If you live in the Midwest, specifically Pennsylvania, you are likely familiar with the Amish community. This religious group generally avoids modern-day traditions. They are an amicable community, but they prefer to keep their lives private, so little is known about them. They also have fascinating traditions that will astound you! We’ve compiled a list of facts for you to check out.
These Amazing Amish Culture Facts Will Teach You In The Best Possible Way
What Car?
Amish people prefer to avoid modern technology and travel by horse or carriage rather than a car. This is primarily due to religious prohibitions on the use of technology. The Amish can accept rides from these vehicles, but they are not allowed to drive.
What Car?
Beards
Older Amish men usually have a long beard and don’t have a mustache. Mustaches are usually forbidden in their religion, but beards are strictly permitted because men in the Bible are depicted with beards.
Beards
Believer’s Baptism
The Amish practice “believer’s baptism,” which is reserved for those who have reached adulthood. This concept comes from a Christian tradition known as Anabaptism, which literally translates to “one who baptizes again.”
Believer’s Baptism
Special Protocol
In terms of social life, there are specific rules that are prohibited and written in the Ordnung. These rules apply to every aspect of Amish life, including clothing, technology, and education. It comes from a German word that means “order” or “discipline.”
Special Protocol
Local Autonomy
Since there is no organized religious government, each church is free to alter the Ordnung as they see fit. Because they have this ability, each Amish community may have its own set of rules. Some communities have more stringent rules than others.
Local Autonomy
Rumspringa
The adolescent years in Amish communities are a time when these individuals begin their exploration of the world. They may even venture outside of their usual areas and partake in activities that are prohibited at home.
Rumspringa
Normal Marriages
The Amish communities do not have arranged marriages and follow the same dating rules as the rest of society. Most people, on the other hand, believe they encourage arranged marriages.
Normal Marriages
Multiple Languages
Not one but three languages are covered in Amish education! Students are taught English, German, and Pennsylvania Dutch/German from an early age. These languages are also spoken throughout the communities, so expect to hear one of these three if you visit anytime soon.
Multiple Languages
Wedding Season
Because it is after Harvest Season, weddings are usually held in late November or early December. Harvest season and communions are in October, so they have until the end of December to get married. There isn’t much time!
Wedding Season
Healthy
Amish culture has an interesting rule that appears to have improved community health. They have a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and smoking, and studies show that they have a cancer rate that is 40% lower than the rest of the world. Given the advantages, perhaps more people should follow this lead!
Healthy
Fashion
Since Amish fashion places importance on modesty, their clothing options are limited. They are not permitted to wear bright colors or patterns, preferring instead to dress in muted tones and styles inspired by the 1700s.
Fashion
Origins
After fleeing religious oppression, the first Amish families arrived in America in 1963. They chose Pennsylvania because it was known for being more open and free in terms of religious freedom.
Origins
Sleeping Together Before Marriage
Unlike other religious groups, the Amish encourage couples to share a bed before getting married. The only stipulation is that they must be fully clothed and speaking while lying in bed. This is a way for them to strengthen their bond before they marry.
Sleeping Together Before Marriage
Tax Rule
The Amish pay federal and state taxes in the same way that the rest of the country does. However, they are exempt from receiving social security benefits, so they are not required to pay those fees.
Tax Rule
The Largest Amish Population
People may believe that because the founding family came from Pennsylvania, the state has the largest Amish population, but this does not appear to be the case. In reality, if you move a few hundred miles west of Pennsylvania, you’ll find Ohio, which outnumbers Pennsylvania by a few hundred.
Short Education
Short Education
Amish children are frequently educated in private schools. An exciting and distinct feature is that they typically attend school until the 8th grade, and then most go on to work.
Short Education
Right To Vote
Amish people are allowed to vote in US elections, but it is not common for them to do so. According to one study, only about 15% of Amish voters cast their ballots. Despite their lack of popularity, a small number of people still vote.
Right To Vote
Loyal Peacemakers
The Amish religion promotes forgiveness as the most important virtue, abstaining from violence and emphasizing peace. They refuse to serve in the military and are adamantly opposed to the death penalty.
Loyal Peacemakers
Unique Toys
When Amish children are young, they are frequently given faceless dolls as fun toys. The importance of having a doll with no expression is used to ensure that the children do not develop narcissistic tendencies.
Unique Toys
Acapella
On that note, they also avoid promoting anything that might make one person appear superior to another. They don’t allow musical instruments, just like they don’t allow faceless dolls, to prevent narcissism.
Acapella
A Computer For The Amish
A computer designed specifically for the Amish has been released. There is no internet access or video/music capabilities with the “Deskmate word processor.” Basic word processing, spreadsheets, and accounting are all available. This tool is suitable for Amish communities and does not go against Amish traditions.
A Computer For The Amish
Growing Population
In 1920, there were approximately 5,000 Amish in the United States. In 19845, the number had risen to nearly 84,000, and it now stands at 300,000. This increase is primarily due to God’s desire for larger families and the fact that more people would assist with farm work.
Growing Population
Strict Guidelines For Clothes
The most important rule for Amish clothing is to keep it simple. They usually dress in muted colors and are advised to avoid buttons, zippers, and velcro. Pins or hook-and-eye closures are usually used instead.
Strict Guidelines For Clothes
Isolated From The Community
The Amish youth face a difficult decision following their Rumspringa journey. They must choose whether to remain in the church or leave it. This is a difficult decision because if they don’t make it, they’ll be cut off from their family and community for the rest of their lives. This is why 90% of customers remain loyal.
Isolated From The Community
Technology Exceptions
In terms of technology, most Amish communities have strict rules, but some are more flexible than others. Tractors, mechanical refrigerators, bathtubs with running water, and propane gas are all permitted in the Alona Amish community. Some communities even permit the use of cell phones.
Technology Exceptions
No Rings
One of the many Amish traditions is that no rings are worn during the engagement or wedding. When a couple decides to get engaged, no jewelry is permitted, and this rule also applies to the wedding ceremony. This is just one of the many odd Amish wedding customs.
No Rings
Secret Engagements
Keeping engagements hidden from families and the community for several months is a common practice in Amish communities. Couples usually get engaged in the spring but don’t tell their families until the summer. The family then keeps this a secret until the ceremony begins in October.
Secret Engagements
No White Dress
On their wedding day, Amish brides don’t wear white; instead, they wear blue. The bride designs her own dress as well as the dresses for her bridesmaids. That same wedding dress becomes her main church dress and the one she is buried in after this day.
No White Dress
Traditional Food
Celery is a traditional Amish wedding food. Many soups and other dishes contain it as the main ingredient. It’s even used in place of flowers as a decoration. If a family is planning a wedding, they usually start growing celery months in advance, even before the proposal is made public!
Traditional Food
No Real Retirement Age
Amish people usually start cutting back on their normal lives between the ages of 50 and 70. Their physical condition also determines this. They usually relocate to a designated grandparent’s home on their family’s property. When older people are in good health, they tend to stay at home, and the woman in the family takes care of them when their health deteriorates.
No Real Retirement Age
Baptism
At the age of 16, the Amish are baptized into their church. Before that, the individual is not permitted to marry. They can only marry another member of the same church. Not to mention that it usually occurs quickly. In comparison to other forms of Christianity, this is unique. Because, for the most part, parents decide whether or not to baptize their children. People can choose whether or not to join the Amish church. They do not baptize minors.
Baptism
Photographs Taken
Even though the Amish don’t mind people photographing them, they aren’t allowed to photograph themselves. They are also not permitted to keep them in their residences. The same reasoning applies to the dolls and clothing: to keep them modest and avoid vanity.
Photographs Taken
A Frolic
Barn-raising is referred to as a frolic among the Amish. When a new barn is needed, they make a big deal out of it. Hundreds of people are expected to attend. The men are in charge of manual labor, while the women are in charge of meal preparation. It’s a well-liked pastime.
A Frolic
Success Rate
If an Amish person leaves the Amish church, they will almost certainly lose contact with their family. This is because they will be shunned and excommunicated. However, approximately 90% of Amish teenagers choose to remain in the church.
Success Rate
Dog Farming
Despite their reputation for being extremely virtuous, one aspect of Amish culture takes on a much darker hue. Due to rising farmland prices and dwindling demand for small-scale agriculture, some Amish communities have turned to dog farming as a new income source. In fact, the Amish community owns roughly 20% of all puppy mills in the United States.
Dog Farming
High Inbreeding
While the Amish do not intentionally marry their cousins, there is a high risk of inbreeding in their communities. Because Amish communities are so small, they don’t have much of a choice when it comes to marrying another Amish person.
High Inbreeding
No Recruits
Another fascinating aspect of the Amish is that they reject evangelism. They have a history of excluding non-members and isolating themselves from the modern world. It’s no surprise, then, that the Amish refuse to recruit. Even the most ardent supporters of the Amish are unable to join the church.
No Recruits
“English” Outsiders
The Amish are unconcerned about your ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. They refer to anyone who isn’t Amish as an English person. It is primarily due to centuries-old immigration patterns. When you consider that the Amish are not known for changing their customs, it makes sense.
“English” Outsiders
Memories
Amish people do not have Instagram accounts, as one might expect. They don’t use cameras, so it’s probably obvious. Did you know, however, that they don’t make paintings either? It’s a little perplexing because a brush and canvas aren’t exactly cutting-edge technology, so what’s the reasoning behind it? In Amish tradition, when a loved one passes away, the only thing left to remember them is their memories. Having a graven image, such as a painting or a picture of someone, is prohibited.
Memories
No Dating
Because you need someone who will accept your faith, it’s no surprise that the Amish only marry people from their community. To say the least, persuading someone to change their lifestyle and habits for marriage completely is difficult. However, there are still significant dating restrictions in the Amish community. You are not allowed to date anyone who has not been baptized in the Amish faith. You can’t even start dating until you’ve been accepted into the community. Not to mention that dating takes place only in public places.
No Dating
Blessed Engagement
Every significant life event in the Amish community necessitates careful consideration and involves the entire community. People can’t just get engaged and marry without anyone’s permission. It doesn’t take long for a couple to get engaged once they start dating. When the man proposes, he and his fiancee must obtain church approval. They are allowed to marry after the church has blessed them.
Blessed Engagement
The Honeymoon
How about spending your honeymoon at your parents’ house? From the outside, it appears to be rather off-putting. On the other hand, tradition is deeply rooted in Amish communities, which is one of them. The honeymoon will begin at the home of the bride’s parents. The bride and groom will then clean the parents’ house the next morning as a thank you.
The Honeymoon
The Honeymoon Continues
Amish honeymoons are made up of several parts that are spread out over several locations. The couple will pack up and go to the next house after spending the first night at the bride’s parents’ house, visiting all of their relatives as husband and wife. If the newlywed couple does not yet have their own home, they will live with the bride’s parents until they can purchase one.
The Honeymoon Continues
Not Amish
When you see someone wearing a bonnet, please don’t jump to conclusions; they might not even be Amish. Mennonites are among them. The Amish and Mennonites are not the same, despite their similarities. In fact, if you mix the two up, they’ll be very offended. Mennonites are a non-Orthodox Christian sect similar to the Amish. They don’t isolate themselves and live in more modern communities. Many of them use technology and drive automobiles. There are times when a Mennonite’s clothing is indistinguishable from that of a non-Mennonite.
Not Amish
Meidung
Even though the Amish have many restrictions regarding their habits and lifestyles, they are often surprisingly permissive and allow people to make their own conclusions. There is, however, a system in place for those who break the rules. It’s basically an Amish version of a “time-out.” If someone is found to be breaking their ethics code, there will undoubtedly be repercussions. Meidung is one of them, which means that the community shuns the person.
Meidung
Being Excommunicated
While Meidung refers to being shunned by the Amish community, Bann is a far more serious penalty. If your transgression is serious enough to result in permanent ex-communication, you’ll be placed in the Bann and treated as an outsider. Depending on your ‘crime,’ you could be shunned for an extended period of time. Even though it may appear harsh, the goal is to recognize their mistake and apologize.
Being Excommunicated
DNA Testing
Everyone nowadays wants to get DNA testing to learn more about their ancestors and possibly find long-lost relatives, thanks to modern technology. Everyone except the Amish refuses to allow it. That is why marrying your third cousin in their community is so simple. They believe it is God’s will that inbreeding occurs.
DNA Testing
Potlucks
This is a tradition you’ll want to participate in. The Amish are very generous people. In their community, the concept of hosting and participating in communal meals is fundamental. Everyone brings something to the large table, so it’s essentially one big potluck. It happens quite frequently, and it’s the ideal opportunity to catch up with everyone.
Potlucks
No Church Buildings
Isn’t seeing all of the art and places of worship that religious communities worldwide have created one of the most exciting aspects of visiting them? Amish countries, on the other hand, do not have any churches. They aren’t particularly fond of ornate churches and cathedrals. They believe that since they can learn the bible anywhere, they don’t need a church or anything fancy.
No Church Buildings