New Order Amish prohibit alcohol and tobacco use (seen in some Old Order groups), an important factor in the original division.
And, even though drinking alcohol is discouraged in most Amish churches, many of them don't have a hard set rule against it. Although, you won't typically see an Old Order Amish member of the church in a bar or drinking a can of beer. It's highly discouraged in most groups.
As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.
It is common for Amish communities to allow the use of telephones, but they do not allow them in the home. Instead, several Amish families will share a telephone housed in a wooden shanty in a nearby location.
The Amish Often Have Healthier Teeth
Also, gum disease was found to be 3.6 times lower when compared to the general population. The study also found that 88.3 percent of Amish people did not floss, and just one in three brushed their teeth daily.
Try purchasing common household items in bulk such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, flour, sugar, coffee and more. The more you make buying in bulk a habit, the more items you will end up finding available in bulk. Finances are a large focus of the Amish way of life.
Amish women do not cut their hair and Amish men do not cut their beards after marriage for biblical reasons. “In the Amish faith a man's beard and a women's hair are sacred religious symbols,” Bridget M. Brennan, an assistant U.S. attorney, said in her opening statement.
The Amish are known for using horse & buggy for transportation, being off the public (electrical) power grid, they have no TV, computers, Wifi, and the phone is usually outside in a “shanty” or barn. These lodgings tend to be more “authentic”, but they are quite simple and without many frills.
Shopping. Amish buy things and do their shopping at a variety of sources, including local Amish shops which cater to a Plain clientele (eg, dry goods or variety stores carrying Amish-appealing home goods, bulk foods stores, or fabric shops selling materials for dresses and other clothing).
Early to Bed
Since morning comes early, most Amish families are in bed by 8:30 – 9:00 pm. Rest and getting adequate sleep is imperative for the Amish since much of their day is spent doing manual labor.
The Amish bedroom rules contain what is known as bundling. This is the practice of sleeping in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex while fully clothed. Bundling is not considered sexual in nature. Rather, it's seen as a way to get to know someone better before marriage.
If Amish church members break their vows of baptism by disobeying religious leaders or church regulations and refuse to confess their error, they will face excommunication. Based on several biblical scriptures, the church shuns ex-members to remind them of their disobedience in hopes of winning them back.
Young people who choose to be baptized into a certain Amish affiliation (typically the one they grew up in) are expected to marry inside this group.
Birth control and abortion are forbidden by religious doctrine, even when pregnancy is life threatening. The Amish church has no rule against immunization, but only 16-26% of Amish children have received immunizations against the common childhood diseases.
Since the Amish feel strongly about their community and honoring God by respecting others, much of their spare time is spent connecting with others. The Amish will often visit with relatives, neighbors, church friends, and even non-Amish friends.
Amish and Mennonites
“People might wear a suit and some people might wear shorts and tops or whatever,” she said. “There's quite a bit of variety.” Also, Nolt said, young children are able to wear more modern swimwear, as they are not yet official members of the church.
Leaving the community
Some Amish youth do indeed separate themselves from the community, even going to live among the "English," or non-Amish Americans, experiencing modern technology. Their behavior during this time does not necessarily prevent them from returning for adult baptism into the Amish church.
However, they may shave their mustaches. The very next verse, Leviticus 19:28 cautions against the act of tattooing. Therefore, the Amish do not allow their community members to get tattoos. Piercings and earrings are also not allowed, as these are seen as signs of worldliness and vanity.
Banks. There's also a myth that because the Amish don't rely heavily on cash, they also don't use banks. The Amish do, in fact, use banks for many things such as taking out loans and mortgages or making deposits and withdrawals. While they tend to use smaller, local banks over larger, corporate banks, they do use banks ...
In the Amish community, divorce is forbidden and not sanctioned in the Amish church. If a member of the community violates this, they are violating their vows that they took during their Amish baptism, which takes place between the ages of 18 and 22 years old, according to National Geographic.
Do the Amish celebrate Christmas? Yes, they do, although their customs are much simpler than our “English” customs. They are oriented toward the family and the religious meaning of the holiday.
The Amish religion does not restrict people from seeking modern medical care. For the most part, Amish use local doctors and dentists and will go to specialists and hospitals as determined.
Ever wanted to not just slow down, but jump off the grid? A family leaves behind the trappings of the 21st century to lead a simple, pious life in rural Tasmania. Ten years ago, Gregory McCallum sat reading on a Queensland beach with his wife, Bethany.
An Amish community in very northern Maine demanded a law that would allow them to wear red while hunting. The new law allows anyone to not wear blaze orange because of a strong religious conviction.
Marriage between Amish and outsiders is rare. That's because it's not allowed by Amish Law. However, should an outsider decide to convert to the Amish faith and get baptized, they'll be accepted as a member of the Amish community. They'll then be allowed to marry an Amish person.