Is there any Amish folks on here?

Badlander. IF I am 20+ft away from the eyes, as you put it, I can and will look at them, IN PASSING. I cant just stand there and stare at them. Like looking at fire and the heat hurts your face. IF I am face to face WITH a well endowed woman, Ill almost have to be nose to nose with her. I suspect the explanation I gave before is close to applying to this situation also.

We have several amish families as neighbors. Best people ever. And they love to talk about their beliefs. They are just like us. They love to laugh and have a good time. They do use power and a home phone but that's it. Great kids who will help at any time. They come over often and we go there often. Best neighbors we could ask for.

I am not Amish, but I wouldn't call shorts and a tank top modest. I had this conversation this week with my 12 year old daughter. Nothing modest about a tank top. It wouldn't fly in most of the world.

Though we are not Amish, my wife did learn some things from them. She now only wears dresses and always wears a bandanna as a head covering. Didn't realize how much biblical importance is put on modesty in both old and new testament. Pretty clear how we are to dress and act. Bible calls it an abomination for a woman to dress as a man and a man as a woman. Bible says any woman who's dress is above her knee is considered to be showing her nakedness and shame. Also says a woman is to cover her head in prayer and that she should be in prayer daily without ceasing. It also says any woman who paints her face and eyes is a harlot. And this is all new testament. After a long study on it, my wife made her own decision to live biblically. Not to mention up until just 60 or so years ago most women whore head coverings and dresses especially to church. Im proud of her for living according to God's word.

I do admire people who are willing to do what they believe is right even if it may not be popular.

I suspect we may have a little different take on some of the Biblical text but there were some issues that were "agreed to be disagreed upon" even back in the early Christian church.

The issue of pants vs dresses has always fascinated me a bit. A pair of pants is not a whole lot more than a well fitted skirt with a seam sewn down the middle. In years gone by, men DID wear skirts. Some still wear kilts. And in the middle east, where much of the culture of Biblical nature came from, no one wore pants, men or women, they all wore robes. But apparently there were still "mens" robes and "womens" robes, even back then. I'm not quite sure how the men=pants, women=skirts thing came to be. FWIW, as a man, I don't even wear shorts, ever (I don't mean underwear. As Kramer of Seinfeld fame said, "My boys need a house.") I think I used to have some undershirts that were of a tank-top style for a while but they were underwear, not an outer garment.

I have never cared much for the paint and adornments that many like to wear and I am thankful that my wife does not. We don't even wear wedding rings though there is nothing in our religious beliefs that prohibits it. Basically, no makeup and no jewelry. And we like it that way. I always kinda thought that when women wore that stuff, it was to catch my eye. Well, it sorta does, but it makes me want to look at their glitter, not their person, where the real beauty of a person is. (Not sure if that made sense or not.) Women really don't need it. Clean, well cared for and natural are beautiful, at least in my opinion. (And that doesn't mean I want to jump every woman's bones. I do enjoy the beauty of others without having to take it to a place where Biblically I shouldn't be going.)

I still can't wrap my brain around things like body piercings and earrings on men, nor do I really understand the apparent desirability of tattoos. But I suppose I lead a sheltered life. I figure that I came into the world with a certain number of holes and I'd kinda like to leave with the same number if possible.

No argument on the modesty (or lack thereof) of the short skirts / shorty shorts thing. The occasions I do actually turn the television on, I am amazed at the shortness of the skirts these people wear and the contortions they go through to make sure no one can see the actual "goods" popping through. Paleeze.

I've heard numerous things about coverings and hair. I do sometimes get put in an awkward situation when a woman gets her hair cut real short and then wants to know if I like it. Well... no. I happen to think that a woman getting a crew cut is not all that different than "dressing like a man" and to be honest, it's not attractive to me. Mostly, I try not to say anything to be ugly but occasionally, I get backed into a corner and am pressed for an answer.

I do sometimes wonder how much is actually culturally related as opposed to 'principles of living' related. As I said, I admire people who are willing to do what they think is right even if it's not popular and modesty is something I particularly appreciate. It shows some respect not only for themselves but for me. Sounds like we probably have a lot of common ground. Thanks for posting!

Can you tell me where in the Bible it says about women wearing their clothes above the knee??

It DOES say tho that women must NOT cut their hair. That today would put ALOT of women in dutch, Specially the older ones.
(Not to mention that up until just about 60yrs ago, most women whore head covering)> JUST WHATS THAT COVERUING LOOK LIKE LOL.

I think where the pants things comes into play in the bible when it talks about the men tucking there robes into a pants style thing that was worn under their robes as they cross rivers, where as the women could not as they didn't wear them.

You sir, obviously do not know what my shorts and tank top look like. Yes they are modest dress.

By some implications here I'm being called a harlot and immodest because I do not cover myself from head to toe, wear short hair and do not wear a hair covering. OOPS I do wear a hair covering. A baseball cap to keep the sun out of my eyes while outside. And OH MY GOODNESS! I have multiple earring piercings and GASP! A tattoo also. My husband doesn't appreciate the implications he read. He knows me as a person. You only know me by what I post here and the Good Lord knows what is in my heart. Nothing else matters to me.

Shame on anyone who judges a person by what they wear especially if it differs from what you consider to be righteous and proper. There are plenty of people out there right now who are Covering themselves from head to toe in the middle east who are creating some of the most horrendous atrocities known to man. Clothing doesn't make anyone good or bad.

There is a bible story I can remember my mom reading to me when I was a little girl. It said, Man looks at the outside of a person. God looks at that person's heart.

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I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here!

40 years ago, I do recall seeing quite a few women wearing those sheer scarves on their heads. They seemed to be mostly on the older women.? Pretty uncommon to see them now. Also, I grew up going to church and always wore a dress...there wasn't even a thought about it.

This has been very interesting to read. I have had a couple of experiences with the Mennonite in western Colo. Unfortunately, they were not of the friendliest type, so I will pass on telling the stories.

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If you're not going to SNORT....why even laugh ?
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Andi

never mind

badlander, I don't know you and have never seen you. If I have implied you are anything you are not, I am sorry. You are just as entitled to your opinions as any other person on this board. I did open up a little about my personal opinions as did Vahomesteaders but realize fully that they will likely be different than others reading.

You are quite correct that we are not to judge people by what they look like. People can take that too far, though, as we must, at least to an extent, judge right and wrong. If we see someone rape a young girl, do we say, "We mustn't judge?" I certainly hope not.

When people read books such as the Bible, they sometimes take things that it says quite seriously, including things like eating clean and not eating unclean meats, remembering the Sabbath to set that day aside from ordinary things, refraining from stealing or having an affair with your neighbor's spouse plus a host of other things one might find. If someone reads something like that and decides to live by it, it's their choice. You don't have to. You don't even have to recognize it. No need to be offended if you don't believe the same way. In the case of the Amish, they will probably not engage in conversation deeply enough to tell you what they think of your demeanor or your dress, even if they find it hideous or embarrassing.

I don't believe anyone was judging anybody. To each their own on how they live. We do what we do because Jesus said separate yourselves from what the world says is normal. Because it is not normal or right to him. The guidelines given in the bible are not there just for show. Bible says when it's all over will they find any righteous on the earth? They also said many will say Lord Lord and he will say I never knew you. Wide is the gate and narrow the path and few who will find it to enter the kingdom. Jesus also said in the last day it will be just like the days of Noah. Well in Noahs day only 8 people were saved of the millions or billions on earth. So we tend to take the bible guidelines serious. And if everyone says go this way like most churches do, we go the other way. Lol But we also don't judge others. I got tattoos before I came to christ. Granted they are of a cross a deer and my children's names, but he doesn't care about that because I didn't know. Now I do know. And wouldnt get anymore. But I love everyone for who they are. They don't answer to me. So as long as they treat me fair and good I do the same.

The Amish I have dined with always have silent prayer before a meal. Interesting to know these children pray verbally

The amish families around us have the patriarch pray aloud for the meal. I actually just got a call from one of them who heard we were trying to buy another farm down the road and offered their help in moving and fixing it up. They really are great here.

The Amish I farmed with were out of Lancaster County Pa. One farm had a pond along side the road with a diving board. One day I drove by and Amish were swimming. Well I did not stare ... I looked over and saw them and then looked ahead continuing to drive. They were younger but some were married because I recognized the young couple who owned this farm which I passed by frequently.

The women wore black conservative bathing suites which were short-like covering half way down their thighs.

From my understanding, they do not attend school beyond 8th grade as a general rule. Also they do have Sunday get togethers for Bible study weekly. I got that info from a deaf Amish man who had gone to the state school for the deaf and I'm deaf myself. He also said he really wants a cell phone and he ended up getting a text phone because he told his elders that he and his wife needed to keep in touch in case of emergencies. He told his elders that it was not fair they could use phones and he was told not to have one so he got away with it. He said he wants electricity but isn't sure how it would go over with the rest of his family that are hearing Amish.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

The amish here have church one Sunday then the next Sunday is a hymn sing, then the next is an open floor Q&A bible study. We have gone several times to each and enjoy. We don't agree with everything they teach but a good bit we do. And they told us it doesn't matter if we dress like them or even live like them as long as we are trying to serve God we are welcome anytime.

This thread illustrates the vast differences in beliefs across the country for the Amish. In the church district where I live the Amish are allowed the following:

Cell Phones with cameras
Electricity via generator, solar, or wind
Indoor plumbing
Water heaters
Skid Loaders
Mounted engines to power farm equipment but not propel
Non-Amish to custom farm their ground.

They attend church every other week, the weekend without church they spend time with friends and family or attend church in another district.

Jim

One Sunday is for church...neighbors take turns hosting church in their barns..there's a wagon wondrously altered to hold numerous benches and chairs...it hauls them from barn to barn...the next Sunday is strictly for visiting...everyone puts on their Sunday best and makes the rounds of family and friends for the entire day and into the evening.

have driven by a small amish farm outside of mexico ny,teen boy skidding logs with a goodlooking team of horses.his pa sawing lumber with a stationary gas powered mill.very plain life,reley on yourself.sounds like homesteaders doesn't it.now our local Mennonite family runs a farm type hardware store.we are good friends-religion is never brought up-on occasion I've been invited to dinner and gladly accepted.