Since my photos do not cause any reaction, which is very depressing ... considering the downpour outside the window ... In short, I made a strong-willed decision - to stop doing unnecessary garbage, I will not post them anymore. Instead, you will have to entertain you with local bikes.

The other day, I mean last week, I had a chance to talk with the Amish.

For those who are not in the tank

The Amish are one of the offshoots of Mennonism. The name comes from Jacob Ammann, a Mennonite leader in Alsace in the second half of the 17th century. Main feature their creeds are more strictly followed Holy Scripture. The Amish give paramount importance to the provision in Paul's letter to the Romans regarding the separation of church and state.

Amish leaders are not professional church leaders. They are elected by lot and carry out their activities free of charge.

The Amish do not have prayer buildings. Divine services are held in turn in the private homes of fellow believers. Services are held through Sunday. On those Sundays when there are no services (Friendship Sundays), the Amish rest and visit friends. Each Amish congregation has two preachers. The bishop and the deacon serve in two communities, holding divine services in them alternately on different Sundays. The Amish speak to each other in a dialect of German, but in general they speak excellent English.

Women wear long plain dresses, usually black, blue or green, but with a mandatory apron: married woman he is black, unmarried - white. Dresses do not differ in a special variety of colors and cuts - there are only two of them: a dress with a sewn-in skirt and a dress with an apron (similar to the Russian school uniform of the 70s and 80s). All girls and women wear caps - white or black, covering the back of the head and tied with ribbons under the chin.

The men wear black and navy blue suits. The clothes are sewn so that there is not a single button. This is because buttons were considered a luxury item, and were not used or used minimally, so that they were not visible on clothing. If there were several open buttons on a coat or jacket, then these clothes had to be removed at the entrance to the church, or rather, the house where they prayed. Pants support suspenders; there are no buttons on the trousers, they are replaced by a hook and loop system. Pure color shirts; white - for church service. The men's wardrobe is complemented by a black felt hat or a straw hat. Children dress the same as adults, boys usually wear straw hats.

In relations with the worldly environment, they behave in a closed way. They have kept their life and appearance almost unchanged since the 17th century. The Amish live in a community, help each other, lead a subsistence economy, give birth to many children, do not use the products of civilization, such as electricity, vehicles (the Amish is allowed to ride in a car as a passenger, but not a driver), they sew clothes for themselves, only they buy material in a store don't go to public schools: they have their own, where education is eight years. The Amish pay taxes, but they don’t pay into the National Insurance Fund, which means they don’t receive a pension either: they take care of their old people themselves. They also treat themselves, probably, they have their own healers, because in eight classes you are unlikely to master the wisdom of medicine. But health, presumably, is not bad for them: this and natural selection, And healthy lifestyle life. Prohibitions on the use of electricity, cars and other elements of civilization are dictated not by religious, but by the moral convictions of the Emish: it is not the use of technical goods that is condemned, but their possible moral consequences. The Amish do not like to be photographed, as they believe that their images can be used "for evil."

The Amish rarely marry anyone outside their community, with the Mennonites being the exception. As a result of intermarriage within small communities, the Amish are subject to genetic degradation. If children do not like the life of their parents, they may well choose a different life. The basic law of the Amish is "heaven through hard work."

At the beginning of the 18th century, part of the Amish moved to the United States (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana), where the Quaker William Penn, who proclaimed freedom of religion, provided the Amish and Mennonites with refuge in the southeastern part of the state. Main city districts and the center of the "country of the Amish" - Cross Keys ( modern name— Intercors).

Strict adherence to Mennonite traditionalism led to a split in the Amish. In 1865, ultra-conservative co-religionists departed from the Amish. The most liberal groups merged in the 10-20s of the 20th century with the Mennonite Church in the USA and entered the Mennonite Central Conference (founded in 1899).

The Amish, who were not affiliated with the Mennonite Church, established the Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference in 1910, which was renamed the Conservative Mennonite Church in 1954.

The number of Amish in the United States at the end of the 20th century. - 90-120 thousand people living mainly in the state of Ohio. Amish and Mennonites in the United States are collectively referred to as "pennsylvania dutch" ("Pennsylvanian Dutch"). The Amish refer to the rest of the United States as "English".

In 198, a film called "The Witness" was released with Harrison Ford in leading role. Many believe that best movie about the Amish and hard to find, because the director showed the Amish community with great respect.

The Amish family I interacted with is impressive. Stately, thin, in old, slightly baggy clothes. The Amish are very tall: men under two meters, women under a meter 1.80. Men do not shave their beards and wear straw hats. So good, strong open people real peasants. Big, strong, hard-working hands. For some reason, I immediately thought that it was thanks to such people that the West was conquered. They speak English very clearly without an accent. Respect for elders is strictly observed, if the head of the family speaks, then everyone else remains silent.

This family came to Canada from the States to visit friends. However, the Americans got mad at them for some reason and gave them, in addition to their American passports, a piece of paper proving that they had no citizenship. So it turns out that they are not very much liked in the States, and according to them, with Bush coming to power, everything only worsened and they began to gradually survive. In Canada, they are also unwanted guests, given the Canadian-American good neighborly relations. In short, the Amish decided to tear their claws .... That's right, to Russia They say, we've been told so much that the Russians are evil, that they are bad, and we are convinced that this is not so. We have been to your country and we really liked it there. So, they say we want to get a residence permit, move to Russia (they are thinking about the Kaliningrad region), they are actively learning Russian (daughters already write and chat tolerably, adults read printed text and continue to actively carpet). We wrote a letter to the Minister of Agriculture Gordeev and the Governor of the Kaliningrad Region with a request to provide assistance .. In general, things are moving ...

The Amish are a closed religious community of Anabaptists. And if you say plain language, then Anabaptists are Protestant Christians who accept baptism only at a conscious age. The Amish got their name from Jacob Amman, a zealous follower of Mennonite teachings. Amman initially advocated that the Mennonites of Germany and the Netherlands, they are also pacifist-minded Anabaptists, totally avoid contact with the outside world and those who violate the rules of the community. However, the Mennonites have always been quite lenient: they enjoyed all the benefits that were known in their time and did not particularly shy away from the guilty members of the community.

IN late XVII century, the strict teachings of Amman had their own admirers who followed their teacher. Soon they settled in Switzerland and Alsace. Only the "idyll" of the Amish did not last long. When he came to power Louis XIV, he annexed Alsace to France, and it was then that the persecution of all "non-Catholics" began. The Amish, having left of their own accord, were forced to submit to the laws of that world from which they had so diligently protected themselves. They had to swim across the ocean and take refuge in the New World.

Today it is North America leads in the number of Amish. Most of them live in the USA: in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. In addition, several Amish communities exist in Canada and even in Ukraine. The Amish population has reached the mark of 300,000, and this is not the limit, because in every Amish family it is customary to have at least 5-7 children, this is the norm.

Bad-Good Amish

The Amish are pacifists, they cannot take up arms and even more so fight. They don't pay taxes because they refuse social support states: insurance, medical care and pensions. The main occupation of the Amish is agriculture and farming, which feeds them. happiness for them big family, where there are many, many children, mutual assistance between members of the community and humility before God.

The whole life of the Amish is subject to a special set of rules "Ordnung", which, in turn, quotes Christian commandments and the Bible in a certain way. According to "Ordnung", the style and color of clothing is chosen, it is decided to punish "apostates" or show leniency towards them. In general, the local bishop also contributes to these rules: it comes to the point that in each community it is he who determines the width of the brim of a man's hat.

Real good Amish is Old Order Amish. He strictly observes Ordnung, never drives a car (it is simply forbidden to him), but drives a horse-drawn cart. He does not use a tractor, but still cultivates the land in the old fashioned way with a plow, to which he harnesses mules or oxen. There is no electricity in the house of a proper Amish, which means no TV, telephone, computer, and even more so the Internet. Instead of a refrigerator - a special chamber where ice is loaded, instead of an electric stove - a gas stove, instead of a chandelier - a kerosene stove. Yes, and a bath with a toilet is outside the house. In general, life got stuck somewhere in the 17th century. Amish does not take pictures and tries to make sure that no one can capture him on a camera or camera.

But there are not very correct Amish - these are the Amish of the new rite, who make indulgences in some rules. On their farms they can use modern technologies: tractors and combines, diesel engines. They can have a phone in a special booth on the street and allow themselves to be photographed. But they continue to move around in a wheelchair with a horse, refuse electricity in the house itself and wear traditional clothes.

As for Amish clothing, it is characterized by simplicity and rigor, and besides, it is always homespun. In their costume you will not find lightning and studs. They don't wear sneakers, belts, caps. Colors for clothes are always chosen muted, soft. unmarried girls they wear blue (sometimes blue) long dresses and black aprons, they put a white cap on their heads.

Married ladies sometimes wear black instead of a blue dress along with a black cap, again the bishop of the community decides on this issue. In addition, Amish women are not allowed to wear jewelry, make up or cut their hair. All these rules were invented so that the Amish would not have vanity and desire to embellish themselves in any way.

The men's attire includes a casual work suit of simple-cut strappy trousers and a light-colored shirt, all complemented by a straw hat with a black band. Second option menswear It's a dress for going out. His man puts on if he is going to the city - this is a black jacket or a black vest and trousers, a black felt hat. It is also forbidden for men to shave their beards after marriage.

Amishism has been around for three centuries, but the clothes of the followers of this movement have not changed at all and still resemble robes people XVII century. The Amish have a clear schedule: children, for example, go to school until the 8th grade. Among their subjects - only the most necessary: ​​mathematics, English, spelling, history, geography, singing. Particular attention is paid to the German language, because at home the Amish speak Pennsylvania German.

From the age of 15, Amish teenagers enter the so-called rumspringa - a period when they can taste the world, do what they want, break the rules of the community, and even leave the settlement. Often at this time they try alcohol or tobacco for the first time, try on modern clothes. Some of them leave the Amish and are no longer eligible to return, but about 90% of teenagers return and are baptized.

It is only during adolescence that the Amish are allowed such emancipation, because after baptism, any violation of the Ordnung leads to isolation or avoidance. The violator becomes an outcast in his own community, no one talks to him, he is shunned, and sometimes he is completely driven out and excommunicated from the church.

fashion hermits

It's no secret that people have always been attracted to everything unknown and unusual: the Amish phenomenon is no exception. IN last years you can see the incredible interest in this religious movement. Some, having learned about the Amish, want to join them, while others call them sectarians. But despite everything, their popularity is only growing. Every year, American and British channels show more and more reality shows and documentaries with the Amish. An example is the sensational and controversial show Breaking Amish. , the first episodes of which were released in 2012. In this show, young Amish left their communities and traveled to New York to discover new life. This program was broadcast almost all over the world, including in Russia.

In general, Amishomania has seized the United States in earnest and for a long time. Americans, tired of fast food, have become obsessed with ideas about healthy eating. In this regard, various Amish markets and Amish markets appear in big cities America: they offer the buyer organic vegetables and fruits, biopreparations, homemade cakes. In addition, Americans are buying up traditional Amish needlework.

And the Amish style in clothes has conquered many famous designers. Inspired by the simplicity and naturalness of these unusual people, they began to create ascetic and discreet collections.

Glossy magazines, fed to their fill of glamorous photo shoots, did not lag behind the new "recluse" fashion and offered their own take on the Amish style. Elle Ukraine and Elle France in 2014 showed on their pages that a girl can remain natural and at the same time stylish and attractive by dressing in the manner of the Amish.

The Amish religious movement arose in the sixteenth century, and its founder was Jacob Amman. Adherents of the movement live in communities, do not recognize the benefits of civilization, do not pay taxes, and limit interaction with the outside world. brought up according to internal rules communities, but have the right to choose after the age of sixteen whether to stay in the community or leave.

On the territory of Russia, there are significantly fewer representatives of the community than in other countries. This is due to the features national policy. For example, Catherine II invited Germans to Russia - colonists who adhered to the teachings of the Amish. German villages were in the Volga region, in the Kuban, in Siberia. The Germans were artisans and taught the Russian craft, ran a household, kept trading shops. Times of global upheaval did not spare the German communities and Amish in Russia suffered. After October revolution adherents of religious communities were persecuted and exterminated. In the thirties of the twentieth century, many Amish families were deported to Siberia and starved to death on the road. Repressions were during the years of the Great patriotic war, and post-war years. Modern American communities like Russia. For example, a community of 1,300 families plans to move to the Kaliningrad region to farm. Several families wrote a letter to the governor of the Kaliningrad region and asked for assistance in the allocation of land.

Diligence in large families is brought up from childhood. Probably for this reason, Amish children can do a lot and are not afraid of work, they are friendly and ready to help. For girls and boys, work is divided. Girls wash dishes, weave, milk cows, bake bread. Boys help out in the fields, make furniture, mend shoes, help take care of pets. study at school for only eight years in order to master the basic subjects at English language. They speak German among themselves. The community does not welcome education, as it is considered that it is enough to know the craft well enough. Children grow up to work for family farm, housekeeping. Nevertheless, children count well, know how to read, know the language of the country in which they live and, of course, German. Children honor their parents and follow their example in everything.

Amish teens are

In Amish communities, teenagers are children between the ages of nine and sixteen. They differ from ordinary teenagers in their special diligence, modesty in clothes, lack of bad habits. When teenagers reach the age of sixteen, parents and the community provide them with a unique opportunity to see the world outside the community. Ahead of them adulthood. Teenagers must make an internal choice - to leave or stay. If a teenager returns to the community, then this choice is conscious and for life. Baptism is performed only after the decision to remain in the community. Amish teens are future parents responsible for the life of the family and community.

Amish in America, who they are and how they live

Many of you have probably never even heard of the Amish. I also learned about them a few years ago when I watched the translated album "Peoples of the World". Perhaps this can be called a personal discovery. Of course, the study of publications and photographs cannot be called a full-fledged acquaintance, but what can be learned from them is not at all small.
The story about them is clearly not fit in one post, so wait for the continuation. In the meantime, I'll start with a story about who the Amish are and why they are so interesting.

WHO ARE THE AMISHI.

"Contrary to popular belief, the Amish do not live the way they did 300 years ago. They introduced many innovations to make life easier, but were careful not to embrace new technologies without considering their impact on communities." (from Amish site)

The Amish are a peculiar people living mainly in the United States. Unlike the Mormons, who can be said to own the state of Utah, the Amish do not have their own country as such, although they own the lands. Amish country - a figurative expression indicating the areas of residence of the Amish. This is a full-fledged people - with its own culture, its own customs and traditions. At the same time, this is a religious community in the broadest sense of the word, you can conditionally call it a sect, although as we will see further, such a name is more confusing than it characterizes the Amish. Origin and early history of the Amish is rather sparse, at least in the sources available to me. So where did the Amish come from and how did they get to America?
The history of the Amish dates back to the 17th century chronologically, and to Germany and Switzerland territorially. The Amish have nothing to do with Denmark and Holland. Accordingly, the language of the Amish is German. They still speak their own language, which differs from modern German. Therefore, in the USA they call the Amish "Dutch", and they call the Americans "English". There is even a community in the state of Indiana where the Swiss dialect of German is used.
The Amish are an offshoot of the Mennonites. Let me remind you that the Mennonites are a Protestant movement characterized by Anabaptism (rebaptism), which arose in the 40s of the 16th century. Mennonites, like all Anabaptists, do not recognize the baptism of children and believe that faith is a conscious matter, and everyone must decide for themselves the choice of faith. That is why they were baptized again, at the age of 16-20, not counting early baptism (which was an unequivocal heresy for Catholics). The Amish do not just share this position, but it greatly affects the very structure of their society. Already taking into account this provision of the dogma, it is not entirely correct to speak of the Amish as a sect. The Amish have always recognized religious tolerance both in theory and in practice, although with reservations, because the Amish society itself is still mono-confessional. In addition, the Amish, unlike other Protestant denominations and sects, never preached their doctrine. This is partly due to another important point of the Mennonite doctrine - non-violence. Mennon rejected the political, militant purpose of the church (as advocated by the Anabaptists Müntzer and John of Leiden), and even wrote a special essay against John of Leiden and his claim to power. The Amish, like the Mennonites, have always stood outside war and politics. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the Amish do not recognize the US state, they, in principle, like consistent Mennonites, ignore politics and wars. Pacifism is a strict rule of the Amish, who are not allowed not only to fight or use violence, but even to keep weapons. The Amish did not participate in any war.
So we have established that the Amish are descended from the German Mennonites. They can be called "conservative Mennonites", and this conservatism applied not only and not so much to faith, but to the way of life. Or in other words, the Amish perceived the way of life as something closely related to faith and soul. The history of the church (and, accordingly, the people) of the Amish began with the split of the Mennonite group in Switzerland and southern Germany in 1693. The leader of the "schismatics" is Jacob Amman, and the Amish got their name from him. Like all Mennonites, the Amish were persecuted, persecuted, and therefore their emigration from Europe is quite understandable. In the early 18th century, at the invitation of William Penn, the Amish moved south. american state Pennsylvania. And now it is Pennsylvania, or rather the “county” of Lancaster, that can be called the “country of the Amish”. More than 20 thousand people live here, as well as many Amish people live in Ohio. In total, there are now about 225 thousand Amish living in the United States (in 22 states) and Canada (Ontario). How did such a person migrate big people where did it come from and how was it preserved? The answer is simple - it didn’t come from anywhere and didn’t move in any way! In the 1720s, about 300 people moved to Pennsylvania, and the Amish people originate from them. Emigrants also came in the 19th century, but in any case, the people as such had already developed in America. The Amish have large families (usually 7-8 children). Demographers estimate that the Amish population is doubling every 16-20 years. Of course, this growth is especially surprising against the background of the current general demographic crisis in developed countries. Therefore, do not be surprised that in the history of the 18th and 19th centuries the Amish did not play a role - they were perceived as a bunch of eccentric settlers, and in America there were plenty of them. Although in the 19th century they did not look very eccentric in their everyday life. In every second article in a magazine or on the Internet, you can read that they have preserved the life and way of life of the 17th century. Of course, these are fairy tales. The Amish themselves refute this, which is emphasized in the words in the epigraph. Why do superficial observers say this? Because for them any unlike modern life- "17th century", although the Amish have a lot from the 18th century, and from the 19th, and even from the 20th. The Amish are really very conservative, but their conservatism is meaningful, not like prohibitions like the "Shabbat" of the Jews. Only by looking closely, we will understand that the Amish are not isolated society, it is included in the common civilization. But it has considerable autonomy in all aspects - from political to moral and domestic. So. The people as such arose and began to take shape - by culture, by the principles of faith, and by blood - in the late 17th - early 18th centuries. His history is not so rich in events, but he himself is no less interesting for that. Here we come just to the question, why are the Amish important to us, why are they so special? How are they not similar to Mormons, for example?

INTEREST IN THE AMISHI

From: alexandra_vg Date: March 8th, 2008 05:56 pm (UTC)
There is something in them, of course, from the dream that sometimes arises in everyone of a calm, not crazy life.
When you look at them (from your photographs), it seems they have reached this state and do not want to part with it.

From: allentown2007 Date: March 21st, 2008 02:20 am (UTC)
Every time I look at them, I think about this. Are they happier than us? Is it easier for them to live? I don't know the answers to these questions.
http://allentown2007.livejournal.com/13542.html

Interest in the Amish awakens in everyone who hears about them for the first time. The Amish are in many ways an analogue of the Old Believers. But it's not about traditionalism, it's about the fact that the Amish do not recognize modern civilization! And it is not just words. The Amish society is not an archaic society, unfamiliar with civilization, it is a society of people who have not accepted progress in all its negative manifestations, perceiving it very wary, and borrowing innovations only when necessary. It is out of necessity - after all, such a sharp increase in the number of people gives rise to many problems. Nevertheless, a significant part of the Amish today lives in the old way.
The Amish do not recognize modern technology and electricity, although they do not consider them to be something diabolical. Rather harmful, for the soul and for the community. According to them, modern technology separates people, makes them individualists. In addition, it is a whim, a luxury that is not needed for life. That is why they do not live in the 17th century, but they are not present in the 21st century either. It's like another dimension, a real alternative history (which, according to the usual unfounded notion, is the lot of only science fiction writers). That's why I talk about the Amish society as a real dystopia - they live in real world and not on paper. This is not a utopia (as some people misinterpret Amish society), but a practical dystopia. "As if" the Amish have turned into "so it is", showing us that our civilization and way of life is not the only possible one.
A few words about the life and rules of the society (=people) of the Amish.
The Amish don't use cars. None, including tractors. Wagons, horses, plow. This immediately distinguishes the Amish from modern society. Of course, in case of urgent need, the Amish buys a bus ticket or travels in a car - they have no superstitions. But owning a car, driving it is out of the question.
Further. Electricity is not used for any purpose. The houses are heated with wood. Traditional stoves or gas are used for cooking. Utensils, as you can see, are more typical for the 19th century than for the 17th-18th centuries. But the cut of the clothes is old - one-color dresses and bonnets for women. Black trousers, white shirts, and long-brimmed hats for men. Buttons are not allowed as they are associated with the Amish military uniform and thus with the army.
No computers, TVs, radios, telephones, washing machines and other things they do not use. For Americans, hand-washed linen dried on a line is certainly exotic. Amish curiosity is exacerbated by the fact that they do not allow any images of people (more precisely human faces). Photos of an adult Amish are a rarity. Why an adult? Yes, because prohibitions do not concern children so much - they are not baptized, and the commandments do not apply to them with such severity. But pay attention - the Amish are not against photographs and cameras as such - but against the image of people. In this, by the way, they follow the Hebrew tradition.
The picture emerges more than amazing, especially since the entire life of the Amish cannot be called archaic - they use modern materials in the construction of houses and agricultural buildings (which can be clearly seen in the photographs), plumbing, fabrics. But at the same time they have forges and they produce a lot of things, primarily furniture and embroideries.
Until recently, the Amish were predominantly farmers, but nowadays they are increasingly engaged in crafts, because there is not enough land. All this once again shows the dynamism and vitality of the Amish society, which are not banal retrogrades and orthodoxies. I repeat, the Amish are not a sect, and not an island from the past. This is a unique alternative society.
What attracts the observer in this society, besides the unusual way of life? Undoubtedly proper social and cultural foundations. The Amish live in communities; there was and is no "patriarch" or "prophet" (like the Mormons). Moreover, the elders of the communities can take own solutions, due to which there are differences between different communities, but not leading to confrontation. The Amish are pacifists and do not serve in the military. They do not recognize the state and do not participate in elections. At the same time, they pay some taxes (forced, of course). No medical insurance is provided. And as far as I understand, they do not have passports. Such an amazing anti-social society, anarchism in action. But at the same time there is no confusion, it is a monolithic society with its own way of life. Most of all, the Amish resemble peasants, only free peasants.
About religion. Yes, faith plays in their lives big role. But the Amish have little in common with other sects and even churches. Let's start with the fact that they do not have temples and prayer houses. There are no icons, of course, and, accordingly, a home "red corner". There is also no priesthood. Baptism takes place around the age of 18, on average. And baptism is not just a rite, but entry into the church, a change in life. That's the "religious sect"! Why do people still like to hang labels, instead of understanding the essence of the matter. I think the picture will complete the mention of the frequency of services - they are held every other Sunday, that is, twice a month. And their life itself is not in the least imbued with religious rigor, as we will see later (a description of the life and customs of the ladies in the second article).
The Amish are not at all ascetics, they fully recognize games, decoration of things, Tasty food. Even their attitude to sex is not as strange as in ordinary Christianity - there is no attitude towards it as a sin. The moral is quite there. And the foundations of morality - simplicity, modesty. Again, our observation shows the unity of everyday life and psychology in the life of the Amish. Moderation is a virtue for them, but not an ideal, but rather the norm, everyday life. This is well expressed by women's clothing - dresses of different colors, but all plain, long and without cutouts. The decor of the rooms is simple and uncomplicated, but produces a very pleasant impression thanks to comfort and care.

AMISH MOTIVATION

I'll end the first story about the Amish with a talk about motivation. Why do the Amish live the way they do? The simplest answer is because they are used to it. Of course, habit is always present in everything. A student, moving from class to another, gets used to new teachers and classmates. There are many examples. But after all, a habit, and even more so rules, principles of life can be consciously developed! Those who talk about the natural, spontaneous development of society should not forget this. Civilization is not nature, and society in many respects lives according to the developed principles, voiced ideas, turned into commandments. Only among the Amish, these principles are more meaningful, more reasonable and natural. They are not just protest, they are positive. By rejecting violence and politics, the Amish placed themselves outside the society of their time. Rejecting modern technology, they place themselves outside of all civilization. But the failure occurred not through cutting off, not through impoverishment, but through the preservation and strengthening of one's own, built on other principles. The Amish society is a living alternative society, the goal of which is not protest, but a full, friendly life. This is not a paradise, in the daily life of the Amish there is a lot of work, sometimes not easy (but not "work" for strangers). A hard, but at the same time more natural and joyful life than we all know. And let's not forget about the closeness to nature, which may not be realized by the Amish, but it is beautifully visible to us, from the outside. Here is such an anachronism, from the point of view of the majority - a stupid archaism that has no future, sectarian whims. But look at pictures of children playing, look at pictures of everyday life ordinary people not reaching for the stars. Personally, I get the feeling that I was in a fairy tale, and it becomes kindly envious. There are also disadvantages in the Amish society, and there will be more talk about them. But to study such a unique society of people who consciously live differently than everyone else, we simply must. If, of course, we want to better understand ourselves, to see our possible future. To illustrate, she is a worldly parable, a story about tourists visiting the Amish. The story is taken from an Amish site (let me explain: the sites are not made by the Amish themselves, but by their friends and well-wishers, so this is more of a site about the Amish).
"So let me tell you a story. A few years ago, a group of 52 people came by bus to see how the Amish live. A meeting was organized for them with one Amish who answered their questions. The first question was:" What does it mean to be Amish?"
Amish thought for a moment, and then he asked his own question. "Which of you has a TV in the house?" Fifty-two hands went up. "Now tell me, how many of you think you might be better off without TV?" Again fifty-two hands went up. "Okay. Now, which one of you is going to go home and get rid of the TV?" Not a single hand went up.
"Now I'll tell you what it means to be Amish. In our church, if we see that it is harmful to our soul, we will do without it. And the rest of the world does not know what to do in such a case. We believe that posing for photographs is part of a worldwide delusion aimed at glorifying our bodies.The Bible tells us that inner man is of greater importance. And facial features should not affect our attitude towards a person, his assessment. We are dust and to dust we shall return. Why take pictures and decorate the walls of the clay house in which we live? Let's be careful not to exalt ourselves by becoming an idol."
I apologize for the clumsy translation, but the meaning is quite clear. The ideas of the Amish not only lay at the origins of the formation of their society, but continue to guide the thoughts of today's Amish, who are trying to dissociate themselves from modern America, and thereby from modern civilized world generally.

Many of you have probably never even heard of the Amish.

The Amish are a peculiar people living mainly in the United States. Unlike the Mormons, who can be said to own the state of Utah, the Amish do not have their own country as such, although they own the lands. Amish country is a figurative expression indicating the areas of residence of the Amish. This is a full-fledged people - with its own culture, its own customs and traditions.

Amish- Christian movement of Mennonite origin. The founder is Jacob Amman, a priest from Switzerland who emigrated to Alsace. Amish church doctrine can be characterized as the most conservative variant of Mennonism.

A significant part of the modern Amish (more than 200 thousand) live in the USA and Canada. The most conservative groups of the Amish in the United States retain Pennsylvania German (Pennsylvania Dutch, distorted deutsch) in everyday life.

After long and widespread persecution in their homeland for the custom of adult baptism and opposition to the union of church and state, the Amish finally found a safe haven in America thanks to the prominent Quaker William Penn. The Amish, radical Mennonites from Switzerland and the Palatinate, were repeatedly martyred in their homeland at the hands of intolerant opponents, often put in sacks and drowned in rivers. With the very life of the Amish at stake, they moved en masse to Pennsylvania at the invitation of William Penn, as part of his "holy experiment" of religious tolerance. 1727 Empire Total War game (Sega 2009)

The main feature of their doctrine is a more strict adherence to the Holy Scriptures. The Amish attach paramount importance to the provision contained in the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans regarding the separation of church and state. The main part of them, if possible, refuses any technical means connecting them with the outside world: electricity, plumbing, central heating, telephone, etc.

The Amish are adherents of the old traditional way of life. Most of them wear clothes and hats of certain colors and styles, ride in old horse-drawn carts, use only steel wheels, plow the land with a horse-drawn plow. Children and women go barefoot during the warm season. Amish are forbidden to serve in the army, take pictures, drive cars and fly planes, have computers, televisions, radios, wear wrist watch And wedding rings. Amish marriages are concluded only with their co-religionists. In their free time, Amish men make furniture, Amish women sew clothes, in both cases everything is done by hand and in fashion. early XVIII century. Since the Amish marry exclusively with members of their communities, genetic diseases of one type are common among them, and miscarriages occur very often among women, nevertheless, the birth rate among the Amish is traditionally high, there are 8-10 children in families, as a result of which each generation their number doubles. Upon reaching a certain age, the Amish have the right to leave Father's house for 3 years and go to live in the "outside world", where they can sin as their soul pleases, but at the end of this period, the Amish must return home and make a decision: either he is completely immersed in traditional way life of the Amish and remains in the community, observing all the rules of behavior, or he leaves the community forever, lives as he wants, and then even the closest relatives will never again give him a helping hand, no matter how much he needs it. As a result, the Amish, unprepared for life in modern society, often becomes an outcast of this society and, not finding their place in it, returns to live in the community. Most often, Amish women do not return to the community from the "outside world". On the tombstones of the dead, the Amish do not write their names, surnames, dates of birth and death, as they believe that the dead no longer need this.

Despite the whole way of life, the Amish are very rich people. They sell furniture, clothes (all this self made, made antique), and since the Amish lead a natural Agriculture, then with the advent in America by the beginning of the 90s of the fashion for a healthy lifestyle, their agricultural products began to be mass-produced and high prices to be bought up by Americans concerned about their health.

Most of the Amish do not have special religious buildings, and meetings are held alternately in the homes of community members. Services are held on Sundays. On those Sundays when there are no services (Friendship Sundays), the Amish rest and visit friends. Each Amish congregation has two preachers. The bishop and the deacon serve in two communities, holding divine services in them alternately on different Sundays.

The Amish number over 200,000. ethnicity they are mostly Alsatians. Realizing themselves as belonging to the same denomination, the Amish, however, break up into different groups. The most conservative is the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church. In 1866, the Evangelical Mennonite Church was founded in Indiana as a result of the Amish spiritual awakening movement. In 1910, the Conservative Mennonite Conference was formed. Its adherents began to hold services in special meeting houses, organized Sunday schools. Another splinter organization, Beechey Amish Mennonite Churches, allowed the use of cars, tractors, and electricity. The same organization also conducts missionary activities, which is not practiced by other Amish. On the territory of the CIS there is a small community of Amish Bichi in the city of Cherkasy (Ukraine).

More about the Amish

The history of the Amish dates back to the 17th century chronologically, and to Germany and Switzerland territorially. The Amish have nothing to do with Denmark and Holland. Accordingly, the language of the Amish is German. They still speak their own language, which differs from modern German. Therefore, in the USA they call the Amish "Dutch", and they call the Americans "English". There is even a community in the state of Indiana where the Swiss dialect of German is used.
The Amish are an offshoot of the Mennonites. Let me remind you that the Mennonites are a Protestant movement characterized by Anabaptism (rebaptism), which arose in the 40s of the 16th century. Mennonites, like all Anabaptists, do not recognize the baptism of children and believe that faith is a conscious matter, and everyone must decide for themselves the choice of faith. That is why they were baptized again, at the age of 16-20, not counting early baptism (which was an unequivocal heresy for Catholics). The Amish do not just share this position, but it greatly affects the very structure of their society. Already taking into account this provision of the dogma, it is not entirely correct to speak of the Amish as a sect. The Amish have always recognized religious tolerance both in theory and in practice, although with reservations, because the Amish society itself is still mono-confessional. In addition, the Amish, unlike other Protestant denominations and sects, never preached their doctrine. This is partly due to another important point of the Mennonite doctrine - non-violence. Mennon rejected the political, militant purpose of the church (as advocated by the Anabaptists Müntzer and John of Leiden), and even wrote a special essay against John of Leiden and his claim to power. The Amish, like the Mennonites, have always stood outside war and politics. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the Amish do not recognize the US state, they, in principle, like consistent Mennonites, ignore politics and wars. Pacifism is a strict rule of the Amish, who are not only not allowed to fight or use violence, but even to keep weapons. The Amish did not participate in any war.
So we have established that the Amish are descended from the German Mennonites. They can be called "conservative Mennonites", and this conservatism applied not only and not so much to faith, but to the way of life. Or in other words, the Amish perceived the way of life as something closely related to faith and soul. The history of the church (and, accordingly, the people) of the Amish began with the split of the Mennonite group in Switzerland and southern Germany in 1693. The leader of the "schismatics" - Jacob Amman, after his name and got their name Amish. Like all Mennonites, the Amish were persecuted, persecuted, and therefore their emigration from Europe is quite understandable. In the early 18th century, at the invitation of William Penn, the Amish moved to the south of the US state of Pennsylvania. And now it is Pennsylvania, or rather the “county” of Lancaster, that can be called the “country of the Amish”. More than 20 thousand people live here, as well as many Amish people live in Ohio. In total, there are now about 225 thousand Amish living in the United States (in 22 states) and Canada (Ontario). How did such a large people migrate, where did it come from and how did it survive? The answer is simple - it didn’t come from anywhere and didn’t move in any way! In the 1720s, about 300 people moved to Pennsylvania, and the Amish people originate from them. Emigrants also came in the 19th century, but in any case, the people as such had already developed in America. The Amish have large families (usually 7-8 children). Demographers estimate that the Amish population is doubling every 16-20 years. Of course, this growth is especially surprising against the background of the current general demographic crisis in developed countries. Therefore, do not be surprised that in the history of the 18th and 19th centuries the Amish did not play a role - they were perceived as a bunch of eccentric settlers, and in America there were plenty of them. Although in the 19th century they did not look very eccentric in their everyday life. In every second article in a magazine or on the Internet, you can read that they have preserved the life and way of life of the 17th century. Of course, these are fairy tales. The Amish themselves refute this, which is emphasized in the words in the epigraph. Why do superficial observers say this? Because for them, any life that is different from modern life is the "17th century", although the Amish have a lot from the 18th century, and from the 19th, and even from the 20th. The Amish are really very conservative, but their conservatism is meaningful. Only by looking closely, we will understand that the Amish are not an isolated society, they are included in a common civilization. But it has considerable autonomy in all aspects - from political to moral and domestic. So. The people as such arose and began to take shape - according to culture, according to the principles of faith, and even by blood - at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century. His history is not so rich in events, but he himself is no less interesting for that. Here we come just to the question, why are the Amish important to us, why are they so special? How are they not similar to Mormons, for example?

Interest in the Amish awakens in everyone who hears about them for the first time. The Amish are in many ways an analogue of the Old Believers. But it's not about traditionalism, it's about the fact that the Amish do not recognize modern civilization! And it is not just words. Amish society is not an archaic society, unfamiliar with civilization, it is a society of people who have not accepted progress in all its negative manifestations, perceiving it very wary, and borrowing innovations only when necessary. Precisely out of necessity - after all, such a sharp increase in the number of people gives rise to many problems. Nevertheless, a significant part of the Amish today lives in the old way.
The Amish do not recognize modern technology and electricity, although they do not consider them to be something diabolical. Rather harmful, for the soul and for the community. According to them, modern technology separates people, makes them individualists. In addition, it is a whim, a luxury that is not needed for life. That is why they do not live in the 17th century, but they are not present in the 21st century either. It's like another dimension, a real alternative history (which, according to the usual unfounded notion, is the lot of only science fiction writers). That's why I'm talking about the Amish society as a real dystopia - they live in the real world, not on paper. This is not a utopia (as some people misinterpret Amish society), but a practical dystopia. “As if” the Amish turned into “so it is”, showing us that our civilization and way of life is not the only possible one.

A few words about the life and rules of the society (=people) of the Amish.
The Amish don't use cars. None, including tractors. Wagons, horses, plow. This immediately distinguishes the Amish from modern society. Of course, the Amish, in case of urgent need, buys a bus ticket or rides in a car - they have no superstitions. But owning a car, driving it is out of the question.
Further. Electricity is not used for any purpose. The houses are heated with wood. Traditional stoves or gas are used for cooking. Utensils, as you can see, are more typical for the 19th century than for the 17th-18th centuries. But the cut of the clothes is old - one-color dresses and bonnets for women. Black trousers, white shirts, and long-brimmed hats for men. Buttons are not allowed, as for the Amish they are associated with military uniforms and thus with the army.
They do not use computers, televisions, radios, telephones, washing machines and other things. For Americans, hand-washed linen dried on a line is certainly exotic. Amish curiosity is exacerbated by the fact that they do not allow any images of people (more precisely, human faces). Photographs of an adult Amish are rare. Why an adult? Yes, because prohibitions do not concern children so much - they are not baptized, and the commandments do not apply to them with such severity. But pay attention - the Amish are not against photographs and cameras as such - but against the image of people. In this, by the way, they follow the Hebrew tradition.
The picture emerges more than amazing, especially since the entire life of the Amish cannot be called archaic - they use modern materials in the construction of houses and agricultural buildings (which can be clearly seen in the photographs), plumbing, fabrics. But at the same time they have forges and they produce a lot of things, primarily furniture and embroideries.
Until recently, the Amish were predominantly farmers, but nowadays they are increasingly engaged in crafts, because there is not enough land. All this once again shows the dynamism and vitality of the Amish society, which are not banal retrogrades and orthodoxies. I repeat, the Amish are not a sect, and not an island from the past. This is a unique alternative society.
What attracts the observer in this society, besides the unusual way of life? Undoubtedly proper social and cultural foundations. The Amish live in communities; there was and is no “patriarch” or “prophet” (like the Mormons). Moreover, the elders of the communities can make their own decisions, which is why there are differences between different communities, but not leading to confrontation. The Amish are pacifists and do not serve in the military. They do not recognize the state and do not participate in elections. At the same time, they pay some taxes (forced, of course). No medical insurance is provided. And as far as I understand, they do not have passports. Such an amazing anti-social society, anarchism in action. But at the same time there is no confusion, it is a monolithic society with its own way of life. Most of all, the Amish resemble peasants, only free peasants.
About religion. Yes, faith plays a big role in their lives. But the Amish have little in common with other sects and even churches. Let's start with the fact that they do not have temples and prayer houses. There are no icons, of course, and, accordingly, a home “red corner”. There is also no priesthood. Baptism takes place around the age of 18, on average. And baptism is not just a rite, but entry into the church, a change in life. That's the "religious sect"! Why do people still like to hang labels, instead of understanding the essence of the matter. I think the picture will be completed by the mention of the frequency of services - they are held every other Sunday, that is, twice a month. And their life itself is not in the least imbued with religious rigor, as we will see later (a description of the life and customs of the ladies in the second article).
The Amish are not at all ascetics, they fully recognize games, decorating things, delicious food. Even their attitude to sex is not as strange as in ordinary Christianity - there is no attitude towards it as a sin. The moral is quite there. And the foundations of morality are simplicity, modesty. Again, our observation shows the unity of everyday life and psychology in the life of the Amish. Moderation is a virtue for them, but not an ideal, but rather the norm, everyday life. This is well expressed by women's clothing - dresses of different colors, but all plain, long and without cutouts. The decor of the rooms is simple and uncomplicated, but it makes a very pleasant impression thanks to its comfort and accuracy.

Amish motivations

Why do the Amish live the way they do? The simplest answer is because they are used to it. Of course, habit is always present in everything. A student, moving from class to another, gets used to new teachers and classmates. There are many examples. But after all, a habit, and even more so rules, principles of life can be consciously developed! Those who talk about the natural, spontaneous development of society should not forget this. Civilization is not nature, and society largely lives according to developed principles, voiced ideas, turned into commandments. Only among the Amish, these principles are more meaningful, more reasonable and natural. They are not just protest, they are positive. By rejecting violence and politics, the Amish placed themselves outside the society of their time. Rejecting modern technology, they place themselves outside the whole of civilization. But the failure occurred not through cutting off, not through impoverishment, but through the preservation and strengthening of one's own, built on other principles. The Amish society is a living alternative society, the goal of which is not protest, but a full, friendly life. This is not paradise, in the daily life of the Amish there is a lot of work, sometimes not easy (but not “work” for strangers). A hard, but at the same time more natural and joyful life than we all know. And let's not forget about the closeness to nature, which may not be realized by the Amish, but it is beautifully visible to us, from the outside. Here is such an anachronism, from the point of view of the majority - a stupid archaism that has no future, sectarian whims. But look at the photographs of children playing, look at the pictures of the life of ordinary people who do not aspire to the stars. Personally, I get the feeling that I was in a fairy tale, and it becomes kindly envious. There are also disadvantages in the Amish society, and there will be more talk about them. But to study such a unique society of people who consciously live differently than everyone else, we simply must. If, of course, we want to better understand ourselves, to see our possible future. To illustrate, it is an everyday parable, a story about visiting Amish tourists. The story is taken from an Amish site (let me explain: the sites are not made by the Amish themselves, but by their friends and well-wishers, so this is more of a site about the Amish).
“So let me tell you a story. A few years ago, a group of 52 people came by bus to see how the Amish live. A meeting was arranged for them with an Amish who answered their questions. The first question was, "What does it mean to be Amish?"
Amish thought for a moment, and then he asked his own question. “Which of you has a TV in the house?” Fifty-two hands went up. "Now tell me, how many of you think you might be better off without TV?" Again fifty-two hands went up. "OK. Now, which one of you is going to go home and get rid of the TV?" Not a single hand went up.
“Now I’ll tell you what it means to be Amish. In our church, if we see that it is harmful to our soul, we will do without it. And the rest of the world does not know what to do in this case. We believe that posing for photographs is part of a global delusion aimed at glorifying our bodies. The Bible tells us that the inner man matters more. And facial features should not affect our attitude towards a person, his assessment. We are dust and to dust we shall return. Why take pictures and decorate the walls of the clay house in which we live? Let's be careful not to exalt ourselves by becoming an idol."
The ideas of the Amish not only lay at the origins of the formation of their society, but continue to direct the thoughts of today's Amish, who are trying to dissociate themselves from modern America, and thus from the modern civilized world as a whole.