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Home Front: Culture Wars
The Old Ways - Why The Amish Community is Booming
2018-12-15
[Guardian] Daniel Weaver does not vote, drive a car, read a paper, listen to music, watch sport of any kind, own a mobile phone or use a computer. But as we eat the food grown in his garden outside the window, he confesses that he did once see a film. He refuses to disclose what, brushing aside my questions as we sit talking around the dining table with his wife, five of his eight children and one grandson. "I am not proud of that," he says. "I went against my parents’ wishes."

But this one-off incident, many years ago, speaks to the reasons why this 52-year-old sold his thriving Ohio clothing business, one that supplied hundreds of stores across North America, and moved his family to this idyllic farm in upstate New York three years ago. Daniel is Amish ‐ a member of a community famed worldwide for their plain clothes and use of horse-drawn buggies ‐ and he fears the impact of modernity and the temptations of technology on his children, his church and his traditional Christian world. "Our values are different and we chose to safeguard them," he says. "But if our people get lax and rub elbows too much with the world, then the world may not look too different ‐ we become like the people outside."
Posted by:Besoeker

#8  Yes # 6. They pool their money. So I would believe his Bishop was involved in this payment. I can't say for certain. I believe his order held a meeting on this disbursement.
Posted by: Dale   2018-12-15 22:27  

#7  The most desperate Amishman I ever met was an 18-year-old who had just left the order & intended never to return. He had just shaved off his beard & his face looked like a plowed field. He knew he had cut all his ties with his family. It turned out there was a Mennonite group that would provide much-needed assistance for such young people. We had their contact #s on the ER Rolodex.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2018-12-15 19:26  

#6  My favorite Amishman was the farmer who paid cash for his heart transplant.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2018-12-15 19:24  

#5   Many health issues as much or more than the general population.

But a limited gene pool gives geneticists a great sampling population. And much safer than Pakland to do it in.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2018-12-15 18:09  

#4  They call us the English. As with any groups of people some are good and some are bad. Drug dealing. Stealing farm tractor parts from other farmers. Yes all this and more goes on. Avoiding all taxes has become an art for them, even avoiding paying on toll roads. The Mennonites are their friends as others are. They visit to use a phone now and then. When they become a burden the Bishop will allow a phone in the barn on their property.
Posted by: Dale   2018-12-15 15:30  

#3  OH, they have many problems. Many health issues as much or more than the general population. Young people have most or all of their teeth pulled. Cancer, heart problems they are not exempt. The young want to leave their order for more understanding bishops. Then many leave for what they see is the bright life. New blood is vitally needed to curtail birth defects. They have good natures and are a kindly people. Very sociable and when you visit a home all are in attendance. You are the center of attention because having no TV or radio creates a active involvement by all. Riddles and story telling by the young. An example; On what side does the horses hair grow best?; On the outside.
Posted by: Dale   2018-12-15 15:15  

#2  The best part of the Amish is that they seem to not want anyone else to join them.
Posted by: Airandee   2018-12-15 14:57  

#1  A society within a society. Not for everyone. The Amish seem to weather the bubbles and ups and downs of the Fed and volatile economies.
Posted by: JohnQC   2018-12-15 11:15  

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