Charles, I'm here writing from Waterloo, Ontario, and anybody who fears 'how long mennonites can last' need not fear! Around here there are thousands of mennonites, they farm and are among the only guaranteed 'organic' farmers-and they are growing. In fact, this is one of the only cities in Canada where all the grocery stores have barns for the mennonites to park their carriages, also one of the few cities where horse plops are a regular site on the roads (they usually clean up though)
What you met were obviously 'old order' mennonites which would be fairly close to the amish in ideology. They are a 'social religion' and for them religion is NOT personal-it is social. They do not argue about theological beliefs, but rather social norms. There are hundreds of different types of mennonites, and their beliefs vary widely. Sometimes they drive cars but will only wear black, sometimes you'll see the women with bonnets and dresses but wearing running shoes. Like any religion there are good points and bad points although they are typically 'reserved', which you may have mistaken for rudeness. Of course there are mennonites who 'seem' no different from any protestant church, they stress the social aspects of religion rather than the theological ones, so they are very active in homelessness and poverty issues-especially their schools. If I were a christian I'd definitely be a mennonite-you don't HAVE to be old order or traditional.
Old order mennonites would not 'approve' of protest because it is considered a 'violent' form of activity-not violent in terms of action but violent in terms of confrontation. The whole gestalt of mennonite life is compromise or retreat (they were run out of most european countries and run out of many places in north america) and protesting is not that (that doesn't mean I don't approve of it)
A mennonite village will not have any gambling devices, so for them it is not an issue. Ritalin is also not an issue as they do not 'believe' in the use of pharmaceuticals, and their kids get LOTS of exercise. Likewise, they will not fight in wars and do their utmost to 'keep things simple' which means they pay little tax because they have little income-this way they minimize their support for government, which uses money for nefarious ends they would not approve of.
