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About The Amish


Origins

The Amish people in America are direct descendants of the Anabaptists of sixteenth Century Europe. The word Anabaptist is a Greek derivative meaning re-baptism. It was applied to a variety of extreme and revolutionary groups who questioned the validity of Infant baptism. The Amish and their close cousins the Mennonites trace directly back to those groups.

Their belief of re-baptism stemmed from the fact that they did not believe that infants had the capability to make the decision as to what beliefs they would follow. Only as adults were they in control of those abilities to choose and therefore were baptized as adults. The penalty for re-baptism in those days could be death by drowning. It is said that more Anabaptists were put to death in early Europe, than Christians were put to death by the Romans in 300 years of persecution.

The persecution of Anabaptists drew more people into their beliefs as it became more widespread. The faith grew slowly but surely into the little Towns and Villages all over Europe in a rebellion against the Religious persecution and killing of others.

Amish were a peaceful and non-violent faith and never caused any harm to others even though they were being persecuted.

Anabaptists were beginning to set the standard for both Amish and Mennonite's; that being the consciously separating themselves from the rest of society.

During the late 1600’s, a group led by Jakob Ammann broke away from the Mennonites over the lack of enforcement of shunning. Shunning is the excommunication of disobedient or negligent members of the group. This group became the Amish and still to this day follow the same beliefs and rituals as they did then.

All aspects of Amish life are dictated by a list of written or oral rules known as the Ordnung. These rules vary from order to order and though it regulates everything from style of dress to style of buggies and even farming techniques, different orders can have different rules.

Clothing

Symbolic of their faith, Amish clothing encourages humility and separation from the world. Clothing is made at home, of basic fabrics and is primarily dark in colour. Amish men wear strait cut suits and coats with no collars, lapels or pockets. Trousers never have creases or cuffs. Belts are forbidden and pants are held up with suspenders. Young men are clean shaven until marriage and after marriage are to let their beards grow. Moustaches are forbidden as are ties, gloves and sweaters.

Amish women wear solid colour dresses with long sleeves and full skirts, covered with a cape or apron. They never cut their hair and conceal it braided, in a small white cap or a black bonnet. Stockings are black cotton and shoes are black as well. Amish women are not permitted to wear patterned clothing or jewlry.

Technology

Amish families are not allowed to own or use any type of technology that may have a damaging effect on the family structure. Most of today’s technological equipment is thought to be a temptation that could cause vanity, create inequality or lead the Amish away from their structured, close knit community.

Most Amish plough their fields with horses, travel with horse and buggy and live in homes without electricity. A telephone may be present in the community, but in a central location outside of the homes. Any electricity that is used in farming and home heating is generally produced within the community by windmill.

Technology is regulated differently in different sects of the Amish society. New Order Amish are allowed to use electricity, own and use automobiles, use modern farming equipment and have telephones.

Education

The formal education of Amish children goes up to only grade 8. Amish are exempt from Government education guidelines because of their religious beliefs. The schools are generally one room institutions operated by Amish parents. Farming, woodworking and homemaking are important principles of Amish education.

Family Life

The family structure in the Amish society is the most important social unit in the culture. It is common for families to have 7 to 10 children.

Chores are divided by sexual role as the men run the farm and the women run the household. The Father is considered the head of the family and German is generally spoken in the home.

Amish marry Amish and there is no intermarriage allowed. Divorce isnot permitted and separation is extremely rare.

Daily Life

The Amish try to separate themselves from outsiders to avoid temptation and sin. They rely on themselves and other members of the community. They don’t interact with the Government, have social insurance numbers, take government support or enlist in the army. There is no central church in the community, so services are attended to in private homes.

Baptism

The Amish baptize at adulthood rather than infancy. Amish teens enter a period of “rumspringa” which is a chance to sample the outside world in order to eventually make a well thought out commitment to the faith and to the community. The teens can sway from the faith during this period and it is overlooked. Some court, smoke cigarettes and even talk on cell phones. They can dress outside of the rules and engage in outside activities. Rumspringa ends when the young person requests baptism. Most teens choose to remain and all is forgiven and forgotten at that time Shunning

Shunning is the main reason the Amish broke away from their Mennonite cousins. It is a last resort punishment for disregarding religious and social beliefs. Shunning, or “meidung” means they have to leave their friends and family and all communication is cut off. They are no longer considered part of the community and no longer welcome in the community.

Amish Woodworking

The Amish lavish their devotion to quality products as they do to their faith. They build their furniture to last decades and use only solid woods and hydraulic and pneumatic or hand powered tools. There is no particle board and no laminates used in Amish built furniture. It is valued for it’s sustainability.

Each piece of wood is hand selected to match the requirements of the furniture in mind. Great attention is paid to the grain of the wood, not only in gluing pieces together, but also in the finished look of the product.

Amish furniture gained popularity in the 1920’s when American folk art was discovered. The furniture is produced mainly in Ohio and Indiana. What began as German styled furniture with bright colours and much detail had been streamlined to an undecorated and plain style which has become the standard of these products.

Although the main attraction of Amish furniture is quality, the unassuming style makes the furniture fit well with most decors.

Two designs of Amish built furniture include the Mission and the Shaker styles. Mission is characterized by straight lines and exposed joinery.

The Shaker style is plain yet elegant and designed for durability and functionality.

Woodworking is a trade that is passed down from generation to generation with very little allowance for change or adaptation to modern methods. Every piece is different because every grain is different and the attention to detail highlights those differences.

Amish furniture is a staple to the community through it’s sales. Lately it has been offered online but the Amish are prohibited from operating their own websites. Furniture retailers often attend Amish furniture expositions in Ohio and Indiana to see the furniture on display and meet the craftsmen that built it.

Relationships often develop and the retailer becomes the middle man between the two cultures. Amish are very careful who they let represent themselves. They will only deal with reputable business people who reflect their own love for the product.


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