You’re held to a higher standard!
Such are the inheritances of my up-bringing that I still have a twinge of conscience regarding shopping on Sundays. So it has been with a certain kind of nostalgic pleasure that I have noted that Amish and Mennonite businesses are closed on Sundays in Sarasota. “Good for them” I have thought, “they hang on to some healthy counter-cultural traditions”.
I hoved up to “Sam’s Club” this afternoon, to buy some catfish at a good price. The store was out of stock!.
As I entered the store I saw a 70-something Mennonite woman easily identifiable by her attire as she left “Sam’s Club” with a full cart/trolley.
I felt betrayed.
Before you react against the above writer, read his full post, especially the conclusion.
That said, I react with dismay (and worse) at this kind of Mennonite witness, for I also am a Mennonite.
But…why is this a Mennonite witness? Why not a Christian witness?
The question isn’t merely, “What has happened to the Mennonites?”
It’s also, “What has happened to the Christians?!”
Sunday observance just doesn’t matter anymore.
That’s too bad.
It’s true, we should not make it a habit to buy and sell on the Lord’s day. But perhaps this person, so enthralled with their own “toleration” (the buzz word of Christendom and the world both) is more judgmental than he/she would like to admit.
Could there be extenuating circumstances? Could this Mennonite woman have found out that a neighbor was destitute, and went out on Sunday to buy groceries for them? After all, the OT does justify a person pulling their ox out of the ditch on the Sabbath; and Christ proclaims that He is Lord of the Sabbath.
There could be several “right” answers to this normally “wrong” choice of activity. Wethinks the writer was looking for opportunity for offense against a Mennonite.
As far as Christendom — they left behind honoring the Lord’s Day long ago. Very few of them have scruples regarding keeping Sunday as special. Amongst those few are Calvinistic Presbyterians — and they might feel free to go to a restaurant on Sundays, as they are not working (only requiring someone else to do so)!
Not all Mennonites are Christians, its true. But fewer and fewer in Christendom are Christian in any Biblical sense. That’s why many of the remnant that has not joined Plain churches (yet) also consider themselves outside the camp (of Christendom).