https://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&feed=atom&action=historyWhy Am I a Mennonite? Rachel Geissinger, April 1999 (United States) - Revision history2024-03-28T22:27:57ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.35.2https://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=14407&oldid=prevElizabethMiller at 19:32, 7 May 20152015-05-07T19:32:58Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>''Return to [[<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Stories</del>]]''</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>''Return to [[<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Why I Am Mennonite Essays; Goshen College; Goshen, IN; April 1999</ins>]]''</div></td></tr>
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</table>ElizabethMillerhttps://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=4900&oldid=prevJacobs8 at 15:11, 26 July 20102010-07-26T15:11:09Z<p></p>
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</table>Jacobs8https://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=3531&oldid=prevJacobs8 at 15:20, 29 June 20102010-06-29T15:20:06Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>thoughts run through my head. Although being a Mennonite is very important</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>thoughts run through my head. Although being a Mennonite is very important</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>to me I have never really had to put my beliefs and convictions onto paper.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>to me I have never really had to put my beliefs and convictions onto paper.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Why am I a Mennonite, I now ask myself? I make the realization that I</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Why am I a Mennonite, I now ask myself? I make the realization that I</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>have never really thought of this question before to any great extent. I</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>have never really thought of this question before to any great extent. I</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>be able to articulate my thoughts and others will better understand why I</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>be able to articulate my thoughts and others will better understand why I</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>am what I am.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>am what I am.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>After much thought I realize the best place for me to start my journey</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>After much thought I realize the best place for me to start my journey</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>into my Mennonite past, present, and future, was at the beginning, my</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>into my Mennonite past, present, and future, was at the beginning, my</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>church had taught me at a young age what it meant to be a Mennonite even if</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>church had taught me at a young age what it meant to be a Mennonite even if</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I didn't realize it. For this I am extremely grateful.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I didn't realize it. For this I am extremely grateful.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> </del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As I grew older the question of baptism arouse for me. I approached 15</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As I grew older the question of baptism arouse for me. I approached 15</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>years of age and so did others in my church, it was decided that it was</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>years of age and so did others in my church, it was decided that it was</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I was baptized at the time, even if a better understanding of what it meant</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I was baptized at the time, even if a better understanding of what it meant</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>didn't come until a few years later.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>didn't come until a few years later.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> </del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Besides this class, there are two memorable times in my life where I</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Besides this class, there are two memorable times in my life where I</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>really had to try to figure out what my religion meant to me. The first</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>really had to try to figure out what my religion meant to me. The first</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>more than when I was baptized I am glad I did do it and understand why it</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>more than when I was baptized I am glad I did do it and understand why it</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>is such a big deal.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>is such a big deal.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> </del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Another thing I think is very important to being a Mennonite is the</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Another thing I think is very important to being a Mennonite is the</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>acceptance of everyone, no matter what age, race, or gender. All need to</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>acceptance of everyone, no matter what age, race, or gender. All need to</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>accepted and even persecuted by the larger community so how can we do the</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>accepted and even persecuted by the larger community so how can we do the</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>same thing to people now?</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>same thing to people now?</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"> </del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The above topics are only a sampling of what many Mennonites believe. It</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The above topics are only a sampling of what many Mennonites believe. It</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>is hard to classify a Mennonite now since there are so many different</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>is hard to classify a Mennonite now since there are so many different</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>ancestors. This gives me a strong feeling of connection to the past. I</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>ancestors. This gives me a strong feeling of connection to the past. I</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>also now better understand what it means to me to be a Mennonite today and</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>also now better understand what it means to me to be a Mennonite today and</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I am proud of what I am. My beliefs are why I am a Mennonite. </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>I am proud of what I am. My beliefs are why I am a Mennonite.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>''This essay was completed for an Anabaptist/Mennonite History class at Goshen College in April 1999''.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>''This essay was completed for an Anabaptist/Mennonite History class at Goshen College in April 1999''.</div></td></tr>
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</table>Jacobs8https://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=1420&oldid=prevHarms.Matt at 15:18, 7 August 20092009-08-07T15:18:24Z<p></p>
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</table>Harms.Matthttps://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=1285&oldid=prevHarms.Matt: Protected "Why Am I a Mennonite? Rachel Geissinger, April 1999 (United States)" [edit=sysop:move=sysop]2009-08-06T17:44:59Z<p>Protected "<a href="/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)" title="Why Am I a Mennonite? Rachel Geissinger, April 1999 (United States)">Why Am I a Mennonite? Rachel Geissinger, April 1999 (United States)</a>" [edit=sysop:move=sysop]</p>
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</td></tr></table>Harms.Matthttps://anabaptistwiki.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Why_Am_I_a_Mennonite%3F_Rachel_Geissinger,_April_1999_(United_States)&diff=1284&oldid=prevHarms.Matt: New page: {{Languages}} ''Return to Stories'' <div style="width:75%"> As I look at this question, why am I a Mennonite, numerous muddled thoughts run through my head. Although being a Mennonite...2009-08-06T17:44:53Z<p>New page: {{Languages}} ''Return to <a href="/mediawiki/index.php?title=Stories" title="Stories">Stories</a>'' <div style="width:75%"> As I look at this question, why am I a Mennonite, numerous muddled thoughts run through my head. Although being a Mennonite...</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Languages}}<br />
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<br />
<div style="width:75%"><br />
As I look at this question, why am I a Mennonite, numerous muddled<br />
thoughts run through my head. Although being a Mennonite is very important<br />
to me I have never really had to put my beliefs and convictions onto paper.<br />
<br />
Why am I a Mennonite, I now ask myself? I make the realization that I<br />
have never really thought of this question before to any great extent. I<br />
began to think about what it means to be a Mennonite. Do all Mennonites<br />
share common beliefs, what links us together and where do I fit in this<br />
link? The more I thought about it, the more confusing it seemed to be.<br />
Putting my thoughts on Mennonites down on paper now seems like a difficult<br />
task. I will be grateful though when I have written this paper, for my<br />
convictions will be clearer and when I am asked this question again, I will<br />
be able to articulate my thoughts and others will better understand why I<br />
am what I am.<br />
<br />
After much thought I realize the best place for me to start my journey<br />
into my Mennonite past, present, and future, was at the beginning, my<br />
childhood. I was born into a Mennonite church. I was dedicated as a baby<br />
into a small urban church in Minneapolis. As I child I remember enjoying<br />
going to church with my family every Sunday. I gladly attended church,<br />
Sunday school, but my favorite part was playing with the children at<br />
church. When I was a child I never thought about or understood what it<br />
meant to be a Mennonite, not surprisingly. Even though I didn't think<br />
about it, as a child I did learn the basic concepts of being a Mennonite.<br />
At the age of two or three, I understood at least one simple belief of<br />
being a Mennonite. One day my family and I were driving down the road and<br />
stopped at a stoplight. A man was standing on the corner wearing an army<br />
uniform. I looked at the man and then said to my family in the car, "the<br />
army, I wouldn't go in there for diamonds or gold." It is amusing to me<br />
that I knew even then that the military was something bad. My parents and<br />
church had taught me at a young age what it meant to be a Mennonite even if<br />
I didn't realize it. For this I am extremely grateful.<br />
<br />
As I grew older the question of baptism arouse for me. I approached 15<br />
years of age and so did others in my church, it was decided that it was<br />
time to go through catechism and get baptized. I went through the process<br />
and did get baptized, but at the time I don't think I really understood the<br />
importance of being baptized. It seemed like a ritual, something my<br />
brother had done before at the same age and now it was my turn. I am glad<br />
I was baptized at the time, even if a better understanding of what it meant<br />
didn't come until a few years later.<br />
<br />
Besides this class, there are two memorable times in my life where I<br />
really had to try to figure out what my religion meant to me. The first<br />
was when I decided to work at a summer camp in Alaska. It was a religious<br />
camp, but not Mennonite. The people I met there were very forceful in<br />
their religion and wanted you to believe as they did. If you didn't share<br />
their beliefs, you had to be able to defend yourself in what you did<br />
believe and why. This was a difficult task for me as a 17 year-old. I<br />
took it on with full force because I was determined to show them that there<br />
is more than one option in the world for how people believe. Although my<br />
efforts were thwarted by their lack of understanding and willingness to be<br />
open, it made me realize that I was glad to be a Mennonite and it gave me a<br />
better understanding of what I believed, since I had to defend myself.<br />
My freshman year in college was my second experience, this is when I really<br />
began to question and discuss my religion. This became even more important<br />
than my first experience. I entered a state school for my freshman year.<br />
This was an experience in itself. I quickly became a friend with many<br />
different individuals. As I got to them better we began to discuss more in<br />
depth issues, including religion. In high school I had been asked what a<br />
Mennonite was before, but I never really knew how to answer and no one<br />
every pushed me for an answer, so I never had to think about it much. It<br />
was not until one night when I sat up talking about religion with a college<br />
friend that I really started to think about what it all meant. He had no<br />
idea what a Mennonite was and was very interested in what it meant to be a<br />
Mennonite. As I began to talk he had a lot of questions, some I tried to<br />
answer; some I didn't even know how to answer. I realized there was so<br />
much I didn't know about being a Mennonite. My convictions became clearer,<br />
but there was still so much to learn.<br />
<br />
That is why I was so excited to see a class at Goshen called Anabaptist<br />
history. It would finally give me a chance to learn about the Mennonite<br />
past, learn what Anabaptists had to go through, and how the beliefs that I<br />
have now evolved through time. As I approach the end of this class, I find<br />
myself so much more enlightened. I feel as if I know where I came from and<br />
my beliefs now make more sense on a broader scale.<br />
<br />
I have now explained my journey of growing up and becoming a Mennonite, how<br />
I have evolved throughout my life, but as I look back on the past three<br />
pages it doesn't really explain why I am a Mennonite. This task still lies<br />
ahead now in this paper and for the rest of my life. My beliefs are now<br />
held firmly, I know what I believe and why, but the question is what do I<br />
believe and do these beliefs reflects a Mennonite tradition?<br />
<br />
For as long as I can remember, maybe the most important thing about being a<br />
Mennonite to me is being a pacifist. The two seem to go together hand and<br />
hand. It surprised me when I was in Anabaptist history and read that some<br />
of the early Anabaptists had participated in war and thought that carrying<br />
arms was acceptable. But as I read on and learned more I realized that<br />
many different groups of Anabaptists believed different things, true even<br />
in today's Mennonite society. Throughout time many authorities have found<br />
this strange and discomforting. If a group was unwilling to carry arms,<br />
they were questionable. Why wouldn't they want to help to defend their<br />
country? Grebel, Simmons, and people are continuing to believe this today,<br />
believing that we should live like Christ had lived. Jesus suffered for<br />
his beliefs; he never rose a hand against his opponents. He loved all and<br />
never advocated using violence as a means to an end. Mennonites of today<br />
still believe this. We gain our understanding of pacifism from certain<br />
passages in the Bible and from those Anabaptists who died for their<br />
beliefs. Pacifism runs strong in my family and church, peace is what we<br />
strive for.<br />
<br />
Pacifism is not the only belief that I feel strongly about as a Mennonite.<br />
People all their lives look for communities that they can feel a part of,<br />
to be accepted at, to feel as if they are loved unconditionally. My church<br />
has given me this feeling. Even after being gone for long periods of time,<br />
for instance when I am at school, whenever I go back to my home church I<br />
feel wanted, accepted, and loved. People I haven't talked to in months<br />
will come up to me ask me how life is going, what I am doing, what I am<br />
planning on doing in the future. Some will even offer advice if I ask for<br />
it. There are not a lot of people at my church who are my age and yet I<br />
feel very close to a lot of them. I have grown up with a lot of them, they<br />
watched over me, watched my progress as I matured into an adult. I feel as<br />
though they are all a part of my family. I feel at home when I go there.<br />
It is a wonderful feeling.<br />
<br />
Anabaptists throughout time have looked for this sense of community and<br />
have found it in their churches as well. Some Anabaptist groups have taken<br />
the understanding of community to a higher level, where all live in a small<br />
group, cut off from the world, their sense of community must be even<br />
greater than the one that I feel. I admire the Amish and Hutterites for<br />
their great importance they put on community. Community has been very<br />
important all throughout the Anabaptist history. I know that my community<br />
feeling is not nearly as tight of those of the past and even some of the<br />
present, but I feel a strong sense of community in my church. Even though<br />
some of us in my church live a half and hour or hour from church, when we<br />
do get together there is a sense of togetherness. We may not see each<br />
other everyday but that doesn't mean they are not in our daily thoughts.<br />
The word community can mean many different things depending on the group<br />
one is talking about, but the feeling does encompass all Mennonites.<br />
When I used to talk about baptism with others, my friends would always be<br />
so surprised that I hadn't been baptized until I was 15. They did not<br />
understand why and for a long time I didn't understand why either. After<br />
three months of this class, I now understand the concept of adult baptism<br />
and I feel it is very important. I always knew baptism was important. It<br />
meant that you were becoming a new person that you were part of a greater<br />
group, but I didn't associate that with why we were baptized as adults.<br />
Finally, I understand why being an adult is so important. When you are a<br />
baby, you don't understand anything about the Bible about religion; you<br />
can't make a conscious decision to become a Christian. If you don't have<br />
to think about why you are joining a church, the whole meaning of baptism<br />
seems lost. People should be baptized when they realize that they want to<br />
be a member of the Christian community, when they feel ready for that<br />
commitment. I am glad that I was brought up this way this meant I had a<br />
choice. I could chose to become a Mennonite, but it wasn't just assumed<br />
and didn't just happen when I was a baby. I had to make the decision for<br />
myself. I know have a much better understanding about baptism and now even<br />
more than when I was baptized I am glad I did do it and understand why it<br />
is such a big deal.<br />
<br />
Another thing I think is very important to being a Mennonite is the<br />
acceptance of everyone, no matter what age, race, or gender. All need to<br />
be welcome in the Mennonite church. I know that this feeling is not united<br />
in the Mennonite church. This has become apparent in the conflict in North<br />
America about whether homosexuals should be allowed to be members of the<br />
church. My church has been through this struggle and though it caused a<br />
lot of pain hardship and even a split, we did decide to allow homosexuals<br />
to be a part of our church. For this I am extremely glad, just for the<br />
fact that we are showing that we do allow anyone to be a part of our<br />
community. Throughout Anabaptist time there have been numerous conflicts<br />
about this same type of issue. In the past the issue was whether we should<br />
let any outsiders into our community, where does one draw the line at how<br />
much of the outside world is ok. Now that most Anabaptist churches do<br />
integrate with the outside world, we are now trying to decide who is<br />
allowed in our church and who is not. To me there should be no issue, how<br />
can we even think about not letting a person into our church just because<br />
they are not exactly the same as we are. Jesus was friends with everyone,<br />
he never outcast anyone, in fact he even befriended people who were<br />
considered the sinners of the times. If we are supposed to follow Jesus<br />
then we should follow him to the fullest. He accepted all, so should we.<br />
People must remember the Anabaptists of the past, so often they were not<br />
accepted and even persecuted by the larger community so how can we do the<br />
same thing to people now?<br />
<br />
The above topics are only a sampling of what many Mennonites believe. It<br />
is hard to classify a Mennonite now since there are so many different<br />
groups that believe so many different things. As the Mennonite church<br />
groups grow worldwide, we all now realize that we are not going to think or<br />
worship the same way. But I think that we all do share some common<br />
characteristics and we all share a common past. This unites in a large<br />
community feeling. Being a Mennonite is very important to me, the beliefs<br />
that Mennonites have carried on from the past and are still very important<br />
to me in the present and in the future. Through this class, I feel as if I<br />
have become even more connected to the Mennonite community. I know where I<br />
came from and what Anabaptists went through, some of them being my<br />
ancestors. This gives me a strong feeling of connection to the past. I<br />
also now better understand what it means to me to be a Mennonite today and<br />
I am proud of what I am. My beliefs are why I am a Mennonite. <br />
<br />
''This essay was completed for an Anabaptist/Mennonite History class at Goshen College in April 1999''.<br />
</div><br />
[[Category:Stories]]</div>Harms.Matt