Mennonite Church USA, a very liberal branch of the Anabaptist tradition, believes that state power is inconsistent with the Church’s identity and mission. They also advocate for the strict separation of church and state. This is unlike what you see in the Church today.
In today's Church, you see political candidates seeking endorsement from nationally recognized pastors, and these candidates are making special appearances at Christian events. Believers are unknowingly aligning themselves with the enemies camp.
Ecumenically-minded Liberty University hosts Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee
John Hagee and John McCain
Some would say that Christians who align themselves with a political candidate is a sign of being an apostate. Think about it.
Conservative Anabaptists, Amish, Mennonite, Charity, Hutterite, and Brethren follow these practices to express their belief in being separated from government, and live a biblical lifestyle. They
don't serve jury duty.
don't swear out warrant for someone's arrest, but will call police to report a crime or haul someone away.
try to avoid testifying in court.
won't swear on the Bible.
don't fly American flags
don't salute American flags
don't recite pledge of allegiance.
don't march in parades.
some do watch 4th of July fireworks.
excommunication for divorcing spouse.
denial of church membership if divorced and re-married with first spouse still living.
are pro life.
don't participate in or attend organized sports.
no Santa Claus, E-bunny or Halloween.
do not have Christmas trees.
many do decorate house w/Christmas greenery, candle on table w/candle ring.
do not get involved with politics.
do not run for political office.
do not vote.
do not vote in presidential election - never voting for someone who would be involved in making a decision to bear arms/go to war.
do not join local community organizations such as the Masons, Lion's Club, DAR, Shriner's, etc.
believe in separation of church and state.
are non-resistant.
do not hold any jobs in which they would work for the local, state or federal gov't in any capacity including a postman.
therefore do not hold a job where they would be required to bear arms as in security guard or police force.
do not become attorneys.
do not protest march, but some will write letters to congressmen.
all males 18 yrs and older are registered as CO's. ( conscientious objectors) Should there ever be another draft they will serve two years - usually in hospitals.
The Amish do not pay into nor do they receive SS benefits - not even the ones who do pay into it. Indiana Amish has recently allowed this temporarily for Amish factory workers of English jobs due to the economy.
do not receive Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, etc.
do not believe in nor own health insurance, as the individual church they attend takes care of its own; you cannot as per Scripture. There is a slight exception to this lately by certain groups.
do not own life insurance for same reason.
have their own schools or home school (Amish Cook's children are the only ones I know who attend public school, as their community is too small as yet to establish an Amish school.
Plain People/conservative groups have guns and bow/arrow for hunting, putting down sick animals, they fish and trap if desired. All is used for food and not for sport, and never for defense. Guns are kept unloaded and in a locked cabinet. Hand guns are registerd with the state, and you have to have a license to own a handgun.
In the past few days, the concept of pacifism and nonresistance have crossed my path. As some of you know, I served in the military for 20 years, dividing my time between active duty Air Force and the Air National Guard. When confronted with pacifist and nonresistance ideas, I never studied them closely, since I felt I was too far down an opposite path to even consider such an idea. You see, true pacifists do not serve in the military. Those who believe in nonresistance don't either, but for slightly different reasons than the pacifist. Since this doesn't seem to be an issue any longer in the West, Christians join the military every day - believing they are doing something just and noble.
At close examination, the reason why those who follow nonresistance don't serve in the military, is because these saints of God understand that they live in a world of two kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the civil kingdom we reside in. Their first allegiance is to King Jesus and His values, teachings, and ethics. There has been a continuous battle for allegiance between these two kingdoms.[1]Historically, the ancient Church understood that war has been around as long as human beings, and sin coexisted with it. It is a consistent tenet throughout the Christian tradition that war is the result of sin. Christians were warned in the early years of Christianity to distance themselves from the world's pagan culture and military service. [2]
Jesus and His earthly ministry was the epitome of non-resistance, even submitting to suffering and death of the cross from which He could have delivered Himself by calling thousands of angels (Mt. 26:53). When the men came to arrest Jesus, Peter wielded his sword and cut off a man's ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and said, "They that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Mt. 26:52). Later, Jesus told Pilate "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight...." (John 18:36).
Prince of Peace or God of War If Christians started out practicing nonresistance, why have things changed? As most of us do not know, Christians have involved themselves in the practice of war since the time of Augustine. This is because Augustine justified Constantine's unscriptural marriage between church and state with false doctrine. Many Christian theologians of the time justified violence, particularly when directed against those who held other religious beliefs. They viewed it as doing God's will, so the crusades were considered a "just" war in the eyes of the Catholic church. In Augustine's own words:
"How much more must the man be blameless who carries on war on the authority of God, of whom every one who serves Him knows that He can never require what is wrong?"
Dozens of other groups, mainly those who were considered as heretical by the Pope, suffered the same fate at the hand of the Pope and the Church during the Reformation. Many suffered condemnation, excommunication, repression and eventually death. Christians did not shy away from killing their own Christian brethren when even minor theological differences arose. For them, no differences were truly minor and all Catholic doctrine was considered the True Path to heaven. If any person or group deviated on any point, or it challenged the authority of the church, they were massacred.
Times have changed since the crusades and the Reformation, but involvement in war and government by Christians mistakenly continued to modern day.
What Does the Bible Say?
People who use the New Testament to support the use of violence generally do two things when quoting it:
They manipulate the interpretation to say what they want it to say.
They take one line or verse out of context to avoid having to deal with the real meaning of the passage.
As you will find, Jesus was a lover of peace and never promoted acts of violence. Study these verses and note that each one, in some way, documents Jesus' peace teaching. Scriptural nonresistance is not pacifism, although they share many of the same verses. Most Christians today do not accept the New Testament doctrine of non-resistance. Many refuse to see the clear teachings on this matter, or if they do see this truth they do not apply it to their lives. Under the old covenant, God's people were not nonresistant to their enemies, but under the new covenant, we have a much higher calling than the Old Testament saints.
Rom. 13 – Submitting to Authority - Biblical nonresistance feels that the government has the right to go to war/and to carry out capital punishment per Romans 13.
Jesus teaches a radical new message of self-sacrifice and enemy love, and models it in the way he lives his life. He taught it to His disciples, and it has been given to us in these New Testament verses.
It’s written by Paul, who spent many years in jail, so he obviously wasn’t very good at complying with the wishes of the governing authorities. Jesus never suggested trying to overthrow the Roman government, but he does advocate being a good citizen as long as it doesn’t conflict with how God wants us to live. We are to have allegiance to God's Word first, then man's word.
What about the U.N. and their plan for peace?
The idea of peace in the world has long been the mating call of many New Agers, occultists, the World Council of Churches, and the United Nations. As you will see in the following video, pacifism is also a belief of some liberal Christians, the Christian left, including the Emergent church - and many of them practice nonresistance. This liberal pacifism, although it appears to be supported by Scripture, is different than Biblical nonresistance. Nonresistance does not align itself into a universal brotherhood, unify with the government, or the hierarchy of pagan peace plans.These groups make desiring peace, which in reality is desired by everyone, but it provides a questionable path to follow. It is committing yourself to a counterfeit peace. Pacifism is a false peace plan, a counterfeit, and it is not the peace Christ asked us to walk out in our lives.
There are some Christian denominations who teach only nonresistance. Historic nonresistance churches can still be found today, however some of them may also teach liberalized pacifism, such as: the Church of the Brethren, the Mennonites including the Amish (as well as other Anabaptists). For the most part, many of them are nonresistant, but not necessarily. The Charity Churches out of Ephrata, PA, are nonresistant.The Religious Society of Friends, which are not all Christian, are considered pacifists.
The Bottom Line
In the future, prior to the one world religion, "human rights and peace at all costs" will become the main issues, and the power will shift from God's peace, to peace man can provide - forsaking all of our freedoms. While the United Nations and the New Age movement are calling for inclusiveness and peace, the Bible calls us to come out and be separate (see Revelation 18:4). We are not to join in an emotional, human rights-based religion, but to proclaim the Truth to all people by presenting the Gospel.
The United Nations and international political unity (peace) are simply a tool for religious unification and world domination. Based upon a quote from occultist Alice Bailey:
"Evidence of the growth of the human intellect along the needed receptive lines [for the preparation of the New Age] can be seen in the "planning" of various nations and in the efforts of the United Nations to formulate a world plan...From the very start of this unfoldment, three occult factors have governed the development of all these plans."
She did not spell out clearly the identity of these "three occult factors," but stated this:
"Within the United Nations is the germ and seed of a great international and meditating, reflective group—a group of thinking and informed men and women in whose hands lies the destiny of humanity. This is largely under the control of many fourth ray disciples, if you could but realize it, and their point of meditative focus is the intuitional or buddhic plane—the plane upon which all hierarchical activity is today to be found." [2] She is talking about the Cosmic (Masonic) Christ.
Fighting for World Democracy
Our view of the world has been skewed by history and time, so Christians have unknowingly been in alliance with the government. Isn't our unwillingness to take a position for nonresistance, almost like helping the globalists create a New World Order for the world government, not to mention the helping the Antichrist? There are times when governments will have to go to war, but taking the world by force for greedy reasons is not what we should be promoting or involved in.
You will have to make a decision as to which kingdom you will serve. Do you serve the Kingdom of God, or the kingdom of this world? When the entire Bible is reviewed, it is evident that God is opposed to human governments, because He knows they will eventually become corrupt - as ours has. Many important New Testament Bible characters spent at least some time resisting the government - but only when it was in conflict with the Word of God. Jesus was a peacemaker, and I'm certain He desires us to be the same way.
Without completely undoing what I stated in my article on pacifism, I learned that there is a fundamental difference between nonresistance and pacifism. I was under the impression that they were basically the same, mainly because of the sites I did my research in. It appeared that they went hand-in-hand with one another. But there is, in fact, a big difference between religious pacifism and Biblical nonresistance. This would explain why Tony Campolo and Emergent church members were on the video supporting religious pacifism, because pacifism is a counterfeit of Biblical nonresistance. This would also explain why some churches of the religious left offer pacifist teachings and have become involved in the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches - all reaching in unity toward a counterfeit peace. I apologize for the mishmash in my research and hope you will read this clarification.
But before that, I wanted to mention that I was kindly corrected yesterday by a Mennonite friend who explained that Amish, Mennonites, and other Anabaptists are not pacifists. She said: We believe that the government has the right to maintain local police forces and go to war per Romans 13 - specifically verse 4. We glean from the OT, but live by the NT. No where in the NT are Christians told to bear arms for any reason - 'Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.' Peter's sword was for fending off wild animals, chopping brush, cutting rope, and things like that - utilitarian purposes.
In my attempt to do damage control, and to learn the difference between the two, I've borrowed this explanation using a comparison.
The author prefaces her comparison with this statement:
Pacifism represents 'a group of men and women of many nations and races who recognize the unity of the worldwide family and wish to explore the possibilities of love for discovering truth, dispelling antagonisms, and reconciling people, despite all differences, in a friendly society'.
In some ways, pacifism is a rather general term. There are both secular pacifists as well as religious pacifists. But they are united in their basic beliefs, their objectives, and their methods.
Pacifism and nonresistance are incompatible.Note the contrasts:
Pacifism is built around a peace emphasis. The pacifist thinks in terms of effecting peace among the nations. Christianity is built on Jesus Christ. The nonresistant Christian understands that peace on earth is realized only as individuals are personally submitted to the Prince of Peace. He thinks in terms of helping individuals find salvation and experience peace with God.
Pacifism emphasizes the universal brotherhood of man and believes in the innate (inborn) goodness of man. Biblical nonresistance understands that man is a fallen creature, born with a sinful nature. Man's native tendency is downward. To become a child of God, man must be born again. He must be spiritually regenerated by the work of God's Spirit (John 3:1-7).
Religious pacifists are selective in their use of Scripture. They emphasize Scriptures such as Matthew 5:9, John 17, and I Corinthians 13. Many of them do not accept the deity of Christ nor His atoning work. Instead, they recognize Him only as a noble example, a hero of peace, a world reformer, and a revolutionist. The nonresistant believer "believeth all things...endureth all things" (I Corinthians 13:7; Matthew 28:20). He accepts the truth about Jesus Christ: that He is the perfect Lamb of God who came to earth to provide atonement for man through His suffering and death. He understands that personal peace with God is realized only by accepting the vicarious death of Christ (Colossians 1:20, Ephesians 2:13, 14 and II Corinthians 5:17-21).
Pacifists oppose war because it conflicts with their ideology. They seek to disarm the nations in an effort to bring about ' a durable and lasting peace' in a "warless world." The nonresistant Christian refuses to participate in military service, because it conflicts with the higher law of God. He understands that the Church and the state are two different kingdoms. Consequently, he recognizes the right of the government to use force to keep order in an unregenerate society, and he does not dispute the nation's right to engage in warfare.
Pacifism seeks to achieve it's objectives through the use of education, social reform, political activism, demonstrations, protests, and nonviolent force. The pacifists actively try to influence legislation and public opinion in order to further their agenda. True Christianity advances it's cause through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16). Christians remain separate from the world, including civil government. They influence the world through the outworking of the new birth in their daily lives.
Pacifism is an unworkable and impossible theory that vainly envisions world peace without the Prince of Peace. Nonresistance is a philosophy of life that brings satisfying peace to the hearts of those who believe and practice it's Scriptural implications. (Source)
So you will find that by an outsider, they could be easily confused. For the Christian, it is a subject that should be understood. It in no means says that Christians should passively sit by and submit to an evil government. The opposite is seen in the history of the Mennonites church.
So you will see, joining hands with the government or a church who wants to forcefully take the world for Christ, is not the solution. If one does take this position, it will struggle to be set free.
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 2 Cor. 11:13-15 KJV
The True Conspiracy
"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." Psalm 2:2-4
Unholy Alliances of Church & Government
"Would that I had the power to bring to your minds the vision as it unfolds before me! I see all denominational emphasis set aside...I see the church molding the thought of the world as it has never done before, leading in all great movements as it should. I see it literally establishing the Kingdom of God on earth." ~John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Don't be like the one who thinks that if you can't see it, then it can't see you.
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Listening to Another Viewpoint
"He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." Prov. 18:13
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matt. 7:15
Are we to be ignorant?
"It's Christians who haven't got the faintest idea in the world what's going on. Christians are the most ill-informed ignorant people on the face of the earth." Jordan Maxwell
Wall of Shame
Are we to look the other way when we hear false teaching?
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:17-18
"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. " 2 Thess. 3:14
The Church: The Devil's Playground
"I know that charity covereth a multitude of sins; but it does not call evil good, because a good man has done it; it does not excuse inconsistencies, because the inconsistent brother has a high name and a fervent spirit. Crookedness and worldliness are still crookedness and worldliness, though exhibited in one who seems to have reached no common height of attainment." Horatius Bonar, (1808-1889)
Is Bible doctrine important?
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." 1 Tim. 4:16 (KJV)
A Reader's Comments
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Disclaimer
Dear Blog Reader
This site has information compiled for research purposes only. I am a woman, but I don't consider my self an authority on the subject. I do not consider myself as a discernment ministry, rather a believer that finds many teachings to be problematic, and I want others to be aware of them.
I do not promote any Bible teacher, ministry, or author. If there is a video by any particular Christian minister within a post, it does not mean that I have endorsed their work. If you disbelieve anything presented on the site, please follow-up by doing your own research. Don't just consider it as being wrong.
This blog has over 1000 posts, and it has taken over 3 years to compile. Attempts are no longer being made to keep these posts up-to-date. Many links lead to a dead-end, and I'm sorry about that. Many earlier posts may seem vague, but they were written while I was still putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
A word of advise: Learn what you can, but don't get consumed by it. Bring your head out of the sand, check out the ugliness of the Satanic conspiracy, then proceed with your life. I do believe that this is a time when the Lord is separating the sheep from the goats. Praying that you won't get caught on the wrong side.
John Hagee and John McCain 
