I believe that strict pacifism is fundamentally evil. They depend upon others to protect them, while indulging in feelings moral superiority over the "violent" defenders.
Finally when a situation arises where one of them must use force to protect those he loves, he is proclaimed as being sinful for practicing violence. They give their members a choice between laying down their lives, or laying down their souls.
Doormattery doesn’t really work unless you have an enemy that can be shamed at the sight of carnage. Such instances in history are limited.
I am not a pacifist, but I respect the Mennonites. They have been living this way for 400 years. So it becomes my responsibility to protect them, and I would do so gladly.
Finally when a situation arises where one of them must use force to protect those he loves, he is proclaimed as being sinful for practicing violence. They give their members a choice between laying down their lives, or laying down their souls.
Many of the early martyrs of Christianity didn't believe in using violence to protect themselves and willingly surrendered to death by the state. Their model of course was Christ who surrendered to the guards of the High Priest and died willingly on a cross. If Jesus had organized an army and killed people, he would have founded Islam. But he didn't. Mohammed did that instead.