Anabaptist Identity Conference 2019

[appleman2006]

I would not boycott an event over that fact alone either. But the implication here is at least as I see it that if you buy into that type of thinking you are somehow more of an Anabaptist. That makes as much sense to me as saying only John Deere tractors were used in the production of the food and all people attending only drive GM cars.

[appleman2006]

I might also add if the organisers want to use only organic and non GM food. More power to them. I could care less. Just do not put it on the program or mention it at the event. It clouds the message and the purpose.

[Josh]

I would not boycott an event over that fact alone either. But the implication here is at least as I see it that if you buy into that type of thinking you are somehow more of an Anabaptist. That makes as much sense to me as saying only John Deere tractors were used in the production of the food and all people attending only drive GM cars.

Understood.

Unlike Lobelville/Hurricane Mills 2017, Shipshewana 2019 did not have much of an overtone at all of this stuff. And I’m extremely sceptical and probably overreact to that stuff.

At this point I would say the food being served is at the level of simply not wanting to cause offence to those people for whom it’s still important. I really feel like AIC is back on track encourage Christian believers and promote rigorous intellectual thought amongst traditional Anabaptists - and I don’t say that lightly.

[Martin]

I found Chester Weaver’s talk and the Amish Apologetics talks to both be amazing. To each his or her own, I guess.

Could you please elaborate a little more on the Amish apologetics talk?

[Admiral Acbon]

Hosted by: Nathan & Matthias Overholt and area Amish churches

I know the Overholts have always been associated with this event in some manner. Amish churches, though- that seems new. Are these Old Order, New Order, or what?

[Josh]

Hosted by: Nathan & Matthias Overholt and area Amish churches

I know the Overholts have always been associated with this event in some manner. Amish churches, though- that seems new. Are these Old Order, New Order, or what?

A variety of Orders. They’ve been around since I started attending in 2016.

[francis]

I am sure there were some good topics there. A few that I would certainly enjoy listening to but as long as it is important to the organisers to serve only organic and non GMO foods and as long as they have "healthy soil" topics I probably will be choosing other places to spend my time.
Nothing wrong with those ideas in and of themselves but they have absolutely nothing to do with Anabaptist Identity and only confuse people. It really disappoints me that this is allowed to go on.

I have sadly seen this happen with vaccinations as well.

[Josh]

I am sure there were some good topics there. A few that I would certainly enjoy listening to but as long as it is important to the organisers to serve only organic and non GMO foods and as long as they have "healthy soil" topics I probably will be choosing other places to spend my time.
Nothing wrong with those ideas in and of themselves but they have absolutely nothing to do with Anabaptist Identity and only confuse people. It really disappoints me that this is allowed to go on.

I have sadly seen this happen with vaccinations as well.

I haven't seen signs yet that AIC is going to accept or promote wild conspiracy theories like anti-vaccine people or flat earthers. If it does, I think a lot of us would quit attending, and reputable speakers would probably start to avoid it too.

Whether we like it or not, acceptance of organic and non-GMO foods has entered the mainstream. It's no longer a socially isolating position like being a flat earther or an antivaxxer is.

[francis]

I am sure there were some good topics there. A few that I would certainly enjoy listening to but as long as it is important to the organisers to serve only organic and non GMO foods and as long as they have "healthy soil" topics I probably will be choosing other places to spend my time.
Nothing wrong with those ideas in and of themselves but they have absolutely nothing to do with Anabaptist Identity and only confuse people. It really disappoints me that this is allowed to go on.

I have sadly seen this happen with vaccinations as well.

I haven't seen signs yet that AIC is going to accept or promote wild conspiracy theories like anti-vaccine people or flat earthers. If it does, I think a lot of us would quit attending, and reputable speakers would probably start to avoid it too.

Whether we like it or not, acceptance of organic and non-GMO foods has entered the mainstream. It's no longer a socially isolating position like being a flat earther or an antivaxxer is.

It's not in my home church community but I've definitely seen anti-vaxx in other "kingdom" circles. It's sad, I think many see it as a means of rejecting the world and remaining holy. I definitely saw it listed on a program for an anabaptist conference somewhere, but I assumed it was from AIC in error.

[appleman2006]

The very fact that organic and anti GMO have entered the so called mainstream is the reason I am so concerned about this. I see the same patterns and arguments that are used by their proponents used by the anti vax crowd and it really concerns me. When it is attempted to attach any of these things to Godliness I get really concerned.
I have good friends and bothers and sisters in Christ that are into all of these things. But when they start to question my loyalty to God based on my beliefs of these things they start to lose me.