The whole world is gradually divided into those who welcome any vice, calling it the choice of man, and those who strive to live righteously. Unfortunately, last group much less. But not so few. The Amish are the righteous. followers of the teachings of Jacob Ammann - a Swiss who correctly decided that civilization and vice are one and the same. He lived in the 17th century and belonged to a very strict Mennonite sect (a branch of Protestantism). But he was not satisfied with the fact that society was heading into the abyss. In his opinion, a righteous person cannot even communicate with others. He gathered around him a bunch of followers. They moved to New World to build a different society, cleansed of vices.
Modern Amish - who is it?
In the US and Canada, there are many communities that lead a secluded lifestyle. They try to communicate only in their own circle. Their rules are strict. ensures their existence. There are about 200 thousand Amish people. In connection with the coming end of the world, their ranks are constantly replenished with new adherents. The largest Amish community is located in Pennsylvania. Lancaster County is another name for their country.
What do the Amish believe?
Who came up with this idea that the Devil, and not the Lord, rules the world is unknown. But the Amish sincerely believe it. Human souls are like fragile sprouts in the field of a breeder - the Devil, who by all means tries to instill in them numerous vices. Only the most steadfast are given to resist in order to unite with the Lord when the time comes to go to heaven.
These righteous people live in oases of goodness - Amish settlements, where it is very difficult to succumb to the devil's temptations, since the whole way of life is strictly regulated here. Communities are subject to a strict charter - Ordnung, which spells out literally every step of the righteous.
Humility is the main virtue that the Amish revere.
Who said that vice must be fought with force? Not at all. The Amish believe that only by humility and non-resistance will they make their way to Paradise. Their whole life consists of trials and suffering, which they must endure without murmuring or resisting. Even if you spit in the face of a believer, he will not be offended or angry. Anger, anger, pride is terrible vices. The religions of the world do not know of another such current, where believers are pure children. They will pray for the salvation of their executioner. At the same time sincerely and sincerely.
Amish life
This population group lives in isolation. Engaged in natural farming. Families are created with fellow believers. There are a lot of children in them, so the settlements are growing rapidly. There is a possibility that this human population will suffer from its closedness, due to the limited choice of a couple. But now so many people are fleeing civilization that such fears are no longer relevant. Many people who want to get away from the world are given shelter by the Amish. Who is it that wants to get away from the good? Many people who in this way protest against the ugliness that is happening in modern world. They are not satisfied with unbridled morals, ubiquitous sex, the impossibility of having something personal, since even the most intimate immediately becomes known to the public. This is not the life of the Amish. For them, the secret exists. They don't watch TV, they don't surf the Internet, even the radio is banned. Women go fully dressed, not half-naked, as is customary in advertising. Men grow a beard and never swear. They are very kind and nice people.
According to Wikipedia, the Amish are distinguished by their simplicity of life and dress, their unwillingness to accept certain modern technologies and convenience. The movement of the followers of Jacob Ammann arose in 1693 in Europe, but then most of the Amish were forced to flee persecution and emigrate to America. The majority of the Amish currently live in the United States and Canada.
Probably the Amish are still more religious movement. Main feature their creeds are following Holy Scripture. The Amish attach paramount importance to the provision in Paul's letter to the Romans regarding the separation of church and state. Main part strange people to the extent possible and subject to willpower, renounces any technical means connecting them with the outside world: electricity, plumbing, central heating, telephone. Probably, they also run to the toilet in the shed behind the house.
The Amish are adherents of the old traditional way of life. Most of them wear clothes and hats of certain colors (green, blue) and styles (men have buttons only on shirts and trousers, they are prohibited on suits, vests and coats), ride in old horse-drawn carts, use only steel wheels , plows the land with a horse plow.
They are forbidden to serve in the army, take pictures, drive cars and fly planes, have computers, televisions, radios, wear wristwatches and wedding rings.
Amish marriages are concluded only with their co-religionists.
Here in America there are separate Amish settlements. Moreover, unlike, for example, the Dutch settlements, which are more reminiscent of scenery for films, for the Amish this is a normal life. There are many Amish in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. That is, they have enough large territory. Many Amish also live in Canada. The Amish appreciate manual labor, simple rural life, they practically do not use modern technology. And they don't use cars.
Interestingly, the Amish family usually has 7 children. From this it is clear that the Amish population is one of the fastest growing in the world. If in 1920 there were only 5,000 Amish, then in the past 2011 there were already 26,1150.
The Amish in the United States are treated rather dismissively, despite the apparent tolerance. Perhaps if the Amish were a handicap or some kind of slave race, they would now earn more respect. Therefore, in the conversation of Americans, Amish is a synonym for a Neanderthal, a person who voluntarily lags behind in development.
I really like the Amish. Despite their isolation, they enter into trade relations with ordinary people. Amish doing agriculture the old fashioned way. And this means that their cows graze in the meadows, and they do not add antibiotics to the chicken feed. Their food is completely natural. True, it sounds wild for all of us - people who grew up in the fresh country air, with grandmothers and Tuziks in the booth?
And now I’m looking for farm or Amish products on the shelves, so that they at least remotely resemble THE very ones from childhood. Of course, these are all great products. They are more expensive, but Amish eggs, for example, have a yellow yolk and are delicious. They also sell furniture: durable, solid, strong and, as usual, expensive.
I keep thinking: maybe soon our grannies will catch a chip and start selling fresh cucumbers by the roadside not for 20 rubles per bucket, but, say, for 200 rubles per pound.
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. Well it expresses 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 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 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.
My story will be about the country of the Amish. We were warned and asked not to photograph faces, so I found a few pictures on the Internet, and still took the rest myself. Who are the Amish? 
The Amish are a Christian movement of Mennonite origin. The founder is Jacob Amman, a priest from Switzerland who emigrated to Alsace (Germany) in the second half of the 17th century. 
Amish family Their church doctrine can be characterized as the most conservative version of Mennonism. The main feature of their doctrine is a more strict adherence to the Holy Scriptures. IN early XVIII century, part of the Amish moved to the United States (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana), where the Quaker Wilhelm Penn (Pennsylvania), who proclaimed freedom of religion, provided the Amish and Mennonites with refuge in the southeastern part of the state. 
All 12,500 Lancaster County Amish are descendants of a couple dozen families who emigrated from Europe in the early 18th century. Therefore, looking at mailboxes in front of the houses there, you see the same names everywhere - Ash, Lapp, Scholzfuss, Fischer ... 
Amish. For the entire progressive public, they were “discovered” by a couple of hippies who hit the romantic travel. Still, suddenly, at the height of the 21st century, in the heart of the most progressive country, to stumble upon a tribe that fundamentally refuses electricity and high school, from their own transport (horses are not considered), cameras, cinema and other rapidly gushing benefits of scientific and technological progress. Like the Old Believers, several centuries ago they recognized the European Church as a champion of sin and preferred to withdraw into the harsh achievement of paradise by a commune, an honest life before God. Amish do not build churches, but pray with their fellow tribesmen, each in turn, put benches in the front room. 
At first, when you see the beards of men, you perceive the Amish as Orthodox Jews, but the Amish have nothing to do with Jews. 
You can’t take pictures, photos don’t hang on the walls, but the so-called “family lists” hang (I don’t even know what to call it). 
Here are two from the same family. One list of parents, the other - modern family- name, month and year of birth. Pay attention to the names - Jewish? Or biblical? 
As an example, we visited one Amish house. The situation in the house was very simple - I did not notice any decorations, but everything was stamped with care and love. 
The house was lit by gas jets (kerosene is also used in other houses). In the kitchen, I saw a refrigerator - gas. In fact, the kitchen is the largest room in the house. 
And, as I understand it, this is not just a place where they cook and eat, but a kind of center of the whole family life: Rebecca said that they usually read in it, sew, and when the children were small, they played there and did their homework. The house also has its own water supply, powered by a windmill. 
Their women do not know cosmetics, jewelry, even buttons (and of course, also a decoration option!), The style of the dress has been stable for the last two hundred years. 
Actually, style. Dresses should be plain, without buttons (if you need to attach something - only with a pin), one style and two or three - no more, so that everyone is equal and does not stand out and does not feel that one is richer than the other. 
The dresses are plain - blue, purple or dark gray, made of thin material similar to wool, but with an obligatory apron: for a married woman it is black, for an unmarried woman it is white. 
Even Wedding Dress it is sewn in one color, without decoration, of the same style, so that tomorrow you can wear it to work. The appearance of Amish women on the streets after dark without special reasons considered debauchery. 
Men do not shave their beards (mustache is prohibited by law, they are beardless) and do not know how to hold weapons in their hands. They do not serve in the army, or only in units where they do not hold weapons in their hands. They are never in their American history did not fight. 
Most of them wear clothes and hats of certain colors and styles, ride in ancient horse-drawn carts, use only steel wheels (no shock absorbers to feel the ground), plow the land with a horse-drawn plow. 
Amish men's hats 
On the right is a high hat - for a holiday, and on the left are lower hats that young men (marriageable) who may already be married have the right to wear 
The trousers support suspenders, there are no buttons on the trousers, they are replaced by a system of hooks, loops and drawstrings, as worn by sailors. 
But the Amish work hard - sorry, in the sweat of their brow they get their bread (as well as meat and dairy products and all kinds of vegetables and fruits) in the bosom of nature, give birth to children of about ten (abortions and condoms are prohibited), on Sundays they go to each other in guests to Protestant services - singing hymns, reading the Bible or to a common cheerful meal. 
They are forbidden to serve in the army, take pictures, drive cars and fly airplanes, have computers, televisions, radios, wear wrist watch And wedding rings.
In tolerant America, they developed special kind passports - without a photo: and they don’t need to leave America and they don’t have anything to do - the plane is forbidden for them, the maximum that they allow themselves is a scooter and then you can ride no faster than one horse! 
Schools are a special issue. The school consists of one class (room) where children from 7 to 15 years old study, all together. And they are taught by a teacher of 15 years old, who has just graduated from it herself. 
IN own schools they study only those subjects and only to the extent that they will need on farms: botany, zoology, arithmetic, the basics of geometry. Of the books, not counting children's, in the Soviet propaganda style, they kept only the Bible. From pictures - wall calendars and a newspaper that they themselves print about the weather, harvest, milk yield, sowing or reaping. 
Loom You can't become an Amish by your heart. They can only be born. And, of course, to stay, because the humane Anabaptists give all members of the commune once in their lives, in their youth, a choice: either to finally accept baptism, or go to Big world. Before that, they are allowed to try to live in the world, to see what it is like there. The most fantastic thing is that from 75 to 95 percent, having looked at America, return back to working, but well-fed Amish shelter. Only in adulthood they take the deliberate step of baptism. 
"Juicer" driven by a water pump. On the one hand, where should they go with their education, life ideas and communal experience? On the other hand, the houses will never be abandoned, they will never be kicked out, they will be lifted up by the whole world, put on their feet, they will not be allowed to disappear, etc. Naturally, such a Protestant paradise. 
They do not have divorces (which is understandable), which is why young men are allowed to communicate quite freely with girls of marriageable age. Free means talking, joking, walking together on a Sunday, and not at all what you think. This very thing cannot be there before the wedding, and if misfortune happened, then marriage is inevitable, period. For all their closeness, they communicate well with non-Amish neighbors, sometimes, with a lack of land and constant population growth (and there are, by the way, two hundred thousand of them!), They are hired as workers - to the delight of the employer, for whom it is more honest, hardworking and more modest than the Amish - you can't find a worker. - They eat hearty and high-calorie (like the old descendants of the Swiss), they drink little (once), they don’t steal, they don’t swear and they love life, people, the economy is simple, healthy love. They honestly pay taxes, so they do not sit in prisons. 
In cemeteries there are identical tombstones with the date of birth and death. There are no more improved monuments, all mortals are the same! 
The coffin The coffin stands in the house of the deceased for three days, half closed, so that whoever wants to say goodbye has time to arrive, and the speed of movement does not exceed the speed of one horse! Oops, no photography allowed... 
What faces! There is no trace of sadness, anger, discontent on them. While we were painting the beauties of the local hostel, we, of course, unanimously felt sorry for the poor Amish women with their three dresses, a dozen children and everyday work to the point of exhaustion. Well, men, in general, too ... 
And books! .. The Bible - most beautiful text, but never read a single secular line in your life?! Don't hear secular music?! Don't see the Impressionists? And not even know that you can want to see and hear all this ... 
Bonnets for married women in the form of a heart In general, imbued with horror and compassion for these holy creatures, we went to the market to get acquainted with them. And I was shocked to the core by their radiant, blinding, fantastic beauty of these very young women in heart-shaped caps and tightly closed old women's dresses. 
How they smile while serving a tourist. What kind of eyes they have when they look at us, modern, stylish, bright, not a bit like them - without a shadow of envy or indignation, but simply - with interest and affection. A few minutes of communication literally turned my ideas about female charms upside down. That aura of love for their neighbor, which they radiate, really colors them better than royal clothes. 
An integral part of the interior of the Amish home is a patchwork blanket - called a quilt, as well as wooden things - chests, chairs, beds, rocking chairs. 
Unpretentious children's toy Children's toys are simple, home-made: rag dolls, wooden trains, cubes. 
Even their chickens are strange, ecologically clean. Of course, I wouldn’t want to live in this paradise for a second, but the fact that it is possible, real, happy and inspiring leaves no doubt in my mind. Even with all its artificiality, inexperience and favorable historical circumstances. 
And for the rest of America, the Amish is such a popular romantic brand, "strangers among us" - they are watched, their products, since they are natural and delicious, are sold with a bang. I tried cheeses and honey - really, overeating. 
They grow tobacco, although they themselves do not smoke. In response, the Amish, not afraid of globalization, calmly and without turning around, are building their earthly New Jerusalem. And their biggest problem is this moment- a high percentage of consanguineous marriages. But at total number two hundred thousand ... I hope that the problem is solved. Let us live for a feast for the eyes. 
The star on the house speaks of the hospitality of the hosts. In such a house you can knock and spend the night 
Then we visited a fair where we bought some products (not cheap), but environmentally friendly. I was interested and I listened with curiosity about the life of "strange", in my opinion, people.
