The World Together blog
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Giving voice to feminist pacifism
Deborah-Ruth Ferber
The old stereotype goes that men are rough and that a shot of their testosterone will not only give them the necessary skills to hunt and gather, but that it will also provide them with the ability to wage war if need be. Women, on the other hand, are sweet and mild. Not capable of committing such atrocities because they are too innocent. Yet, today’s military boasts almost as many women as men, some who are increasingly rising to positions of power and prestige. Women are edging to receive equality with men in every respect — including in their ability to wage war and to decide on which lives will be kept and which lost.
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Imagine if we were number one
Laura Finley
No, not number one in military spending (which we are). Not number one in incarceration rates (which we are as well). What if, instead of these things, the U.S. became hyper-focused on becoming the most peaceful nation on Earth?
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The voice
Glenn Balzer
I grew up in a fairly conservative Christian home. For the most part I have good memories from my childhood.
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Behind the fig leaf of U.S. humanitarianism
Berry Friesen
When we mindlessly mix mainstream U.S. media reports on the Syrian civil war with Mennonite Central Committee’s appeals for emergency funding, we are likely to lose our way.
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First ultrasound
Jennifer Harris Dault
This morning I had my very first ultrasound. The midwife immediately commented on the strong spine, and soon after we were listening to a description of the four chambers of the heart — perfectly formed. All the things that first-time parents long to hear.
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Work is overrated, let’s cut ourselves a break
Bert Newton
We American workers have increased our productivity more than 80 percent since 1973, and we work 10 percent longer. Since we increased our efficiency by 80 percent, shouldn’t we be working 80 percent less, not 10 percent more?
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Parenting is subversive
Chris Lenshyn
It was a moment frozen in time, as if all things in all places stood still in awe of the innocence held in my arms. It was a beautiful moment in which I was privileged to commune. I looked at my wife and saw my hero.
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Baseball: Love of the game — and life
Carmen Andres
My 10-year-old son has had a hard time this season. His baseball team hasn’t won a single game. They are among the youngest players in their division and have a high percentage of inexperienced players. But they have a great coach, and over the season they’ve improved dramatically as individual players as well as a team. Yet my boy still grew increasingly discouraged with the game and even started talking about playing a different sport next year.
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Reflections on historic church being demolished
Mennonite Mission Network
A historic Mennonite church in Kansas scheduled to be demolished by the end of the summer was the church home of a longtime Mennonite Mission Network worker, Sheldon Sawatzky. He reflected on that from Mongolia (where he served for many years) in the video below.
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A conversation on identity, community and mission
Marty Troyer
We often believe that the great difficulty in life is knowing the right thing to do. Sometimes it is. At other times, however, the difficult thing is simply having the inner resources to do what we believe is right. — The Leader’s Journey, p. 17
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