Who are the Amish?

[Donnaj4962]

Everyone has already done a good job explaining about the Amish, so I thought I'd add an anecdote. There is a town in Indiana called Nappanee that is essentially an Amish Town.
My parents and I were in an old car club (Model 'A' club - cars from the late 1920's early 1930's) that would go on tours as a group, and one of those tours took us to Nappanee for some of the best food I ever had! It was at a large Amish farmstead, where an Amish family fixed us food. Totally neat experience and everyone was so nice. It was cool to eat by only the light of candles and be in a place with no modern facilities such as electricity and running water.

I'm not sure if this same family does this today, but I do know there is a resort in Nappanee called 'Amish Acres' that has an inn on the grounds of a historic farm.

I live about 30 minutes from Nappannee and "Amish Acres". There is also a community close to there called Shipshewana. There is a flea market there a few days a week and an Amish auction where the Amish come to buy wagons and wheels and horses, etc. Many folks from this area try to get to "Shipsey" at least once each summer. There are beautiful handmade crafts to be bought! Also, to the east of Ft. Wayne is a small community called Grabill and there are many Amish in that area also. There are several different "orders" of the Amish lifestyle and each has their own regulations, so to speak. I have always thought it would be interesting to live their life for a few days!

I have another anecdote about the Amish and their use of technology. When I was married, we needed a new roof on our house, and we hired an "Amish Crew" to do it. They all came in a van driven by someone NOT in their order, and most of them had cell phones!

[K9karen]

One of the sadest things I heard about this horrible disaster, was that the families will have no photographs of their children. The only visual memories will be toys or clothing.

[kitten645]

I'd recommend seeing the Harrison Ford movie "Witness". I don't know how accurate it was but I remember learning alot about the Amish in that movie.

[wolfsoul]

I've never seen any Amish -- however I've seen a great deal of Polygomists that run quite a similar life. I am very interested in the Amish, however I believe that they are romaticized greatly. They are highly inbred as there are so few of them. Rape and Sexual molestation is quite common from what I've heard -- as if a woman reports a man for anything, she is automatically exiled. Of course this wouldn't be every community -- I'm sure alot of them are good, honest, people. I would love to meet some Amish and talk to them. I enjoyed that reality show -- I forget what it was called. But they had some Amish teenagers competing, it was really cool.

[Karen]

I've never seen any Amish -- however I've seen a great deal of Polygomists that run quite a similar life. I am very interested in the Amish, however I believe that they are romaticized greatly. They are highly inbred as there are so few of them.

There are ten of thousands of them. Your statement may be true within certain individual communities, but it is unwise to make such a blanket statement without citing sources.

Rape and Sexual molestation is quite common from what I've heard -- as if a woman reports a man for anything, she is automatically exiled. Of course this wouldn't be every community -- I'm sure alot of them are good, honest, people. I would love to meet some Amish and talk to them. I enjoyed that reality show -- I forget what it was called. But they had some Amish teenagers competing, it was really cool.

The show was called "Amish in the City" - Amish kids are traditionally given a period of time "off" - into the rest of the world, so they can then consciously decide, with full knowlege, to become officially Amish or not. Choosing the modern way of life, though, often means losing all contact with family and friend who remain "within the Life."

[Jessika]

I enjoyed that reality show -- I forget what it was called. But they had some Amish teenagers competing, it was really cool.

They weren't competing, they were participating in what is called a Rumspringa which is where they venture into the modern world to decide if they want to live that life or continue living the life of an Amish.

[wolf_Q]

I, personally, would never visit any Amish tourism areas because they are one of the largest suppliers of puppies (from mills where dogs are kept in horrible conditions) in the country. I don't want to be supporting that in any way.
http://www.banpuppymills.com/
http://www.puppymillrescue.com/Prisoners.htm