Posted by fschmidt on
URL: https://mikraite.arkian.net/Learning-from-the-Mennonites-tp1884p1912.html

You are right, I need to correct my statement: "I don't think that being in religious error necessarily makes one immoral."  In other words, some errors are evil and do make one immoral.  But some errors are untrue but not evil, and those don't make one immoral.

Every culture has its flaws, but by the standards of the modern world which is quite evil and degenerate, the Japanese are way above average.  I would put the Mennonites higher.  But neither culture is ideal for me.

I don't think that unlearning the wrong things that we have learnt is enough when faced with a new situation.  For example, you can't master math just by unlearning wrong things, you actually have to learn new things.  Islam is facing a new challenge that needs new approaches.  This challenge is the challenge of practicing religion in exile.  Islam briefly faced this in Mecca at the beginning, but with such a strong leader as Muhammad, it could be faced easily.  But from the time of Medina to the rise of the Christian West, Islam basically existed in Islamic nations.  This is no longer true.  Even Middle Eastern countries with Muslim populations can't really be called Islamic since they are ruled by corrupt dictators who don't care about religion.  So for all practical purposes, Muslims everywhere are living in exile.  And there is nothing in Islamic history or even in the Quran to give guidance on how to do this effectively.

Judaism and Christianity have strong experience with living in exile, so Islam should learn from these other religions.  I have studied these religions and I think the Mennonites offer the best model.  I plan to visit the closest Mennonite church on December 9 to learn more.