fluffy_rainbow said:
1. Do Mennonites watch television or listen to music?
2. Do they have similar doctrine as the Baptist church?
3. What are the rules about makeup, manicures, clothing, and hairstyles?
4. Are there any guidelines against eating certain types of food or drinking wine occasionally?
5. Is dancing of any sort permitted?
6. What is their official stance on marriage, dating, and courtship?
7. What is their official stance on artificial/synthetic birth control (specifically condoms and hormonal contraceptives)?
8. Do they celebrate Christmas, Easter, and other religious holidays?
9. What are their policies about work and career paths?
10. What is their stance on substances such as caffeine, nicotene, and prescription drugs?
I live in central New York where a lot of Mennonites have settled after being pushed out of the Lancaster, PA area. Here is what I know about them.
Most of these new neighbors are "black buggy" Mennonites. They do not have TV's or radios, but do have electricity, telephones, and other necessities (including microwaves, LOL) They use tractors, but only with steel wheels.
They practice their faith in a manner extremely similar to most true Baptist sects. The main difference is that most of their church services are in German. They are very "religious" people, and true to their (our) God.
To the best of my knowledge, the women use NO makeup at all. They use other things that most of us use (the store brand of head & shoulders shampoo, bandaids, prescription drugs, etc. they go to regular medical doctors, and take very good care of themselves, too. Hairstyles? Their hair is worn in a bun, under a little "bonnet". The little girls are sooooo cute with those bonnets on.
I do not know about wine or spirits, but I believe they do not use it at all. I think they do use whiskey for midiscinal purposes only (cough treatment, etc.) Otherwise, they seem to eat the same general things we all eat (I have seen hundreds of them shoping for groceries in our local food stores. Their carts would pass for your carts, but they are very careful shoppers. They always pay with cash or a check, never a credit card, etc.)
I've never seen or heard of them dancing. They do "bundle" when courting. and, to prevent "in-breeding", every year they select several older teenagers to go live in other similar Mennonite communities in the hopes they will find that special someone, fall in love, and switch communities. It mixes up the genes, don't you know.
Concerning birth control, I have no direct knowledge. I do know that several local families have more than a dozen children, and some wives seem to just wear out at relatively young ages from giving birth to so many children.
They celebrate NO religious holidays around here, but do not hold it against anyone who does. Talk about your perfect neighbors!!!
Concerning career paths, most young men follow in their father's pathways. However, every single Mennonite man (and older boy) that I know has at least three occupations. Here is just one example. A dairy farmer that I do business with occasionally also has a woodworking shop (he is a MASTER woodworker, fantastic in his quality, and reasonably priced like you would not believe). He also raises "field-raised" chickens, and he breeds dogs (yes, a puppy farm, but with care and quality that most professional breeders can only envy).
None of the Mennonites that I know drink coffee, but tea is a big seller. I know several younger men who use tobacco (chew), but most do not. I do not know any Mennonites that smoke anything. And, as I have already said, they go to regular "English" doctors, and use perscription drugs as needed.
Now, here are a few more facts about these wonderful people. the absolute worst punishment they can receive, next to excommunication from their sect, is having their name read aloud in church. Names are read for virtually any infraction of their particular code of conduct. One of my friends bought a "bobcat" loader (farm machine) and needed to use it before the steel wheels he had ordered were ready. He did, and another Mennonite observed him, and blew him in to the bishop. His name was read in church the following Sunday, and he was really, really, really embarrassed!!! He told me there were good and bad Mennonites too, just like among us "English."
And, women often have two or more jobs, especially younger women and older teen girls. In addition to working (hard) in their homes, many of them also work in local shops, greenhouses, etc, most of which are also owned by Mennonites. They are wonderfully polite and friendly.
The younger ladies, men and children often ride their bicycles to work, to church, to school, and to the store (and everywhere else, too). And several young Mennonite youngsters locally have "pony carts" they drive to school and around the local roads for pleasure.
Mennonites play hard, too. They often have rather spirited ball games (both softball and hardball), but the umpire never, ever gets insulted. Pitchers will often "brush back" a hitter that is too good, but no one ever fights.
Now, here is a real tear jerker (the good kind). I needed a halter repaired recently, so I took it to a Mennenite-owned tack shop (the owner is around 35 or so, his wife is around 32 maybe). He was not in the (unlocked) shop when I arrived, so I walked to the house nearby. I knocked on the door, and saw a little girl (cute beyond belief, with long, natural blonde hair, about 3 or 4) inside, so I waved by "flipping" my fingers of my right hand. She immediately opened and answered the door. I asked if her daddy was home? "No, he is out hunting." I asked if her mother was home? "Yes, but she is taking a nap." I then whispered to her that I would come back another time, but her mother came into the room at that point. She took my order for the repair, and I closed the door and started walking to my truck. I heard a tapping on the door glass behind me. And, when I turned around, there was the little girl "flipping" me a little tiny wave goodbye. I could only see the upper half of her head and her hand, but I know she was also smiling.
Matthan <J><
TV is always an issue, I have often heard pastors preaching against it, but most of the MCers I know still have a TV.
Yeah right, the only ones! 
