Quote Originally Posted by pomtzu View Post
No - I know there is a difference.

I live just a few miles from several Amish communities, and as I said - SOME have taken on a few of the more modern ways.
Most of them here are farmers, but with land being at a premium, and them not being able to expand, many have gone into the furniture and construction business. An Amish family owned the construction business that build my garage a couple of years ago, and they used power tools and also used cell phones - however they were driven here by a non-Amish driver. I was talking to one of the gentlemen, and he said he just recently had electric run to his house.
We also have Mennonites in the area, but they drive, don't adhere to the old way of dress, and look pretty much like the ordinary guy on the street. The only different thing about the dress is that the women wear the little white caps on their head.
The Amish that I know are quite well-to-do. They own/ed much of the surrounding land in their community and their homes are quite beautiful and modern w/the exception of electricity. Like your friends, they use power tools to build the furniture for their furniture business, they borrow cell phones, ride in cars and trucks and sometimes even borrow them and they use computers. Why they don't just give in and buy their own modern conveniences is beyond me; one of those 'gray areas', I guess.