If you live in the Midwest, notably Pennsylvania, you are certainly familiar with the Amish culture. Modern-day rites are typically avoided by this religious community. They’re a great group, but they like to keep their personal lives private, so we know very little about them. They have fascinating customs as well, which you will like! We’ve put together a selection of fascinating facts for you to discover.
These Incredible Facts About Amish Culture Will Educate You In The Best Way
What Car?
In Amish towns, there aren’t many drivers. Many Amish would go by horse and carriage because they are known for their antipathy to modern technology. This trend can be explained by religious prohibitions prohibiting the use of technology. Amish people are allowed to ride in modern automobiles but not to drive them.
What Car?
Beards
While an older Amish guy with a long beard is common, mustaches are not. Mustaches are frowned upon, but beards are allowed because men in the Bible typically wore beards. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see an Amish man with a full beard.
Beards
Believer’s Baptism
One of the traditional Amish practices is “believer’s baptism,” which is essentially a baptism for people who have reached adulthood. Because it is considered that faith does not arrive until the age of accountability, a believer’s baptism is frequently referred to as adult baptism. When a kid reaches the age where he or she can earnestly confess their beliefs, they are typically baptized as believers. Anabaptism, a Christian movement, gave rise to this concept.
Believer’s Baptism
Special Protocol
The Ordnung is a collection of social laws that governs what can and cannot be done. Everything from dress to technology to education is governed by the Ordnung regulations. The phrases “command” and “discipline” are derived from a German word. Because the Amish have no central church authority, each assembly is autonomous and self-governing.
Special Protocol
Local Autonomy
Due to the lack of a centralized religious authority, each church is allowed to alter the Ordnung as it sees fit. Because they have this ability, each Amish group can have its own set of laws. Some cultures have more stringent rules than others.
Local Autonomy
Rumspringa
When Amish adolescents reach adolescence, they often participate in Rumspringa, a rite of passage that allows them to mingle with people from different cultures. Some Amish youths are allowed to leave their family in order to participate in activities that are typically forbidden at home.
Rumspringa
Normal Marriages
Contrary to popular assumption, arranged marriages do not exist among the Amish. The traditional courtship and dating traditions are used to produce the majority of Amish marriages. When it comes to picking a wedding partner, there are no arranged weddings with parents or other mediators. Young individuals who desire to be baptized into a specific Amish denomination (typically their own) must marry within that religion.
Normal Marriages
Multiple Languages
Not one, but three languages are taught at Amish schools. Students are taught English, German, and Pennsylvania Dutch/German from an early age. These languages are also spoken in the nations, so expect to hear one of these three if you visit anytime soon.
Multiple Languages
Wedding Season
After the harvest season and communions, which normally take place in October, the majority of Amish weddings take place. As a result, the bulk of marriages take place in November and December, as the autumn season draws to a close. That isn’t exactly a long wedding season.
Wedding Season
Healthy
The Amish have an interesting rule that appears to have boosted community happiness. They have a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and smoking, and data show that their cancer rate is 40% lower than the rest of the globe. Given the advantages, it’s possible that more people should follow this lead!
Healthy
Fashion
Clothing purchasing for the Amish must be very easy due to the constraints and emphasis on modesty. They don’t wear bright colors or patterns, and their clothes are primarily simple hues and designs from the 1700s, so any of their ensembles can be mixed and matched!
Fashion
Origins
The first Amish families immigrated to America in 1693, seeking refuge from religious persecution in Europe. They picked Pennsylvania as their home because of the state’s commitment to religious freedom. This was a wise decision, because they are all still living and well now, publicly expressing their opinions!
Origins
Sleeping Together Before Marriage
Unlike other religious organizations, the Amish allow couples to share a bed before getting married. Only that they are completely clothed and capable of communicating while lying in bed is required. This is a means for them to enhance their bond before they tie the knot.
Sleeping Together Before Marriage
Tax Rule
It turns out that the Amish pay the same federal and state taxes as the rest of us. The Amish, on the other hand, are claimed to not pay Social Security taxes and hence are not eligible for benefits.
Tax Rule
The Largest Amish Population
People may believe that because the founding family originated from Pennsylvania, the state has the highest concentration of Amish, however, this does not appear to be the case. In fact, a few hundred miles west of Pennsylvania is Ohio, a state with a few hundred more population than Pennsylvania.
The Largest Amish Population
Short Education
The Amish have a well-known educational system. Private one- or two-room schools are also used by Amish students. After eighth grade, many Amish youngsters who attend private schools leave out. Some of them begin working immediately after graduating from high school.
Short Education
Right To Vote
Amish people are permitted to vote in US elections, but they rarely do so. According to one research, just about 15% of Amish voters cast ballots. Despite their defeat, a small percentage of the population continues to vote.
Right To Vote
Loyal Peacemakers
The Amish religion is largely pacifist, emphasizing repentance and conflict avoidance. The Amish refuse to serve in the military or support the death sentence for religious reasons. The Amish are pacifists who believe in Jesus’ teaching to love those who hate them. All types of violence are despised by the Amish.
Loyal Peacemakers
Unique Toys
Young Amish children are regularly given toys with no faces. The expressionless, emotionless faces discourage pride and vanity. The dolls are faceless because “all are alike in God’s view,” according to a 2007 sociological report, and the lack of facial characteristics fits with the Bible’s prohibition against graven images. The vast majority of Amish doll creators have chosen anonymity.
Unique Toys
Acapella
Musical instruments are not played by Amish people because they believe it is a form of self-expression that leads to emotions of superiority and pride. Amish church songs are based on the Ausbund, a High German songbook with no musical notation.
Acapella
A Computer For The Amish
There was a computer created exclusively for Amish communities, believe it or not. Internet access, as well as video and audio playing, are not available on the Deskmate word processor. On a computer, you can do basic word processing, spreadsheets, and accounting. The Deskmate would not break any long-standing Amish traditions because some (but not all) Amish employ technology that can only be used for industry.
A Computer For The Amish
Growing Population
In 1920, there were around 5,000 Amish in the United States. In today’s money, this translates to $300,000. Furthermore, the majority of the growth occurred in the last three decades, when the Amish population was only 84,000 in 1984. The increase is ascribed to a religious belief that larger families are required by God, as well as the more practical necessity of increasing their farm crew.
Growing Population
Strict Guidelines For Clothes
By definition, Amish clothing is basic. Despite the fact that certain sects dress in muted hues, the bulk of sects dress in black and white. Because of the potential for ostentation and adornment, buttons, zippers, and velcro, as well as color, are often frowned upon and avoided. Pins or hook-and-eye closures are commonly used instead.
Strict Guidelines For Clothes
Isolated From The Community
The Amish youth must make a difficult decision after their Rumspringa vacation. They must make a decision on whether or not to remain in the church. This is a difficult decision because they will be cut off from their family and friends for the rest of their life if they do not do so. This is why 90% of your clients continue to do business with you.
Isolated From The Community
Technology Exceptions
Although most Amish families have tight rules regarding technology, some are more lenient than others. Tractors, electric refrigerators, bathtubs with running water, and propane gas are all permitted in the Alona Amish village. In certain societies, cell phones are also permitted.
Technology Exceptions
No Rings
One of the many Amish traditions is that no rings are worn during the engagement or wedding. If a couple chooses to get engaged, no jewelry is allowed, and this restriction also applies to the wedding ceremony. This is just one of the many odd Amish wedding customs.
No Rings
Secret Engagements
Engagements are sometimes kept hidden from families and the community for months in Amish cultures. Most couples get engaged in the spring, but often don’t inform their families until the summer. The news is kept a secret by the family until the ceremony in October.
Secret Engagements
No White Dress
On their wedding day, Amish brides don’t wear white; instead, they wear blue. The bride and her bridesmaids create their own dresses. She wears the same wedding gown as her main church gown and is buried in it after this day.
No White Dress
Traditional Food
Celery is a typical Amish wedding food. Many soups and other recipes contain it as the main ingredient. It’s also used as a substitute for flowers as a decoration. When a family is preparing for a wedding, they typically start cultivating celery months in advance. That’s all before the plan is made public!
Traditional Food
No Real Retirement Age
Amish people begin to minimize their daily activities between the ages of 50 and 70. This is also influenced by their physical state. They typically relocate to a designated grandparent’s home on their family’s land. When older people are healthy, they prefer to stay at home, and their daughters look after them as their health deteriorates.
No Real Retirement Age
Baptism
Amish people are baptized into their church between the ages of 16 and 25. Before it, the person is not permitted to marry. Only members of the same church are permitted to marry. Not to mention the fact that it normally occurs in a matter of seconds. This is unique among Christian denominations in that it is up to the parents to decide whether or not to baptize their children. The Amish culture, on the other hand, allows people to choose whether or not they want to be baptized. Children are not baptized since they are not of legal age to make such a decision.
Baptism
Photographs Taken
The Amish don’t object if others photograph them, but they aren’t allowed to photograph themselves. They are also prohibited from keeping them in their residences. The dolls and apparel are designed in the same way: to keep them modest and fight vanity.
Photographs Taken
A Frolic
Barn-raising is referred described as fun among the Amish. When a new barn is required, they make a huge production out of it. Hundreds of people are anticipated to attend the event. The men are in charge of manual labor, while the women are in charge of meal preparation. It’s a well-liked pastime.
A Frolic
Success Rate
If an Amish person leaves the Amish church, he or she will very probably lose contact with family members. As a result, they will be shunned and excommunicated. On the other side, nearly 90% of Amish youth elected to remain in the church.
Success Rate
Dog Farming
Despite their good reputation, the Amish have a darker side to their culture. Due to rising farmland prices and diminishing demand for small-scale agriculture, several Amish communities have turned to dog farming as a new source of revenue. In actuality, the Amish control over 20% of all puppy mills in the United States.
Dog Farming
High Inbreeding
Despite the fact that the Amish do not intentionally marry their relatives, their families are at risk of inbreeding. Because Amish households are so small, they don’t have many options when it comes to marrying another Amish person.
High Inbreeding
No Recruits
The Amish’s reluctance to evangelize is another noteworthy aspect. They have a lengthy history of shutting away non-members and isolating themselves from modern society. It’s no surprise, then, that the Amish refuse to recruit. Moreover, the Amish’s most enthusiastic supporters are unable to become members of the church.
No Recruits
“English” Outsiders
The Amish are unconcerned with your race, skin tone, or country of origin. A non-Amish individual is referred to as an English person. It is mostly owing to long-standing patterns of immigration. When you consider that the Amish aren’t known for changing their ways, it makes sense.
“English” Outsiders
Memories
As one might anticipate, Amish folks do not have Instagram accounts. Because they don’t utilize cameras, it’s most likely evident. However, did you know that they don’t make paintings either? What’s the purpose behind it, because a brush and canvas aren’t exactly cutting-edge technology? When a loved one passes away, the only thing left to remember them is their memories, according to Amish tradition. It is forbidden to have a graven image, such as a portrait or a painting of someone.
Memories
No Dating
It’s no surprise that the Amish exclusively marry inside their community since they need someone to support their faith. It’s challenging to persuade someone to entirely change their lifestyle and activities in order to marry. However, there are severe dating prohibitions in Amish society. It is prohibited to date an Amish person who has not been baptized. You can’t start dating until you’ve been accepted into the group. Not to mention the fact that dating takes happen only in public locations.
No Dating
Blessed Engagement
In the Amish society, any important life event necessitates careful deliberation and involves the entire community. It is impossible for people to get engaged and married without the consent of others. It doesn’t take long for a couple to get engaged after they start dating. When the man proposes, he and his girlfriend must ask the church for permission. They are allowed to marry when the church has blessed them.
Blessed Engagement
The Honeymoon
Spend your honeymoon with your parents if possible. From the outside, it appears to be quite repulsive. Tradition, on the other hand, is ingrained in Amish societies, and this is one of them. The honeymoon will begin at the residence of the bride’s parents. The bride and groom would clean the parents’ house the next day as a thank you.
The Honeymoon
The Honeymoon Continues
Amish honeymoons are made up of various portions spread out over multiple locales. The pair would pack up and travel on to the next residence after spending the first night at the bride’s parents’ house and seeing all of their relatives as husband and wife. If the newlywed couple does not yet have their own home, they will reside with the bride’s parents until they can purchase one.
The Honeymoon Continues
Not Amish
If you see someone wearing a bonnet, don’t jump to conclusions; they could not even be Amish. Among them are the Mennonites. The Amish and Mennonites are not the same, despite their resemblance. Mixing the two, in actuality, will aggravate them tremendously. Mennonites are a non-Orthodox Christian sect, similar to the Amish. They are not isolated and are a part of more modern cultures. Many of them are computer savvy and drive automobiles. A Mennonite’s clothing can be mistaken for that of a non-Mennonite in rare circumstances.
Not Amish
Meidung
Despite the fact that the Amish have many limitations on their activities and lifestyles, they are surprisingly tolerant and encourage people to make their own decisions. There is, however, a framework in place for those who break the rules. It’s essentially the Amish equivalent of a “time-out,” and if somebody is found to be breaking their ethics code, there will surely be consequences. Meidung is one of them, which signifies the person is despised by the community.
Meidung
Being Excommunicated
Bann is a significantly more harsh punishment than Meidung, which refers to being ostracized by the Amish. If your sin is serious enough to result in permanent ex-communication, you’ll be placed in the Bann and treated as an outsider. Depending on the severity of your ‘crime,’ you may be shunned for a long time. The idea is for the person to recognize their mistake and apologize.
Being Excommunicated
DNA Testing
Except for the Amish, who refuse to allow DNA testing in order to learn more about their ancestors and potentially identify long-lost relatives, everyone nowadays wants to have DNA testing to learn more about their forebears and possibly locate long-lost relatives thanks to contemporary technology. That is why marrying your third cousin in their community is so effortless. Inbreeding, they believe, is a result of God’s will.
DNA Testing
Potlucks
This is a party you’ll want to be a part of. The Amish are pleasant people to be around. In their culture, hosting and sharing in group meals is incredibly essential. Everyone contributes something to the large table because it’s really one giant potluck. It happens frequently, and it’s a great way to meet up with friends.
Potlucks
No Church Buildings
Isn’t viewing all of the art and places of worship that religious communities around the world have developed one of the most delightful elements of visiting them? Tourists will not find any churches in Amish country, for example. They are uninterested in ornate churches and cathedrals. They believe that they can study the Bible anyplace and that they don’t need a church or anything fancy to do so.
No Church Buildings