The Nine are a group of nine
Christians
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
who authored two books about their experiences as
Hutterites
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious group, ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptism, Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16 ...
and how and why they chose to leave the Hutterite religion.
The authors were between the ages of 17 and 25 when they left the communal Hutterite society.
[ Glenda, Jason, and Titus left a colony in ]North Dakota
North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
. Cindy, Rodney, Junia, Karen, Darlene, and Sheryl left a colony in Manitoba
Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, Canada.[
]
Books
''Hutterites: Our Story to Freedom'' is written in testimony form and style, featuring a chapter by each of The Nine. They write their own personal accounts and their view of the religion and culture of the Hutterites
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious group, ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptism, Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16 ...
. While every chapter is unique to the individual author, there is a consistent pattern of their dissatisfaction with the Hutterite religion. The Nine explain current Hutterite customs and beliefs and declare that Hutterite beliefs directly contradict Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, biblical teachings. They offer personal testimonies as evidence to expose the Hutterite system as controlling and oppressive to its members. The Nine bring to light corrupt practices of heavy-handed control by leadership, nepotism
Nepotism is the act of granting an In-group favoritism, advantage, privilege, or position to Kinship, relatives in an occupation or field. These fields can include business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, religion or health care. In ...
, sexism
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is int ...
, deceptive religious teaching, and a lack of personal and formal education.
Reception
The book ''Hutterites'' generated widespread controversy.[ Many Hutterites saw the books as sensationalizing ]Hutterite
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16th century and have formed intent ...
life for profit and claimed the book was lopsided in its perspective.[
In an interview in 2014, one of the nine was quoted: "We love the Hutterite people, we see how things are being done wrong on the colony, how it is oppressive. We didn't write this out of bitterness or anger or unforgiveness." They have responded to the criticism by stating their stories are accurate and irrefutable.][ The Nine point out that many other former Hutterites agree with their conclusions. They also explain their motivation for writing the two books as an avenue to help others.][
The second book ''Since We Told the Truth'' explains many of the controversies surrounding the first book to silence the criticism. They wrote that their reasons for exposing the abuses were to influence change in the colonies and is motivated by a love for truth and justice. However, some of the accusations against The Nine continue to occasionally arise.]
Influence
The two books offer an uncommon and candid glimpse into Hutterite life from a firsthand perspective. Until the release of ''Hutterites'', firsthand accounts of the Hutterite lifestyle had been largely limited to those written by current Hutterite members, or by ones who had left the colony at an early age. According to The Nine, this had previously resulted in an idyllic and deceptive picture of Hutterite life being presented to society.[ With the release of the two books the entire perception of Hutterite life is being challenged.]
Further reading
* The Nine. ''Hutterites: Our Story to Freedom'' (2013)
* — ''Since We Told The Truth: Life Can Never Be the Same'' (2014)
References
{{Reflist
External links
The Nine WebsiteChristian Teaching Videos by The Nine
Christian writers
Hutterites in Canada
Hutterites in the United States
Hutterite people