The Amish

[gigglygirly]

Just watching a documentary on Sky about them. Missed the first half hour though!!

Some parts of the lifestyle really appeal to me. Must be the simplicity!

It's a real mixture of good - the simple life and bad- being outcast if you leave

Can you quilt? After that just hand over your equality and your right to apeak in public and have opinions and away you go.

There was a series about them recently on channel 4 which may still be available online. Like you, I liked the simplicity of their life. I'm not about to run off and join them but it has made me think of making small changes like switching the tv and computer off more often. I also like the sense of community. I agree though that it is very hard on people who decide to leave. I'd also struggle with deferrring to DH on everything, although he might quite like it!

The documentary said that 90% of Amish teens get baptised - wonder how that compares to other religions?!

There were 2 programmes on Channel 4 - both are still on 4OD.

I can't even sew in a straight line so quilting is beyond me. All the canning and home type stuff appeals but (shallow as I am) I wonder how often they wash / have baths. I have a shower every day!

You can do bottling in a modern kitchen and still have showers.

There are a lot of problems with teenage Amish taking drugs which is why they have rumshruger (?sp) basically 2 years where you can wear what you want, learn to drive, own a car etc.

The documentary said that 90% of Amish teens get baptised - wonder how that compares to other religions?!

If at age 18 you had a choice of neing baptised and carrying on the life you have lived with family until then or leaving and never having contact with family (or very limited) what would you do?