In this guide, we’ll uncover the essence of the Amish culture and their enduring values. Whether you’re curious or seeking to learn from their example, this guide offers valuable insights into the world of the Amish.
What Guidelines Do the Amish Follow?
1. Baptism as Adults
Amish individuals choose to be baptized into the church as adults, signifying a personal commitment to the faith and community.
Before making this important decision, young Amish individuals often go through a period called “Rumspringa.” During Rumspringa, they experience life outside the Amish community before deciding whether or not to join the church.
2. Ordnung
The Ordnung, which can differ among Amish communities, sets rules for how they live, including what they wear and how they use technology. It helps keep their culture intact and makes sure everyone follows the same beliefs and practices.
3. Separation from the World
The Amish have a core principle of deliberately living separately from the larger society that surrounds them. They do this for two main reasons:
- Preserving Their Unique Culture: By maintaining this separation, the Amish can safeguard their distinct way of life, traditions, and customs. It allows them to keep their culture intact and unchanged by outside influences. They place a high value on preserving their heritage and passing it down to future generations.
- Protecting Their Values: The Amish have deeply held religious and cultural values that sometimes conflict with the norms and trends of the broader society. Living apart helps them protect these values from being eroded or compromised by external influences.
4. No Electricity from Public Grids
The Amish don’t use electricity from public sources. This rule encourages a simple way of life. Second, it emphasizes their reliance on God for their needs. By not using electricity from the outside world, they are choosing to live a simpler, more self-reliant lifestyle.
Additionally, it helps keep the Amish community separate from the influences of the modern world. It’s a way for them to maintain their unique culture and traditions by avoiding some of the technological advances that are common in the outside world.
So, this rule is both about their faith and their desire to preserve their distinct way of life.
5. Horse and Buggy Travel
Amish communities primarily use horse and buggy for getting around, which keeps them close to home and to each other.
This traditional mode of transportation also has a special meaning for them – it helps to slow down the pace of life, which is something they value because it matches their simple way of living.
6. No Higher Education
Amish children usually go to school only until the 8th grade, and these schools are often one-room schoolhouses right in their community.
This education is designed to teach them essential skills and instill Amish values, getting them ready for life within their community.
The Amish prioritize vocational training over traditional academic education. This means they place greater importance on learning practical skills that are directly useful in their daily lives.
By doing this, they ensure that their community remains focused on essential skills and the ways of living that have been passed down through generations.
Instead of pursuing academic knowledge, they invest in learning trades and crafts that are vital for their self-sufficiency and maintaining their traditional lifestyle.
7. Speak Pennsylvania Dutch
The Amish speak a special language called Pennsylvania Dutch. This language is not only important for preserving their linguistic heritage, but it also serves as a way to keep their culture distinct and separate from the outside world.
By speaking Pennsylvania Dutch, they maintain a strong connection to their roots and ancestors.
It also acts as a kind of cultural barrier because most people outside their community don’t understand it.
8. Shunning (Meidung)
Shunning, also known as Meidung, is a practice among the Amish that’s a bit like excommunication in other religious groups. However, they use it carefully and only in specific situations.
The main purpose of shunning is not to permanently cast someone out, but rather to encourage them to reflect on their actions and seek to come back into the community with a changed perspective and a commitment to living by Amish values again.
It’s a way of promoting repentance and reintegration rather than permanently excluding someone from the community.
9. No Insurance
Rather than buying insurance, the Amish community members support each other when they face financial or material challenges, like accidents or natural disasters.
They have a strong sense of mutual aid and cooperation within their community.
When someone encounters difficulties, others come together to provide the necessary assistance.
This practice reflects their commitment to self-sufficiency and the belief in looking out for one another rather than relying on external insurance companies.
10 Self-Sustaining Farming Practices
Farming holds a central role in the Amish way of life. It serves as a cornerstone of their existence, promoting both self-sufficiency and cooperation within the community.
By actively engaging in farming, the Amish are able to produce much of the food and resources they need, reducing their reliance on the outside world. This self-sufficiency allows them to maintain their traditional way of life and values.
Moreover, farming fosters a sense of interdependence among community members. They work together on farms, helping each other with planting, harvesting, and other agricultural tasks.
This cooperative approach strengthens their bonds, reinforces their commitment to communal living, and ensures that everyone’s needs are met.
11. No Military Service
In line with their pacifist beliefs, the Amish community refrains from taking part in military service. This commitment to nonviolence is a fundamental aspect of their faith and way of life.
They choose not to engage in military activities, such as serving in the armed forces, as it goes against their core principles of peace and non-aggression.
12. No Lawsuits
When conflicts arise within the Amish community, they are typically addressed and resolved internally. Often, church leaders play a key role in guiding the resolution process.
Instead of turning to external authorities or legal systems, the Amish prioritize resolving issues within their close-knit community.
Church leaders provide guidance and mediation to help parties involved in a conflict find common ground and reach a resolution that aligns with Amish values.
13. Limited Modern Technology
The Amish place restrictions on the use of modern technology, such as televisions, computers, and smartphones. This deliberate choice is made to emphasize the importance of face-to-face community interactions and to uphold their traditional way of life.
By limiting the influence of technology, they create an environment where people are more inclined to engage in direct, personal interactions with one another.
Additionally, by avoiding the distractions and conveniences of modern technology, they are better able to preserve their simple and traditional lifestyle.
14. Community Decision Making
Decisions that have an impact on the Amish community are typically made as a group effort. They often hold church meetings where community members come together to discuss and decide on important matters.
This process aims to ensure that everyone’s perspective is considered and that decisions are made collectively.
Whether through reaching a consensus or using a majority rule, the goal is to include the input and voices of all community members.
This shows how much they care about their community and each person’s role in it. It’s all about working together and staying united to keep their traditional way of life intact.
15. Home Worship
Amish religious services usually take place in homes, not in churches. This highlights how much they value family and close community bonds in their faith.
By gathering in homes, they strengthen these connections and emphasize the personal and intimate aspects of their religious practice.
16. Beard After Marriage
When Amish men get married, they grow beards as a way to show that they are married and committed.
This is a part of their traditional customs, and it signifies their marital status within the community.
17. No Divorce
In the Amish community, marriage is seen as a commitment for life. Divorce is not allowed because they place a high value on the stability and unity of the family.
This means that once they are married, they are expected to remain married and work through challenges together to maintain a strong and united family unit.
18. Mutual Aid
The Amish community has a fundamental principle of helping one another. Whether it’s in construction, farming, or providing financial assistance, they make sure that no one in the community faces hardship alone.
This strong sense of mutual aid and support ensures that everyone in their community is cared for and doesn’t have to endure difficulties on their own.
19. No Public Entertainment
The Amish avoid places like cinemas and concerts for public entertainment. Instead, they concentrate on activities centered around family and their community.
This choice strengthens their cultural values and helps build strong social bonds within their group.
20. Simple Clothing
Amish people wear simple, plain clothing that they often make themselves. These clothes don’t have bright colors or fancy designs. They do this because they want to be humble and modest, and they avoid showing off or being flashy.
They believe that what’s on the inside, like their character and values, is more important than what they wear on the outside. So, their clothing reflects their commitment to living a simple and modest life.
21. Limited Use of Modern Medical Services
The Amish are not against all modern medicine, but they tend to prefer traditional remedies and may hesitate to seek conventional medical treatment unless it’s absolutely necessary.
This approach is rooted in their values of simplicity and self-reliance.
Instead of immediately turning to modern medical interventions, they often rely on time-tested home remedies and natural treatments.
However, when a medical issue becomes severe or life-threatening, they are willing to seek conventional medical help.
Their approach to healthcare balances their commitment to traditional practices with a pragmatic response to serious health concerns.
22. Communal Meals and Gatherings
In the Amish community, it’s common to have big communal meals and gatherings, especially after church services.
These gatherings play a crucial role in strengthening the bonds within the community and offer opportunities for socializing. Coming together for meals and events reinforces their sense of belonging and togetherness.
These communal gatherings are more than just meals. They are a way of nurturing the close-knit relationships that are at the heart of Amish life.
23. No Political Involvement
The Amish typically do not engage in voting or participate in political activities. This choice is rooted in their belief in separating themselves from worldly affairs and maintaining a focus on their close-knit community and traditional way of life.
By abstaining from political involvement, they avoid becoming entangled in the external affairs of the larger society. Instead, they prioritize their own community’s well-being and self-governance.
24. Prohibition of Alcohol and Tobacco
In many Amish communities, the use of alcohol and tobacco is not allowed. This rule aligns with their core values of leading a pure and simple life.
By abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, they emphasize their commitment to modesty and self-control.
These substances are seen as potentially harmful and addictive, which goes against their desire for a simple and healthy lifestyle.
25. Manual Labor and Craftsmanship
The Amish highly value manual labor and many of them are skilled craftsmen, farmers, or artisans.
For the Amish, manual labor is not just a means of making a living, it’s a way of life. It reflects their commitment to self-sufficiency, simplicity, and traditional values.
By working with their hands, they are able to produce many of the goods they need within their community, reducing their reliance on the outside world.
This work ethic also fosters a sense of interdependence, where community members rely on each other’s skills and contributions.
26. Wedding Traditions
Amish weddings are simple, without fancy rings or big ceremonies. But they are important events for the whole community, showing the values of modesty and togetherness.
It’s about the couple and their community, not extravagant celebrations.
27. Plain Homes and Furnishings
Amish homes are intentionally kept simple and without extravagant decorations. They avoid ostentation or anything that might be seen as overly showy or flashy.
Instead, their homes are functional and practical, with an emphasis on meeting their basic needs. They avoid unnecessary adornments or lavish furnishings to maintain their focus on living a modest and down-to-earth lifestyle.
28. Community Support for the Elderly
In the Amish community, they take good care of their elderly members. Often, older folks live with their families. This shows how much they respect and value the wisdom of their elders.
It’s also a way of saying that they take their family responsibilities seriously. This practice is about keeping their strong family bonds intact and honoring their elders’ experience and knowledge.
29. No Photographs
The Amish people don’t like to have their pictures taken. They believe that photos can encourage vanity and go against their religious teachings about not making images of people.
So, they avoid photography to stay humble and true to their beliefs.
30. No Musical Instruments
The Amish don’t use musical instruments, as they believe that music should come from the voice and heart rather than relying on instruments. Singing is an essential part of their worship and community gatherings.
Wrapping It Up
In summary, the Amish have specific rules and practices that reflect their values of simplicity, humility, and community. They separate themselves from the outside world to protect their unique way of life.
While their lifestyle might seem unusual, it shows their strong commitment to a close-knit and self-reliant community. The Amish demonstrate how faith, community, and simplicity can create a lasting and special way of life.