Fellow Amish in rare instances won't break bread with them at the same table, won't work with them and won't worship with them under the religion's centuries-old practice of shunning. In stricter settlements, shunning can break apart families, cutting off all contact between parents and their children.
Shunning is the most well-known form of Amish punishment. It's a way to separate the offender from the community and make them realize the error of their ways. When someone is shunned, they're cut off from all social interaction. This includes family, friends, and even business associates.
They Can't Contact the Outside World. Amish children are not allowed to contact the outside world. This includes talking to people who are not Amish, using phones, and watching television. This rule is in place to protect the young people from being influenced by the outside world.
The Amish's freedom of choice allows members to leave at any time. People who leave after joining the church are excommunicated and shunned, while those who leave before joining the church aren't.
Most Amish families have an average of 7 kids, and most children are given chores starting at the age of 4 or 5.
Amish parents consider their children their greatest earthly treasure. Children are welcomed as a blessing from God and large families are the norm.
An Amish man may only have one wife. Should that wife pass away, he is free to remarry. The same goes for Amish women. They may remarry in the event of their husband's death.
Women are to keep their hair long and worn in a single braid or bun that is pinned behind their head. Hair must be kept out of sight, as it's seen as too sensual and can be distracting for men in the community. The reason Amish women don't cut their hair is more than just aesthetic preference.
Forgiveness is woven into the fabric of Amish faith. And that is why words of forgiveness were sent to the killer's family before the blood had dried on the schoolhouse floor. It was just the natural thing to do, the Amish way of doing things.
There's no rule against friendships between Amish and non-Amish people. The Amish love meeting other people and conversing about life. But always respect their devout laws and views on modern living, which will almost certainly differ from yours.
Feminine Hygiene
Female Amish wash their hair and wear it in a bun. As for makeup, Amish women aren't allowed to wear cosmetics or adornments considered worldly. This includes lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and jewelry.
Mothers are very demonstrative with their babies when they nurse them and sing to them as they soothe them to sleep. But they don't pick up their children to hug and kiss them.
The Amish believe that technology, especially cell phones, separates people and takes away important face-to-face communication and social interaction. In more lenient communities, cell phones may be used by families in a central location, with no particular owner, to keep in touch with family.
Although the verb shun means to deliberately avoid anything, it has a specific meaning in certain groups and communities. In this case, it means to ostracize or expel from that group or community. The Amish, for example, may shun members of their order who repeatedly ignore the beliefs and rules of Amish society.
The population explosion is due to a belief in large families, seen as a blessing from God. The large number of children also provide labor for their farming enterprises. Traditionally, farming of all kinds has been at the center of Amish work life.
Joel, our Amish friend, whose wife is expecting, immediately began saying that they do not talk about the baby or the pregnancy in front of his children. "It is just not done," He said. In the Amish community, things like pregnancy are very sacred and secret.
Fellow Amish in rare instances won't break bread with them at the same table, won't work with them and won't worship with them under the religion's centuries-old practice of shunning. In stricter settlements, shunning can break apart families, cutting off all contact between parents and their children.
If a person chooses to remain unmarried, that is not necessarily a problem. But they would have to lead a life of celibacy, as premarital and extramarital sex is forbidden by Amish societal rules. Most Amish people choose to get married, and to get remarried if they become widowed.
Old Order Amish people also oppose church buildings, preferring to meet in individual homes. This reflects their wariness of organized religion in general; they think of their house meetings as more organic and unregulated. They also deliberately avoid modern technologies like cars, electricity and tractors.
However, in addition to the modesty aspect, women must keep their heads covered at all times so that they can pray at any time. Both modesty and prayer are central to the daily lives of Amish people and for women, wearing head coverings and bonnets is an important part of that.
Amish men use their beards as a symbol of marriage. If a man has a clean-shaven face, it means he is single and ready to mingle, which is important for the ladies to know. However, if he's got a beard, he's taken. Back off, ladies.
The Amish beards style is pretty unique - with no mustaches, long beards, and neatly trimmed sideburns. The practice of growing long beards is rooted in the Bible in Leviticus 19:27, where men are instructed not to cut the hair at the sides of their heads or clip their beards.
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.
Amish men and women usually assume traditional and well-defined gender roles. Husbands carry the primary responsibility for the financial well-being of the family. Wives typically devote themselves to housekeeping and motherhood.
In the case of Amish women, this identification of marital status is very simple. The bonnets they wear are how to tell if an Amish woman is married. They all wear traditional bonnets on their heads, but while single women wear black, married women wear white.