Amish are the best Christians

[MojeIme1981]

That is what we must admit.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology
They are not involved in wars
They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich
They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)
They don’t produce weapons.
Their families stick together before bedtime.
They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds
They don’t worship profit
They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment
They are not involved in political dirty games

We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

That is what we must admit.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology
They are not involved in wars
They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich
They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)
They don’t produce weapons.
Their families stick together before bedtime.
They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds
They don’t worship profit
They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment
They are not involved in political dirty games

We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned.

I have known the Amish culture and life all my life. They are very good “Franciscans” because of their practice of Peace and Justice. As Christians however their theology and beliefs are a bit lacking and in error.

 

[LilyM]

Wow, I didn’t know I was such a busy girl

I certainly am NOT supporting any wars at the moment,
I DON’T produce weapons
I prayed with my parents each night before bed while I was under their roof, was home for dinner and afterwards most nights, and fully intend to be and do the same with my own spouse and/or children if/when I have any,
I will NOT abandon my elders - though thank God for the time being they don’t need me with them,
I DO NOT worship profit, or money full stop, nor does anyone I know personally,
Using machinework to avoid unemployment? Do you mean using it to avoid EMploying people? Again, no-one I know personally,
I EMPHATICALLY am not involved in any political games.

The Catholic Church contributes more to charity and welfare than ALL the other government and private organisations put together - I doubt the Amish do as much. In fact I doubt the Amish really do much at all for anyone outside their own communities.

 

[MojeIme1981]

I DON’T produce weapons

It’s true that in most case we are probably not involved directly into none of this. But through our state and our community and our shopping and our entertainment we are indeed involved in every aspect of this (at least I find myself involved through our community, I apologize for being assumptius for others). The Amish community on the other hand, is not involved in any aspect in any of this.

Forgive me, I don’t want to judge, it’s just that I admire the Amish life-style

 

[deb1]

It’s true that in most case we are probably not involved directly into none of this. But through our state and our community and our shopping and our entertainment we are indeed involved in every aspect of this (at least I find myself involved through our community, I apologize for being assumptius for others). The Amish community on the other hand, is not involved in any aspect in any of this.

Forgive me, I don’t want to judge, it’s just that I admire the Amish life-style

I admire the Amish also. Their act of forgivness humbles me greatly. We can certainly learn much from them.

But they could not exist, if there were not people willing to die for the Amish right to practice their faith in the manner that they choose. Under communism, the Amish would have lost their lands and had their children would be sent to state schools were they would have been taught how great the government is. So, ironically, it is our culture-flawed as it is- that affords the Amish the protection they need to remain as they are.

Also, the Amish pay taxes like we do(at least I guess they do), so they too are indirectly involved in some of the above problems also.

There is no reason that you can’t learn and adopt the aspects of Amish culture that you like, though.

 

[deb1]

I tried to compare my lifestyle with theirs. I have to admit there are aspects that I could improve on but some of the differences, I am thankful for also.

That is what we must admit.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology

I don’t think that I do this.

They are not involved in wars

Apparently, I am involved in wars. My father died in Vietnam. My sister and brother-in-law have both served in Iraq and Afghanistan and my husband is going to Afghanistan, this February.

They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich

I am uncertain if I am involved with this. My husband is an enlisted man in the military so we are, of course, not wealthy. But he is getting a degree in financial economics so that he can work in a decently paying job once he is outside of the military.

They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)

I shop at Walmart and other stores. Getting the absolute cheapest buy that I can. If that happens to come from a third world country, well, I couldn’t afford to dress my children if I didn’t get the cheapest goods. I wish that I could afford to buy enough land that I could make my own material(weave and spin) but land is expensive.

They don’t produce weapons.

Hooray. Something that I don’t do

Their families stick together before bedtime.

Hey, we do this!

They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds

My mother was very abusive and turned her anger against my children. I am glad that I had the option to leave her. I don’t know how such a situation would have worked in the Amish community.
Mojelme1981=1590742:

They don’t worship profit

I don’t think that I do, but I would like to be more financially comfortable, I admit.

As for the last two reasons, I don’t think that I do these either.

 

[MyPhilomena]

“They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology”

I reduce, reuse, and recycle, metal, glass, paper, cardboard, milk jugs, exct.

“They are not involved in wars”

Neither am I, as a matter of fact, I do not support any wars on the planet

“They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich”

Neither am I.

“They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)”

I have one child, and i donate to help poor families from whatever little bit of money i have

“They don’t produce weapons.”

Neither do I

“Their families stick together before bedtime.”

So do myself my husband

“They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds”

My family is one of the most generous towards elders that i have known in my lifetime

“They don’t worship profit”

My family does not worship profit either

“They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment
They are not involved in political dirty games”

neither are we

“We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned. :hmmm”

As a matter of fact, i don’t know any Catholics who are involved in any of the things you’ve mentioned…

 

[levi86]

I would have to agree with you for the most part.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology
They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich
They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)
since they don’t participate in retirement funds
They don’t worship profit
They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment
They are not involved in political dirty games

The vast majority of people living in developed nations (Catholic or otherwise) are implicitly guilty of most of these.

They are not involved in wars
They don’t produce weapons.

Wars aren’t always intrinsically evil; unfortunately the majority of conflicts today are grossly unjust. The resent shooting at an Amish community is deplorable; however it boggles the mind that according to “passivism” no one in that community could have used force to defend themselves, what if the gunman had kept going?

 

[1ke]

That is what we must admit.

Clearly you don’t know any Amish people.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology

Really? On what do you base this statement?

They are not involved in wars

They are pacifists, this is true. However, the Church does not teach that all war is wrong, and the Catholic Church holds the Truth in faith and moral doctrine.

They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich

And, how are we as Catholics involved in this? How, specifically, are the Amish not involved in this?

They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)

Perhaps you are unaware that the Amish shop at Wal-Mart and buy imported products just like everyone else.

They don’t produce weapons.

They own and use weapons for hunting. Weapons are not inherently evil.

Their families stick together before bedtime.

This not limited to the Amish, nor is it absent in Catholic teaching.

They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds

Again, nothing unique to the Amish teaching here. The Catholic Church does not teach that we should leave our elders. In fact, they teach the opposite.

They don’t worship profit

Ah, but they do make a profit in their endeavors. I do not worship profit either.

They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment

I don’t even understand this comment.

They are not involved in political dirty games

Neither are they involved in the positive aspects of the political process that could effect real change in this country.

We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned.

I disagree with both the statement that “most” Catholics are involved in the above mentioned, and I think you are naive and misinformed when you state that the Amish are not involved in these things. You clearly don’t know any Amish personally. I do.

 

[zachh]

Does anyone else find this ironic?

 

[1ke]

Does anyone else find this ironic?

No. I don’t.

The website is English, not Amish. This company, Amish.net, is in Huntington Beach, CA.

Most of the stores advertising on the site are not Amish, they resell Amish goods. However, the Amish are not prohibited from advertising their goods and services-- they do so in our local newspaper. The Amish cannot own technology but they are not prohibited from using the technology of others.

I think people just have a certain perception of the Amish because they don’t know them.

 

[gelsbern]

Does anyone else find this ironic?

The Amish sell to make a living, what the person who runs the Amish online store prices the goods at is making a profit. I know many Amish and I know a couple of people who sell Amish goods (they are not Amish) and the difference in Attitude is night and day.

 

[Damascus]

Wow, I didn’t know I was such a busy girl

I certainly am NOT supporting any wars at the moment,
I DON’T produce weapons
I prayed with my parents each night before bed while I was under their roof, was home for dinner and afterwards most nights, and fully intend to be and do the same with my own spouse and/or children if/when I have any,
I will NOT abandon my elders - though thank God for the time being they don’t need me with them,
I DO NOT worship profit, or money full stop, nor does anyone I know personally,
Using machinework to avoid unemployment? Do you mean using it to avoid EMploying people? Again, no-one I know personally,
I EMPHATICALLY am not involved in any political games.

The Catholic Church contributes more to charity and welfare than ALL the other government and private organisations put together - I doubt the Amish do as much. In fact I doubt the Amish really do much at all for anyone outside their own communities.

They actually do help others in times of crisis. They have sent their men who are typically skilled in carpentry to help in disasters in rebuilding efforts. There are still a few left where my mom lives and that community has helped rebuild 2 homes in the last 8 years - one due to fire damage and another due to poor people who could not afford to replace their roof. They seem to help if there is a real crisis.

 

[SemperJase]

The resent shooting at an Amish community is deplorable; however it boggles the mind that according to “passivism” no one in that community could have used force to defend themselves, what if the gunman had kept going?

While I see their ability to forgive as admirable (even inviting the shooter’s widow to the funerals), I am worried about forgiving the apparently unrepentant shooter so easily. Anger can be righteous. Shouldn’t we be angry when someone kills 5 kids and wounds 5 others?

 

[Maranatha]

Does anyone else find this ironic?

I don’t find it ironic at all. I’ve visited the Amish country and it’s an excellent tourist destination. Now a days, they live off of tourist dollars much more then farming. It’s a big business. I’m sure taxes generated by this business go toward our countries defense just as my taxes do. I disagree that this makes them complicit in any misguided decisions that are made with the money.

While the Amish got a hugh amount of press with the out pouring of love and forgiveness, there were similar events in Baily, CO. These similar reactions to terrible actions in widely separate parts give me hope for our counties future.

 

[ttg]

As a group, the Amish are indeed a good people.

But their brand of Christianity does not stand up to Cathollicism.

 

[Walking_Home]

That is what we must admit.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology
They are not involved in wars
They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich
They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)
They don’t produce weapons.
Their families stick together before bedtime.
They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds
They don’t worship profit
They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment
They are not involved in political dirty games

We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned.

---

What has it cost—for the Amish to have the freedom to live and believe as they do----if not the blood of other people.

 

[deb1]

I think that the word ‘profit’ bothers some people.

there is nothing wrong with anyone making money or even having an abundance of money. It is how you got the money and what you use it for that matters most.

If your whole goal in life is to create more wealth, then yes, you are wrong.

The AMish have a right to make a profit off their skills, just as we do. This doesn’t make them bad and it shouldn’t hurt our admiration for their ability to forgive.

 

[deb1]

They actually do help others in times of crisis. They have sent their men who are typically skilled in carpentry to help in disasters in rebuilding efforts. There are still a few left where my mom lives and that community has helped rebuild 2 homes in the last 8 years - one due to fire damage and another due to poor people who could not afford to replace their roof. They seem to help if there is a real crisis.

I would imagine that because they don’t use the press as much as we do, that they don’t engage in PR like some stars do. So, there wouldn’t be a lot of knowledge of Amish efforts outside their own communities.

 

[steveandersen]

That is what we must admit.

They are not involved in worsening the Earths ecology

How so? By using less productive, antiquated technology? I haven’t seen any studies but I would bet that their land to person fed ratio (and thus their propionate impact on the environment) is the same as if not higher than your average North American. (The same could be said for subsistence farmers too)
Also, I’ve seen some Amish farms; they use steel, gasoline, kerosene, and other products not from their own farms.

They are not involved in wars

But they are quite willing to live under the protection of those that do.
Just my:twocents: but there seems to be something un-Christian about sharing the benefits of a society without ponying up.

They are not involved in raising the gap between the poor and the rich

how so?

They are not involved in robbing children from third-world countries (buying cheap imports)

While they try to live a plain lifestyle, they do buy and sell things. So to imply that they are not connected to the world wide economy is a bit of a reach.
I also wonder about the mass assignment of guilt on the rest of us.

They don’t produce weapons.

Neither do most people

Their families stick together before bedtime.

That is because they don’t have other options

They don’t leave their elders; they are committed to help them since they don’t participate in retirement funds

Are you suggesting that saving for retirement is a bad thing?
Charity and caring for family is a great thing but if it is forced then there is no virtue in it.

They don’t worship profit

Plenty of Amish businessmen out there. They don’t sell their goods at a loss.

They don’t use machinework in order to avoid unemployment

??? sounds like Mao’s China.
They might not use electronics but they do use machinery.
I’ve seen plenty of guys with mechanical reapers, bailers, etc.

They are not involved in political dirty games

all human social activity involves politics
that’s what politics are.

We may be members of the true Church and have our rules, but this doesn’t change the truth that most Catholics are involved in all the above mentioned.

Most???
Who are you hanging around with?

Making broad statements about large groups is a dangerous thing……and sort of un-Christian to my mind.