Mennonites do not observe a strict Saturday Sabbath; instead, they treat it much like any other secular day, while the majority reserve Sunday as their primary day of rest and worship. The activities they engage in on Saturday are generally practical and can vary widely based on individual lifestyle, cultural background, and the specific degree of conservatism within their particular community.
Following the tradition of the early church, Mennonites celebrate a Sunday Sabbath. We base this on our understanding that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.
Amish farmers will take care of necessary chores—feeding the animals, milking cows—on Sundays, but meals are prepared on Saturdays so Sundays can be spent in worship, spending time with the family and visiting others in the community.
Two of the most significant celebrations in the Mennonite community are Easter and Christmas. These religious holidays are observed with deep reverence and joy, reflecting the core beliefs of the Mennonite faith. Easter: Easter is a time of profound spiritual reflection and renewal.
Basic beliefs of Mennonites are based on Jesus Christ's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount as well as the Anabaptist Confession of Schleitheim. These basic beliefs include strict pacifism, shunning oaths, adult baptisms, foot washing, church discipline (excommunication), and separation from world, among others.
Several denominational statements have set forth the official positions of the Mennonite churches on issues related to families. The 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith stated that marriage should be a monogamous, heterosexual lifetime commitment. The Christian home should have regular family worship.
Mennonites do not have any dietary restrictions as exist in some other religious groups. Some conservative Mennonites abstain from alcohol, but other Mennonites do not, with Mennonite distilleries existing as early as the late 16th century.
Mennonite perspectives on homosexuality range from complete acceptance to the prohibition of homosexual behavior among its community members as it is considered a sin.
For the most part, there are no problems with Mennonites dating non-Mennonites, particularly if the other person is a Christian. The more conservative groups would be more restrained as far as dating outside the denomination goes, but in the more modern Mennonite church, it's generally considered a non-issue.
Traditionally, Mennonites sought to continue the beliefs of early Christianity and thus practice the lovefeast (which includes footwashing, the holy kiss and communion), headcovering, nonresistance, the sharing of possessions and nonconformity to the world; these things are heavily emphasized in Old Order Mennonite and ...
Therefore, the use of condoms by Amish men is strictly forbidden and condemned in most, if not all, Amish communities.
The Amish wedding night will usually be spent in the bride's parent's home, as the couple will need to assist in clean up the following day. They will then spend their first months of marriage – their honeymoon – visiting relatives. (This is when most gifts they receive will be given.)
Summary: The Amish typically have their teeth pulled out by unlicensed dentists instead of incurring the high cost of dentistry. They perceive dentures as more cost effective and easier to maintain oral health.
As Mennonites they kept their own (primarily Dutch and Low German) identity, using Standard Dutch as the language of the church well into the 18th century. As a written language, they took up High German.
Use of Cars, Electricity, and Modern Technology
Mennonites have embraced many aspects of contemporary life, including the use of motorized vehicles, electricity in their homes, and cell phones. In contrast, the Amish generally avoid such technologies, preferring to live a more traditional, plain lifestyle.
On the Sabbath (Shabbat), observant Jews traditionally refrain from "work" (melacha), which includes activities like driving or using electricity, cooking or kindling fires, writing or erasing, shopping or conducting business, and doing household chores like laundry or cleaning; these prohibitions stem from the 39 creative labors involved in building the Tabernacle, aiming to create a day of rest and spiritual focus, not a normal weekday.
Most Mennonites believe in the principles of modesty and practicing good stewardship even in their wedding band choices, although that is open to individual interpretation and application. The most conservative Mennonite and Amish groups would still not permit wearing wedding bands.
Amish people tend to avoid electricity, and almost every sect chooses to worship in the home instead of a meetinghouse. Modern Mennonites are even more different. These people dress like the average American, use the internet and modern technology, and accept the use of cars.
First off, there are Black Mennonites. Mennonite Church USA baptized the first Black Mennonites in 1897. There are Black Mennonite Churches, that is, Black Churches which are membership churches in Mennonite Church USA. An example is seventh avenue Mennonite Church in Harlem.
Presently, only the more conservative ones proscribe marriage outside the group. Marriage is strictly monogamous, and historically families negotiated the conditions of marriage (again, arrangements varied from group to group). Currently, only among the more conservative Mennonites are such arrangements made.
The Mennonite Church USA, the General Conference Mennonite Church, and the Rosedale Network of Churches—mainline Anabaptist denominations—have adopted statements indicating approval of modern methods of contraception.
Apostolic Constitutions likewise declared "Then let the men apart, and the women apart, salute each other with a kiss in the Lord." Among Conservative Anabaptists, such as the Conservative Mennonite churches and the Dunkard Brethren Church, the holy kiss is counted as an ordinance of the Church.
In many Amish homes, rags are a common toilet paper alternative. These rags are typically old clothes that have been worn out. After simple processing, they become practical cleaning tools.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
Children are very important to Mennonites, but they understand that contraceptives are needed to control the overpopulation of the world. Birth control use is not mandated by the church, and it is up to individual Mennonites to make decisions regarding family size.