Amish–Middlebury, IN

Amish Beliefs, Part 3

This month we have been looking at Amish beliefs. The first week we discussed What Amish Believe, especially in regard to their faith. The second week we focused on Family Roles. Today I thought we would talk about the Amish and their attitude toward Englisch (non-Amish folk) and technology. These are 2 questions I receive often when speaking to groups. As before, remember the following is derived from my experience in Amish communities. Each community has their own customs, and your experience might be different from mine.

Welcoming strangers–Some communities are more “private” than others. When we were in Indiana, the Amish were quite friendly, to the point of welcoming us into their homes. In Wisconsin, the Amish were a bit more private, but when we had a local person with us they were very welcoming.  I’ve visited Amish homes in Ohio and Pennsylvania and the Amish women there were warm and inviting, but again I went with someone who knew the family beforehand.

So why do the Amish have a reputation for remaining separate? Are Englisch bad? Are we a terrible influence? What’s the issue here? In fact, the Amish are very adamant about not passing judgment on others. They might have strict rules among their own community, but they do not assume to say what is right or wrong for other communities. However, it is true that Amish in general prefer to limit their exposure to things outside the Amish community. Why? They’ve dedicated themselves to a simple, family-oriented, Christ-based life. They take the verse commanding us to be a “people set apart” seriously.  For example, Leviticus 20:26 states “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.” That said, many Amish are comfortable working and living in close proximity with Englisch.

Do the Amish reject all technology? The short answer to that is “no.” The Amish are very careful about what technology they allow into their lives. You can find an excellent post by NPR on this subject here. I’ve seen Amish with solar power, power in their barns, teens with cell phones, and of course various types of technology at their places of work. The Amish do not see any of this as being hypocritical. They are careful about what they allow in their homes, wanting to keep “the world” at bay as much as possible. For instance, a car isn’t evil, but it does change life quite fundamentally. Suddenly it’s easier to run to the store or drive over to see friends. The home as the nucleus is lessened. However, cars are necessary at times–to travel longer distances to see family or a doctor, which is why they are fine with hiring a driver. However, they don’t want the disruption or cost of a vehicle to affect their day-to-day family life.

I hope this has been helpful, and I’d love to hear your experiences with the Amish on these two topics.

Blessings,

Vanentta