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deb1
Guest
I’m curious also.
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carol_marie
Guest
No it does not.
They seem to be wonderful people - but that does not make their theology correct. Of the original list from the OP, Ghandi would fit the bill as well - but that doesn’t make me wonder if he had the true faith.
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thechrismyster
Guest
My wife and i went to a wedding right outside Lancaster, PA this weekend. i’m not sure about their theology, but on the way home we stopped and got a shoo-fly pie and i got an armload of pumkin whoopie pies… boy can they cook!
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StMarkEofE
Guest
That they can and I can attest to that. They have a local market near us and their food it yummy and its soooooo freshly made and NO preservatives or unnecessary additives.
We are fortunate.
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1ke
Guest
Ok, the first thing I want to say is that I’m absolutely no expert on the Amish, but having had daily contact with them for going on 6 months now I’ve learned a lot by asking questions.
Each Amish community of families is headed by a Bishop. The Bishop makes the rules for his community, based on consulation and vote with the men of the community. They have an oral tradition handed down called the “Ordnung”.
So, the rules vary from community to community. This makes it difficult to generalize. For example, the Amish community in which my contractors live allow them to ride in cars. The Amish community 30 miles north of here does not allow their members to ride in cars. It’s totally a local Bishop decision.
They cannot have electricity, phones, etc in their homes or own cars because this would intrude on the community, the simplicity, and connect them to the “grid”-- connect them too much and have too much dependence upon the “English”.
However, many Amish today must earn a living off the farm, and to do so they must have equipment and skills that will allow them to be hired by English. For example-- would you hire workers who are paid by the hour when they are using tools that require them to go at a snail’s pace? No. So, they’ve made concessions to the outside world in order to get along. They can ride in cars, so they hire drivers to take them to Walmart which is too far by buggy. They hire drivers to take them to/from work that is too far by buggy. But, in their own community they live close-knit and within horse & buggy distance.
Note: The degree to which they can use tools, ride in cars, etc, is completely dependent upon the local Bishop. Some branches of the Amish (none around here) are really much more like the Mennonites and do allow electricity and cars.
800padutch.com/atafaq.shtml
Each Amish community of families is headed by a Bishop. The Bishop makes the rules for his community, based on consulation and vote with the men of the community. They have an oral tradition handed down called the “Ordnung”.
So, the rules vary from community to community. This makes it difficult to generalize. For example, the Amish community in which my contractors live allow them to ride in cars. The Amish community 30 miles north of here does not allow their members to ride in cars. It’s totally a local Bishop decision.
It took me a while to get it. Basically, their underlying philosophy centers on the family and being in, but apart from, the world. They are descended of the Mennonites-- plain people-- who strive for humility and simplicity in dress and daily life.
They cannot have electricity, phones, etc in their homes or own cars because this would intrude on the community, the simplicity, and connect them to the “grid”-- connect them too much and have too much dependence upon the “English”.
However, many Amish today must earn a living off the farm, and to do so they must have equipment and skills that will allow them to be hired by English. For example-- would you hire workers who are paid by the hour when they are using tools that require them to go at a snail’s pace? No. So, they’ve made concessions to the outside world in order to get along. They can ride in cars, so they hire drivers to take them to Walmart which is too far by buggy. They hire drivers to take them to/from work that is too far by buggy. But, in their own community they live close-knit and within horse & buggy distance.
Note: The degree to which they can use tools, ride in cars, etc, is completely dependent upon the local Bishop. Some branches of the Amish (none around here) are really much more like the Mennonites and do allow electricity and cars.
I found this one which seems pretty good:
800padutch.com/atafaq.shtml
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1ke
Guest
OMG, I just got the recipe for the pumpkin whoopie pies from the wife of one of the guys on our job. He brought my husband some and DH just went on and on about how great they are. Now I will never get any rest until I make some whoopie pies for him.
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inJESUS
Guest
who are Amish?
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Saint_Michael
Guest
Can we get any Amish (name removed by moderator)ut? Anyone? 
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contemplative
Guest
**
Source
This fact is worth thinking hard and long about. What does it mean to you?
**
Some Amish groups have a very limited gene pool. For example, the vast majority of Amish in Lancaster County, PA, are descendents of about 200 Swiss citizens who emigrated in the mid 1700s. Because they traditionally do not marry outsiders and because few outsiders have joined the order, the “community has been essentially a closed genetic population for more than 12 generations." Thus, intermarriage has brought to the fore certain genetic mutations that were present in the initial genetic pool (as they are in any population), making the Amish host to several inherited disorders.” 5 These include dwarfism, mental retardation and a large group of metabolic disorders. One in 200 have glutaric aciduria type I; they are born healthy, but can experience permanent neurological damage when a mild illness strikes. From 1988 to 2002, the Clinic for Special Children in Lancaster County, PA, has “encountered 39 heritable disorders among the Amish and 23 among the Mennonites…For 18 of the disorders seen regularly at the clinic, the incidences are high, approximately 1/250 to 1/500 births” 6
Source
This fact is worth thinking hard and long about. What does it mean to you?
**
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Contarini
Guest
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puzzleannie
Guest
having lived for many years among Amish in NE Ohio I article concur that they are good practicing Christians, but I question the assertion that most Catholics are involved in all or any of the practices listed in OP. I am Catholic, so is my whole family. do you know us? do you know what we are or are not involved in? I doubt it.That is what we must admit.
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.
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contemplative
Guest
I was thinking the Amish have built themselves a house of cards.It means that we should all become Amish and diversify their gene pool.
Edwin
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MojeIme1981
Guest
Thanks to everyone for contributing 
. And I apologize again for making assumption for other Catholics. The original post is about about how I feel about my daily routine, and I wrongly generalized for others. mea culpa
. And I apologize again for making assumption for other Catholics. The original post is about about how I feel about my daily routine, and I wrongly generalized for others. mea culpa
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Brian_C
Guest
One word…rumspringa.
Yes, Amish ideas seem appealing but they are people just like anyone else with all their faults. There are Amish abuse stories just like Catholic priest stories…
Yes, Amish ideas seem appealing but they are people just like anyone else with all their faults. There are Amish abuse stories just like Catholic priest stories…
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Evan
Guest
Has there been a mention of what the Amish don’t do?
As far as I know
They don’t build hospitals to help the sick.
They don’t build food banks to help the hungry.
They don’t build rest homes to help the elderly.
They don’t send missions overseas to spread the good news.
Much of the work of the Church is done for non-Catholics. Most of the work of the Amish is for the Amish.
Hear the message of the parable of the Good Sameritan. Is your neighbor the one who lives in your community, or the one who needs help?
As far as I know
They don’t build hospitals to help the sick.
They don’t build food banks to help the hungry.
They don’t build rest homes to help the elderly.
They don’t send missions overseas to spread the good news.
Much of the work of the Church is done for non-Catholics. Most of the work of the Amish is for the Amish.
Hear the message of the parable of the Good Sameritan. Is your neighbor the one who lives in your community, or the one who needs help?
W
water
Guest
FYI, they do have their own little hospital - I used to live in Lancaster, PA. Although, they don’t have big one like others, they do hire a non-Amish Doctor to work for them - My brother used to work for them.
They do pay tax, and those taxes go to the Government who in turn build the road you drive on everyday, community college, hospital, etc…
Bottom line, try to see what they are good about
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auhsoj88
Guest
Thanks for the correction. Is the movie by Haroldson Ford the Witness a misrepesentation of the Amish community? Does the media portray them fairly??? I don’t live in Pensylvannia so I never have had a first hand experience with the Amish. Most people draw opinions for what they see in the Media.
Here link that helps understand a little better…
holycrosslivonia.org/amish/amishfaq.htm#medi
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kellie
Guest
"I know that the Amish don’t own automobiles, but in our area it is common to see them riding in other peoples’ vehicles. Some even have made a business of offering rides, for a fee, to them. If the Amish don’t believe in owning automobiles, it seems strange that they would ride in them. Seems inconsistent to me. Why is this?" **
“Maintaining Amish standards, but accepting some modernization to meet needs of living, requires compromise that must not disrupt the social structure. By rejecting certain types of modernity and accepting others, some Amish appear to the outside world to be contradicting themselves - hypocrites. However, from the viewpoint of Amish culture, there is no contradiction. One of the more pronounced inconsistencies is the use of an automobile…although he may not own a car, a member may accept rides and willingly hires an automobile with a driver to transport him from place to place. There was little hesitation when the Amish decided “no” to car ownership. It would separate the community in various ways. If only wealthy members could afford it, the car would bring inequality. Proud individuals would use it to show off their status, power and wealth. Cars would speed things up dramatically, disrupting the slow pace of Amish living. So, they will use them but not own them, for then things will surely get out of control.” **
800padutch.com/amishpeople.shtml
Also, on that web site is a picture of a girl riding a bike, I presume bought in town.
So I would say the Amish do contribute to the worsening of the Earth’s ecology, by hiring automobiles, and buying bikes. the manufacturing of the bikes would be in a factory I presume, all factories worsen the Earth’s ecology to some degree. And we all know automobiles do.
Their forgiveness of the killer recently who shot dead some of their community was amazing. I am not sure if I could be so forgiving.
But other than that, I think their interpretation of the 10 Commandments completely wrong. Especially the rule they have about no photos as that goes against the 2nd Commandment
In my opinion, God asks us to do His will with humility, but the Amish custom of “unusual” clothing and other customs makes them stand out, and in my opinion, makes their doing of God’s will to be not so humble.
“Maintaining Amish standards, but accepting some modernization to meet needs of living, requires compromise that must not disrupt the social structure. By rejecting certain types of modernity and accepting others, some Amish appear to the outside world to be contradicting themselves - hypocrites. However, from the viewpoint of Amish culture, there is no contradiction. One of the more pronounced inconsistencies is the use of an automobile…although he may not own a car, a member may accept rides and willingly hires an automobile with a driver to transport him from place to place. There was little hesitation when the Amish decided “no” to car ownership. It would separate the community in various ways. If only wealthy members could afford it, the car would bring inequality. Proud individuals would use it to show off their status, power and wealth. Cars would speed things up dramatically, disrupting the slow pace of Amish living. So, they will use them but not own them, for then things will surely get out of control.” **
800padutch.com/amishpeople.shtml
Also, on that web site is a picture of a girl riding a bike, I presume bought in town.
So I would say the Amish do contribute to the worsening of the Earth’s ecology, by hiring automobiles, and buying bikes. the manufacturing of the bikes would be in a factory I presume, all factories worsen the Earth’s ecology to some degree. And we all know automobiles do.
Their forgiveness of the killer recently who shot dead some of their community was amazing. I am not sure if I could be so forgiving.
But other than that, I think their interpretation of the 10 Commandments completely wrong. Especially the rule they have about no photos as that goes against the 2nd Commandment
In my opinion, God asks us to do His will with humility, but the Amish custom of “unusual” clothing and other customs makes them stand out, and in my opinion, makes their doing of God’s will to be not so humble.
R
RCCDefender
Guest
It’s not just photos. Have you ever seen Amish baby dolls? No faces.But other than that, I think their interpretation of the 10 Commandments completely wrong. Especially the rule they have about no photos as that goes against the 2nd Commandment
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quasimodo
Guest
The Amish are fallen people just like the rest of us. They have their vices like we do. They have the same ability to respond to grace. Recent events demonstrate the latter. A drive by the local bars late at night in Amish country will give a window on the former.
I grew up on the fringes of Amish countryl. I never saw it, but the stories of Amish teenagers playing chicken (carriages vs cars) were common … I have always wondered if they were true.
I grew up on the fringes of Amish countryl. I never saw it, but the stories of Amish teenagers playing chicken (carriages vs cars) were common … I have always wondered if they were true.
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