The Amish, a North-American religious society live a rural lifestyle where work is done manually with limited aid from modern technology. The Amish are industrious; you’ve probably heard of an Amish barn-raising before. Since a crane couldn’t come in to relocate someone’s barn, 250 men from the community came together to lift it themselves [1]. The barn is made of wooden poles and not regular farmyard timber, so it was relatively lightweight. However, it was not the energy expended that mattered in this video. It was the amazing sight of a solid brotherhood coming together to work in favor of one of their own.
Out here in a so-called urban society, you can’t even get three neighbors to help you move a couch. These men portray communal living at its best, and it’s one of the many things to admire about the Amish people.
Truly inspiring.
Watch the Amish barn raising video below:
The Amish: A religious faith and peaceful existence
After fleeing Europe in 1730 to escape religious persecution, the Amish landed in Pennsylvania, Ohio as a protestant group broken away from the Mennonites [2]. Today, there are now Amish communities in over 30 American states and Canada as well. They are religious people who live a 19th-century lifestyle and have shunned all use of modern technology.
To the Amish, their way of life is not merely a lifestyle but an integral part of their religious faith. The core principles of existence lie in community, and a sense of individuality is largely absent. They believe that the community is strength, safety, and power, and members of the community help each other as much as possible. They shun all benefits from the state and rely solely on one another.
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Simplicity, humility, and peace
The Amish are virtuous people who accept humility as a core way of life. They don’t believe in self-exaltation or positions that may place a person above others.
Most people are fascinated with the Amish because they don’t use technological devices like as televisions, automobiles, computers, radios, and smartphones [3]. This certainly makes an Amish barn-raising more difficult. They may occasionally use a community telephone, substituting cars with bicycles and horse-driven wagons. The Amish are only against technology because they believe it would corrupt their society and unhinge the peaceful structures.
The Amish are one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States with over 300,000 members. They marry other Amish monogamously and families could be as large as 7 or 8 members. They engage in all kinds of farming and may sell their produce to earn money. They also take up carpentry, constructions, and work at factories owned by the “English”, which is the Amish term for outsiders. In recent times, the Amish have diversified to other businesses such as leather production, quilting, and furniture-making.
The Amish are highly distinguished by their modest style of dress. As described by Britannica, “Men and boys wear broad-brimmed black hats, dark-colored suits, straight-cut coats without lapels, broad fall pants, suspenders, solid-colored shirts, and black socks and shoes. Old Order Amish women and girls wear bonnets, long full dresses with capes over the shoulders, shawls, and black shoes and stockings; their capes and aprons are fastened with straight pins or snaps. Old Order Amish women and girls wear bonnets, long full dresses with capes over the shoulders, shawls, and black shoes and stockings; their capes and aprons are fastened with straight pins or snaps.”
The children are homeschooled up until the age of 14 when they begin to learn practical skills. After 16, youngsters are allowed to leave the community and explore the outside for a few years, after which they may return to be baptized as full members of the Amish society. 90% of youngsters who leave would return.
The Amish are peaceful, respectful, and simple people who value God and community above all else. They believe in goodness, wisdom, and a non-violent approach to conflict resolution. A truly dignified society.
Sources
- “Amish.” Britannica.
- “The Amish: 10 things you might not know.” USA Today. Matthew Diebel. August 15, 2014.
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