Are the Amish changing?

The first time I ever heard of the Amish and saw some in operation, was some twenty years ago when I was visiting Belize in Central America. It was then a Belizean took me to visit the commune where these “strange” people, who rejected all progress operated.

I was told they had leased their settlement from the government and operated a self-sufficient and self-governing commune, where the Belizean government only got involved waswhen a murder was committed there.

They were strict about their dress, only wearing their traditional black and white outfights, refused to use rubber or plastic, made most of what they used etc. 

 A distressing problem for the local people I was told, was that their buggies with the metal wheels were damaging their roads.

The next time I saw any other Amish was at the farmer’s market in Philly where some sold their products. This was about two years ago and I recall how amused I was when one accepted a credit card, considering how I heard about them rejecting anything modern so of course electronic.

Clothes drying in the sun. They can now wear other solid colors

One of the many confusions I had up to recently, was in thinking that Amish and Mennonites were the same but when I googled it, I was informed “Theologically, the Amish and Mennonites have many similarities. Both are Anabaptist denominations and share ideals of

The chain at the back our guide called the "seat belts!"

pacifism. The Amish believed that mainstream Anabaptist churches were too liberal and that Christians should live separate from the outside world. The Amish practice a severe form of social shunning towards people who violate the church's guidelines. The most noticeable difference between the Amish and Mennonites is that Mennonites generally do not shun technology or contemporary society. Even Old Order Mennonites, who live more similarly to the Amish, allow modern conveniences like electricity in their homes.”

My most recent visit to an Amish establishment was in Lancaster County, Philadelphia.

This trip of four fun-loving ladies from Florida, was organized and led by champion hiker and leader Jenifer Weise in mid-August 2019. This trip made me realize how far this sect has come. (Anyway, I have been made to understand that they are not as dogmatic as I had heard but what they do in each commune depends on how far their leader is prepared to let them go.)

Men don't seem to use the pedals!

We actually visited the town of Intercourse, (the name does not imply what I and other outsiders would think. Also, to get there we passed through a place called "Gay Man town", but I jump to no conclusions about that either!) which is 85% Amish, who at last count was 7,200. According to a guide Rachael, it is the 2nd largest Amish settlement in the USA.

In Intercourse, I got a much better understanding about the sect.

Its a touristy town

While most of the town of Intercourse is just an everyday tourist town, we took the opportunity to go on a buggy ride and visit a farm, a very enlightening experience indeed.

Our guide Rachael was excellent, answering our questions forthrightly. For example, I wanted to know it the Amish practiced birth control as I heard they loved to have lots of children to work their farms. She however explained that it is something many probably practice, but it is just not discussed! Further, I wanted to know if they paid taxes to the regular government and used services like police and hospitals or were like those in Belize they didn’t and was told categorically, yes. However, in sickness, they tend to try home remedies before seeking outside assistance.

A 6 horse power plough at work (the guide's humor!)

What I learnt too was that they are far more unconventional than I thought as the plain black and white clothes are not mandatory as they can make their clothes from any solid color. Also, some work outside the homes and farms in professions where modern mechanical equipment is used, whereas they can own the equipment, they must employ non-Amish or English (as they call them), to actually use the equipment. Some also own motor vehicles but they put them in others people’s names and get a driver as they are not allowed to drive. Some even have indoor plumbing but not showers or baths! I also noted that these at Intercourse had no problem using plastic, rubber and even mechanical equipment powered by propane.

At the farm we visited where they did dairy, horse raring and grew acres of corn and soya

, we observed both mechanical equipment and a horse drawn plough which, since it had six horses pulling it, our guide quipped that it had six horse power. 

For farm work, they seem to alternate between using horses and mules, which they breed themselves. Those were some mighty steeds I saw at the farm we visited and according to our guide, the two horses that draw tourists in the buggies, can do that work for up to fifteen years. They also appeared to be quite healthy and extremely intelligent.

From some strange activity I saw,  I got the impression that male bicycle riders do not use the pedals or sit on the seats, but females do. Instead the men  and boys seem to treat the bicycle as some kind of a pushmobile in that they run beside is pushing on one pedal and will only get on when coasting!

A model Amish farm

From my own observations though, I gather that they are extremely wealthy people who are mostly large farmers living in huge houses. But they should be wealthy shouldn’t they, if they are  not big consumers like the rest of the society, shunning even electricity and making most of what they need?

Their wealth seems to be ploughed back into vast expanses of land where they farm, use mechanical equipment and even refrigeration, also powered by propane run generators, to keep their products fresh.

A beautifully laid out plantation

While the Amish there seem to be moving quite rapidly toward modernization, what was alarming to learn was how little they still value education, since the children must leave school to go and work by age fifteen What a waste of human resources.

However, our very informed tour guide Rachel did explain that they are able to go into professions where they assist the community, like firefighting and the medical services. I guess that too is progress.

OTHER PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE AMISH ESTABLISHMENT