to think that the Amish lifestyle might not be such a bad thing?

[suebfg]

Just watching the series on Channel 4 - maybe we can learn a thing or two from them?

YABU

A century or so ago the Amish were actually very progressive, enlightened etc etc - educated girls till 14 when in "normal" society it was deemed a waste, women had property rights, they had communal healthcare etc, and used all the latest farming technology.

Then one day just drew a line in the sand and said "this far and no farther" and have gone into their time warp. I am fascinated by that, and what made them do it (and also intrigued that apparently technology is now creeping into the farming, but not the home life).

Yes I know what you mean, Fellatio. I just think it must be really, really hard for DCs to grow up in that environment if they don't happen to fit in to whatever the accepted norm is. :(

I find them alright but I don't think I could ever adjust entirely to their lifestyle and I think you really need to grow up with their beliefs. Can't imagine many people convert. Don't even know if they accept outsiders, do they?

Watching these programmes is a bit like watching the Waltons. I suppose Americans must generally like the Amish, since these people in a lot of ways seem to live the pioneer life of the days of the treks west. Laura Ingalls and the Little House on the Prairie crowd would fit in there, with their bonnets, knowing how to make everything from scratch, similar type of faith as far as I can make out. I have seen a documentary which showed some of these Amish villages doing quite a trade in tourism, taking people around on carts, selling their produce.

What always strikes me when I see young Amish people is that they are so calm and so collected, bit like buddhist monks. I suppose it is the quiet and the lack of noise and not being flooded as we are by sounds and images all the time. They are quiet before they answer, they don't answer straight away, they seem to think first. I thought in that old channel 4 documentary the Amish teenagers seemed more at peace with themselves than the British teenagers who I also liked but they seemed a bit cut adrift, bit lost. The Amish could look astonished or bewildered but they seemed more sure of themselves somehow.

I think many people just crave a simpler life where the pace of life is slower, where families have time to spend together enjoying simple pleasures, where it isn't all about making more money, having a new kitchen, going on a more expensive holiday.

But as cory said, there's nothing to stop us doing it anyway is there? Although perhaps many of us don't have the skills to pass on to our children.

We bake, grow our own veg (only in pots though, nothing so fancy as an alotment!), I make dresses for my DD, we make Xmas decorations, DD sews, I recycle the children's old clothes into throws and quilts. Unfortunately, DH has no such skills to pass on. His parents got drunk a lot and didn't do much else! Also don't want to convey the idea that I do this all the time. They are things we do, but they don't occupy our whole lives!

OT, but FellatioNelson, are you in the UAE, if you don't mind saying? I used to live there and what you said chimed absolutely with my memories, though I had such limited contact with Emiratis, despite my best efforts, that a lot of my 'knowledge' was surmise and guesswork.

I watched the 'Living with the Amish' episode where there was the barn-raising, and - despite being very dubious about the gender restrictions and biblical literalism of that kind of closed community (my sympathies were always with the frustarations of that sparky black girl who was at Cambridge can't remember her name) - was surprised and slightly touched to see the dozy dark-haired boy and the spoilt blonde girl seem transformed by manual work...

I'm sorry I had my posts deleted ,I just felt it could be unfair?

The link that rosie provided is very true -similar to the experiences I know about.

I wish they lived like I thought they did :(

Fact is, this programme is presenting an edited and 'shaped' view of Amish life. The children would behave in a quiet, dignified manner because they are on their best behaviour and aware of their duty to represent the best aspects of their culture.

I would suggest that the posters on this thread with personal experience of this way of being and those of us who have visited their regions without a film crew have a better picture of what goes on.

But a filmed light entertainment show is highly unlikely to provide us with a trustworthy and accurate depiction. The everyday 'boring' bits will not make the cut.

Re medical needs- my friend is an emergency medicine doctor and regularly patches up and admits Amish patients. They accept medical intervention and told my friend that medical knowledge that does good is Gods work. However the usual caveats apply-no TOPS etc.

The problems have arisen when Amish have been injured in hate crimes (quite common), suffered l'industrial'/farming injuries or involved in RTA's. As soon as a police report is requested, their desire to 'keep it in house' makes gaining witness statements rather difficult.

The co-operation with police over those Amish shootings causing multiple deaths a few years ago was patchy at best. it is not that they want to evade justice or punish perpetrators themselves; rather the belief that God provides justice.

I wonder about their civic duties. Did the Amish get called up to fight in WW2 for instance or were they conscientious objectors? I heard somewhere that they don't vote and don't really follow politics. Not sure if that is accurate but I suppose if they keep themselves to themselves , it may be true. Do they get called up for jury duty for instance? Interesting people.

I think many people just crave a simpler life where the pace of life is slower, where families have time to spend together enjoying simple pleasures, where it isn't all about making more money, having a new kitchen, going on a more expensive holiday. But as cory said, there's nothing to stop us doing it anyway is there? Although perhaps many of us don't have the skills to pass on to our children.

Its much easier to do it as a community though, so there is always help, moral support, expertise, spare stuff if things go wrong etc etc.

I agree with ^

It looks idyllic, but like Steiner Schools is probably a little too cultish in reality.

I don't think they're Amish, but the religious community that build the Community Playthings range of nursery equipment and toys sound similar. They have two communities in the UK, the Community Playthings one is at Robertsbridge.