My powerpoint for a Cyber Society presentation on the Conservative Anabaptist approach to the Internet.

1. Conservative Anabaptists and the
Internet

2. The Anabaptists- who are they?
• Christian movement which appeared around the
Reformation period
• Core beliefs include non-resistance, adult baptism,
seperation between church & state, and non-conformity
with the world
• Belief in non-conformity effects the Anabaptist approach
to technology, dress standards & lifestyle. The Amish
would be the most well known of the Anabaptists but
other groups include Old River Brethren, Old German
Baptist Brethren, Mennonites and Hutterites

3. • Before Anabaptists accept modern technologies
they do not evaluate the technology on physical
comfort, profit or ease but instead evaluate the
technology on if it will bring their community
together or bring their community apart
• For Anabaptists the church is the community
and therefore the good of the community matters
more than technological progress

4. “In our churches, we forbid our members to own
certain kinds of technology. For instance, we do
not allow televisions, VCRs, or radios. Does that
mean certain kinds of technology are evil?
There is probably no such thing as an evil
machine or technology…Although the
technology is not evil, you have no control over
its use. The click of a button will bring corruption
of an evil world into your home.”
• Bauman, L. (2001) Wolves in the Flock, Current Lessons
Faced by the Church in History, Rod and Staff
Publishers, USA, P.222-223

6. • Some Anabaptist
groups reject or limit
modern technology
like phones, electricity
and computers in
their homes but
others readily accept
the use of cars, the
Internet, computers
and phones and so
my topic will largely
be on these groups.

7. Conservative Anabaptist groups
who use the Internet
• Old River Brethren
(pictured)
• Hutterites (some
groups)
• Amish-Mennonites
• Old German Baptist
Brethren
• Conservative
Mennonites (email
only)

8. Anabaptist fears & concerns
regarding Internet use
• Negative influence
• Addictive
• Inappropiate images
• Takes from family time
• Privacy issues

9. Reasons for using Internet
• Missionaries- maintaining contact with
home, support
• Business- rising costs of land
• Reaching out to seekers
• To clear up the confusion non-Anabaptists
have about Anabaptists

10. A small survey of Internet use amongst
these groups…
• Conducted online via Anabaptist forums,
facebook and a conservative Anabaptist yahoo
group
• I wanted to find out the impact of the Internet
on these groups (both benefits and
repercussions)
• Most people did not wish to do the survey- so
just 9 participants

11. • Participants included
Hutterites, Beachy
Amish-Mennonites &
Old River Brethren
• Ages ranged from
20’s to 70’s
• Majority were male (7
out of the 9)

12. I found…
• All of the participants
used the Internet for
social contact, online
purchases &
educational research.
• Other uses of the
Internet included
business, online bible
study & visits to
Anabaptist forums

13. • Filtering & accountability systems used.
Computers in homes kept in a public area or
only used in the company of others. This is not
seen as controlling but as accountability to keep
one from “stumbling”.
• Most members of Anabaptist forums knew each
other both off and online (result: online
accountability)

14. • Most common concerns were spending too
much time online at the detriment to one’s faith,
and the easy availability to negative influences,
such as porn
“…I find myself sitting too much time in front of
a computer and sometimes neglect other issues
beneficial to my Christian walk.”
• A male Hutterite participant

15. • The most common benefit mentioned was the
connection and fellowship with other Anabaptists
along with easy access to Christian materials
“I am able to go to different church websites and
download sermons and free e-books and receive
magazines.”
• A male Hutterite participant, age unknown

16. “When I was considering attending the church where I
am now a member, I found a website with all kinds of
information about the Beachy church. I don’t think I
would have had the nerve to attend one if I hadn’t
done some research ahead of time.”
• A male participant and recent convert to the Beachy Amish-
Mennonite church, in his 40’s

17. • “I do not believe kids should have internet
access or mobile phones till their late teens, if
ever. But then they will have to be raised in a
community of like minded people. Naturally TV's,
movies, etc. are forbidden for all for life.”
• A male Hutterite participant in his 40’s

18. • Questions?
• Comments?