Is there any Amish folks on here?

1shotwade · #1 01/28/15, 04:56 AM

and if not,anyone used to be amish or know a lot about the amish? Here is the deal.
I have met a lot of amish/mennonite folks ( I don't know the difference) but never really got to know them much.Well, a couple years ago I met the amish guy and we got to know each other and we really get along good.Similar interests,offsetting knowledge and abilities.We just click.He's a good honest guy.Thing is I don't know anything about his religion.And he doesn't seem to want to talk about it much and i don't want to pry.
Now me knowing about the religion isn't so much that I want to know it but rather I want to "not offend" his beliefs. Does that make sense?I' mean,I walked outside at 5am this morning and an amish neighbor has a generator running to do his milking with a milking machine and a milk truck comes and picks it up just like any other dairy operation.So why can they use electricity produced by a generator and can not use electricity produced off site by another "generating system"?
Now my friend Alvin can use power tools on the job,and have a cell phone and go to work and come home in a truck and use a chainsaw at home,but he can not use a lawnmower or get around with a car or have electric.I just don't understand!
Alvin is a smoker,and so am I. The other day I called him (on his cell phone) to help me with a project. When I went to pick him up he wanted to stop at the store and get some smokes.I offered him one of mine but he refused saying they were only allowed to use smokes that had a brown outside. If it was white it was against their religion! Thanks God he knows me well enough to know how to take me! My comment was"I know what you're getting for Christmas,A box of crayons!" Of course afterward i wished i hadn't said it 'cause I wasn't wanting to speak against his beliefs.
Can anyone out there in HT land help me understand all this?
Thanks,

Wade

**Shrek** · #2 01/28/15, 05:18 AM

If you have questions about how to avoid offending your friend the best approach is to do as you would anyone of a different worldview whom you consider a friend and politely ask him if he can help you understand what you have questions about.

1shotwade · #3 01/28/15, 05:22 AM

Yah,agreed,but he just don't seem comfortable with that so I've just been leaving it along.I was just hoping for some insight for HT members that I know are wiser than me.
Wade

sassafras manor · #4 01/28/15, 05:36 AM

The family that babysits my kid for me is Mennonite. There are a set number of districts in the US and the leaders for each district set the policy for that district. Some districts are more conservative and others are more liberal but their underlying message is that hard work brings them closer to God. Over the years I have hired many of the youth from their community as employees and would easy say that a 16 year old Mennonite girl will work circles around any of society's teenage boys! I second the notion to ask him directly for more of an understanding.

maddy · #5 01/28/15, 05:42 AM

I grew up with some very strong Amish influences, but I am not very knowledgeable about their religious beliefs. What I understand, however, is that the Amish approach toward technology--and modernity generally--stems not so much from religious doctrine but rather from a belief in the "rightness" of a lifestyle that reflects simple, traditional values.

I can see how you might consider it inconsistent that an Amish person would use one form of electricity and reject another, but when viewed as a lifestyle choice rather than an imperative based on dogma, it makes more sense. It's not a whole lot different than the choice that many of us homesteading types make when choosing to use a computer but to toss the TV out the window. We've weighed the benefits and detriments of each of those technologies and found that one promotes and enhances the kind of life we want and the other detracts from it.

1shotwade · #6 01/28/15, 05:43 AM

Thanks for your reply. Yes they are hard workers but, a neighbor tried to hire some teen age amish boys to help in hay and they would not go to the field for less than $15 an hour! I don't know about that part but the amish seem to always get paid quite well.I just can't see that kind of money for working in hay.

Wade

I guess I should mention He was paying me $7 for driving the tractor.

Awnry Abe · #7 01/28/15, 06:00 AM

Boy, I sure hope there are not any. I've always counted on HT as a good, safe place to insult the Amish without worry of reprisal.

1shotwade · #8 01/28/15, 06:11 AM

From what I have seen from the Amish you could insult them to their face without reprisal.They are not a violent people.

Wade

Sawmill Jim · #9 01/28/15, 06:13 AM

Shucks just ask ,that is what I do getting a answer and understanding are to different things . The electric when using a generator is theirs not tied to the system (English) Brown cigars are a sign of a natural product ,or to the bunch I asked

Phone is for business .Yep the elders of each clan set the rules

1shotwade · #10 01/28/15, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maddy

I grew up with some very strong Amish influences, but I am not very knowledgeable about their religious beliefs. What I understand, however, is that the Amish approach toward technology--and modernity generally--stems not so much from religious doctrine but rather from a belief in the "rightness" of a lifestyle that reflects simple, traditional values.

I can see how you might consider it inconsistent that an Amish person would use one form of electricity and reject another, but when viewed as a lifestyle choice rather than an imperative based on dogma, it makes more sense. It's not a whole lot different than the choice that many of us homesteading types make when choosing to use a computer but to toss the TV out the window. We've weighed the benefits and detriments of each of those technologies and found that one promotes and enhances the kind of life we want and the other detracts from it.

Hey MADDY . On the computer - TV thing,what I see is that yes they are allowed to have the information you and I may glean from the computer but they are only allowed to gain that information from a book! I just can't wrap my head around the thought process. Alvin loves to read but he isn't allowed to get on a computer and read. Reading is reading no matter what the subject matter.

Wade

Gravytrain · #11 01/28/15, 06:32 AM

I've been around the Amish all my life. I have worked with them and have often had them work for me. They are just like any other group of people...some are good, honest and reliable and some are not. Around here, the young Amish are pretty wild and do things that are not permitted in their religion (booze, dope, technology, etc.). By the time they get married they tend to settle down into the constraints of the religion.

Amish are "old order" Mennonites. In the late 1600s a group of Mennonites decided that the order wasn't practicing strict enough separation from the outside world and a separate order was created.

The Amish that I know don't have a problem discussing their beliefs as long as they know that they are not being ridiculed about them.

creeklady2000 · #12 01/28/15, 06:33 AM

We live around a Amish community they will not use our electric or radios or the like as there way of keeping separate from us they will use generator's as they control it not America so to speak they will have phones some of them for business but not in there house only in the barn or garage and or there business, I tend to like there values about things I do disagree with the role women have , but they are good with it so be it , I am friends with quite a few of them , and they run and own our local feed and grain here and do it very very well, for very good prices, you cannot contact them on sunday as that is the Lords day and no exceptions will be made on that , they are a very kind group of people, I have never seen them get mad or angry, at another , ( although I am sure they do they are still human) there children are taught a very good work ethic at a very young age , some times I wonder if some of them get to be kid's as they work very hard, and the older children help take care of the younger children ,, they all work together for sure. I don't have anything bad to say about them they are good people for the most part. and i consider several to be my friends. and they will help you when you need it as well.

maddy · #13 01/28/15, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1shotwade

Hey MADDY . On the computer - TV thing,what I see is that yes they are allowed to have the information you and I may glean from the computer but they are only allowed to gain that information from a book! I just can't wrap my head around the thought process.

All I'm saying is that they've drawn an arbitrary line, just as you and I do every day. Since there really are no "bright line" distinctions between one form of technology or another, or between one aspect of modernity or another, you do the best you can--making concessions on those things that improve your life and taking a "hard line" approach on those things which will be a net detriment. Probably the only real difference is that for the Amish, those decisions are made by the elders for the benefit of the community generally, and not so much by the individual.

Awnry Abe · #14 01/28/15, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1shotwade

From what I have seen from the Amish you could insult them to their face without reprisal.They are not a violent people.

Wade

Ya, I know. Fortunately, one thing they keep modern is their sense of humor. Maybe Alvin is just a back-slider. You should be able to google for their on-line shunning submission form.

thestartupman · #15 01/28/15, 06:52 AM

From what I understand, a lot of the decisions about what can, and can not be used is determined by how it ties them to society, and if it is used for work, or pleasure. An example is a land line phone, or a cell phone. The land line ties them to society by wires, the cell phone doesn't. Another suggestion I would give you would be to go to one of their stores, and look for one of their small booklets that explains why they believe some of the things they do. Most of the stores that I have been in that are run by the Amish have them.

1shotwade · #16 01/28/15, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awnry Abe

Ya, I know. Fortunately, one thing they keep modern is their sense of humor. Maybe Alvin is just a back-slider. You should be able to google for their on-line shunning submission form.

That's funny! LOL ! One of us has had too much coffee!

Wade

1shotwade · #17 01/28/15, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thestartupman

From what I understand, a lot of the decisions about what can, and can not be used is determined by how it ties them to society, and if it is used for work, or pleasure. An example is a land line phone, or a cell phone. The land line ties them to society by wires, the cell phone doesn't. Another suggestion I would give you would be to go to one of their stores, and look for one of their small booklets that explains why they believe some of the things they do. Most of the stores that I have been in that are run by the Amish have them.

Thanks for the tip! I had no idea anything like that was available! I've been to their stores but never thought of looking for something like that.

Wade

Johnny Dolittle · #18 01/28/15, 08:06 AM

Well I have farmed with them in a crop sharing arrangement and used to buy lumber from them for a business I had.

Church districts make their own rules. If you belong to a district you abide by the rules ... if you move into another district the rules may change. One district generally will not be critical of another ... the important thing is you abide by the rules in your district.

The scripture says "come out from among them an be ye separate" ... their interpretation is extreme .... and they over emphasize here .... making this a very central doctrine ... which characterizes or defines them as a group.

The original issue causing a split in the Amish church was over the interpretation of shunning.... The Mennonite church formed as a result. The Bible requires shunning only in one very carefully defined situation... The Amish apply it liberally to many situations and use it as a method to control the flock into submission.

Old order Mennonites are similar to Amish in their beliefs and they believe you work your way into heaven.... their belief is very legalistic with many carefully defined "dos" and "donts"

Mennonites are generally more similar to other fundamental groups believing faith alone saves.

Amish are forbidden to discuss their beliefs with outsiders.... but if you get to know them some might talk ... I have had conversations... but at some point they will end it.

They have little Bible knowledge .... their beliefs are like tradition passed down through the generations .... they are taught how to interpret.

Having Bible study groups is forbidden because they result in many strange new emerging doctrines which might contadict the Amish way.

As far as making sense of or rationalizing their beliefs... forget it... for example............. They can use a grain binder to cut grain and tie into sheaves mechanically. They can manually feed those sheaves into a threshing machine. However they are forbidden to use a combine which combines all of these operations into just one machine. They are forbidden also to use a haybine because a haybine looks too much like a combine having a paddle reel ???? But the grain binder that they are permitted to use also has a paddle reel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mountainlaurel · #19 01/28/15, 08:34 AM

I am conservative Menno. You will never really understand. I don't understand why the Amish do some of the things they do. It doesn't offend me at all if someone wants me to do something against what I believe. I just tell them I can't and why.

Each church, in Menno terms, conference has it's own discipline. Which is the guidelines we follow as a way to help us stay on the road to heaven. We have no TV since we can't control what comes on it but we have, obviously, computers and internet.

We dress plain to help us stay modest. Do we think someone who doesn't dress plain isn't going to heaven. Nope. Dressing plain isn't in the bible. If you meet a Menno who does think that, then the Menno has the problem.

I have a son in law who was Beachy Amish, until he married my dd. Now they are plain Brethren. Almost every single family has family members who aren't plain. Ask what you want to know. He'll tell you if he is your friend.

trulytricia · #20 01/28/15, 08:44 AM

Yes to what Johnny just said about making sense of.

The thing is a lot of Amish don't know why they have to do things a certain way. And being asked to explain probably does make some of them uncomfortable.

They grow up following rules and seeing what happens if they don't. As long as they want to stay in they stick to it.