Okay - reading about the Amish is fun - but...

[C.Ann]

Now I know why there's so many misconceptions floating around about them out there.. It seems that simply stating the "Amish" is equivalent to saying someone is "Christian".. There are so many variations - each with their own set of rules and regulations, my head has been spinning for two days now..

I've been reading two non-fiction books ("Living Without Electricity" and "The Amish Wedding and Other Special Occasions of Old Order Communities") and my eyes have certainly been opened to all of the differences within the various "orders"..

Some of those mentioned are:

Old Order
New Order
Dover Group
Lancaster (with numerous groups of "Old" and "New" orders)
Nebraska or "White Tops"
Somerset Group
Swartzentruber Group
Andy Weaver Group
Holmes Co. Old Order
Homes Co. New Order
Geauga Co.
Adams Co.
LaGrange Co.
Nappanee, IN
Arthur, IL
Kalona, IA
Buchanan Co., IA
Haven, KA
Milverton, ON
Aylmer, ON
Beachy Amish
Renno Group
Byler Group
Alan Group
Davies Group

and on and on.. Some allow gas operated refrigerators, but not gas operated stoves.. Some allow propane gas lanterns, but no other gas appliances.. Some allow motorized washing machines (although not via electricty, but not mechanical refrigerators.. Some allow inside flush toilets, others don't.. Some allow battery operated flashlights, but not battery operated calculators.. Some also gasoline burning irons, other still use the "sad" irons (the ones you heat on the stove)..

Some rent food lockers from places in nearby towns where they can store frozen foods, others have to "can" all of their meat for the coming year.. Wedding feasts vary widely from group to group - as does the attire, how the service is performed, when the bride and groom actually set up housekeeping (in some groups it's not until the spring following their wedding), etc..

In some groups weddings are only performed in November and December - and they must be on a Tuesday or a Thursday.. In others they allow October and January weddings.. Some allow weddings on Wednesdays - but never, ever on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday..

Clothing varies from group to group - order to order - as well.. In some, the main colors are blue, purple, green, and teal blue.. In others it's brown, gray, black, dark blue, or navy blue.. There are variations in patterns for the clothing, as well as the "kapps" and the color of the ties that go under their chins..

In some orders/groups, men can smoke cigars - in others, it's absolutely forbidden.. Some communions offer wine, some grape juice, and some nothing at all.. Some groups offer only the singing of the most serious (long and drawn out) hymns - while others allow hyms that are much livelier.. Some orders even allow harmonicas to be played at the "youth singings" (part of the beginning to court process).. In some groups/orders, a couple that has been "published" (their upsoming marriage announced during church services) are able to hold hands in public from that point on.. In other less traditional orders/groups, couples who are simply "going steady" are allowed to hold hands in public.

The bottom line is that we all seem to have a lot of misconceptions about them - there are numerous accounts of boisterous laughter - both inside the home and out in public; adult and child pranks; jokes that have been handed down for generations and generations; etc. (that go on with even the strictest of orders/groups_ - which flies in the face of what many people believe..

Funny, but I started reading about the Amish "just for fun" - and now it's becoming a full-time hobby.. LOL.. I'm so glad that I have chosen to delve into the "non-fiction" side of this culture though - because it's even more fascinating than any "fiction" author could make it seem to appear..

Now I can hardly wait to order some additional books.. I may even subscribe to the two Amish newspapers that are available - as well as several of their magazines..

I guess you're never too old to learn - or develop an intense interest - in something new - huh?

 

[XYSRUS]

I live near a big Amish community..it's always fun to be at a red light, eye to with a horse!

 

[disneyfan007]

We were down in Holmes County Ohio over the July 4th weekend. I saw a few with cell phones hooked to their belts. I was chatting with a lady who knows some of the Amish personally and she said that some of the churches were allowing the use of cell phones for business use only.

 

[disney1990]

An Amish woman we visit in the Lancaster area (she sells quilts out of her house) has a telephone in her home because it is for her business. However, a lot of Amish has telephone buildings on their road that are shared by the residents of the area.

 

[powellrj]

I live near a big Amish community..it's always fun to be at a red light, eye to with a horse!

Its also fun to come out to your car when you have been shopping and find a horse and buggy parked next to you!

 

[C.Ann]

I live near a big Amish community..it's always fun to be at a red light, eye to with a horse!

We were down in Holmes County Ohio over the July 4th weekend. I saw a few with cell phones hooked to their belts. I was chatting with a lady who knows some of the Amish personally and she said that some of the churches were allowing the use of cell phones for business use only.

Yes - the "line" definitely keeps moving - depending on which order or group you belong to.. Simply defining someone as "Amish" is no longer appropriate, it seems.. There are just too many variations of what is and isn't allowed now..

Earlier I checked out some online sites for Amish recipes (eventually I will purchase a few cookbooks), but for now - if I ever get my lap top over to where my printer is, I'm going to copy some of the more interesting ones..

 

[phorsenuf]

We were down in Holmes County Ohio over the July 4th weekend. I saw a few with cell phones hooked to their belts. I was chatting with a lady who knows some of the Amish personally and she said that some of the churches were allowing the use of cell phones for business use only.

How would they charge them?

 

[C.Ann]

How would they charge them?

From what I've read so far, at an "English" neighbors home..

 

[M&N]

C.Ann, I hope you have read books by Donald Kraybill. He is considered an expert on the Amish around Lancaster. I have lived here for over 50 years and many around here do not have an understanding of the Amish either.

 

[Heidict]

C. Ann, I would love the info on the newspapers and magazines. Thanks.

 

[C.Ann]

C.Ann, I hope you have read books by Donald Kraybill. He is considered an expert on the Amish around Lancaster. I have lived here for over 50 years and many around here do not have an understanding of the Amish either.

Yes - I have quite a few of his books..

C. Ann, I would love the info on the newspapers and magazines. Thanks.

I found them by googling "Amish newspapers" and then "Amish magazines".. The one newspaper is "The Budget" - and the other is a German name "Dei Botschaft", I think - but it's written in English..

A couple of the magazines are "Family Life"; "Young Companion"; and "The Diary".. subscription info can be found by googling them..

Something happened to my computer awhile back and I can't copy and paste links anymore.. Otherwise I would do that for you.. Not sure what casued the problem, but it sure is annoying and inconvenient!

Good luck!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I saw a group of Amish people at the Milwaukee Zoo once. I wondered how they got there.....

That was the one and only time I have ever seen an Amish person. I was definitely staring-simply out of curiosity. Everything from the bonnets, long dresses with aprons, shoes, hair, etc....I felt like I was stepping back in time.

 

[C.Ann]

I saw a group of Amish people at the Milwaukee Zoo once. I wondered how they got there.....

That was the one and only time I have ever seen an Amish person. I was definitely staring-simply out of curiosity. Everything from the bonnets, long dresses with aprons, shoes, hair, etc....I felt like I was stepping back in time.

They probably had an English driver bring them there in a van.. (Don't be surprised if you ever see some at a museum either.. )

Some orders/groups will allow them to use English drivers for all sorts of things - others only for emergencies, doctor appointments, or trips to the hospital..

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

Fascinating C. Ann. Thanks for bringing the topic to our attention.

 

[hercamore]

We have many Amish communities in SE MN. Many Amish folks sell their produce and baked goods at our Rochester farmers markets.

Herc

 

[RNMOM]

I've read a few books recently, all were fiction but very informative and interesting. As one might imagine, they are not so different from everyone else, just in how they do things.

I also live not far from several Amish communities and Mennonite also. I went to nursing school with a Mennonite girl whose family was all Amish so I learned a lot from her.

One of our favorite things to do is drive down Rt. 83 to Kidron and visit Lehman's Hardware. Lots of buggies there too. They have a website if you're interested.

 

[mjantz]

I saw a group of Amish people at the Milwaukee Zoo once. I wondered how they got there.....

That was the one and only time I have ever seen an Amish person. I was definitely staring-simply out of curiosity. Everything from the bonnets, long dresses with aprons, shoes, hair, etc....I felt like I was stepping back in time.

They could have been Mennonite. Some more conservative orders of Mennonites dress similarly to the Amish but they drive cars, use electricity & other 'English' things.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

C.Ann -

Go study the original Anabaptists. They were as cantankerous a lot as you'd ever find and are the starting point of the Amish, the Mennonites and today's Baptists.

The Amish are the way Southern Baptists used to be, before the 1970's - they'll get up and argue at church meetings, throw books and break off into new churches over things like what color to stain the floors or whether or not girls should be allowed to cut their hair for Locks of Love. (I once traced out the "splitting" of some Baptist churches in a small, unique cultural group. Starting in the 1820's with the original church and going up until the 1960's it was a spider web of splits and re-unifications. I still don't know WHY some of the splits happened. My father's theory can be summed up as "somebody didn't like somebody else's casserole at a dinner on the grounds.") Nobody can tell an Amish what to do - that's one of the founding beliefs of the Anabaptists and they take it seriously, so if two people argue over a point of theology or theological practice - they split churches. This has been common in some protestant and evangelical groups for 300 years.

Anyway, go study church history if you want to understand the mindset. I get it, but my ancestors were hamfisted in the Anabaptist movement. Some of them died for it. and, for the most part, the women made the theological waves, not the men. (I feel justified at being such a big mouth, opinionated woman.) I've got a kinship to Anne Hutchinson, who exemplifies the attitude.

Oh. Just food for thought. If you ever study the Pagan and Wiccan movement, you'll notice the same sort of easy fracturing of groups.

 

[Planogirl]

We occasionally see Mennonites in the counties close to us and they all seem to use motor vehicles. We found a country store run by a Mennonite family and they had the conveniences but their manner of dress is interesting.

 

[MsDisney23]

I wish I were Amish and owned a business, I wouldn't have to pay any taxes!!! We have a lot of Amish markets in our area with more coming, they also go to a lot of the local flea markets and sell their products, but are tax exemt... hmmmm!

The Amish are truly fascinating.