

There are existing forum topics on plain dress, headcoverings, pros+cons; i’m not sure anyone has used the words “quaint” or “cute” as descriptors for plain/modest dress.

Quaint / Adjective
attractively unusual or old-fashioned:
"quaint country cottages""a quaint old custom"

Some examples of headcovering/dress topics: (there are more!)

https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=3815
https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=5322
https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=6010

https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=4327
https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=4306
https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=4609

https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=8542

[Anthony]

Why do you think of mennonet this way?

What do you mean?

I meant to ask why do you think of mennonites this way?

I was re-reading a pamphlet from a conservative mennonite preacher with a NMB and he referred to the world’s perception of mennonites as “quaint, cute, rural, and happy in our misery”. Ive always had the same impression but have never seen mennonites talk about themselves like this.

[Anthony]

Anthony, Welcome to the forum.

Thank you

You have “Con Mennonite” as your affiliation. Are you new to conservative Mennonites/Anabaptists?

Joined a conservative church 2 years ago

[barnhart]

I think a requirement for quaintness is distance or unfamiliarity. Things that are close or common seem normal, not quaint.

[Valerie]

What do you mean?

I meant to ask why do you think of mennonites this way?

I was re-reading a pamphlet from a conservative mennonite preacher with a NMB and he referred to the world’s perception of mennonites as “quaint, cute, rural, and happy in our misery”. Ive always had the same impression but have never seen mennonites talk about themselves like this.

As an outsider, that is/was never my perception of Mennonites. My first real exposure was in Lancaster County in 1992 before we moved to OH 2 months later (from Southern California). Learning about Amish first, as a. Christian, I held the Amish in high esteem. I saw something in them. I felt was lacking in my own walk with the Lord, where I gave myself too many worldly pleasures regarding fashion and entertainment. I think it was a Mennonite woman we took in our rental car that gave us a tour of the area and explained a lot to us. She wasn’t Amish. I’m sure she must’ve been the most conservative type of Mennonite.

People have accused me of romanticizing the Amish and Mennonites thinking that I look at them like you’re describing, but that’s not the case at all I see them as a people that do better than to allow themselves to wander in the ways of the world like a lot of Christian denominations do and have Stayed true to their convictions, regardless of how the world may misdiagnose why they do what they do. I feel their convictions that are guided by the holy scriptures affect how they live their lives by way of dress by way of occupations by way of how they spend their free time. I really don’t see that as quaint, cute, and I really don’t understand the implication that they’re in misery I wonder why he jumped at that conclusion?