Just as it is within similarly strict religious communities, the Amish strongly believe that birth control is completely unethical and unnecessary. In the bedroom, the Amish again look to their tenet of “letting be” – so whatever happens is what God intended. They do not believe that they can play God and choose to not interfere with the natural order and way of things.
Contraception is something the Amish don’t believe in. In fact, for them, it’s important to have a big family. Being pregnant is a miracle and is viewed as God’s blessing. The average Amish couple can have as many as 7 children! That’s quite a lot of mouths to feed.
Hunting for the Prize
It is no secret that the Amish live off the land. This of course extends to the forests nearby, where tasty critters live their days. Therefore, Amish men like to hunt to provide for their families.
Commonly a male past time, the women traditionally stay at home and wait for the men to return with some nice game meat for dinner! Sometimes women can join in on the hunt too, though this is more common in families where there are more boys than girls.
On Being Amish
The final question asked was “if you weren’t Amish, what do you think you would miss the most about being Amish?” The Lancaster Amishman answered quite simply and profoundly.
The man answered, “The family being together at home without interference from an electronic cacophony. Living with a devoted wife who is also your best friend, without the specter of divorce looming just over the horizon."
Love Thy Neighbor
It is fitting that, within a Christian community, the all-important tenet of “love thy neighbor” is closely observed. This is particularly important within the Amish community, especially given the fact that their cohort is so small and relatively secluded.
As mentioned earlier, there is the activity of “barn-raising”, which helps to bring the community together. It’s important to note that every act of physical labor is performed without modern technology or physical aides – so this highlights how truly selfless the Amish are!
Not Ones to Gloat
With religion, sometimes it can be somewhat of a contest of whose beliefs are better. This is not the case with the Amish. These conservative pacifists are, of course, against any type of tension. It is not about superiority or competition – rather it is ‘just as it is.’ The Amish are respectful of other cultures, and just because their way of life observes things differently to other religious groups, does not mean in any way that they’re above others.
The Amish see arrogance as a sin, and this idea keeps them grounded and living their lives peacefully.