Declarationofthe

MarginalMennoniteSociety
WeareMarginalMennonites,andwerenotashamed.WeremarginalbecausenoselfrespectingMennonite organizationwouldhaveus. Werejectcreedsanddoctrinesbecausetheyremanmade,createdforthepurposeofexcludingpeople.Their primaryfunctionistodeterminewhosinandwhosout. Weareinclusive.Therearenoduesorfeesformembership.Theonlyrequirementisthedesiretoidentifyas MarginalMennonite.Wehavenoprotocolforexclusion. Weareuniversalists.Webelievehellisamyth,inventedbythechurchtocontrolpeople.Inourview,every personwhohaseverlivedgetsaseatatthecelestialbanquettable.Noquestionsasked!(Isaiah25:6:Onthismountain GodwillmakeafeastforALLpeoples.) WeseeGodasMotheraswellasFather,aheavenlyParentwhocaresforherchildren.(Isaiah49:15:Cana womanforgethernursingbaby,orshownocompassionforthechildofherwomb?Eventhesemayforget,yetIwontforgetyou.) WelikeJesus.Alot.TherealJesus.TheJewishteacherwhowas100%human,andmovedaroundinspaceand time.TheGalileansagewhowasobsessedwiththeDomainofGod.ThewanderingwisemanwhosaidBecome passersby!(GospelofThomas42) WebelievetheDomainofGodisastateofbeing,astateoftransformedconsciousness,availablehereandnow toeverybody!(Luke17:21:TheDomainofGodwillnotbesaidtobeoverhereoroverthere.Infact,Godsdomainisinsideyou atthisverymoment.) WeendorsetheSermonontheMount.Or,rather,abouthalfofit:thosesayingsidentifiedbymodernscholarship asmostauthentic.Especiallytheonesonthefollowingthemes: 1.Nonviolence(Matthew5:3940/Luke6:29/SayingsGospelQ6:29) 2.Generosity(Matthew5:42a/Luke6:30/SayingsGospelQ6:30) 3.Love(Matthew5:44/Luke6:2728/SayingsGospelQ6:2728) 4.Universalism(Matthew5:45b/Luke6:35d/SayingsGospelQ6:35d) 5.Mercy(Matthew5:48/Luke6:36/SayingsGospelQ6:36) 6.Forgiveness(Matthew6:1415/Luke6:37c/Mark11:25) 7.Nonattachment(Matthew6:1921/Luke12:3334/SayingsGospelQ12:3334/GospelofThomas76:3) 8.Freedomfromanxiety(Matthew6:2530/Luke12:2228/SayingsGospelQ12:2228/GospelofThomas36:12) 9.Nonjudgment(Matthew7:35/Luke6:4142/SayingsGospelQ6:4142/GospelofThomas26:12) 10.Compassion(Matthew7:911/Luke11:1113/SayingsGospelQ11:1113). Wearepacifists,inthetraditionofKing,Rustin,Day,Gandhi,Tolstoy,Ballou,Fox,theearlyAnabaptists,andof courseJesus. Werejectmissionaryactivity.WethinktheworldwouldbepoorerifallBuddhists,forexample,wereconverted toChristianity.Thus,weopposeevangelisticcrusadesandmissionboards,nomatterhowwellmeaningtheyclaimto be.(Matthew23:15:Woetoyouscribes&pharisees,hypocrites!Youscourlandandseatomakeasingleconvert.Andwhenyou do,youmakethatpersonmoreachildofGehennathanyouare.) Wearehumanistsandfreethinkers.Webelieveinart,evolution,relativity,synchronicity,serendipity,the scientificmethod,andputtytats.Wevalueirreverence,outrageousness,andastrongcupoftea. Wedontwanttotakeourselvestooseriously.WithVoltaire,webelieveGodisacomedianplayingtoan audiencetooafraidtolaugh.WethinkGodishilarious.
TheMarginalMennoniteSocietywascreatedinFebruary2011.Visitwww.facebook.com/marginalmennonitesocietyandlikeus. Note:TheMMSDeclarationisnotacreedordoctrinalstatement.Itcarriesnoweightofauthority.Weareantiauthoritarian. Declarationlastrevised:September30,2013.