“It is very definitely a gray area, in fact, it is nearly black.” In an interview on ‘ Amish America’ , an anonymous Amishman from Lancaster County offered some honest answers about life in the community. It’s definitely interesting to hear the thoughts of a person who’s living the Amish life.
“For the most part, (Amish people) are oblivious to and nonchalant about the attention in the media given to us. It is assumed that the information is generally distorted to varying degrees. There is practically no desire amongst the Amish to make sure we only get good press. In other words, we don’t have any highly paid spin doctors.”
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.
Flying the White Flag
The Amish are pacifists, and when it comes to the military, they are bundled into the conscientious objector group. You won’t see them enlisting any time soon.
Much like the Quaker community in Pennsylvania, the Amish are anti-violence. The community is focused on preserving the peaceful way of living they've created for themselves over the years.
Are You Old Enough?
The Amish question a person’s age before allowing them to enter their church. Christians will know that you are baptized as a baby or toddler and is deemed an important rite of passage. But the Amish do things slightly differently. According to them, being baptized should be done with careful consideration and after much deliberation. It is a choice.
The Amish are not, contrary to popular belief, a cult. This boils down to the fact that the Amish allow members to choose if they want to join, or go out and mingle with the "English". For this reason, the Amish do not baptize children – they feel that kids can’t make the conscious decision which will rule them for the rest of their life. The majority of Amish people are, in fact, baptized between the ages of 16 and 24.