My thoughts on "Hutterites, the nine our story to freedom"

Well, I am not sure how I am going to start with this book, so I will just write it as it comes to mind. I had been anticipating reading it, and now that I finished it, I have to say it didn't disappoint, it was exactly as I had thought it would be, a sad bitter unforgiving story, there is drama, there is intrigue, at times it is funny...but....the underlying fact is bitterness.  For once, just once I want to read a book by an ex-hutterite that would be truly honest and write all the facts and the truth, and not just their side of it, as we all know the truth has 3 sides, your side, my side and then the actual truth. One of my friends read the book and said: “how sad, the colony must have somehow failed them when they were children” I am more of the mind that they failed the colony.

They have before and after pictures in the book. This is almost funny, I wonder how long they searched through their old photos to find the somber sad ones they used for the before pictures. And then the one they used for the after, happy, joyful, dancing, water-skiing, all things they were not allowed to do in the colony.  (and I might add a lot which are not approved of at all, eg: dancing.....) According to them, we who are still in community are sad, depressed and missing out on all the wonderful things the “world” has to offer! Pardon me if I don’t feel that way, rather I feel sorry for them who find small worthless passing of time this world has to offer.

They start the book off with a dedication to Jesus, and continue it with:  “that they the nine, are presenting this work with the love of God, in truth without any bitterness, unforgiveness or resentment towards the Hutterites” well, I am sorry but I missed the parts where they presented it as such! There is a lot of underlying bitterness and hurt (that may or may not be justified) they claim that what they wrote is the truth, well; I am not going to deny that some truth may be present in what they wrote, but leaving out a whole lot of other truths, can and will distort the whole picture. One of my sister-in-laws’s when she read the book, put it aside and said: “where are the ‘born again Christians’ that are supposedly writing this book? I cannot see forgiveness at all!”

I am going to put down my thoughts and feelings as best as I can, I will try (and I say try because I already know I won’t quite succeed...) not to be too sarcastic as I write.....

No.1, this one thing irked a friend of mine to no end. “Each (of the nine) of them had to be taught how to clearly and effectively communicate, to relate and express his or her heart socially. The very basics had to be taught, including clothing, proper hygiene, and etiquette” !!!!  What?! Taught proper hygiene? Etiquette? Where were they raised? And how? Where were their parents? Each and every child in the colony gets taught that by their parents and the German school teacher. Each and every one of us know the song by heart, “Beim tisch gebet sei ernst”  a song that verse by verse teaches hygiene and etiquette!  When I went to German school we had what our German school teacher called health inspection, we had to have a  handkerchief, clean nails, brushed teeth, soapy clean fresh washed hands and face, combed hair. And woe betide the student that forgot, a sufficient scolding and shaming was what we got...now I don’t know if every German school teacher did that, but I know our parents didn't let us out of the house if we hadn't done that.  As I said I don’t know if everybody did that, but I can’t believe the nine weren't taught proper hygiene at all.

One would think when reading this book; the colony was/is a depressing way of life. I won’t deny some of what they said wasn’t/isn’t true, but I am going to talk about some of what they said.

Gossip and slander....now this is true, I know I have done it, and it is being done. There really is no excuse but I will try and explain.  We are human, we stumble and we fall, and yes, we gossip and talk about people behind their backs. but does that in itself not tell you that we are not mindless robots under control, that we are free to speak out minds? (not that that makes it right...) Most of the gossip is harmless, and not all gossip is evil. come on, we all do it, as for slander yes, that happens too, but what they didn't mention is that most of the time, when we do that, we come back to the person we hurt and we ask for forgiveness. And it makes you wonder, why isn't it mentioned at all? Or would that defeat the purpose of the book?  In a colony we are all expected as much as we can to pull our own weight, by helping out as much as we can. If a person is ill or can’t for one reason or another, we help out, but if a person can and doesn't, trust me, he or she will get to hear about it. For example, if we have a heavy work day in the garden or slaughter house and someone is missing, who says they are sick, fine, but if the said someone is at home cleaning her house or dusting rugs or the next day is wearing the newest dress which was just shared, they will hear about it. And yes, this happens.  And then try not to gossip or say anything. The proper way to go about it, if it happens more than once is to let the leader (in this case the minister) talk to this person. But for the truly sick, it’s another story, and even those who can’t help out, try to and help out in other ways. If they for some reason or another can’t be in the garden to pick string beans, they will always ask for a basket of beans to clip the tops and ends. So to conclude yes, there is talk and gossip, but we do make things right. To the one girl that ‘took a midol to go to work’ because she didn't want others to talk about her if she missed work, I am pretty sure that even now she takes a midol to go to work.  Of course now if she misses too much work, she doesn't get paid. So yes, I’m pretty sure she still takes that midol to work. 

The drinking...yes there is that, and again, we are not perfect, (although why someone would tell the whole world her father was an alcoholic is beyond me.  Underage drinking is not approved of no matter what they say. Not saying it isn't done, but can anyone tell me if, they have a 16, 18 year old son, and they have a hard day’s work they won’t share a beer with them? I am not going to downplay the seriousness of drinking and the consequences but I will also not say nothing is being done about it. If a certain member has a drinking problem he will be questioned and in some cases there are those who have joined AA. And yes we do care when someone has an addiction, and our ministers are there to help.

To those that felt they were restricted in their Christian growth, why? Was it because their beliefs were contrary to the colony’s? When we live in the community and are baptized in it, we are expected to uphold and live the convictions of that community, when personal gain and income is contrary to the teachings of the colony, yes you can be expected to be reprimanded and admonished. There is no room for individuals to live according to how they want and work only for their own ends and the colony’s gain is put aside. For how can a colony go forward if its members only care for their own gain? Who will take care of those who can’t?  Which brings to point the story of being locked out of the garden, if you’re there for personal gain, what is left for the colony’s? I know as a child we were not permitted to go into the strawberry patch, (also because of damage done to the plants) unless the German school teacher was there with us. One wonders what is not being told when they tell of sneaking out for a “few ears of corn” was it truly only for a snack, or was it for more? Many a colony has gone to financial ruin because members have been more concerned with making money on the sly for themselves than putting it into the community. To be fair, maybe that is all they wanted was an ear or two to eat at night, but from experience, there is the stealing and gaining for personal use that is a problem. And even though it isn't mentioned here, I think it can be said was the reason for it.

There are so many things that I want to touch upon yet, but this is long enough already, I will try and discuss some other points later. But I do want to comment  upon Glenda’s story a bit.  Dear Glenda, really, can you really truly not understand why your parents do not acknowledge your marriage to a divorced man? Our English school teacher said: “I am not a Hutterite but even I can see why her parents would have a problem with her marriage.” You quote so many biblical verses to justify your marriage but you deliberately and conveniently omit Jesus further sayings on the subject of divorce. Yes Jesus did allow for divorce “except it be for adultery” but He did NOT allow for remarriage. "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery" (Mark 10:11-12). (whoever means anybody and everybody, NO exceptions) In all that we can safely presume that God wants us to forgive the erring spouse, He did allow divorce in cases of adultery, but that wasn't mandatory, how many times did He say we should forgive?  As for Paul: he is NOT saying that when someone deserts his/her partner that the deserted  are free to remarry, he is only saying they are not ‘enslaved’ (bound) to that marriage. Let them go and so remain.  Now we can quote and misquote bible verses back and forth, but the fact remains that God does not change neither does His word. He absolutely hated divorce then and He does so now.  I am sorry for you Glenda, but do not presume to think that your parents actually hate you; they may hate the fact that you did marry a divorce man, and they grieve for you, but in all that they still love you.  As a ministers daughter you could and should have been more compassionate to their beliefs and convictions.  Of course this is your story, but in no way do you at all consider how they must feel. I think I can safely say they are praying for their daughter daily, and that they do love her.

An underlying note that is foremost when reading this book that is strongly noticed and that is a rebellious spirit, under no circumstance did these young people actually try to commit to the colony and it’s teachings at all, there is complaining to no end, is it when the colony entrusted them with a job, (even when it was the one they didn’t want) or where ever they could. The sacredness of church, our dress, our baptism is being mocked. These are all things I want to comment on but will do so later, as not to make this blog so long. Please feel free to comment and I will try to answer any questions.