sect as
Post by NormanPost by Moira de Swardtthe
Post by NormanPost by NormanMennonites & Hutterites. It would be a pity to think that as a
religious group they were now extinct.
You have me at a loss Moira, the Mennonites, Hutterites & die Blou
Rokkies have never withdraw from the world in which they live.
Cloistered nuns & monks may have been secluded but the three sects
under discussion are very much part of the world.
I understood your comment about the link to mean that all three
groups are Anabaptists, but obviously not the same sect within the
Anabaptist movement.
Anabaptists?????????????????? I never mentioned Anabaptists
You mentioned "the same kind of sect as ...". The two you mentioned
are of the Anabaptist persuasion, so I assumed you meant that the
Blou Rokkies were also Anabaptist.
Post by NormanPost by Moira de SwardtThe "Shakers" were Anabaptists, but they did not allow (or at least
discouraged) sex, even within marriage. They died out. Sex is a
natural part of life and groups which discourage or forbid it to the
general public are not likely to survive for long.
I never mentioned the shakers either.
I was following the train of thought.
Post by NormanPost by Moira de SwardtMy understanding is that the "Blou Rokkies" do not participate in
the affairs of the world, they choose not to vote, not to own
television sets, not to read the news, not to attend movies or the
theatre, not to become involved in the governing bodies of their
schools, not to serve on rate payers associations.
There is a world of difference between not participating in some of the
things that make up the norm but that is not the same as
withdrawing
Post by Normanfrom the world. You don't own a DVD but that doesn't mean you are not
participating in life.
When one refuses to take part in any form of communal life outside
one's own particular group, even refusing to allow opportunities to
be informed about daily events, then one must assume one has
withdrawn from society and retreated into an artificial world of
one's own creation. It has a broader base than simply owning any
particular set of items.
Post by NormanI met Blou Rokkies on a regular basis in the
Hypermarket at Boksburg & they shopped like anyone else in the
world. I
Post by Normanhave never served on the governing bodies of any of my kids
schools nor
Post by Normanhave I belonged to a rate payers association or a political party & the
don't come more wordly than me.
You've never served as a community volunteer, say in your wife's
Girl Guide troop? You've never got involved with helping a charity
project which your children have been involved in or benefitted
from? You've never allowed your children to participate in
extra-mural activities which weren't compulsory? You've never
voted? You've never watched the news on television? You've never
read a newspaper? You've never watched a movie? Never given blood?
You've never nipped down to the local for a drink with friends?
You've never belonged to a club, say a shooting club or a gym?
You've never played a team or competitive sport? You wouldn't
currently do any of these things for religious reasons?
Post by NormanPost by Moira de SwardtBy and large the
refusal of people to serve their communities, and participate in
communal life is viewed as anti-social.
Sorry Moira that's rubbish. The norm is not to serve or
participate, in
Post by Normanfact those that do are generally viewed as "do-gooders".
Depends at what level one looks at service. The norm is certainly
to participate in community life. Voter turnout is usually greater
than 50% for starters. That makes voting the norm. Most people
have some kind of community life outside the purely religious, a
dance class (dancing is the most widely practiced 'sport' - as
opposed to watched -or social activity in urban black communities) ,
a sports activity, bridge group, singing in a choir etc. Most
parents do at least attend their children's PTA meetings even if
they don't want to serve on the board. They also tend to get
involved in some of the extra mural activities some of the time
(yes, we all know there are parents who are too lazy and uncaring to
get off their butts to find out where their children are and what
they are doing). Stokvels, social clubs, gyms, sports associations,
Toastmasters etc. These are all community life outside the purely
religious.
--
Moira de Swardt posting from Johannesburg, South Africa
Remove the dot in my address to find me at home.