So you want to join the Amish
One thing that sets the Amish apart from many Mennonite groups, and for that matter most other religious bodies: they don’t recruit.
Amish typically neither condemn nor encourage attempts to join. They may seem a bit discouraging towards the idea. If the subject comes up, usually you hear something like ‘if you don’t grow up Amish, it’s really hard to do it.’
Occasionally, you run into an Amish person with a name that just doesn’t ‘sound’ Amish. That’s often a clue.
It frequently happens that non-Amish who join stick it out for a little while but leave when the novelty wears off.
I’ve only met a very few that have joined, and that’s out of literally (literally literally) thousands of families met while selling books in their communities.
I regret not having a chance to get down to the nitty-gritty about it with the joiners (What’s it like? No, what’s it really like? What do you miss most?).
One was a teacher. Another works in a factory. A third, fairly fresh convert raises and sells mums. He supposedly fell for an Amish lass while on a visit to the community.
Asking another ‘native’ Amishman in his community about the newbie, I was told, almost wink-wink jokingly, that he seems to be doing alright (so far), as if the underlying idea was ‘is he gonna make it?’
But this guy, and the other people around him were supportive as far as I could tell. In fact, the outsiders who have joined and ‘survived’ seem to garner a bit of extra respect.
Apparently, one way it works for interested parties is that you first come to live and get put to work for a certain length of time, just to see if you can hack it on that end.
Then there are the teachings and language to pick up. Amish adolescents readying themselves for baptism normally attend prep courses led by church ministers.
One New Order Amish couple I met had adopted five non-Amish children. They found a Pennsylvania Dutch tutor to teach the kids the native tongue. I suppose that would come in handy for non-Dutch adult converts as well.
Some converts are from similar-minded faiths such as this Mennonite -background fellow, which may make it easier, but others come from different branches of Christianity.
The teacher-convert was apparently originally Catholic, as was well-known Amish historian David Luthy, whom I often mention in this blog.
Apparently this teacher-convert said he found living without a car to be the most difficult. That’s not surprising. For me, I think car and electric would be the hardest. Clothing, hairstyle, hard physical work I’m pretty sure I could swing.
But that might be looking at it the wrong way. One Amishman has suggested that seekers approaching the Amish solely through the lifestyle angle–the buggies-and-beards rustic appeal of it–are missing the point.
The whole idea is not to live in a strange cultural world for it’s own sake. By itself, that gets you nowhere. Rather it’s all about living what the Amish feel is most important: the words and teachings of Jesus Christ.
I have been going to church since i was a baby. I have tried numorous religions, but none of them have felt right. The rest of my family have already been baptized and found a religion that suits them. For a while i gave up on finding my religion. But then i heard of the amish. Their ways of life seem perfect for me. Everything they do is to serve god. They do everything the bible says to do, without questioning. I have never wanted anything but a simple life, even before i knew about the amish. I dont fit in here. It just feels wrong.
Of coarse when i told my mom and my sister, the laughed at me and said i couldnt do it. I dont blame them, and now im not so sure i can do it. I could go without electricity, but i dont know if i will ever be able to feel toataly comfortable being amish. Im not sure if i will be able to fully adapt.
Nichayla, continue to pray on the matter, ask the Lord for instruction, even if the Lord intends for you to lead an Amish-like lifestyle in your own community. Don’t be discouraged by the people who love you, but laugh at you, but don’t forget to forgive them readily, forgive all your “enemies”.
Nichayla Continue to pray start to adopt the plain lifestyle at home, i.e start to wear the clothes, start to cover full-time, stop cutting your hair (I assume you are female). Give up TV and music.
I reccomend you cotact http://www.beachyam.com
The chap there is a convert to Beachy Amish menonite, he will put you in touch with believrs wholive the plain lifestyle.
More importantly have you been born again?
So you want to be Amish
I have never desired to be Amish, but I have had a lingering curiosity about that Faith.
There are some striking similarities between the Christian and Amish faith. For instance, the belief in Adult Baptism, being equally yoked, and the use of the term “Born Again”, Born unto death, rise again to walk in new life.
Where we differ, is in the rigid separation from other Christians. We are called to be “equally yoked” but we are also called to reach out to the non-believers, to speak about Jesus, our Lord and savior, they have to know His name! How can the Amish accomplish this, if they separate them selves to that extent. We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God, but together we can lift up His name, together we can be a support for each other,with Corporate worship we can study/learn His word and do our utmost to keep the devil where he belongs.
I believe there is much to be learn from the Amish, especially in the are of learning to live a more simple life, but could we not learn from each other?
I just stumbled across an earlr and brief entry Erik posted. I thought it was worth bringing up here as a link about living a simple/godly life.
https://amishamerica.com/rules_of_a_godl/
I’ve been interested in becoming Amish for many years now, but since I live in England this is going to be immensely difficult! Does anyone have any advice on how I might manage it? I’m currently attending a Mennonite church over here, but I feel that God has drawn me to the Amish for a reason.
Discuss your calling with other people in the church you attend. See what they’d have to say about it. Don’t forget that Mennonites do also do the conservative thing too depending on the strictness of the local church community. Is it fair to guess that the Mennonites you worship with hold services in a meeting house or church building?
I suggest you start looking into stricter groups within the Menonite circle; and work your way up gradually. Contact Beachy Amish they will help, http://www.beachyam.org
I’m trying to find a consevative Menonite group I could jopn, but my Husband has been married previously, and at the moment we can’t seem to find a group that will take us.
I live in Ireland.
i live in Australia and have for the past 15 years wanted to join the amish. And for religious reasons. if i could get over to america i would most definately give up every thing in this world to join
If I would join the Amish, sure the lifestyle aspects and feeling at home in the community would be difficult and take time. But as you said, the most important thing is why they live the way they do. If you see it as just a quaint old-fashioned culture or a simpler way of life, you’ve missed the point. Everything in the Plain People’s way of life is an attempt to serve God.
I really had no interest in the Amish, Mennonites or the rest of the plain churches until last year, except wondering why they dressed so funny. Then I met a conservative Anabaptist family. The way they looked at life and faith was so different and wonderful that I was instantly drawn to it. They really believed what they said they believed, and they lived it.
I probably won’t ever be Amish, but by now I’m well on my way to becoming Plain.
Nichayla, I’d like to suggest that you join the Amish_and_Mennonite board on Yahoo.
I did and now attend a conservative Mennonite church. It is totally different from a Mennonite USA church. We cover and dress plainly. We sit separately in church. We aren’t as conservative as Old Order Mennonite or Beachy Mennonite because we drive cars and have electricity.
I am a UM minister’s daughter and just couldn’t find a church that I wanted to go to. I WANT to go to this church and fellowship with the members. I want to do God’s will. That is how you will know when you have found your community.
Blessings!
I live in England and since I’ve heard of Amish people I always wanted to join them one day… But I guess it would be really difficult as I live in England… and the language is another issue to conciser. Is it possible to join the Amish community if you don’t speak Dutch or German?
Freddie, Cassie, and Nat,
You might find answers to your questions at Amish_and_Mennonite-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, Amish_and_Mennonite-owner@yahoogroups.com, or http://anabaptists.org/ may be able to put you in touch with conservative Mennonites, Beachy Amish, or conservative Amish groups in your country. I know that the Amish_and_Mennonite group has members from England, Ireland, and Australia. The moderators will help you find a congregation if one is within driving distance.
Difficulties of joining the Amish
Hi Nat, typically you would need to learn PA German if you were to want to join a community. There are likely higher hurdles than language though in adapting to a Plain lifestyle. Amish do accept outsiders in some cases but it takes a committed heart and willingness to submit oneself to community in ways that most modern folks are not accustomed to, which is one reason so few actually do join and remain Amish.
Hi Merrie,
I noticed you said that the Conservative Mennonites are not quite as conservative as the Beachy Mennonites because you would drive cars, most Beachy (Amish) Mennonites do drive cars. In fact I do not know of a Beachy Mennonite congregation around me that does not allow members to own cars or have electricity. In addition, there are Old Order Mennonites that drive cars as well as the Horse and Buggy Old Order Mennonites. Just thought I’d share that little bit of information for what it’s worth 🙂
Blessings.
Of course you’re right Chelsea. I meant to say Old Order Amish but my fingers decided to type Beachy Mennonite. Thanks for the catch!
Blessings to you as well.
I’m from sarasota. There are several businesses being bought up by the amish and for some reason it is being done in a very covert way. A business I was working for was sold to someone. Come to find out, the owner that we were told bought it was not the actual owner but an amish family. Why lie? Well the employees were all told we were going to keep our jobs. Two months later I was let go and was not given a reason. This has happened to several other employees since. Now, the only people working there are people connected to this family and the amish community. For the two months I was working there I was ignored and treated like I was invisible. I think they believe anyone who is not one of them is evil. Whats’s happened to the rest of us not part of their group is wrong and equates to economic genocide (not to mention blatant discrimmination). It is unfair and upsetting, but what can be done about it? They are not the good people the public believes they are.
If you want to be Amish, one of the first steps is to stop posting about it here, and get rid of the internet. Have your electric and telephone turned off, because when you move into the community you will not me needing it anymore.
I have faithfully studied the Old Order Amish since 1992 and have come to respect and truly believe that they have good ideas and live for God in all ways. I try in my daily life to live plainly and to follow as many of their ways as possible. I could easily do without television and electricity. Unfortunately I am in an isolated area so my car is a necessity and I don’t look at it as a luxury. I would like to someday spend an entire summer with an Amish family. I have spent a week with them, but a whole summer would give me more of an idea of what living Amish would really be like. I would love to beable to talk to other people who have the same thoughts as I do. Where I live if I really told of my interests they would probably say I had lost my mind. Thanks for a chance to read others comments and find that I am not alone. God Bless you all
Hi Cheryl,
I’ve spent Summer’s with Amish families and attended Amish church (when possible) for the past 5 years. When I graduate this June I do plan to move in with a family and join the Amish church after a while if I still feel it’s God’s Will for me (which I do as of now). If you’d like to email me I’d be more than happy to answer questions and I am sure Eric will answer them all here on Amish America too 🙂 My email is wardekai000@yahoo.com and I also have a blog about it http://www.journeytoamish.blogspot.com Feel free to contact me through those. God bless, Kate
Nice to see you here as well, Kate! 🙂
Merrie I thought the same thing about you when you mentioned the Amish_Mennonite group somewhere 🙂 Glad to see a familiar “face” haha!
Kate
Be sure to give us a snail mail address before you go off-line in June! I’m excited for you and you’ll be in my prayers.
My name is lazaro simim. I desire to know thath If I want to be amish, how can I do? I live in Brazil. I like very, very, the style of life, the amish way of life. I am a teacher in university, but I live very, very much the the life in the campaing (camping). I’m a christian and have a jewish origin. But my ancestors are persons very simple, workers, religous and good persons. Excuseme for my english. It is no ggod. I understand english, but more in spanish, italian, french and a a few the german.
My name is lazaro simim. I desire to know thath If I want to be amish, how can I do? I live in Brazil. I like very, very, the style of life, the amish way of life. I am a teacher in university, but I live very, very much the the life in the campaing (camping). I’m a christian and have a jewish origin. But my ancestors are persons very simple, workers, religous and good persons. Excuseme for my english. It is no ggod. I understand english, but more in spanish, italian, french and a a few the german.
Lázaro, if you write
Amish_and_Mennonite-owner@yahoogroups.com, someone there might know spanish if you ask.
I was investigating “Amish” life because I was myself (‘never-married’, older male) considering my own need to be living in a COMMUNITY whose central focus of life was Jesus Christ and God Almighty. (At the moment I do not seem to be a part of any community — not even the community of the church of God, of which I am a ‘member’ by virtue of being ‘born’ ‘of God’, saved, by grace, through faith — only because there is NO sharing or helping or anything going on, of the nature described herein, in the area I live).
I just began the search, but today was a good start, as, it seems, others commenting here have probably discovered.
By the way, rather that the ‘style’ of living [found among the Amish and Menonite communities], it seems wiser to focus on “why” they live as they do — as I have heard (through reading) they say themselves, it is the focus on Who God is (among other things: Spirit, ‘Father’ and ‘Son’), What He does (Among other things: Offers Salvation: Life with Him), and How He does it (among other things: Offered Salvation through the Son and that “plan”), that is of the utmost, and vital importance; So, it seems, if I, or anyone else can start, move into, or was born into a community that practiced worshipping God as He wants to be worshipped, through faith in the Son of God, then a person is on the right path to a lifestyle that would please God.
Here’s hoping God answers all your prayers,
jturena at aol dot com (given because I will not be able to reply to any comments to this comment, as I probably will not be returning to this webpage, and am not ‘checking’ the checkbox: “Check to be notified of comments on this post”.)
TAKE WHAT I WROTE CAUTIOUSLY, AS I AM NOT A THEOLOGIAN — BUT WAS SAVED BY JESUS CHRIST’S “SAVING BLOOD & LIFE, GRACE AND TRUTH” AT AGE TWENTY-FOUR.
I Wish I could join but not able to
Beware, legalism is not holiness. True righteousness comes from the heart. A heart to live holy in much better than mandated rules!
Judging people is also not Holy. Just because a people follows rules (rules coming from GOD) does not mean they are being legalistic. They live that way because God’s Word says to and they have those convictions. Now I am SURE there are people that live Amish simply because thats how they were raised. But I know that a LOT know why they live the way they do and that is not legalistic. Be careful how you judge people that you don’t know, that’s wrong too.
To say that Amish rules come from God is to say that no other Christian is doing right. There is nothing wrong with the Amish lifestyle, but many Amish communities place obedience to the church as equal to salvation. That gospel is not biblical. I’m not telling anyone to not join the Amish church. Just be careful. Be sure to study Amish theology and pray about it. As an Anabaptist, I believe many of the same things as the Amish and desire a plainer life, but I’m not comfortable with the strong emphasis on submission to the church for salvation.
You don’t have to become Amish to live a simplier and more fullfilling life. In 1993 an Amish man wrote a note in Small Farm Journal and he proposed “An Amish Challenge” as follows:
If you admire our faith, strengthen yours
If you admire our sense of commitment, deepen yours
If you admire our community spirit, build your own
If you admire our simple life, cut back
If you admire deep character and enduring values, live them yourself
I agree, Katie. I wouldn’t call the way we live our lives legalistic. I live it this way because I want to please GOD by following the New Testament of the Bible. When the Holy Spirit wrapped His arms around me, I gave up all. Jesus is my Lord. It is His will not mine. I will do anything He asks because He is my Lord. The commandments He has given us are nothing compared to the gift He gave us.
The way the Amish and Mennonites and other plain Anabaptist groups live is most definiatly from the Bible. Does it say, “you must drive a buggy” or “only wear cape dress”? No. But it gives us an outline on how we are to live, simple, modest etc. Then based on the convictions of each group ways of life are formed. I’ve been to a few Amish and Mennonite churches and I have NEVER got the feeling that submission was more important than Salvation. I agree that IF a church was doing that then yes that would be wrong. But you most certainly can not say that “All Amish” do this because that is the furthest thing from the the truth. I find it strange that you’re Anabaptist yet you don’t believe in a church having standards and Biblical submission? That is a big part of Anabaptist churches, besides the Salvation. Oh, and I do not believe that all the other churches are “living wrong” I just know what God convicted ME of and I praise Him that there are others who believe the same. I have found a church that fits my convictions and I have God’s Word to back me up on each of those! Thank you for your ‘warning’ and God bless you.
Merrie, I am 100% in agreeance (spelling?) with you! Whatever God asks/commands of me I’ll do it! Just think of the wonderful blessing we get or will get each day by the way we live. I’ve had a great chance to minister to others just by wearing a head covering! I’m sure the Amish and Mennonite’s can say the same. It truly is a blessing to serve Him and I know that we have so much more rewards awaiting us in Heaven! Isn’t that a great thought?
God bless
Kate
I believe like the historical Anabaptists. That true holiness comes from the heart. If you ask any ex-Amish person, leaving the church will not only get you put in the ban, but you are considered eternally damned. Therefore, salvation hinges on obedience to the church.
Actually that is not true for all Amish churches. I know of at least 3 people that have left the Amish church that I go to and they still have contact with their family and some are Christians even. I’ve heard it preached in church that you do not HAVE to be Amish to get to Heaven. I will not argue this point anymore because obviously you are not willing to listen. I’ve attended Amish church for 5 years and will join them this coming Summer. Have you ever been to an Amish church? One that preaches Salvation? Try doing that and then you can really know what you’re talking about.
Kate
I have read these past few posts with much interest. Having been raised Amish and now in the “world”–I prefer to stay where I am. Every Amish group has their own Ordnung. The Ordnung tells folks what they can or cannot do and it covers almost everything: color of clothing, length of hair, brim width of the hat, what you can use or drive, etc. It is very complicated and to me it felt oppressive as if I was choking. Other Amish like the black and white comfort and security it gives them. They don’t have to wonder if they should go left or right or do it or not–it is all spelled out for them. So, it is no wonder very few outsiders covert to the Amish. It works better if you are raised (conditioned) to the rigid and rigorous standards of the community. Now, yes, some Amish are happy with this life and feel the Ordnung guides and directs them–draws them closer to the Lord, Other Amish dislike it and feel choked like I did, but stay and suffer in it rather than risk the consequences of leaving. And some Amish leave and it is okay to leave it you do so before Baptism. If you do join the Church and then decide to leave–you are in trouble and will be shunned and treated pretty badly. A few Amish groups don’t shun members, who leave but most of them do. It is one reason they keep their numbers up. I left before baptism so I can go home and visit but I rarely do because I am treated sort of coldy. They are kind to me but cold, if that makes sense.
That’s what is ironic about these Old Order groups. If you never join the church, they are not happy about that, but your still family. If you join and leave, it’s treated like the unpardonable sin. That has all the markings of a cult. These groups maintain members with fear tactics.
Kate, I’d gladly take up your offer to attend an Amish church, but there are a few problems. From majority of the testimonies that I’ve heard, these Amish churches that teach biblical salvation must be extremely rare. Where do I find such a church? Another problem is this: I’m the third generation of English speaking people in my family. I would need to learn German before I could know whether the Bishop was teaching salvation or not.
Maybe Elam could correct me if I’m wrong, but I hear that a lot of times the Amish people get very little out of the services. The minister speaks in High German; whereas, the people are fluent in Pennsylvania “Dutch” and English. They understand some of the message, but not all of it. Also, most people in the Amish communities have trouble reading or understanding the German Bible that is used by the Bishop.
I’ll admit, I’ve never been Amish and never attended an Amish church. I live near the Amish communities in Southern Maryland and have talked to them. I fellowship with people that have left the lifestyle, and some that left after joining the church. I semi-associate with Charity Christian Fellowship. If you have not heard of the “Charity churches,” it will become a cuss word when you join the Amish.
I’m not against a simple lifestyle, but many Amish rules laid out in the Ordnung are there to be a deliberate hardship and have no practicality at all. One of these rules is metal wheels on buggies. The vibration causes a lot of stress on the buggies and makes transporting goods a nightmare. A bit of rubber on the wheels would improve the ride greatly, but they realize one is less prone to wander far distances if they are getting rattled to death. There is nothing unbiblical about being practical.
As I said, I’m not telling you to not become Amish. I had the same dreams in my younger days. It’s not the lifestyle but the religion that made me change my mind. In everything seek God’s will and pray.
I just will make one more little comment. Our church (and most other Michigan churches as far as I know) preaches in PA dutch. Meaning all the congregation can understand and get lots out of it. Just as any “english” church would preach in its native tongue. I always found it strange that some churches (do you know where?) preached in High German since no one can understand that. I’m glad I’ve found a church that preaches the native tongue, that I’m slowly learning (but they translate services for me now), and does believe in Salvation. The majority of MI churches DO believe in Salvation through Grace. I’m not familiar with the other Amish in other states so I can’t help you on that answer.
Kate
I cannot speak for Old Order churches in Michigan so I cannot judge.
I have been to three very different midwestern Amish churches (middle Old Order, mid-low Old Order, and very low Old Order) and at all three, the sermons were in PA Dutch(or Deitsch as they called it). The Bible quotations were all in High German. All three had Amish run parochial schools that taught High German as curriculum. I would be very worried that any Amish child that attended public school would not know any High German and therefore would not have a clue what the Bible verses said. One minister would also read an english Bible and, in PA Dutch, give a compare and contrast to the German version. He never quoted it in english though. He had to translate the english to PA Dutch and quote that!
Excommunication and shunning are very Biblical. I am amazed that most of Christianity has disregarded these doctrines designed by God to protect the church from false doctrines and false believers. I admit, it is a very tough thing to shun your own family and friends, but God commanded it. So who do you follow God or man? The Amish follow God.
Yes, church discipline (shunning, banning) are biblical, but not for leaving and joining another church. I would say otherwise if the church was clearly unbiblical.
When I was young, okay, in the sixties, Amish preaching im my community was done in High German, well, High German with Pa. Dutch accent and some Pa. Dutch words. At that time, I would guess that many people didn’t really understand the sermons. I couldn’t. It depended on how well your family helped you learn German. It was not unusual to see lots of people in our church sleeping during the sermons. I think it is better if Amish preaching has moved to the dialect that folks speak at home. And I agree with Ray. Church discipline is biblical but do you shun someone for going to another church that believe exactly or almost like yours but allows for different physical things in their Ordnung? Do you shun someone for blaspheming against God, yes, for wearing the wrong color or for using a power mower?–I can’t imagine Jesus supporting that kind of thing. One thing I am confused about is Kate. You say you are joining the Amish this summer but baptisms for new members are held in Spring and Fall. Maybe Michigan Amish are changing that tradition. Plus you are online using a computer. Seems to me if you were serious about this decision, you would move in with an Amish family and give up all the things not allowed by their Ordnung so that you are ready. Otherwise it is going to be something of a shock.
Also, I have to be honest but this website is nicely done but it feels to me that it is not presenting the whole story. I have not read all of this website yet and probably won’t get to it but the Amish are not perfect. In our community there were some problems. Some men beat their wives and children and no one had a problem with it, some people abused their horses and other animals, there were some problems with depression and even a few suicides. One married Amishman sexually abused a teenage girl and a few other things like this happened and it all got hidden behind the Amish image and none of these acts were reported or really dealth with. The man, who abused the young girl was shunned for a couple of weeks if I remember correctly. Seriously. That was a pretty weak punishment. The young girl eventually sort of had a mental breakdown and some of the community tried to help her but it didn’t seem to work. She ended up leaving. I realize there are Amish families and churches, where these kinds of things rarely happen but the whole idea that when these things happen, they get hidden from the outside and that serious crimes get punished with a few weeks of shunning, well, I think it is kind of pathetic. I mean, it was okay for our Amish neighbor to beat his wife and when his wife left him, she was the one, who got shunned. So, I hate to air this dirty laundry but it happens. Anyone, who does not believe me can read this website: http://www.amishabuse.com It is about a particular group of Amish but it happened in my community too. Though I won’t give details so that I can protect the innocent and the guilty.
Elam,
I’m not being baptized or offically “joining” church in the Fall. This July, Lord Willing, is when I will finish high school. My parents said I cannot move out of their home until I finish high school. So by waiting, I am respecting them and obeying them like the Bible clearly expresses. As for the computer, I recently shared that on this site and my blog and I don’t have the time to go into that again. If you really want to know than you can find it on my blog http://www.journeytoamish.blogspot.com or under comments on this website. MI churches aren’t changing their baptisms, I’m simply moving to the community (after my parents allow) then. After that I plan to wait at least a year or until I feel God leading me to become a baptized member of the church if I feel God wants me there.
You mentioned abuse. I am in NO way condoneing (sp?) abuse but it happens ALL the time. “English”, Amish, America, Canada, Iraq etc. It is going to happen everywhere. Because we are people and we sin. Not everyone in any church is going to be completely living for God, it just doesn’t happen. In a church around my area a pastor recently was caught molesting a girl after locking her in a basement (he was her uncle and guardian) daily for years. It is awful. But it happens. I do think the “punishment” is extremely lax for those type of things in the Amish church, I will agree with you. But to make a whole website dedicated to Amish abuse? That’s a little extreme to me. Abuse happens everywhere, all the time and everyday. In some cultures men who do that wouldn’t even be shunned. People would over look it and no one would say a thing. Our world is just that..the “world”. Sin is going to happen. Again, I am NOT saying that it’s ok or anything to that degree. I’m simply saying abuse happens everywhere and it’s serious everywhere. In the “english” world and the Amish.
Kate
The purpose of the website is not to show Amish abuse for some kind of entertainment, it is so that it doesn’t get swept under the rug, so that maybe Amish leaders in communities, where this happens a lot will maybe wake up and take it seriously so that the punishments will be more serious and then maybe the folks doing the abuse will stop it or consider what might happen if they do it again. That website shows how some Amish abusers often repeatedly hurt others in their communities because they can do so with little worry of anything serious happening to them. If I am only going to be shunned for a few weeks, why not abuse someone again? My point was that these things get ignored sometimes, often people only want to show the lovely side of Amish life and there are wonderful things about it but we have to be honest and talk about everything. The good and the bad. The happy and the sad. The beautiful and the ugly.
Doesn’t the use of smear words like the “English” or “worldlings” show that despite an appearance of humility, the Amish see themselves to be in a higher state than others?
Ray,
Actually, using words like “English”, “worldlings”, or “The World” simply identify another community. Amish and conservative Mennonites try their best to live apart from the world as Jesus commanded. It’s the same thing as referring to people from France as “French”, or people from Germany as “German”. We are simply identifying where your allegiance lies.
We are not saying we are better than others. We are identifying where others have their allegiance. This is actually hard for me at times because I am an Army vet and patriotism for the US is ingrained. I have to fight saluting when I am on a base when the flag goes down or when the American national anthem is sung. I rise respectfully for the pledge of allegiance, but I no longer say it or put my hand over my heart. I am blessed to live in America, but my first allegiance is to the Holy Trinity.
I totally agree Merrie. Using the term “english” or the “world” is hardly a bad term. Sometimes I think people are just out to find flaws or bad things about good people and make them bigger. No Amish, Mennonite, “english”, anyone no one is perfect even if people portray them as perfect. Luckily, we have our Savior who takes us as we are and transforms us from the inside out! Praise the Lord!
Elam, I very much agree with you on that. I do think that better consequences should be put forth.
Using the term “world” is biblical, but they use it for anyone that is not Amish. Any true Christian is supposed to be separated from the world. Labeling every non-Amish person as a “worldling” is to say that everyone but the Amish are of the world’s kingdom.
Does speaking English make me the “English?” I’m not from England. It’s ironic, because the Amish can speak English just as well as me. Merrie said, “We are simply identifying where your allegiance lies.” How does my allegiance “lie” with the English? If anything, I’d have allegiance to the Americans, but as a believer in kingdom Christianity my allegiance is to Jesus Christ. I’m a citizen of a heavenly country.
It’s odd to me that someone using a computer would be okay with degrading terms like “the English.” Yes, I’ve heard Amish use it as a smear word. I’ve never heard a Mennonite use such wording, and especially not Mennonites that are allowed to use computers.