Amish/Mennonite beliefs vs Catholicism (church, priest, Baptists, protestant)

[weatherologist]

OK, I know this is really out there, and maybe this should be in the parenting thread, but I just have to know...

I answered an ad from a mom that simply read, "Christian Family looking to offer free babysitting." Now, this is very unlike me to answer such an ad.
And I would never consider dropping my children off at a stranger's house. But I have been looking for an outlet for my youngest and myself. With school back in session, he and I are home alone and I felt he needed some younger socialization. I have looked for Mom's Day Out programs and such, but to no avail. So when I found this ad, I thought it may be an anwer to my problem. My first response from the mom placing the ad sort of asked to clarify that I was, in fact, a Christian and then she asked a few more questions. I responded by letting her know that, yes, we were a Christian family and then I also felt it was necessary to tell her that we were Catholic. I just got that 'vibe'. This is a direct quote from her...Amish/Mennonite beliefs are more conservative than most Protestant beliefs, as well, but Catholic beliefs are really far different for us. She stated that she was sorry that she was not more clear in her ad and that she was looking for a Protestant family and that they were more Amish/Mennonite. And followed it with the above quote. Now I ask you, are the differences in faith so far out that even children cannot play together? She said that she felt her child might bring up their faith in conversation or something like that. Her child is 3.75 years old. I don't know!!! I'm just beside myself that someone would selter their child like that. Or is it my child she is sheltering?

Thanks for any thoughts or encouragement.

[akm4]

I can't IMAGINE what she fears her 3 year-old will say. I think that's just an excuse, don't you?

[weatherologist]

Originally Posted by akm4

I can't IMAGINE what she fears her 3 year-old will say. I think that's just an excuse, don't you?

Maybe. But are we Catholics that scary?

[akm4]

Of course not. I hope my comment didn't come across that way! My only point is that the reasons she gave you don't hold up, therefore she must have another reason she's not telling you.

Placing an ad wanting to babysit someone's kids for free is little suspect to begin with, right? Is it just me?

[june 7th]

Whatever her issue is, it is obviously her issue.

If she is offering "free babysitting" then she might have been better off specifying in what she wrote that she/they are an Amish family, and thus are looking for more "conservative" (?) types of families with whom she wishes to interact. At the age of 4 years old, kids are kids. I somehow doubt that anything her child or your son might have talked about while playing together would have had the serious potential to upset either of their minds! They're kids, for goodness sake; the dynamic is more along the lines of which truck they wish to play with and who is able to share with whom.

Due to the fact that she is offering this service at no cost, perhaps in her mind that somehow allows her to be more "discriminating" in terms of who she wishes to extend her service to. However, it's unclear to me whether she is specifically looking for other Amish children to babysit, (in which case, she should have provided a bio to that extent) or whether she just has very concetized notions about who, in her opinion, is "religious enough?" --Personally, I just don't get it.

I particularly don't get it UNLESS there is any sort of Amish presence in the area in which you live. (?) But whatever the case, kids are kids.

???

Take gentle care.

[Miss Blue]

To be very blunt..I would be very cautious of this woman. She sounds wierd to me..Why would someone offer free babysitting services to strangers, and act so strange about religion? Maybe she thought your baby would try to convert her baby to catholicism, after her baby told him about his religion

[Tricky D]

Here in Holland we have black and white schools. It's not that we segregate but poor neighbourhoods, or cities with a large population of immigrated ethnic minorities, have schools with mainly children from many of these ethnic minorities. Because the parents mostly speak their native tongue in the privacy of their own home their Dutch and those of their children is not of the same level as the native Dutch children. This is the main reason why many classes in schools fall behind. The native Dutch pull their children out of that school because their children fall behind in their education, which create the ‘black’ school.

So yes, children are children.
It is just unfortunate that the world is ‘ruled’ by adults.

[Oakback]

My wife and I have stayed at a couple mennonite "Bed & Breakfasts".
One in particular was a working farm. We ate and prayed with the family ( I'm Catholic ). They had a book on John Mennon, who was a Catholic Priest.
I briefly skimmed the book, it seems the primary reason for the split was a disagreement over transubstantiation.
I'm sure the religion has evolved over the years, and wouldn't doubt if there are more differences.

[weatherologist]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Yes, I thought the offer for "free" babysitting was a little odd. But I just assumed that she was looking for a playmate for her child. I would never have just dropped my child off with a complete stranger. I figured the moms would talk while the kids played. From what I could gather in your ad/emails she lives in the same community that I do and to my knowledge there are no Amish/Mennonite families. She did say that she was looking for something more "conservative". I just was really put off by it and needed to vent. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.

[cg81]

Originally Posted by Oakback

My wife and I have stayed at a couple mennonite "Bed & Breakfasts".
One in particular was a working farm. We ate and prayed with the family ( I'm Catholic ). They had a book on John Mennon, who was a Catholic Priest.
I briefly skimmed the book, it seems the primary reason for the split was a disagreement over transubstantiation.
I'm sure the religion has evolved over the years, and wouldn't doubt if there are more differences.

Just by way of clarification, Oakback, Mennonites/Amish were not a split from the Catholic church. Menno Simons, the Catholic priest I believe you were referring to, left the Catholic church and joined with the Anabaptist group, a group under severe persecution, meeting in secret and with constant threat of death. (Anabaptist meaning “rebaptizers: a term given them by the people around them, because this group shunned infant baptism, believing in baptism upon confession of faith) He eventually became an influential leader, (there was a large price on his head!) and people began calling them Mennonites (followers of Menno). A link from Wikipedia: Menno Simons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Info about Anabaptists: Anabaptist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And weather, I’m not sure what was the cause of the situation you mentioned. Fear of confrontation? Fear of the unknown? At best, the mother wasn’t being very tactful.