The Amish Culture

Living in the Midwest, Pennsylvania, you might be familiar with the Amish culture. Amish is a Christian group in North America, and they do not do the modern-day rituals or practice. This Christian group is lovely.

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However, it is their practice to keep their lives so private. That is why only a few people know about this religious group. What you don’t know is that they have an interesting tradition that will amaze you!

Technology is Not For Them

Amish people do not go by car but by horse and carriage. They are known to hate modern technology. Therefore, they are used to following and practicing the old-fashion way. They have different beliefs about modern technologies.

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Their religious rules include forbidding such technology usage, which explains why they are still “old-fashioned people.” For the more profound thought, they can ride modern technology; however, they are not allowed to drive them.

Beards and Baptism

Their religion disapproves of the idea of mustaches. However, beards are common for them. An older Amish man can even have a longer beard if they want to. They believe this is acceptable since men from the Bible were described alike.

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There was this Amish practice when they reached adulthood, the “Believer’s Baptism.” It is believed that with the right age, faith arises. During this period of life, they can confess their faith and be baptized as believers. This belief is based on a Christian Movementknow as “Anabaptism.”

The Ordnung

There is this collection of their rules known as Ordnung. It regulates the criminal social elements. This is known for the collection of laws that regulate clothing, technology, schooling, and everything.

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The Amish people are not governed by the military or any type of government. They are known to be an autonomous group. They only follow and practice the English words “command” and “discipline” derived from the German word “ordnung.”

Own Set of Laws

Since their religious group is an autonomous one, they govern their assembly. Each church assembly is allowed to alter its own set of rules or the Ordnung. One could have more strict rules in the varying Amish churches than others.

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As the Ordnung governs them, they stay faithful to their religion. This type of governance is known to be “Independent,” and they do not have a central church government. Read on to know more interesting facts about the Amish.

Amish Teens

When the Amish children reach puberty, the Amish teens are permitted to do forbidden things at home. However, they are allowed to leave their homes to participate in activities in Rumspringa.

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It is a rite of passage during adolescence, where they could experience the modern world. This particular activity is relevant because after experiencing both practices, the Amish teens will later accept the baptism or leave the Amish community.

Amish Marriages

In the Amish community, they do not practice arranged marriages. Unlike other religions, they are really into arranging marriages wherein parents agree to such things, or any mediators may be involved.

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The Amish couples were formed through their traditional courtship and dating process. They only believed that when they were baptized into this community, they were only allowed to marry someone in their community.

Languages

In Amish education, their children learn three languages: English, Ferman, and Pennsylvania Dutch/ ancient German. See, they do not only have one language, but in fact, they are practicing multiple languages.

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The three languages they speak are also well-spoken among nations. So, if any tourists or you plan to visit the Midwest, it is expected that you can encounter these such languages.

Seasons of Weddings

The Amish weddings usually take place during November and December, right after the seasons of communions and harvest. These weddings typically happen right after October, namely the harvest season and communion.

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They hold most of their weddings on Tuesdays and Thursdays in November and December. Their wedding usually needs a whole day for preparation, and of course, they need to clean up after the event.

Health Advantages

The Amish people followed a set of health rules. They are forbidden to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. If so, punishment awaited them. This could indicate that the Amish culture promotes health preservation.

Based on the statistics, the Amish people have a 40% lower chance of acquiring cancer than the rest of the races or ethnicities. Following their interesting health rules actually puts them at an advantage.

Simplicity and Modesty

Those aren’t the only things. The Amish have some fashion rules. The Amish’s sense of fashion is so simple compared to others. Basically, they portray simplicity and modesty. And all of these were because it is one of their restrictions.

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The simplicity they mean is wearing simple colors and not wearing any bright colored or patterned clothes. They are fond of the 1700s fashion style, and they could match their own outfits of their likes.

Pennsylvania

For a brief history, the Amish people originally were runaway religious people from oppression in Europe. However, how did the Amish people choose Pennsylvania as their home? What is with Pennsylvania that makes them stay?

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Pennsylvania is a kind of state with religious freedoms, and it’s a place where they can freely express their thoughts, opinions, and belief. They are fortunate that they found a place like this.

Before the Marriage

For other cultures, sleeping together before marriage is a big deal. However, the Amish are different. They allow the couple to sleep together even before the marriage, but there are a set of conditions they need to follow.

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The condition is that both the couple must be fully dressed, and while they have to sleep together, they must talk when lying in bed. For the Amish, this is a part of getting to know each other and strengthening an established bond before marriage.

Taxes

Like the rest of the world, the Amish people also pay federal and state taxes. However, there is one tax that they do not pay. They do not pay for this tax because it is against their own belief.

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This tax is known as the Social Security tax. In doing so, they have agreed that they do not receive any reimbursement when they retire. They must be self-employed. Another thing is that they have the privilege of exempting themselves from this tax because they are part of a known religious sector.

Ohio Outnumbers the Amish Population of Pennsylvania

Actually, the Amish population is not the largest in Pennsylvania. In fact, the Amish population in Ohio outnumbers the Amish population in Pennsylvania. So, Ohio holds the greatest population of Amish people.

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The Amish people are the fastest-growing population group in entire America. Expectedly, their population could grow even more, especially since migration is common nowadays. Who knows just how much they’ll grow in the coming years?

Educational Methods

They have a strong belief in education. Amish children attend private schools since they are known for their educational methods. However, after the eighth grade, they usually drop out. Some of them go straight for work or labor.

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They believe that if their children can attain higher education and usually go to public school, there is a higher possibility that their children will be pulled away from the Amish community, their church traditions, and values.

Suffrage

Voting during the election is not common for Amish people. However, the US government gave them the right to vote. One study revealed that only about 15% of the Amish population cast their votes.

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Seemingly, there are only a few that participate during the election. Those Amish voters are, of course, validated. It can only indicate that the US government did not mandate them to cast their votes, and in that way, the government respects their religious group.

Amish People are Pacifist

The Amish people believe that war and violence are unjustifiable. They are pacifists and prioritize repentance but also reject and avoid conflicts. There are specific laws and capital punishment of some states that they strongly disagree with.

Due to their religious belief, they do not support capital punishment, which is the death penalty. They do not serve the military, for they are a believer in Jesus and obey “to love those who hate you.” The Amish people hate all forms of violence.

Faceless Dolls

There are specific toys offered for Amish children, and they are unique. These are faceless dolls. The toys served the purpose of these blank faces and expressionless dolls disheartening pride and vanity.

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A sociological report from 2007 revealed that faceless dolls are made one because “all are alike in God’s view.” This is based on the Bible’s prohibition against idolatry. For trivia, most of the Amish doll’s makers hide their identities.

About Musical Instruments

Here’s another fact! Amish people believe that playing musical instruments is a way of self-expression and leads an individual to feel dominant and prideful. So, they do not play any musical instruments.

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Even in their church, their songs are from the Ausbund. It is a german songbook, and it has no musical notation. Ausbund means Paragon, the oldest Anabaptist hymnal and one of the oldest Christian songbooks.

Amish Computer

This seems unbelievable, but Amish people have a computer that is specially designed for them. Their computer’s Desmate word processor does not allow them to access the internet, video, and music playback.

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This certain computer only allows them to handle basic word processing, spreadsheets, and accounting. This Deskmate does not violate any well-established Amish traditions. Though, there is still Amish equipment used for the industry that violates the tradition.

Growing Families

There were about 5,000 Amish people in the United States in 1920. It is equivalent to 300,000 in today’s money. For the last three decades, the Amish population grew more rapidly.

In 1984, the Amish population grew about 84,000. The growth of the Amish population was believed that larger families are needed by God and facing the reality that a greater workforce is needed by the farm.

Amish Clothing

The Amish clothing is rather simple and plain. They usually preferred using muted colors such as black and white. Indeed, the majority of the religious groups dress with these muted colors.

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Buttons, zippers, velcro, and some colors are generally disapproved and avoided due to potential vulgarity. Instead, pins or hook-and-eye are used for closures. In this way, if you can see an Amish individual, they are conservative.

The Choice Amish Youth Make

After the youth’s Rumspringa trip, they need to make a tough decision. Choosing between staying in the church, with the religious group, or leaving. It is a tough decision to make due to some arrangements.

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If they choose to leave, they opt to cut contacts from their families and friends entirely and for the rest of their lives. That is why about 90% of their Amish youth chose to stay and be loyal to their community.

Exceptions of Technology

as mentioned earlier, Amish people are not into technology. They even don’t have and drive cars. They really have strict laws in terms of technologies. However, for industry and other necessities, some laws are flexible.

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In the Alona Amish community, they are allowed to use technology such as tractors, electric refrigerators, bathtubs with running water, and propane gas. These are basic utilities the community needs. Some communities allowed them to use mobile phones.

Rings

One unique practice they have is with no rings offered for engagement and weddings. Unlike the usual that couples exchange rings with their vows, for them, pieces of jewelry are not permitted.

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Amish couples will only agree to get engaged and wed later, the exchange of pieces of jewelry is strictly prohibited. This practice or custom is one of the odd among Amish wedding practices.

Engagement and Weddings

Secret engagement is a common practice for the Amish community. Couples tend to get engaged during spring and tell their families in summer. Still, the family will keep the engagement secret until the end of October, and the wedding will take place.

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Different from any other wedding tradition, the Amish brides don’t wear white, but they wear blue that is designed by the bride alone. As well as the bridesmaids’ gowns, the bride must be the one who designed them. The wedding gown will be her church gown and will be her funeral gown when the time comes.

Dishes and Retirement Age

The traditional Amish wedding dish is celery. Many of their dishes and soups have celery as their main ingredient. It can also be an alternative for flower decorations. You can definitely find celeries when it comes to Amish weddings.

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When turned the ages between 50 and 70, Amish people usually just go to their grandparent’s homes. When they get old, they just stay at home. In turn, Amish women will eventually be the ones who’ll take care of their families as their health conditions worsen.

Church Baptismal

Between the ages of 16 and 25, they are baptized in their church, and they are not allowed to get married yet. As mentioned earlier, they are only paired as a couple with the members of the church.

Another odd custom is that the Amish children decide for themselves either to get baptized or not, unlike other types of Christian practice. They choose to baptize their children when they reach the right age where they can decide for themselves.

All About Taking Pictures and Barn Raising

Other people are allowed to take their pictures. However, Amish people are not permitted to take their own pictures. They are not allowed to keep photographs in their houses too. The same idea goes for dolls and clothing. It serves the purpose of humbling themselves and resisting vanity.

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Frolic is the term used for barn raising in Amish culture. Having a new barn is a very big deal for them, so, during that time, hundreds of people are expected to gather. Men are assigned to do manual labor, and women prepare food.

Dog Breeding

The Amish people are known to be extremely noble, one Amish culture brings them on a far darker hue. Due to the rising demands in their farmland, some of their communities resorted to dog breeding.

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Dog breeding is their new source of income for Amish communities. In fact, Amish communities owns20% of all puppy mills around the United States. The Amish community is known to be dog breeders.

Inbreeding and Evangelism

Though Amish people don’t necessarily marry their cousins and relatives, there is a high chance of inbreeding among families. Their community is still considered small, so basically, if they do inbreeding, they don’t actually have a choice.

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The Amish community tends to isolate itself from the modern world. Another interesting thing about them is that they refuse evangelism and recruitment. Ironically, the most avid and enthusiastic supporter usually can’t join the church.

Outsiders

Non-members and outsiders are referred to as “English” for the Amish people. The Amish community does not look out for nonmembers for their skin tone and color, race, or country of origin.

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As per Amish history, they are also immigrants from Europe and so they understand the sense of immigration. The Amish culture also is known to be unmodified and it honestly makes sense.

Photographs and Memories

Since the Amish people don’t take their own pictures, it is amusing that they don\t create paintings too. They are not permitted to keep any kind of images, even though brushes and canvas are not modern technologies.

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When their family members die, they keep neither pictures of them nor paintings. It is believed that keeping one, means they are keeping a graven image which can possibly influence their pride and vanity.

Dating Limitations

As mentioned, they can only marry a member of their church or an Amish individual. They don’t allow recruitment, evangelism or they don’t simply allow someone to convert for their church.

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However, within the Amish culture, there are still dating limitations. One can’t date an Amish individual if he or she is not baptized in their religion. When dating also, needs to take place in public places.

Blessed Marriages

After an Amish man proposes, it means that the couple is permitted to date and they have been permitted or blessed by the church. If the couple is now blessed by the church then they can freely marry each other.

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After marriage, they also follow a very unique tradition of honeymoon which is very different from other cultures. Their honeymoon must start with the bride’s parent’s house and they need to clean the house together as a sign of gratitude.

Amish Honeymoon

After spending the night at the bride’s parent’s residence, the couple will then again pack up and go to the next household where the bride needs to be introduced to the husband’s family and relatives.

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After meeting the significant ones, if the couple still doesn’t have their own place, they need to stay at the bride’s parent’s house. It is only for a matter of time, if the couple can purchase a house then they can leave the bride’s parent’s house.

Amish and Mennonites

Seeing someone wearing a bonnet does not indicate that they are Amish, they could be Mennonites. Mennonites are among the Amish communities. However, they are particularly different from each other but their communities are closely related.

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Mixing them would be an offense for both parties. The only thing they are similar about is that they are both non-Orthodox Christian. However, unlike the Amish religious group, Mennonites are permitted to live in more modern cultures and can use technologies. They vary in occasions too.

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It is evident that the Amish culture has a lot of limitations in terms of activities, however, they also encourage their youth to make decisions of their own. Punishment is expected of those who break their laws.

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Any community, state, or even country established laws with designated punishments if violated. If so, the whole community or the members of the Amish religious group would totally ignore and avoid the individual who broke the rule. It is known as Meidung.

Punishments

Aside from Meidung, there is a more severe punishment for the rule-breakers, it is known as Bann. If the law is violated more severely to the point of needing ex-communication, the person will be enlisted as Bann.

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Bann is the term used for the ex-communicated. Furthermore, this person would be treated as an outsider. The punishment is of course based on the severity of the committed crime. Being shunned temporarily means that they only want the person to recognize his or her fault.

Sharing Meals

Amish people are very kind, you might want to join their celebrations if you knew how they participated in these activities. Hosting and engaging through sharing of meals is very significant for them.

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For them, feasting or hosting a banquet, is a very ideal “catching up” process. Gatherings like this would be a big banquet for the Amish people, wherein they contribute food to the table.

Amish Are Not Fond of Churches

Just by knowing that a culture exists, some tourists or outsiders look for spots (tourist spots) when visiting Amish lands, for instance. This fact could be very trivial compared to other cultures and beliefs.

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Believe it or not, you can never find churches in Amish lands. This religious group is not very fond of churches. They have a strong belief that the Bible is a portable thing and anyone could just read it anywhere and anytime. So, they do not need a church.

Work and Business

It has been known that the Amish lived their lives through farming. However, in recent years, Amish people have been engaging themselves in business enterprises. These businesses also are closely related to farming and selling goods.

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Businesses like carpentry and craftsman-like businesses. Other Amish individuals get involved and worked for industrial factories. They are also known to establish construction crews to build non-Amish houses.

Serving the Military

As mentioned before, Amish people are pacifism. They do not agree to war and any kind of violence or any form of aggression. Since they have this kind of belief, Amish people do not serve the military.

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Non-resistance, the Amish community believed this term that is very unlikely with pacifism yet express and show their stand perfectly. They ought to resolve issues with their own punishments or penalty.

Potential Source of Evilness

It is true that the Amish are not permitted to use technology. They do not actually think that technology is evil, however, what they are concerned about is the fact that these technologies might be potentially evil.

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The community just thinks about how technology might affect their religion’s values. If they use technology, it might influence their choice and decision-making about staying or leaving the religious community.

Different Amish Communities

Amish people might appear similar and followed the same basic values, however, there are actually four main groups of Amish. These are the following: Old Order, New Order, Beachy Amish, and Amish Mennonites.

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Among these main groups, they also have subgroups, that followed different rules or laws. For instance, the Old Order and New Order do not permit the use of electricity, while the Beachy Amish do allow.

Joining and Leaving the Amish Community

As mentioned before, the Amish community refuses evangelism and recruitment, however, the Amish Mennonite welcomes the outsiders fairly. Comes with a warm welcome is meeting the full requirement of the Amish group membership.

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Leaving the community would be a very tough choice for an Amish individual. Leaving not only means leaving the Amish lands but also cutting ties with your family. You’ll be ex-communicated and will be treated as an outsider and can never join Amish community activities.

Political Stand and Capitalism

The political stand of the Amish community can be amusing, they both appear to be conservative and liberal. In a way, they are rejecting divorce and abortion and encouraging modest clothing.

Amish partake capitalism humanely. Most of them launch businesses with a higher rate of business survival. However, in their line of business, they also help their competitors and give others employment chance. with their kind of community, they disallow greed that could influence the normal society.

Overall Impression

The Amish culture is indeed comprised of unique and interesting cultures and people. It’s undeniable that their ways of life bring benefits even though some cultures are far more different compared to them.

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It is also true that their community seems outdated for much modern progress, in some sectors that are also doing progress of their own. For instance, their health statistics and other business methods are noteworthy.