James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮<p>This 500th anniversary of the founding of the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Anabaptist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Anabaptist</span></a> movement (from which the Mennonites, Brethern, Amish, and realted traditions sprung forth --- and that were theological cousins of the early Baptists) is all the more important to me this year, because of what happened yesterday in this nation. I'm grateful that the Anabaptist tradition is very clear that we do not kiss the ring, we do not bow the knee to the empire, ever.</p><p>This is one of the reasons I treasure my connections to this tradition. </p><p>One detail of my religious journey that many do not know, is that I chose to become Jewish through the Humanistic movement primarily because it was (and as far as I know still is), the only Jewish movement that is open to biereligous converts (those who are seeking to become Jewish, while still maintaining connections to another tradition). I had fallen in love with <a href="https://c.im/tags/Judaism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Judaism</span></a> (thankfully a passion that still is with me 10 years later), but I also loved the Mennonites, particularly its strong belief in the moral imperative of peace (or rather the Hebrew concept of Shalom which is far more than the cessation of hostility but also has the connotations of harmony, equity, and wholeness), a belief that <a href="https://c.im/tags/nationalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>nationalism</span></a> is just another form of idolatry, and the power of simple living (even though I do a lousy job of living this out). In other words, at its best moments, the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Mennonite" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Mennonite</span></a> / Anabaptist tradition provides a critical witness against the values of the American Empire through its focus on the ethical earthly teachings of Jesus.</p><p>I am grateful that I was able to find a path to embracing Judaism that did not require me to leave my Mennonite values out.</p><p>And so I say, Happy 500th birthday to the Anabaptist movement! And thank you to <a href="https://c.im/tags/HumanisticJudaism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HumanisticJudaism</span></a> for giving me a way to be true to my <a href="https://c.im/tags/bireligoius" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>bireligoius</span></a> values.</p><p>(graphic from Druhart on FB)</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Anabaptism500" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Anabaptism500</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Theology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Theology</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/AntiNationalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AntiNationalism</span></a></p>