Joining the Amish
It can be done. About a hundred have so far, including an Ohio gentleman claiming to be ‘the only Hispanic Amishman’. Read more here (no longer online). Bonus: even more on joining the Amish.
Amish Beliefs
A quick look at shunning
Shunning is controversial, but helps uphold Amish society For the Amish, shunning only happens among baptized members. Youth may bend or break rules during Rumspringa, though Amish parents do not necessarily condone or encourage such behavior.  But in practice, some Amish youth buy cars, wear ‘English’ clothes, and so on. If they cross the line too blatantly, they may get a ‘talking-to’, but they won’t…
Amish Easter and other holidays
Just came back from the 6 am Easter mass as I visit Grandma here in very Catholic Warsaw, Poland. It began with a procession whereby the priest, followed by the congregation, circumnavigated the church three times, all the while a series of explosions going off in the background to punctuate the event. Tomorrow is Lany Poniedzialek, Wet Monday, which is basically an excuse for the…
The people or the building?
The Roman Catholic Church has one of the largest holdings of real estate of any organization in the world. Over the last two millenia it has build thousands of churches around the globe, some humble, some resembling lavish storehouses of art and artefacts. The multi-million dollar Crystal Cathedral, often called ‘the most spectacular religious edifice in the world’ was built in 1980 by the Reformed…
Sunday Morning
Sunday morning means church for the Amish. Amish services are held in members’ homes. There can be a couple hundred people in attendance. The Amish group themselves into church districts of anywhere from 20 to 50 families, though they typically have around 25 to 35. Each has a bishop, two or three ministers, and a deacon. Service lasts around three hours and includes sermons, Scripture…
No, I Won’t Say Cheese
Amish resistance to photography is fairly well-known. But not by everyone. Or at least it’s not respected by everyone. Tourists can still be a problem, frustrating the Amish and even causing accidents. The Amish believe posing for photographs is a form of pride. Reporters dealt with the issue, some tactfully, others less so, while covering the Nickel Mines incident last year. There are exceptions to…
Amish and happiness
People sometimes pity the Amish, thinking that since they do not have a chance to go to university, they must live miserable lives. Not to mention: no car, no internet, no makeup, no golf. But maybe it depends a bit on what you value. If you value things like unrestricted choice, education, wealth, and consumption above all else, then yes, Amish life might not look…
Uncommon Grace
Three months on, and the accolades and articles continue to pour out lauding the Nickel Mines Amish. What a powerful example. Powerful because in their forgiveness of the killer, they gave up all claim of moral superiority. The Amish were essentially saying that yes, we hurt, but we will heal. We will forgive–that is always the first step. This was not the first time the…
