Amish

[Peter Parka]

Was watching a documentary the other day about these people. I knew they were weird but I never realised just how fucked up they are. They have so many petty rules, how to wear your hat ect ect and none of them come from the Bible but just from their control freak priests. The most stupid bit though was this, I kid you not! They only read from an old Germanic Bible. Nothing wrong with that until you find out that none of them speak that language or can understand it. Yet they still sit down a read it constantly! :24::24::24:

 

[Minor Axis]

To each his own huh? However, what I find hypocritical is accepting 1700's technology but refusing to accept technological progress. I assume it's because they fear somehow it will erode their religious beliefs...

 

[Peter Parka]

To each his own huh? However, what I find hypocritical is accepting 1700's technology but refusing to accept technological progress. I assume it's because they fear somehow it will erode their religious beliefs...

The best bit of that is the hypocricy of it. They are not alowed to have phones in their house for instance so many of them find a way round it by building phone booths in their garden. I mean, what's the bloody point?:24:

 

[BlackCherry]

The best bit of that is the hypocricy of it. They are not alowed to have phones in their house for instance so many of them find a way round it by building phone booths in their garden. I mean, what's the bloody point?:24:

I think that's a product of our current society...that's a more recent trend with them. There are different levels of it as well. There are the actual Amish (or Pennsylvania Dutch who do still teach and speak German along with English) who are very Orthodox and still adhere to no electricity, motor vehicles, etc. and then there are looser sects which are steadily creeping into the current technology age. Of course there is the order of Mennonites who still adhere to some of the traditions but they do drive cars, have phones, etc.

I will tell you this, if your house is ever destroyed by a tornado or natural disaster...that's who you want on your side to help you rebuild. They can get a house up in no time and build it very well. Back when I was little, we had some devastating tornadoes here that wiped out towns and the Amish stepped up (which is rare for them) and helped everyone rebuild.

What I find screwy is that one of the biggest sources of income for the Amish is the puppy mill; which I find absolutely morally reprehensible...not only that, alcoholism really runs rampant amongst the Amish...

...and don't get me started on Rumsrpinga! lol

 

[Peter Parka]

These lot were the Pennsylvania Dutch. Never knew they had an alcohol problem, these lot thought you went to hell if you got drunk and would ex comunicate you. It was very interesting though, it was mainly about two amish guys who questioned some of the beliefs and ended up ex communicated yet they still tried to stick to the lifestyle. One of them got booted out for holding a prayer meeting and going into town to talk to people about Jesus! "Trouble in Amish paradise" it was called, dunno if the've shown it or plan to show it in the US?

 

[Dana]

I've given up trying to understand religion and religious actions. I can say that they're lifestyle is ultimately in the end better than our own. It's a bit simpler and cleaner.

 

[Peter Parka]

Yeah, especially those priest buggering young quireboys.:surrender

 

[BlackCherry]

These lot were the Pennsylvania Dutch. Never knew they had an alcohol problem, these lot thought you went to hell if you got drunk and would ex comunicate you. It was very interesting though, it was mainly about two amish guys who questioned some of the beliefs and ended up ex communicated yet they still tried to stick to the lifestyle. One of them got booted out for holding a prayer meeting and going into town to talk to people about Jesus! "Trouble in Amish paradise" it was called, dunno if the've shown it or plan to show it in the US?

I don't think I've seen that one...I'll have to check it out. I didn't grow up in Lancaster, but close to where I grew up there were several Amish and Mennonite communities...some very rigid, some were a bit more loose and actually sent their children to public school (my parents both taught some Amish students in their respective district). For the most part, they were just like everyone else...the ones I knew anyway. But I think they weren't quite as orthodox as some. As for the alcoholism...oh yes...some even make their own whiskeys, wines, and beers. In fact, there is an Amish community called Smicksburg which is close to where I live now and they have an actual winery and vinyard there. So, it kind of depends on the community I guess. I think the makers of the documentaries sort of pick up on the more extreme versions because it makes for better television...and the Amish for the most part are very insular and secretive. People flock to Lancaster just to visit Amish country and get an up close and personal look at their day to day. They are actually really fascinating...sort of stuck in time and yet so many contradictions at the same time.

 

[Minor Axis]

Yeah, especially those priest buggering young quireboys.:surrender

While I spend my time badgering (organized) religious people, that is not a fair statement when it comes to religion as a whole. They really are trying to make the world a better place even if I don't agree with their conclusions. BTW, I condemn the actions of the sinning pedophiles operating under the cloak of organized religion while their handlers try to cover up the extreme trauma they've caused over the years. If you could burn in hell, that would be as good a reason as any, betraying the trust of children.

 

[Peter Parka]

It was more in response to Dana inferring that their lifestyle is in someway better. I think there are good religious people and bad religious people, I was just pointing out that being religious in no way makes your lifestle better than anyone else. I'm sure it is only a minority of priests who bugger little boys but the fact they are around means I wouldn't trust my kid with someone solely on the basis of him being very religious.

 

[Hans]

To each his own huh? However, what I find hypocritical is accepting 1700's technology but refusing to accept technological progress. I assume it's because they fear somehow it will erode their religious beliefs...

Not because i will erode their beliefs, but because they feel that it is a distraction.

I find living a strict life and being able to stand against common thought against the Amish to be impressive. If a religion can last as long as it has, been as strict as it is, and not be a TOTAL joke, it deserves some recognition.

I do not disagree that some of their beliefs are...questionable.

 

[Dana]

They funny thing is don't the Amish use modern facilities when it comes to manufacturing things? I thought I saw a tv show about some Amish food product and they were using an industrialized production facility.

 

[Peter Parka]

They funny thing is don't the Amish use modern facilities when it comes to manufacturing things? I thought I saw a tv show about some Amish food product and they were using an industrialized production facility.

Yeah, I found the whole thing quite confusing. I mean they had found ways round having a phone and not breaking their rules for starters. Also, as I think has already been pointed out, just about anything we use these days is technolgy when compared to how people lived in Bible times over 2000 years ago.

 

[aznzhou]

Apparently some are very rich too b/c they don't use the money to buy things (they don't use social security, etc. so they don't even need to pay those taxes. They still have to pay property taxes and the like tho) ...

Lol once I was @ a hospital and an Amish guy was paying for his daughter's surgery. It was fucking expensive but the Amish guy just took out a huge wad of money and paid for it right there. In cash.:eek

oh, in case u were wondering, some Amish communities allow the use of hospitals for emergencies.

 

[Peter Parka]

Yeah, one of these guys who got booted out was worried about the cost because his daughter went down with Lukemia and it cost thousands!:eek (Thank god for the NHS over here!) Normally they have some thing where they all pay some small amount into a fund and the community pays for 80% of the treatment, apparently. They do look after their own like nobodies business but you're fucked if you leave. This guy got booted out right after he had given his life savings away to someone in the community. The'll be your brother if you do what they say but think for yourself and they really are cold heartless sons of bitches!

 

[Minor Axis]

I'm sure it is only a minority of priests who bugger little boys but the fact they are around means I wouldn't trust my kid with someone solely on the basis of him being very religious.

It should be a tremendous condemnation of any religion who puts their position/power/bureaucracy ahead of the well being of the parishioners. As a heinously appalling event that occurred on a regular basis over a period of decades, I'd call it a "burn in hell" sin. A hands-on God, would strike down any group guilty of such heinous crimes but that has not happened. So much for hands on...