 | DrEntropy (38)
02/21/2006 |  There's a lot to admire about the Amish: they live in harmony with the land, they live a healthy lifestyle, and they keep their distance from a society increasingly characterized by the worship of money, material goods, and a moronic popular culture that encourages self-destructive behavior while elevating ordinary people (and often sub-ordinary freaks) to the status of celebrity gods. While stygmatized by most Americans as a fossilized relic of pre-industrial times, the average Amish individual, family and community are far healthier than their mainstream counterparts. In particular, they treat their children and old people far better than Americans do, not leaving them to vegetate in front of the TV or sending them to live in tomb-like nursing homes. Amish farming practices are exemplary, eschewing the destructive practice of dumping fertilizer, pesticides, and other deadly chemicals; neither do they use wasteful oil-powered, capital-intesive machinery that exhausts the soil and pollutes the air; the result is the Amish are, by and large, very successful farmers, in a country where ordinary farmers are going broke left and right. If you're interested in what Amish life is really like, check out 'The Devil's Playground', a documentary about Amish teenagers who are allowed to experience ordinary American life before they decide whether to join the Amish (It was suprising how healthy and well-spoken the Amish teens were, compared to the Indiana teens they hung out with). Not surprisingly, 90%+ decide to remain Amish; of the adults interviewed, about the only thing they missed was the mobility provided by cars. The Amish don't reject modern technology out of stupidity or blind worship of tradition, either; they simply recognize that cars, television, computers, etc..., encourage materialism, laziness and self-regard at the expense of the community. Their 'funny' clothing is meant to affirm that they are a 'people apart', like Hassidic Jews. The Amish have the usual problems of any closed society that rejects the values of the modern world: limited self-expression (especially for women), genetic disorders, and a physically demanding life dominated by work rather than passive entertainment. Whatever its drawbacks, this way of life remains far healthier-physically, emotionally, and spiritually-than that of most Americans. You don't have to agree with their beliefs to respect the Amish way of life.
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 | CanadaSucks (45)
05/10/2005 | Overrated Medieval-esque philosophy that gets a free ride. . .they aren't as cute or innocent as we think. Domestic violence, women's issues, and genetic disorders (lack of genetic diversity) are serious issues swept under the rug and ignored. It's the 21rst century. . .at least act like it's the 20th century. And if you've ever driven through Lancaster county- it smells like sh#t.
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 | Mennonite44 (0)
05/10/2005 | The Old Order Amish are quite content with their quiet lives; they very rarely evangelize, and tend to show the world by their dress and lifestyle that it is possible to live in the world but not be of the world. Rum Springa, or sowing of the wild oats, does occur, but I do not believe as often as certain films would have you to believe.
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 | CastleBee (81)
09/12/2003 | I think this is just another case of aberrant doctrine gone to seed - where one or two scriptures were taken out of context and some persuasive someone back in the 19th century ran with it. From what I hear they really don't bother anyone or try to convert people to their way of thinking and basically lead quiet lives. According to some recent documentaries however, they aren't quite as squeaky clean as one might imagine. Apparently during their teen/young adult years they're known to do some pretty raucous partying most, if not all of which, is overlooked by their elders.
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