I went to college with a lot of Mennonites. (Amish, religiously are just uber-conservative Mennonites, and don’t go to college). As a student of church history....I understand their history, and I understand their separatism and their pacifism. And I respect their sincerity.
However, I think they are simply wrong, and ultimately, though nice, kind, Christian people, ultimately, they are parasites. They rely on the security—gained by force of arms, by others dirty work essentially—for their freedom and peace.
The exceptions they demand—from military service, (some) from paying a portion of taxes (that go to the military) from even having safety reflectors on their buggies, from all kinds of things—just bug the heck out of me. I really don’t wonder why they were hounded out of Europe, and from the very beginning, Mennonite pacifists were very unpopular generally.
Again, personally very nice people. The Amish reaction last year to the shootings was utterly amazing. However, this is a group which is irresponsible, since they choose (and of course they must choose) to live in a country defended by that which they consider unalterably immoral.
“They rely on the security—gained by force of arms, by others dirty work essentially—for their freedom and peace.”
.....yep, there’s old Englishman farmers in south central PA that would agree with you....during WWII it was their sons that went off to fight and die while the Amish farms prospered because they kept their sons out.