Amish Essay
A tourist visiting Lancaster, Pennsylvania spots a woman in a solid colored dress with an apron, cape, and what may seem to look like a bonnet. Quaker? Hutterites? People often connect these religious groups with the Amish, but don’t be confused. These religions, even with their connections such as the Anabaptist faith, are all different. However, if you were to compare the Amish to another religion, you could relate them to the Mennonites, who share the same roots as the Amish.
The Amish have centuries of history behind them, originating from the Mennonites in the 1500’s. The first of the Mennonites were mainly from Swiss and German roots. Their name comes from a Dutch priest Menno Simons, who helped lead the group to prominence in Holland. The Mennonites believed in Anabaptism, which meant that they baptized as adults rather than as newborns. This belief was frowned upon and led to them having to flee from persecution to more accommodating countries such as the Americas and Catherine the Great’s Russia. The Amish separated from the Mennonites in 1693 under the leadership of Jakob Ammann. They can now be found in 23 states in the U.S.A and in one Canadian province with a total following of over 85,000.
Though the measures that the Amish take to practice their religion is more extreme than some, their church is just another branch of the Christian faith. Their lifestyle all comes from their belief to abide by the teachings of the Bible as literally as possible. The Amish are famous for their avoidance of modern conveniences, and many people believe that eliminates all possibilities of any technology, although that is all up to the Bible and how the church of that specific community interprets it.
Every community is run by its own church and that church decides if certain technologies such as a phone are necessary. Some communities are more traditional than others about this, and are called ‘Old Order’ for it. There are some mutually agreed upon rules like the restriction of electricity. This belief comes from the book of Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. Linking with electrical wires is interpreted as a connection with the world, and in 1919, when the world was connected to the power lines, Amish leaders agreed that it was unnecessary. Access to electricity was determined to present too great a risk of outside temptations and the fall of the church and family life. This verse also explains the reason for their dress, as they live a life that is separate from the rest of the world.
The Amish life revolves around family, farm, and God. Their day begins at 5:00AM by feeding the animals and milking the cows. The men go on to process and load the milk for delivery, while the woman begin cooking. Often Amish families are rather large, so cooking is usually quite the long process. The day would continue on with more housework for the wife , and the men going on to work on the farm. Some of the Amish go into cities to create their own business rather than farming. These businesses have enjoyed an remarkably high success rate.
During the day, children attend a one-room school. They are often taught by a young, unmarried Amish woman. In their homes they will speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a German dialect similar to the northern German language, Platt. However, in school, the teachers speak English and teach English and the German language Deitch.
Because the Amish don’t believe in higher education, the schools go only until eighth grade. The children go on to help their families work, and are to be taught in a structured learning program by their parents. This belief contradicted the states’ attendance laws beyond the eighth grade, and in 1972, the United States Supreme court gave exemption to the Amish from state attendance laws past theeighth grade. Chief Justice Burger wrote “it is neither fair nor correct to suggest that the Amish are opposed to education beyond the eighth grade level. What this record shows is that they are opposed to conventional formal education of the type provided by a certified high school because it comes at the child’s crucial adolescent period of religious development.”
Their educational system is just another example of the amount of dedication the Amish have to their faith. To understand how the Amish practice their religion, all you really have to do is look at their life. Everything they do is a reflection of their beliefs. Fashion, lifestyles, technology, and more have shifted and changed, while this religious group has stayed as a piece of history seemingly frozen in time.
Bibliography
Books:
Faber, Doris. The Amish. 1st ed. 1 vol. New York, New York : Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1991. 45. Print. A History of
Nolt, Steven M. A History of the Amish. 1st ed. 1 vol. Good Books, 1992. 380. Print.
Schreiber , William I. Our Amish Neighbors. 1st ed. 1 vol. Chicago, Illinois : The University of Chicago Press, 1962. 225. Print.
Links:
John D. , Roth . “Mennonites - History .” Mennonite Church History . Mennonite.net, 09/01/2009. Web. 29 April 2010. <http://history.mennonite.net/Home>.
Jerry L., Holsopple. “Third Way Cafe (Who are the Mennonites?) - Third Way Media.” Who are the Mennonites?. Third Way Cafe , 2010. Web. April 29. <http://www.thirdway.com/menno/FAQ.asp?F_ID=3>.
“The Amish and the Plain People of Lancaster County, PA.” The Amish and the Plain People. Action Video, Inc, 2010. Web. 29 April 2010. <http://www.800padutch.com/amish.shtml>.
“Amish One-Room Schools in Lancaster County, Pa.” Amish One-Room Schools . Mennonite Information Center, 2010. Web. 29 April 2010. <http://www.800padutch.com/amishschools.shtml>.
“Ask The Amish FAQ Page.” Amish Frequently Asked Questions. Mennonite Information Center, 2010. Web. 29 April 2010. <http://www.800padutch.com/atafaq.shtml>.
“The Amish People & Their Lifestyle in Lancaster County, PA.” The Amish People & Their Lifestyle . Mennonite Information Center, 2010. Web. April 29 2010. <http://www.800padutch.com/amishpeople.shtml>.
Pictures:
“Amish.” Moonbattery: October 2006 Archives . Web. 25 May 2010. <http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/amish-farm.jpg>.v
”Amish.” amish life: amish, religion, religion Globster. Web. April 29 2010. <http://www.glogster.com/media/2/5/91/78/5917887.jpg>.
