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Mennonites
In 1520, there appeared in
Saxsonia, a sect called "Anabaptists." It gets its name from the
custom of baptizing everyone who joins them. It started to practice the
principal of "freedom," not only of religion, but also freedom from
society and politics. They did not hesitate to use force and violence to obtain
their understanding of "freedom." Using those definitions, they
started to overthrow the civic government, social relations and developed
complete "equal rights" in the use of all property and even marital
relations. This sect represented a revolutionary social-political organization,
that used religion as a "cover up". The action of this sect and
teaching of its ministers brought about armed revolts, killings and robberies.
In the city of Munster (Germany), some baker proclaim himself as a king and
renamed the city "New Jerusalem" and his kingdom as "New
Zion." He sent 28 "apostles" to conquer all people in his
region. In order to equate all in education he ordered to burn all libraries
and destroy any work of art. The Christian churches were destroyed, clergy and
more wealthy people were killed. This "kingdom" ended in 1535, by
armed storming of the city and executions of all guilty ones. Anabaptism was
going into declivity and was partially rescued by a former Roman Catholic
priest by the name of Menno Simons who became an Anabaptist. He introduced
stricter discipline, still baptizing newcomers, avoided civil oath, military
and civil services and evaded dealing with courts. Mennonites exist in Holland,
Russia, England and the United States where they are distinguished by strict
moral behavior, decency and hard work. Anabaptists like the Baptists reject
infant baptism.
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