The Amish are a Christian sect in North America known for their insular way of life, simplicity, and commitment to pre-modern fashions and technologies. They center their lifestyle around agriculture and emphasize community, cooperation, and self-discipline. They reject vanity, pride, and individualism and ban modern conveniences that promote these transgressions. They dress modestly and keep separate from traditional culture, with membership generally being something one is born into. They avidly isolate themselves from mainstream American culture and isolate members of their community who sin or participate in modern society. However, many communities today are forced to intertwine with traditional culture to some extent due to the rising cost of living and the difficulty of acquiring land.
The Amish are a Christian sect in North America. They have the most predominant occurrences along the east coasts of the United States and Canada, as well as in the Midwestern United States. They are distinguished from other Christian communities by their insular way of life, their simplicity and their commitment to pre-modern fashions and technologies. Early followers broke away from the Mennonite church in 17th-century Europe after disagreements over religious practices. The dissent was so great that a number of adherents left Europe entirely for the new world; these were led by Jacob Amman, for whom the sect is named. Most estimates put the group’s population at around 17 people. They typically speak English and a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch or Deitsch.
Lifestyle basics
The lifestyle of the people in this sect is centered around agriculture. Men, women and children all work hard to contribute to their community. The family is patriarchally structured and women, although their work is considered very important, live by stricter rules than men and generally also have to behave in a submissive way towards their husbands. Generally common in all communities are bans on joining the military, holding any form of public office, and receiving government assistance.
Basic religious philosophy
As Christians, members of these communities believe in the doctrines of the Bible. However, their particular religious philosophy differs from that of other believers in how they feel God wants them to live. At the risk of overgeneralization, there are two key principles that dictate their way of life: Demut and Hochmut.
Demut is a term for humility and submission to God, which adherents highly value. To achieve this humility and live the way they believe God wants, adherents emphasize the value of community, cooperation, friendship, and fellowship in the group. Self-discipline is also very important.
Vanity, pride and individualism
Hochmut refers to the rejection of vanity, pride and individualism. Community members generally believe that many of the modern conveniences enjoyed by others somehow promote these transgressions. It is against their belief to take photographs or be photographed, because the practice promotes vanity. They believe that the use of technology, such as cars, electricity, and labor-saving machinery, can create competition among members of a community, encouraging pride, arrogance, and rivalry. They typically also ban education after the equivalent of eighth grade, suggesting that higher education contributes to a feeling of self-importance. They feel that education through eighth grade is all that is needed to contribute effectively to the community.
Position towards technology
People who belong to this community usually don’t see technology as an evil, but rather as a complication of simple life that works to prevent vanity. However, doctrines differ between different communities, and some groups allow some form of electricity, primitive appliances, and necessary machinery. One group, called the Beachy Amish, is allowed to drive plain, undecorated cars.
Dress and fashion
Amish fashion and dress is decidedly simple and modest. The men wear beards and generally dress in simple, dark-colored trousers and suspenders. The women wear long, solid colored dresses with an apron and cap. Married women must wear black hats, while single women wear white hats. Most of the dresses are simple and unadorned; most don’t include things like zippers or snaps that need to be secured with a machine.
Keep separate from traditional culture
Communities tend to be quite insular and membership is generally something one has to be born into and consciously choose as an adult or adolescent. The fundamental set of beliefs dictates that only adults can be baptized, and only after they have made an informed decision to commit themselves to the church. Baptism is preceded by a tradition known as rumspringa, which refers to a period of time when teenagers are freed from church rules and strict lifestyles.
During rumspringa, teens can explore traditional culture, wear modern clothing, and do the things non-Amish kids do. After this time, the kids have to decide if they want to stay inside the church. About 80-90% of them decide to be baptized and to remain in their community.
The Amish avidly isolate themselves from mainstream American culture and isolate members of their community who sin or who choose to participate in the surrounding modern society in a practice referred to as avoidance. They often cite 2 Corinthians 6:14 as a justification for this practice, which says “Do not team with unbelievers. What association can righteousness have with wickedness? Can light associate with darkness?” Individuals who have been shunned are usually cut off from all communication with everyone in the community, including family members. In many cases, the shunned person can be welcomed back provided he acknowledges and atones for the sin or sins in question.
Modern social interactions and overlaps
Many communities today are forced to intertwine with traditional culture to some extent due to the rising cost of living and the difficulty of acquiring land. Their simple, low-tech ways of life simply cannot compete with the cheaper and faster return of goods produced by modern technical means. Thus, they have had to interact with the general public through tourism, the sale of their crafts and wares, and sometimes even work outside their communities to make a living.
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