What do you think about the Amish?

Chris V++ · May 11, 2019

Tom Farebrother said:
Is 8th grade the minimum legal requirement in the US?

I wasn't sure so I tried to google the answer. It varies by state apparently. Parental consent is of course necessary. Many now do home schooling, so maybe that could be used as a loophole in some states. I don't know if the Amish are exempt from the state laws.

MarkRohfrietsch · May 12, 2019

Here in Ontario, the traditional Amish only attend to grade 6. More progressive Amish sometimes attend high-school.

There is no central Church governance; they are congregationalists; each congregation makes their own rule, with their Bishop having the final say. Rules are not universal. Some congregations must wear black; others may buy regular work-wear; some may have wrist watches, other congregations may consider this an "adornment" and you may have to carry a pocket watch. If your bishop allows tractors, you may not be allowed to have one with a cab. Every congregation has different rules and practices.

Most Amish communities have no issue with having a social drink. After our shooting competitions at the gun club, we all have a few beers together.

Old order Mennonites are often more austere and severe in their rules and practices. They do live side by side in Southern Ontario with the Amish, but don't socialize much with them. Like the Amish, there are different rules within different congregations, and while not centrally administered, the Mennonite community will have more clearly defined rules for fellowship.

When discussing these communities and their practices and customs, we can only talk in generalizations; because, again, each congregation is it's own entity.

MarkRohfrietsch · May 12, 2019

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
In a world which seems to get only more insane and immoral, I think the Amish and that sort of monastic like existence of simple/godly living, are welcome reprieve.

I would not equate their life-style as "monastic like"; they have not retreated from the world but live in the world doing it their way.

Hutterites on the other hand are much more "monastic Like". In the US, there are large colonies in North Dakota, in Canada, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with one colony in Rosevill Ontario. All property is held in common by the colony; there is no such thing as personal property; even your cloths are the communities, not yours; the members live in dormatories, and they all eat in a common hall; men eat first, women and children when the men are finished. They make good wine (based on personal experience). The colony here in Ontario started out farming, and has branched out into construction. They have a fleet of vehicles and equipment, and operate as a general contracting company, building sub-divisions in various large cities. In western Canada, most colonies produce livestock; one owns a regional air-line, and others produce all kinds of manufactured goods from agricultural equipment, industrial equipment, millwrighting, consumer goods.

Like the Amish, the men grow beards after they marry.

MarkRohfrietsch · May 12, 2019

Tone said:
So is Shabbat keeping and giving the land its Shabbats...I wonder if they do this?

Not at all. In their communities, the Lord's day is Sunday; and their observance of this is strictly followed.

MarkRohfrietsch · May 12, 2019

Tone said:
...Church of Philadelphia...?

No, each Church, as I stated before is autonomous, not part of a particular Church; but part of the whole of Christianity. Again, each Church establishes it's own traditions and practices; and due to the nature of their theological approach, they rely on their Bishop and Preachers to interpret Scripture, not a central church polity. This is why the difference between the various congregations.

MarkRohfrietsch · May 12, 2019

Tone said:
...Church of Philadelphia...?

Also, historically the Church of Philadelphia were Lutherans; not all of like mind either, with many congregations now in the ELCA, LCMS, WELS, and LCNA. Other than Language and faith in Christ and Luther's German Bible, very little in common with the Anabaptists.

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

Should I read this entire thread in order to know if something was left unanswered?

Tone · May 12, 2019

Phoebe Ann said:
Should I read this entire thread in order to know if something was left unanswered?

No, just my posts...

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

Pavel Mosko said:
Well most Protestants don't take things like tradition, holiness as far as "separation from the world" seriously (where it might even inconvenience them). The Amish and Mennonites in general are the closest thing to a monastic community that you have speaking of general themes / abstactly of course.

Liberal Mennonites are very liberal on some issues, but outsiders wouldn't know they are Mennonites. They also have colleges.

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

David Cabrera said:
They are Anabaptists, so approve of rebaptism if one was baptized as a child.

They rarely have a convert.

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

Don't forget these people whose clothing is similar to Amish:

Old German Baptist Brethren - Wikipedia

gideon123 · May 12, 2019

Is there a map showing where Amish communities live??

And btw, ive heard of mennonites. But Hatterites and German Baptists ... i had no idea they existed. In fact, thats probably true about these small sects with no Internet. The World is hardly aware that they exist.

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

Spelling: Hutterites.

Information on all groups can probably be found on Google.

I hadn't heard about this:

Biggest Mennonite Conference Leaves Denomination

Rescued One · May 12, 2019

Information:

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-the-Amish-Mennonites-and-Quakers

Old Order Mennonites form a branch of the Mennonite tradition. ... Old Order groups generally place great emphasis on a disciplined community instead of the individual's faith beliefs.

Old Order Mennonite - Wikipedia

I met someone from the following church ("only true church" they say) who was very critical of the Amish.

"The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, also called Holdeman Mennonite, is a Christian Church of Anabaptist heritage. Its formation started in 1859 under its first leader John Holdeman (1832-1900), who was a baptized Mennonite. It is very similar to Conservative Mennonites but has stayed away from other Conservative Mennonites because of its "true church" doctrine and its practice of expelling.[1] In 2013 the church had 24,400 baptized members.[2]"
Church of God in Christ, Mennonite - Wikipedia

Okay, here's another link:
Top Four Amish Communities in the US

(As of 2015, there are more than 225,000 Amish living in this country. The four most populated areas are in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Wisconsin.)

I love to do research, but I'll let you folks do some of your own or I'll be up all night.

well hey · May 13, 2019

lmao @ post

Norbert L · May 13, 2019

David Cabrera said:
I can't ask them anything since they don't use the Internet.

It seems that's it's OK for Amish to use the internet as long as someone else does it for them? A while back there was a reality TV show called Amish Mafia. Overall it struck me as they too have all the social flaws of today but without the technology.

Sarah G van G · May 13, 2019

I like to read ''Amish romances'' aka ''Bonnet Rippers''. They make pleasant reading as the characters don't drink alcohol or engage in adultery and all the other degradation found in modern literature. I'm sure they show a very idealised version of Amish life (no mention of puppy farms despite them often being set in Lancaster, Penn!). They just seem very wholesome and it's almost always prayer and a Bible verse that solves the romantic or domestic issues

We have Mennonites here in the Netherlands but they seem very modern. They were (allegedly) the first to ordain female ministers and to marry homosexual couples. They have a website and wear modern clothing.

Archivist · May 13, 2019

Several years ago I took the train back from Denver to central Pennsylvania, which required a change of trains in Chicago and in Pittsburgh. About six Amish girls got on the train in Denver; I recognized them as being from Lancaster by their bonnets. They had been at a camp in Colorado and where returning home. I spoke with several of them over the course of the trip. When we got to Pittsburgh they were going to go to the bus station for breakfast. I told them that the bus station was a scary place, and to come downtown with me instead. I took them to Au Bon Pain and we got muffins. They were very nice, very polite.

yeshuaslavejeff · May 13, 2019

crossnote said:
They are not on here because they don't do internet or other modern contraptions.

David Cabrera said:
Except youngsters in Rumspringa.

Will anyone in Rumspringa please reply to this post . Thank you.

Internet Authorities Serious Warning: (STAY ANONYMOUS!!!!!!!!!!!) Do not put any identifying information on the internet in your profiles or any posts) Do not reply to anyone seeking information from you - Be Aware Perpetrators are on every forum/ site/ chat room.

crossnote · May 13, 2019

Norbert L said:
It seems that's it's OK for Amish to use the internet as long as someone else does it for them? A while back there was a reality TV show called Amish Mafia. Overall it struck me as they too have all the social flaws of today but without the technology.

Sure they're born in depravity like everybody else.
But is it using the internet when someone else does it for you?

What do you think about the Amish?

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