The Amish
April 30, 2012
Ant 101

There are more than 250,000 Amish in the United States and Canada, the only places they live today. Most American’s view the Amish as backwards mainly because they shun the modern conveniences that most of us take advantage of on a daily basis. The Amish have a very rigid belief system –they believe that their religious faith and the way they live is inseparable and interdependent they do not consider it to be a lifestyle choice. The Amish was originated in Europe after splitting from Mennonite Swiss Brethren in 1692 over treatment of some of their members who had been found guilty of breaches of doctrine. The first Amish arrived in Pennsylvania in 1730’s to escape persecution in Europe. The Amish believe that community is at the heart of their life and faith and that way to salvation is to live as a loving community apart from the world individualism is avoided. They believe that it is essential to keep themselves separate from the “world” so they live in their own small communities and differ from other American’s in their dress, language, work and travel and education. They are not exclusive as they do associate and have contact with outsiders-non Amish and they refer to them as “English”. Each Amish district is fully independent and lives by its own set of unwritten rules, or Ordnung. The Ordnung is a basic outline that helps define what it means to be Amish. A respected Ordnung generates peace, love, contentment, equality and unity .It creates a desire for unity and togetherness and fellowship. It binds marriages and strengthens family ties to live and work together to worship together to commune secluded from the world. The old order is the strictest of these groups, there is no central authority. Amish believe that God is pleased when people work in harmony with nature, the weather the soil and care for animals and plants they always live in rural areas. The Amish also shun modern convenience such as cars, electricity, and telephones; they only avoid technology where it might damage the community not because they think it is evil. The Amish are pacifists and conscientious they avoid all violence including using angry words or going to the law. The Amish govern itself strictly, baptized members are morally committed to church rules, and erring members may be shunned until there is repentance, forgiveness and restoration to full fellowship. The Amish use three languages a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch at home, High German for worship and English with outsiders. The Amish only marry other Amish and don’t divorce they have large families usually with an average of 7-8 children. The Amish children are educated in their own schools and taught practical job skill-schooling for the Amish stops at 14. After age 16 Amish children can experience life outside the community for a period of time to decide whether they wish to become fully baptized members of their community, 90% of these children return and become part of the community.
The Amish use of doctors and hospitals varies they do not partake in annual check up’s or preventative care as they do not carry traditional medical insurance, it is also believed that the Amish have a higher pain threshold. The Amish are very appreciative of doctors that understand and trust the Amish culture and belief system, most doctors in Amish communities tend to make home visits, And most Amish do give birth at home with a midwife or sometimes a doctor-the cost of this is much less than a hospital birth. Birthing centers are also beginning to pop up in some Amish communities. Although the Amish do generally immunize their children however it is at a much lower rate than the non-Amish public. Amish tend to favor non clinical approach to health care and medical treatment; dietary supplements are very popular among the Amish. The Amish tend to see costly life-prolonging care as excessive and opt to let their life expire with dignity.

Amish religious beliefs are virtually the same as that of the Mennonite communities. Two key concepts for understanding Amish practiceseare their revulsion of Hochmut(pride, arrogance, haughtiness) and the high value they place on Demut(humility) and Gelassenhelt(calmness, composure, placidity). This all translates into a reluctance to self –promoting or to assert on-self in any way. The Amish are not involved in state or national government they don’t vote or serve in the military they reject social security and most types of insurance. The Amish pool their resources to help families in need when necessary.