Amish Delegation Visits White House
Amish from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana visited the President and Vice President in the Oval Office Friday, as reported in the Washington Times.
This was apparently the first time Amish people have visited the White House in this capacity (with one possible exception, see below).
The Amish as a whole are not overtly political, so this type of event gets attention.
While relatively few Amish visit the ballot box (you frequently hear that instead of voting, Amish prefer to pray for the country’s leaders), there are some politically active people among the Amish.
The group which visited Washington Friday contained several of them. I found this article interesting as it gives some insight as to why Amish support the president.
Why do Amish support President Trump?
The Amish PAC was started in 2016 to generate support from the Amish for then-candidate Donald Trump, specifically in Ohio and Pennsylvania, two key swing states which also happen to have the largest Amish populations.
Given the importance of religious values to the Amish, I was skeptical at the time that Amish would support Trump, who did not present himself as a devout man.
This contrasted with the more publicly religious George W. Bush, who Amish did support to a degree, particularly in 2004.
However since then I have noticed pockets of real enthusiasm for Donald Trump. There are several examples in this article:
They might be an odd pairing — the brash and extravagant billionaire president and the humble Amish — but they enjoy a kinship in their Christian faith and work ethic, the Amish visitors told The Washington Times.
“He is a common man just like me and everybody else — very common, very friendly. He called us friends when we walked in there,” said Levi Miller, 56, an Amish farmer from Ohio. “It gets people excited that we have somebody in there who is not afraid to talk about Jesus Christ.”
That statement seems to conflict with the idea that Trump is not a devoutly religious person. Do Amish view him differently than the popular perception?
The Amish men said they do not harbor any misconception that Mr. Trump is an overly religious man, but they said he shared their Christian ethos and was moving the country in the right direction.
“His faith is changing. It is so much easier, it might sound a little bit rude, but it is so much easier to pray for a government that is doing something in the right direction,” Mr. Hostetler said.
The strong economy has also played a role in the enthusiasm some feel:
The Amish businessmen credit Mr. Trump with fostering a robust economy, protecting religious freedom and adhering to conservative values.
Mr. Miller said the Amish experience the good economic times that Mr. Trump has ushered in, and many will back him in 2020.
“What we see happening at home. Everybody is upbeat. The stock market, everything is up — the economy, the jobs are available,” he said. “The only thing that’s [difficult] about it is you can’t get anybody to work for you. Everybody is working.”
I think that the Amish respect Trump’s business orientation and see him as hardworking, two things that would especially resonate with Amish businesspeople (who seem to comprise the majority of this eight-person delegation). They appreciate the strong economy of the last several years.
Additionally, while he may not be “overly religious”, the Amish see his actions in office as, at the least, not infringing on freedom of religion and issues important to Christians, and at best, supportive of them.
Vice President Pence, who is more outwardly religious, probably helps this perception to some degree.
Last notes
While it’s not uncommon for Amish to make sightseeing visits to Washington, D.C., it’s not everyday that they come for a visit like this.
According to the article, this was the only time anyone could recall Amish having an Oval Office reception.
However, I found it interesting that President Woodrow Wilson hosted an Amish minister for prayer during World War I.
As a side note, I just learned that Wilson kept a flock of sheep to “mow” the White House lawn. I’d bet Amish of the era would have liked that approach. Sheep can often be seen keeping Amish schoolyards well-trimmed.
The last thing I’ll note here is that I can’t find any photos of this visit. None are included with the article.
Apparently President Trump “shooed away” the press as the Amish arrived. It sounds like the Amish guests appreciated that.
Wonderful Amish visit to D.C.
This is wonderful. The author of this article is not very knowledgeable about Pres Trump, who champions conservative values & has great support from the Christian community. I’ll never forget election night, watching all night prayer marathons in Israel- Christians praying for the outcome of that election.
Debbie if you’re refering to me as the author, I’m actually quite aware of President Trump’s support from Christian communities. That doesn’t mean Trump has had a clear “Christian” public personal image.
That’s why I restricted my comments to the aspect of his public perception, and as an example compared him to George W. Bush, who was a visible churchgoer and more publicly identified with religion.
This was in the context of addressing why Amish support him, since Bush’s religious manner has been cited as something Amish appreciated in 2004.
That said, 1-being publicly Christian in a traditional mode, and 2-taking actions while in office which Christians generally speaking would appreciate, are two different things, and I think Trump has done a good number of #2, so I can see why Christians broadly speaking can find reason to support him on that basis.
Amish 1 percenters
While eight Amish businessmen may support Trump, I suspect that thousands of ordinary Amish find him repulsive. Though the Amish are often stereotyped as humble and plain, the fact is that there are Amish multimillionaires, Amish 1 percenters.
I remember meeting one in southern Michigan who didn’t wince as he told me he was able to pay cash for a medical bill of more than $1 million for a member of his local community. He was a highly successful businessman (ran a store with a huge online clientele) who was in charge of the local self-funded medical coverage plan that the Amish don’t like to call insurance.
Good information.
Yes, I know a couple of Amish men who have a million bucks.
Unbelievable
I am aghast that the Amish would support a man who has been documented lying thousands of times, cheating people, denigrating women, running around on his wife with porn stars while she was pregnant, presenting murderous dictators as friends and misappropriating campaign funds. Where is everyone’s moral values in all of this?
Sad state of government
Well said. Not to mention stating that there are “good people” on the side of the racists in the Charlottesville clashes that ended in the death of a young woman, mocking a journalist with a disability, and implying that people of color (especially African Americans)are so debased that we may as well vote for a man who doesn’t give an [expletive deleted] about us. Nice that the Amish, otherwise generally admirable, don’t know or care about that side of their president. I’m finding it hard to believe that Jesus would think that behavior is Christian. Well, as long as a few select groups are being taken care off, to heck with the rest of us.
Here Here, Lydia!
A great post here by Lydia! It’s easy for those like me who were actually descended from Amish and grew up with them, to spot the genuine article. Well stated!
I GREW UP AMISH
I grew up Amish. My Grandparents were Amish. They lived on a dairy farm in Lancaster PA. The only difference between me & the other Amish children was that I was not a part of The Church. My last name is hard to find, however, it is EVERYWHERE in Lancaster, PA & OH. This is because they are my relatives! I haven’t visited much since my Grandparents died, however, I still go to Lancaster to visit cousins. I am elated to see huge Trump flags flying on the farms & big Trump signs on their silos & in front of the corn fields right by the street. Some are still staying out of it, however, a lot are stumping for Trump! I am a well educated lady (not feminist) & am more than proud of OUR President for his exceptional work on the economy, his help for the farmers, his overwhelming help for women & minorities, how he has guts & uses them to fight for America (not perform an apology tour like Obama), the Amish know he is religious and that he is against the murder of unborn babies.. they approve of that & so do I. It is one of the top 3 killers of the black race in America (Margaret Sanger would be so proud for the whole reason for her creation of Planned Parenthood was black genocide) & is astonishingly uncouth & barbarically tortorous to unborn babies. Just because you claim to be from the Amish, doesn’t mean you know how they feel in an electoral sense. They do not know of TDS or what it does to people. The Amish have a very rich history of being uber conservative. You look around right now with all of the riots, murder, arson, looting, & all other domestic terrorism that is being committed by BLM & Antifa & tell me that ANY OF IT LOOKS LIKE CONSERVATISM! NO right? Good, we agree.. Well, the places in which these domestic terrorists have hit the hardest have been in cities, Democrat-run cities! It’s all happened before under Democrat leadership & will sadly happen again if Trump is not re-elected & conservatism is not introduced to those cities that are begging for more police (despite what you see on the TV). The news has become a weapon in which false narratives are pushed into people’s heads & they become sooo misguided & ignorant that a lot of them, when introduced to the actual truth, change their minds & their affiliations. Everything I’ve learned from my Amish family has been Conservative values. How well do you even know your Amish family?
Only the filty rich voted for this guy.
I am convinced that only the filthy rich so-called Amish, the millionaire one percenters, voted for this guy. Birds of a feather flock together, beard or no beard.
President Trump is not ideal, but his actions back up his strongly pro-life claims, and respect for the life of the pre-born (especially days before birth) is vital and a good sign of respect in other important areas. What is more important than that “select group”? Do you think Jesus is pro-abortion or pro-life?
The first thing Mr. Trump did in office was end funding for abortion abroad. He’s against both late term abortions and funding planned parenthood. He is moving in the right direction in these very important ways. Did you have a better candidate in mind who’d do these things?
Amish Delegation Visits White House
Silly me…I guess I’m one of those people who feel that there’s actually life outside of the womb too. So after a child is born, let’s celebrate by cutting child nutrition programs, education equality programs, make childcare services for parents trying to work 2-3 low wage jobs prohibitively expensive or nearly nonexistent, and gut pediatric wellness programs.
Not everyone can live on a farm or have 10 children. I don’t fault those who can. I do however take issue with anyone who would vote for a person who isn’t a president for everyone, just a select few groups who agree with his world view and serve his interests. Only the current majority counts. The meeds of the rest of us-especially people of color- can be hanged. Literally.
V. President Pence
Yes, I do have somebody in mind. If Trump is removed by the impeachment process, which is totally constitutional and intended for situations such as this, the Vice President Pence will become President. Yes, he is a better choice….pro-life and an outspoken Christian. We need a man like that for such a time as this. Of course, God may well have somebody much better in mind. He will determine that.
Trump vs Pence
T. Miller: I wholeheartedly disagree with you! Pence is no better than Trump. Why? Because, when he agreed to be Trump’s VP, he sold his soul to the devil! To willingly work with an evil person and to do that evil person’s bidding and claim it is God’s wish, I can’t go along with. Clearly, Pence has an agenda, and that is to promote his archaic version of Christianity and to turn the US into a theocracy, and he will lie through his teeth to achieve that goal. This is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they said that no one religion would be sanctioned by the government. It has been proven that all organized religions breed lust for power and money and have no spirituality whatsoever. I know people who read the Bible all day long and preach at people every opportunity they have, but, do they have an ounce of spirituality in them? I haven’t seen it.
In the 2016 election, there were only two choices at the end of the day. Christians chose the one who would protect the life of the unborn and protect religious freedoms. That person happens to be Trump. When Christians vote for president, we are not voting for pastor, just someone who will protect the things we care about : the sanctity of human life and religious freedom.
Sanctity of life and religious freedom
Ms. Elliot: Do we not now have religious freedom and sanctity of life? What are religious freedom and the sanctity of life? Wanting the US to be a Christian country only is not freedom of religion. Being anti-abortion has nothing to do with the sanctity of life. Freedom of religion is having the freedom to worship as I or you please, without anyone telling either one of us that we are not “saved” or not in God’s grace, because we do not believe the same thing. My mother-in-law has difficulty believing that the Amish are real Christians, because, as a “Born-again, fundamentalist, evangelical, she does not understand their way of worshipping God. I know many Evangelicals who believe as she does. I think the Amish are as Christian as Catholics or those of the other Protestant denominations. Personally, I do not care how or what anyone worships.
To me sanctity of life is not only thinking abortion is wrong. It is going a step further and working with the pregnant woman who either does not want a child, cannot raise a child, or is at risk if she has a child. It is being a support system for that woman. It isn’t about showing up at abortion clinics and carrying posters judging the women entering the clinic. It would be FAR more Christian to carry posters that let the women know they have a support system and where they can go to get that support. Criticizing someone for doing something that is very emotionally charged dilemma for most women, all the while offering no solution to their dilemma, is just being judgmental. In the end, God will decide who was in the right or wrong. One thing I firmly believe is that MY God would never sanction the likes of Trump. It is my belief, and that of non-evangelical Christians, that Satan triumphed over God this time, and succeeded in putting his spawn in the White House. We hope that God is just biding his time and will eventually rectify things. There does appear to be a Christian vs Muslim battle brewing, but, it won’t be a battle fought by real Christians or devout Muslims.
Janice Reamer,
Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is why we have freedom from all sin and oppression. It allows us to repent and forgive, and to be patient and tolerant of one another in the process. The United States of America was founded upon principles such as these, and that we are all Heavenly Father’s beloved children. No matter what revisionist try to claim, it was founded by Christians.
Are you saying Christians don’t have a right or duty to voice a warning of destructive lifestyles, since you might interpret it as them saying you aren’t saved or in God’s grace? So, people should have the right to abortions but not a right to try to warn against the eventual unhappiness and devastation that will inevitably result? Than you claim you don’t care how anyone worships? Those claims contradict each other. Which is it? Isn’t it the devil who would have us believe we can do whatever we want without consequences, and without it effecting others?
Pro-lifers and Trump
Ms. Berkey: I see no contradictions in my comment. Carrying anti-abortion posters is part of everyone’s right to freedom of speech, but, as Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Complaining about something without offering a solution, is just whining.” I’m all for freedom of speech, etc. but, don’t get in my face and call me a sinner just because I’m doing something you don’t agree with. There’s a difference between trying to intimidate someone out of following through on a very difficult decision they’ve made because they couldn’t see an alternative, and protesting about it. You can’t demand that someone not do something just because you don’t agree with it. You can however, ask them to reconsider it by offering positive alternatives. Hollering at them, calling them sinners, waving posters of aborted fetuses, etc. That’s not the Christian way. I’ve seen some of those protests. They’re downright ugly and mean. While I don’t usually judge those who believe they are saved or have God’s grace, I will admit that I have great difficulty seeing any of God’s grace in the act of voting for a Trump.
You have him exactly right!
So glad to see that you know exactly what kind of a person Trump is–a criminal. I am so sick of seeing brain-washed Americans who refuse to see what a very mentally ill and dangerous person Trump is. His comment about it being OK to grab women’s private parts really tells you what he thinks of women–his toys, and other people in general. Trump University. Trump Foundation. Criminal behavior in both and the Foundation wrong-doing also involved his family. These brain-washed people need to WAKE UP–NOW
Religious freedom
People will always believe what they want to believe. I’ve met many Amish in my state, and not one of those Amish votes, nor are they interested in voting. Certainly not for a criminal such as Trump!
Shefyl
Shefyl Johnson: I agree completely!
Amish do NOT vote
Amish, in good standing with the church, do NOT vote. They pray for whoever is in office, knowing that God raises they up, whether for good or as a punishment to the nation. The Amish favourite was Jimmy Carter, but 99.9% obviously did not vote. Those on the fringe perhaps did, but they were and are few and far between.
Mennonite are more likely to vote, but even there many will not, as a matter of belief and faith. The same is so for Hutterites, although the Hutterite vote in South Dakota was widely believed to elect a US Senator (a Democrat) a few years ago. The election was close enough that the Hutterite vote is believed to put him over the top.(
Several ethnic Hutterites or Hutterite-connected men have been elected to the South Dakota legislature over the years. Most were pacifists. Most of these were non-communal Hutterites, or “Hutters” as the non-communal ones are known locally. (Those living communally in colonies are known as Hutterites or Hutterian Brethren). Even a Hutter heritage Governor (a Democrat) served the State of South Dakota few years ago. Several years ago another “Hutter” also served as the Secretary of State, and another as Secretary of Education.
Mennonites in South Dakota tend to vote, but are probably equally divided between the two major parties, tending to vote for the person rather than the party. It seems the few Amish in South Dakota do not vote.
Many Amish here vote.
In my travels in Pa I have found many Amish vote. Lancaster, Dauphin, Lebanon, York and Perry Counties have a strong ballot box presence. The Nebraska old order sects in the northern and western counties tend not to vote. The best litmus test was the Big Valley where three sects reside. Same story here as the east end Amish tend not to vote while the other two orders do indeed vote.
Supporting Trump?
Amish supporting Trump? Really? Let’s see—on wife #3 and he has cheated on all 3! He DOESN’T attend church! He had his “fixer” lawyer pay porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her mouth shut during the 2016 presidential campaign! AND, ex-Playboy Bunny Karen McDougal was paid $100,000 to keep her mouth shut about an affair with Trump. Trump repeatedly LIED about the affairs / bribes and did so on-camera. How does any of that fit with Amish religious values? The Ten Commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Trump is a massive repeat adulterer!
The Ten Commandments
You shall have no other Gods but me.
You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
Respect your father and mother.
You must not commit murder.
You must not commit adultery.
You must not steal.
You must not give false evidence against your neighbor.
You must not be envious of your neighbor’s goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.
We could talk about “Trump University” –a huge fraud and how Trump yelled he would never settle with over 100 students who were part of a class-action lawsuit. THEN, after just a few days in the WH, he SETTLED the lawsuit for $25 MILLION! “Trump University was also the subject of two class actions in federal court. The lawsuits centered around allegations that Trump University defrauded its students by using misleading marketing practices and engaging in aggressive sales tactics. The company and the lawsuits against it received renewed interest due to Trump’s candidacy in the 2016 presidential election. Despite repeatedly insisting he would not settle, Trump settled all three lawsuits in November 2016 for a total of $25 million after being elected to the presidency.”
Recently, the IRS forced the shut-down of the Trump Foundation when the IRS discovered that charitable money was being used for personal expenses!
I could go on and on all day, but these facts prove that Trump and his family are (1) dishonest (2) liars (3) thieves and white collar criminals. ANY AMISH PERSONAL and RELIGIOUS VALUES? No, no, and NO! Lock the Trumps up! The sooner the better for our country.
Pro-lifers and Trump
Taxi driver: Apparently, all of that man’s sins past and present, hypocrisy, duplicity, don’t matter as long as he claims to be a Christian and is willing to promote the Evangelicals’ agenda of imposing Christianity on all Americans and the world.
Janice Reamer,
If someone claiming to be Christian also takes action to stop our taxes from killing babies that would survive if born prematurely especially, than yes, that person is backing up their claims, of not only of Christianity but of basic humanity. There are presidents who’ve refused to do so, including Clinton and Obama, who didn’t have race in common but were both very pro-abortion (Obama funded abortions to other countries). And yes, those who have such monstrous disregard for innocent life also exhibit severe disdain for religious liberty, and eventually all liberty. It is not Christians who seek to deceptively impose their way of life, but those who are compelled to consistently aim lies and accusations in attempts to manipulate public opinion.
Pro-lifers and Trump
Ms. Berkey: You must be a fan of all those televisions “news” shows that claim only they are telling the truth. One American News, Newsmax, maybe FOX, although they admit they are an entertainment channel, not a news channel. In other words, any channel that is pro-Trump, pro-Israel, and anti-Muslim. There is nothing Christian about any of those shows! Not in my view!
Mainstream News
I’ve learned not to trust any mainstream media. They make a war out of information. An old Communist mantra was, “Divide and Conquer.” This is done with more than sex, race, and income. Being on the lookout for things like that helps me know how to carefully sort through the news and find truth.
Religious freedom
Ms. Berkey: Divide and conquer seems to be the modus operandi of this president. Never has this country been as divided and derided as it is since Trump stepped into the White House. When you sort through the news, I would hope you would also also use common sense when forming an opinion. The flag and National Anthem mean nothing if they don’t represent ALL Americans. It’s that simple. As for President Obama not respecting the flag or National Anthem, by what standards are you judging him? By the same standards you use to justify voting for Trump? Did President Obama increase NSA surveillance during his presidency? Yes, he did. Who started the NSA? GW Bush did. President Obama ran with it. Snowden leaked information and ran? Yes, he did. I don’t fault Snowden for it. But, why did he choose Russia? Because he knew Russia was an enemy of the USA. Trump signed on to reauthorize the NSA to use its fullest powers. Did you know that?
So, what is your top priority in a president? No candidate, except George Washington, has been ideal. I never voted for anyone in the Bush family. I did vote for Ronald Reagan, twice, who was also hated by many at first.
Nice gesture
I know Amish in PA who voted for the president in 2016. You explain their reasons well here. The invite to the White House was a nice gesture as a follow up, as well as a thank you. Religious freedom is very important, and the president recognizes this, so I’m not surprised these people of faith consider this at the voting booth.
Religious freedom
Katy Lee: Is religious freedom really what the Amish went to the White House for? I did not realize that they needed Trump’s assurance that HE would make sure the US had religious freedom. I do not know of any president who was against religious freedom. Trump is pro anything that will keep him in office and people such as yourself, are hiding your heads in the sand if you don’t already realize this.
Some Amish vote
This was a nice on the part of Trump to invite these Amish men to the White House. I’m glad they went. While I agree that the majority of Amish do not vote, I don’t think you can paint the whole group with the same brush.
My father was a Horse and Buggy Amish businessman. I remember him voting when I was a child. Yesterday would have been my father’s birthday. He was born in 1900. So I’m not a spring chicken anymore. Do the math. When I was a kid, we received the daily newspaper, Life magazine, Saturday Evening Post, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic plus numerous farming magazines. Oh, lest I forget, we also received the Budget, Words of Cheer and Youth’s Companion. There was always something to read at our home. Maybe this was an anomaly for an Amish household but I learned to love to read from my parents.
I wasn’t really interested in politics when I was younger. I voted Republican in most elections. Although i did vote Democrat if I thought the candidate would do a good job as president. Three times I voted for a Democrat president. Today that would NOT be an option for me. When Trump came on the scene, he interested me. He was a businessman, unlike any of the other people who were running for president. Yes, I knew he was a narcissist, egotistical and with an inflated ego. Do I like his Twitter rants? No, I do NOT. Do I like how he belittles people and makes up cutesy names for them? No, I do NOT. He is what he is. I DID NOT VOTE FOR A PASTOR OF MY CHURCH. I voted for someone who I thought would be able to run the country without a whole lot of political strings attached.
I voted for someone who just might get something done in Washington. While I did not vote for Barack Obama, I was sure hoping if a Democrat won, it would be Obama and not Hillary. When Obama won, I wished him well and hoped he would be able to bring the
country together. T’was not to be. Then we had a choice of Trump or Hillary. (Hillary lost me when she supposedly ran under sniper fire when she landed in Bosnia. The sniper fire was school kids bearing flowers). And now, where have we been the last 3 years? The choir
started singing *Impeach 45* the day he won the presidency. All we heard on cable 24/7 was Russia, Russia, Racist, Fascist, Bigot, Misogynist, Collusion, Collaboration with Putin, Conspiracy, Treason, Bribery, Extortion, Dictator, Tyrant, would be King, Sociopath, worse than Stalin, Mao Zedong, Hitler and Pol Pot, Jew hater, Muslim hater, African American hater. A Xenophobe. Trump has been accused of all of those things and many more ludicrous and sometimes it’s downright hilarious.
If any Amish vote in this election, they will vote for Trump. They are not uninformed.
Peace
You know what I see in the Amish that’s so awesome? They look at the heart of the matter. For example, where do poor working and living conditions originate? There is no ideal president, except Jesus Himself, and if He was here how many do you think would crucify Him again?
We are left to prioritize to get at the heart of the issue. Any president who defends the life of the most innocent among us is the closest candidate to one for all people. Patrick Henry, one of our founding father’s asked, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
I would add to that today, is life and “peace” sweet AT ALL with the blood of these innocent children taken on our watch?! How can we tolerate such atrocities? It’s FAR beyond criminal! It’s inhuman! How long do you think God is going to tolerate it? It’s bringing His judgements down upon this nation with war, poverty, disease, and the loss of freedom. Defending the innocent God sends to bless our lives does and will continue to improve living and working conditions for as many people as possible and as fast as possible.
You can’t make a mockery of God by creating life carelessly and then killing it mercilessly, and then realistically expect prosperity or even peace.
Wow
It looks like things have changed dramatically since I left the community 16 years ago. I could never have imagined my family or other church members and neighbors supporting a man like this and and certainly not praising him to reporters.
Wow!
Thom: You feel as I do. Kudos to you for speaking up!
Most Amish did not and will note vote for this man.
The truth is most Amish did NOT and will NOT vote for the guy currently in the White House. Don’t be fooled. I just got back from Amish country, and it’s pretty clear that most Amish are just laughing at this whole Amish PAC idea. The ques5ion is are there ANY real Amish involved in that group? Who are the real leaders? Do any of them belong to any Old Order Amish church? Or is this a political entity only, just using a name that not Amish church would endorse or approve? The Amish are constantly be USED by others in this way, without their permission, of course.
Amish Delegation Visits White House
Well, since my comment didn’t make it online let me try again:
I guess I’m one of those heathens that actually believes in life After birth. Yet we have a “pro-life” administration that celebrates life by gutting educational equality programs, medicaid-funded pediatric wellness programs, and defunding childcare programs, either making them prohibitively expensive or nonexistent. These programs are desperately needed by families working 2-3 low-wage jobs (who work for mega companies who don’t believe in paying a living wage).
I don’t have an issue with Plain communities; their family-oriented philosophy and work ethic are admirable. What I’m concerned about is their attraction for a president who cares only about select groups in this country who believe him unquestioningly, regardless of his treatment of others. I don’t dare get into more detail, since it’s an unsavory subject too edgy for some blogs. I just wish that Americans could fear their neighbors less and care about them more.
Not everyone who’s different than the majority is un-American.
Pro-lifers and Trump
Leslie: Thank you. One of the few voices of reason on this blog!
TDS
So anyone with an opposing view is incapable of reasoned discourse, right? I didn’t vote for Trump (nor HRC) but Trump Derangement Syndrome, which has unfortunately infected you, is precisely why Trump will be re-elected this year.
To Bob taxi driver
Bob: there is no need for name calling. Sure you disagree with those who support Trump, that is no reason to call them brainwashed and every other name. Just because we hold a different opinion from you does not make us stupid ignorant.
By your “godly” standard and purity test, neither King David nor King Solomon (born out of an adulterous relationship) would have been fit to be king of Israel talk less of being in the kingly line of the Messiah.
God is the only one that sets rulers up and brings them down. Ultimately, every president we have ever had has been out in there by God, wether we the like the person or not. At the end of the day, we have to trust God that He knows what He is doing.
Our job is to pray for those in leadership not call their supporters names.
God bless
To Elizabeth Elliot
I feel sorry for you, Elizabeth. Your attitude is what got the German People the world’s worst dictator, Adolf Hitler. We have Laws in our country–are you ignorant of that? Do our laws allow a person to kill someone and then just claim, ‘God told me to do it?” Would you allow that murderer to walk free? WOULD YOU? Trump has broken a long list of laws and he should be held accountable. What you are actually doing is treating Trump like a King or a God. HE IS NOT ABOVE OUR LAWS! WHY are you treating him as if he is above our laws? Why?
What about Hitler?
Would you say that Hitler was God’s choice for Germany? What about God’s choice for Russia or China? Was it really Stalin and Mao. You might want to rethink your theology, my friend. By your reasoning, because Hitler came to power in a democratic election, we should have obeyed him and thanked God for him???? Really??? Trump is not a Christian, but a serial adulterer, immoral and spiritually bankrupt, yet according to your viewpoint he is God’s choice. It’s time for him to be “excommunicated” from the office he abused so terribly. Then he should be put in the “ban” and “shunned” for as long as I takes.
Bob Taxi Driver & T Miller
Who out pharaoh in power in Egypt? Who put nebuchadnezzar in power? Who allows the devil to run to and fro the earth until the day of judgement?
Either God is sovereign or He is not.
I do not know why God allows what He allows, all I know is that He does everything for His glory.
You guys sound so angry. Why? The anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
Again, either God is sovereign or He is not. Don’t worry, God has everything under control. The whole world and the people in it, both good and bad were created for His purpose & He will alone will judge every man when the time comes.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Amish Delegation Visits White House
Thank you for the Yuletide greeting Stephanie. However, as a fellow American who happens to have a noticeable level of melanin in my skin, a true leader needs to try to listen many groups of people, not just his base.
How can there be any justification to care about the unborn, and then make that child’s life more of a struggle after birth? In my opinion life is too complex to synthesize it down to one issue only. What about children with disabilities? What about senior citizens?
What about the poor? Most people aren’t poor because they were evil or lazy – it’s unfortunately a perfect storm of complex circumstances that place them in a bind that’s hard to get out of. Jesus was a champion of the poor, the downtrodden, widowed and orphans. Nowadays we blame those same groups for their plight, especially if they’re in the “wrong” (not majority) group.
As someone who works extensively with special needs adults and is a member of a minority, I see and experience firsthand mistreatment at the hands of flag-waving, so-called patriotic Americans. My family goes back many generations, even to slavery times. Aren’t I American too? This current president and Senate don’t care about me and people like me.
He doesn't care about Amish
How anyone could even imagine that an egotistical person like the guy in the White House, could even care one iota about minorities, INCLUDING THE AMISH, is deceiving themselves. The guy is only using the Amish for his political purposes. Thank God 99% of the Amish are not deceived that easily. Somebody said the guy is PRO AMERICA. Excuse me? He is only pro Donald Trump. His whole life shows that. In fact, he’s just too close to the Russian leader for my liking. Russia is an avowed enemy of the United States. He’s flip-flopped his whole life on the issues, adopting whatever is politically expedient at the time.
Any Amish I’ve talked with can see right through this guy.
I believe IMPEACHMENT is in the Constitution because GOD wanted it there, for times such as this.
President Trump is pro American compared to our last president.
So is Putin.
Amish Delegation Visits White House
I’m rendered incredulous by your statement. A Russian dictator is pro-American? Evidence? I also strongly disagree with your statement about #44. His very citizenship, education and humanity was questioned because of his unique name (and skin color), yet Putin is our friend. What planet am I on?
PUTIN IS NOT PRO-AMERICAN
Just the facts please. Putin is NOT pro-American. He is an enemy of the American nation. He is also pro-CHOICE 100%, just like Mr. Trump’s friend in North Korea, with whom he “fell in love” (his words). No wonder God directed that IMPEACHMENT be included in our US Constitution, for times such as these. God knew exactly what He was doing.
How American the man who previously acted as president, when he defiantly refused to show respect for our flag and national anthem? Who also expanded massive surveillance powers, violating the right to privacy of Americans (with the NSA), so much that Edward Snowden fled to Russia?
Obama also gave more aid to other countries and illegal aliens than American veterans.
It'll all soon be over.
This ain’t about no previous President (Bush, Obama, etc.). This is about the guy who sits on the throne in the White House right now, who has been IMPEACHED by the House of Representatives, according to the US Constitution. It’ll all soon be over. The old fella will soon be leaving office, either by trial in the Senate, the ballot box, or resignation (just like Tricky Dick Nixon, who got out before they tossed him out). It’s only a matter of time.
to T. Miller
You know the Truth and you posted the Truth. We have millions of Americans who should be able to see a criminal at work, but have somehow been brain-washed into thinking Trump can do no wrong. Sure sounds like the brain-washed German People in the 1930’s. Hitler could do no wrong even though he was a non-stop liar and was planning a world-wide war so he could become the King / dictator of the world. HEY FOLKS OUT THERE—is it OK to have 3 wives and have cheated (!) on all three? That is Trump! WHY aren’t you holding him accountable for 1,000’s of lies / a fraudulent ‘Trump University’ / illegally using charitable money from the Trump Foundation, which the IRS just forced to shut down? AND, any woman who still supports Trump after he said–ON TAPE–that it is OK to grab women’s private parts, needs to go back to K-Garten and start getting educated. Donald Trump is a white collar criminal, PERIOD! He should be doing time in prison. AND, he is a Putin chump!
It does matter who was president before, because that’s most likely who we’ll get again if we don’t have a strong pro-life president to counter it. Trump is also pro-Israel, another welcome change.
Amish delegation at White House
Stephanie B: Stuff and nonsense! If you’re going to be anti-abortion or pro-life as anti-abortionists claim to be, because you are Christian, then you should go a step further and also care about that woman or girl, who is having the baby! Are you involved with a group that puts its money where its mouth is and cares for the woman or girl who changes her mind about having an abortion? When is the last time you did anything for a woman or girl who changed her mind about having the abortion? Anti-abortionists aren’t pro-life, they’re just anti-abortion! Being pro-life means being pro that woman or girl, who now has the baby but has nowhere to go because she has no money or support system. You can’t tell women or girls, that they made their bed, now they need to sleep in it. How is that the Christian way? My interpretation of Christ’s teachings obligates me to not only help them see the light but to help them move forward by offering a support system. I don’t know how the Amish behave when one of their girls becoming pregnant while unmarried, either by choice, ignorance or rape. I would hope it’s with love and caring, not shunning. I’ve heard it isn’t so.
Helping Girls and Women
Janice Reamer,
I never said they made their own bed and so must sleep in it and do not feel so. Many women do not know that they can have power over their lives, mainly because so many men mistreat them. I have contributed to organizations that help these girls, and I would help any personally in any way I can, including my own daughters.
I am pro girls and women. I have been involved with helping them in many ways, the biggest way l have is by giving life and raising with as much love as I could four beautiful intelligent wonderful daughters so that they might have a blessed life.
Also, spreading the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and contributing to it’s cause, helps all people in the biggest way possible, for He can heal us and help us through all things.
He gives all women a support system much better than I or the government can. He helps them empower theirselves to avoid situations that can lead to unwanted pregnancies and abusive relationships.
Adoption
I hope any women and girl in need would get help from any Christian church, and if not keep trying until they find one. My church most certainly does help whoever they can in these situations (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I’m sure the Amish as well as other churches have boundaries and protocols though, which is expected, as well as reasons behind them, just as with any other organization.
Women can be just as abusive as men, and also need humility and willingness to change.
The cold hard truth is the government really doesn’t have much to give; its debt is much too overwhelming. At some point soon it will collapse and people will have to find help elsewhere.
I’ve qualified for aid at times, but tried to turn to family and churches as much as possible, who’ve kindly helped (and I’ve given to others in need when I could). People have been trained to rely too much on government, more than to rely on God. We can get back to prosperity and generosity by turning back to God, and helping one another more. I know that probably sounds scary, but again, the government cannot really meet all our needs, and was never meant to.
Merry Christmas, Elizabeth Elliott, that view actually sounds very Amish to me. They tend to avoid politics and have historically have left it in the hands of God in faith. I guess they feel overwhelmed by it all, and if so, they are far from being alone in that feeling.
To me as an American who wants to defend what most needs defending, I believe God wants us to stay informed and involved as much as possible. Freedom takes constant vigilance and action on our part. Sometimes (and I believe in this case) that means choosing the lesser of two evils. At least Trump is pro-life and pro-American; a much needed and welcome change!
TO Amy
Fascinating–your comments. SO, Amy, are you telling all of us on the net that God allowed the dropping of the 2 atomic bombs on Japanese cities during WWII that killed over 100,000 innocent men, women and children–babies, too? WHY would God do that? Or, is the human race often extremely vicious and murderous, (look what the Japanese and Hitler’s military did to the world–over 60 million dead humans)AND perhaps, there is no “God?” So, would you answer the question–although I know you won’t–why would any God allow humans to drop atomic bombs on innocent men, women, children, babies?????
To Leslie:
Thank you for your honesty. As a minority woman who gave birth to a premier baby that weighed 2lbs 6oz at birth and as the aunt of twins who were born premature and weighed 1lb 4oz & 1lb 7oz respectively, I know first hand what it means to live with special needs. Every life is precious. Let us not place values on lives only when they are healthy. You know some people become special needs due to accidents. Do we kill them off instead?
I will not trade the joy my child and my twin nephew & niece has brought into our lives for anything in the world. Yes, there are struggles but the joys are so much more!
A person’s worth and value comes from God not, their health or their looks. I am an immigrant from an African country and I can tell you that America is still the best country for anyone to live in. Yes, America has its flaws, but it is made up of human beings. Human beings are flawed.
As for the elderly, I’m glad there are programs here for the elderly here, but I have always wondered why family members don’t take care of their own. Where I come from, there is no government program for the elderly, so wether you like your elderly relative or not, the members of their families are obligated to take care of them. I know that is not the case here, but shouldn’t we encourage it?
I am not an expert but as a human being, I will say the poor needs opportunities to get out of poverty. Of course not everyone who is poor is lazy. When we first came to the US, while working 4 jobs between us, my husbands &I were still very poor before the Lord blessed our business so I never attribute poverty to laziness. The only thing that can lift poor people out of poverty is opportunities for job & business.
I have lived in America for 23yrs now and I am thankful to be here. Besides the country where I grew up, I have visited friends & relatives in Europe and all I can say is – thank God for America with all her warts and all.
Have a merry Christmas!
Amish Delegation Visits White House
Hi Elizabeth,
Many prayers to your child and niece and nephew. I’m very much in favor of programs for all vulnerable populations. Those programs need public and government support – and funding, which they’re not getting under this present administration. It’s not enough to pay lip service to social issues – there needs to be real action.
I’m not sure what your country of origin is, but if it’s from any 3rd world nation, especially one described by the current president as a s**h** country, you may not have even be allowed to enter this nation, even if your life was in mortal danger.
I also love my country, but not the rising hostility parts of the majority society have toward people of color, long-time citizens or not. It hurts to feel like a stranger in my own country.
To Leslie:
Merry Christmas Leslie! Let me tell you something that will surprise you. Most of us from those countries have used terms like sh** hole to describe our country. You know why? The government is extreme corrupt. They do not care for the people nor the country. Most African countries are very rich in natural resources, but the government & corrupt politicians have stolen most of the wealth without a care for the people. Most of the leaders have billions of dollars (yes, you heard that right) billions of dollars in banks across Europe while their countries are getting poorer & poorer.
Something else you might not know, most of us from those countries were not offended one bit. We were wondering what took so long. For so long western leaders will use polite word to leaders of 3rd world nations who are nothing but thieves and liars who have stolen most of their counties wealth. Every aide given by the west to help the countries are stolen by the Leaders.
You should plan to visit one of these countries sometime. Try spending a month there, things will become clearer.
What I have noticed in my 23 years of living in America is that EVERY republican is portrayed as a racist, while every democrat is not. This is just absurd. I have also noticed that most in the media are hell bent on dividing us by race. It seems every disagreement between people of different races is always attributed to racism. People of different races can disagree without it being racial.
I have lived here for 23 years, and I personally don’t see any rising hostility, the media would have us believe that but it is just not true. There will always be people who are prejudiced against others. In the country where I came from, parents have disowned their children for marrying outside their tribe. Yes, there will be some form of discrimination in the world until Christ comes because the heart of men is sinful and wicked. If we spend most of our time focusing on discrimination that is all we will see.
Amish Delegation Visits White House
Hi again Elizabeth,
For me it’s one thing for a past or current resident to label their country of origin with a pejorative term, and another for someone who’s never been there to do so. But if absolutely no one living there cares, then ok.
I’m glad you’ve had nothing but peaceful experiences living here for the past 23 years. As someone who was born and raised here for 30 years longer than you have lived here, I’ve experienced some very disrespectful and at times threatening behavior from members of the majority society, not from Muslims or “evil” hordes South of the border.
I and other African Americans are not imagining any of our experiences; none of what we’ve been through is a result of a newspaper article or TV report. You can go on Facebook and see phone videos where people of color are being harassed by people who, as they’re bullying their victims, are invoking Trump’s name.
Look, I’m not denying your experiences, but you can’t deny mine either. I think we’ve had a productive discussion, but we’ll just have to agree to disagree. I wish and your family the best and hope all your experiences here continue to be happy in every way. Not everyone is so fortunate.
Leslie:
Leslie, I am sorry if I came across as denying your experience. I am not saying that at all. In my previous comment, I said prejudice will always exist until Christ comes because the heart of man is sinful wicked – Prejudice is real. However, every disagreement is not prejudice.
I have experienced prejudice as well believe it or not from ALL races, but I choose not dwell on it or judge the next person by it. I refused to judge the person I meet today, based on my experience from with someone else from yesterday. I am not stupid. The Bible teaches us to guard our hearts with all diligence for from there flows the issues of life. I don’t want to become what I despise in others, so I guard my heart while I learn from past experiences, I refuse to judge anyone based on bad past experiences.
Leslie’s, again I am sorry if I came across as denying your experience, I would never do that and I am sorry.
Great Article
Thank you for posting this article on Amish America. You wrote without bias and cited historically. That is so rare these days! It’s interesting when the Amish think an election is so important that they start their own PAC.
I think your article summed up their support with:
“The Amish men said they do not harbor any misconception that Mr. Trump is an overly religious man, but they said he shared their Christian ethos and was moving the country in the right direction.”
They know what’s going on and it sounds like they are more informed than most “English.”
I am quite dismayed at the viciousness of the comments. I never thought I’d see such personal attacks on THIS awesome web site. We are judging our own brothers – there’s only one Judge.
Glad you liked it Lee Annette. My intention was to share an interesting intersection of the Amish into the world of politics, which is not so common. I thought the article summarized at least how these Amish men feel about the President. A more widespread view would be of interest as well. I think the majority of Amish people still would tend to largely ignore politics, taking the “pray-don’t-vote” approach, but for those who do pay attention, I’m curious how representative these men’s views are as far as that larger group goes.
The PAC you mention was actually started not by Amish but by non-Amish, though at least some had Amish ties (the outreach director grew up in an Amish family):
https://amishamerica.com/will-amish-vote-for-trump/
Shocked at lack of knowledge
I’m really shocked at the lack of knowledge regarding President Trump. Please stop watching mainstream media. Many of the things he’s accused of have been debunked, such as him saying there were good people on both sides at Charlottesville. He was not speaking about anyone racist. In fact, he condemned those people, and that’s not hard to find even a little bit, unless of course you’re looking at edited content. The people he said were “fine people” were the peaceful protestors on both sides of a debate to remove a historical statue for a war that was not fought just over slavery. After all, when the law in the Union shows that they felt black people were less of a whole person than people in the South, you may wonder what exactly was being fought. It’s much more convoluted than people think.
Trump has Bible studies in the White House. He’s doing his best to protect lives, protect the unborn, protect our freedoms, and he’s doing it for free for a country that treats him like a dictator who captured America and installed himself in the White House. Maybe read the Epoch Times or another independent newspaper or news site. But be sure they are still independent. Since all news agencies are owned by only six companies, you gotta be careful and so your research. And stop watching mainstream news. There have been many studies done and they’ve been found to be highly biased and only report on what makes Trump look bad. And they usually have to spin it to make it look that way. So please stop spreading misinformation. There are truths not being reported in the mainstream media, especially now regarding the impeachment.
Cool it down Guys! Be kind
You guys need to cool it down on these comments. wow! There is so much anger and resentment from some of these posts!
God has things under control. No need for the anger, resentment and name calling. Be kind to each other.
Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Dr. Ben Carson is an African-American who works with President Trump with Opportunity Zones, a new national community investment program that connects private capital with low-income people all across America. Over 30 million live in these zones. Mr. Carson visited one last July in Salt Lake City for those with disabilities like autism. He said what making all this possible is public and private agencies working together.
I wanted to vote for Ben Carson for president in 2016, but I couldn’t support his views on vaccinations. He needed more experience with politics. He is an amazing doctor and person though, and I’m very grateful he is working with President Trump. There’s a wonderful movie about him called “Gifted Hands”. He seems very compassionate and knows what it’s like to be disadvantaged, overcome it, and become very successful.
Ben Carson
Ms. Berkey: Yet you voted for Trump, the guy who realized that the role of most politicians is similar to that of a crooked salesperson. Crooked business deals are the only deals Trump has ever been successful at. He wouldn’t know how to work an honest business deal if his life depended on it! Poor Dr. Ben Carson…the guy has no idea what he’s doing. He has done little to nothing about homelessness. Although he claims he has. In fact, he has had many poor neighborhoods revamped by evicting the people in those neighborhoods. He did not offer them alternate housing. His Envision project has gone nowhere because, again, Dr. Carson has no idea what he’s doing. He didn’t bother to get any funding for it. I could go on, but, I don’t want to burst your bubble!
No Quick Fixes
Oh, well, Ms. Reamer, perhaps you should run for president, or try doing the job Ben Carson is trying to do. I’m guessing you voted for Hillary, or another candidate who has no empathy for innocent life being ripped to pieces or burned alive just before being born. You seem very “educated”, so tell me what kind of person fits that description? Does the word psychopath comes to mind? But you wont admit that, will you? Now, whose the one living in a “bubble”?
Again, all these problems stem from corruption as individuals and a society. There are no quick fixes.