Amish Lifestyles

• Amish Lifestyle is dictated by the ordnung, the Amish rules of living set forth by each Amish communities church, therefore making lifestyle and cultural differences between each community, and, from district to district within each community.

• The largest Amish settlements are in LaGrange County, Indiana; Holmes County, Ohio; and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

• The Amish do not draw social security, join the Army, or allow any form of assistance from the government.

• Some Amish communities, and or districts reject education beyond the eighth grade, particularly subjects that have little practical use for farm-life.

• When some Amish children enter adulthood they are expected to make an adult permanent commitment to the church, thus becoming baptized. If an Amish child chooses not to become baptized, they are going through a period known as Rumspringa. Rumspringa, to the Amish, is regarded as the period in an adolescences life leading up to serious courtship, which is connected to permanent commitment to the Amish life and church. During this period is life (months or years) the adolescents are released from the church and its rules. In some Amish communities those who do not permanently join the church are shunned. Shunning is the act of deliberately avoiding or staying away from an individual or group.

• This Amish like to avoid the use of modern technologies such as electricity, but they certainly do not regard technology as evil or sin when such use of a modern technology is seen as a need, rather than vanity. Each community differs as to which technological items are acceptable.

• Technologies such as the use of 12-volt batteries, electric generators, gas powered farm equipment, the use of chemical pesticides and GM(Genetically modified food crops) can be petitioned for acceptance into Amish lifestyle in many Amish communities.

• The Amish speak an unique High German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania German, in addition to English. Sometimes there are differences in dialect amongst Amish Communities.

• Each Amish community may have a dress code that the community must follow, which may vary from one community to the next.

• Typically an Amish man will grow a beard after he gets married or after he is baptized in some communities.

• The Amish are affected by various heritable genetic disorders, which are largely due to the combination of the small population of Amish and the risk of inbreeding.