While most people on the planet do not imagine their life without the benefits of civilization, some run from them like the devil from incense. Such are the Amish - representatives of the ultra-conservative Christian movement, completely fenced off from the world. The Amish do not use electricity, do not know anything about the Internet, do not drive cars, but dress and live as if it was the 19th century.
NOT OF THIS WORLD
A new religious offshoot emerged in Europe in 1693, but later most Amish were forced to flee from persecution overseas. There they settled. In our time, the largest settlements are located in several states of the United States - Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania, and are also found in Canada. In total, America has 25 different communities, which in turn are divided into 1,700 church districts. The Amish population is more than 200 thousand people. Each area has its own ideas about how to live in the community, but in general, all Amish adhere to a special set of rules called Ordnung. It clearly and clearly states what the Amish can and cannot do. For more than two hundred years of the existence of the community, no one has even thought of changing anything in a once and for all established manner. Maybe,this is due to the German genes of the Amish, and the Germans, as you know, are great conservatives and lovers of order.
MY VILLAGE
The first thing that strikes outsiders upon entering an Amish village is the horse-drawn carriages. This is the main mode of transport. The carts have reflective triangles so that they can be seen on the night road. In addition, each vehicle is equipped with turn signals. And in Indiana, the authorities are demanding to install numbers on carts. Anyone can drive the cart, even a child. The Amish have no cars. They are allowed to ride in cars only in the passenger seat and in exceptional cases. Some communities have bicycles or scooters.
The second thing that immediately catches the eye is the appearance of the inhabitants of the settlement. All men and women look the same. Ladies always go with their heads covered, their hair is gathered in a neat bun or braided, on the head is a cap, hat, scarf. Long and lush hair is considered by the Amish a sign of female beauty, but this beauty is supposed to be contemplated only by the husband. Women wear long dresses of discreet colors, on top of which an apron is tied. Jewelry and makeup are not acceptable. Men are also dressed according to the rules - in hats, shirts, jackets and wide pants with suspenders. Married men must wear beards. The tradition has a special meaning - a beard, unlike a wedding ring, cannot be hidden in a pocket. Clothing restrictions are a way to save not only money, but also time that can be spent on prayer or labor.
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Amish dwellings are also modest and simple. All houses are painted the same color, the furnishings in each of them are not much different from the neighboring "nest". It is not customary to stand out in the Amish camp: in their opinion, individualism breeds pride and vanity - the main human vices. On the other hand, humility, simplicity, ingenuity, frugality are welcomed. Nobody uses electricity in the settlement. Alternative energy sources are in use - natural, as well as propane, kerosene, batteries. The Amish have no religious buildings - all services are held at home.
CONSCIOUS CHOICE
The Amish try to contact as little as possible with the outside world. But sometimes they get out. For example, in order to sell the surplus of your labor. I must say, their agricultural products are in great demand, because the Amish do not use any chemicals. Everything is natural. Milk, cottage cheese, cheese, vegetables, fruits - fresh and tasty. Americans and Canadians, tired of modified foods and plastics, don't even look at the Amish price tags.
The second moment - at the age of 16, teenagers are allowed to see the world. This is the time when children are allowed many of the things that were forbidden before. They can go out late, use the Internet, use a mobile phone, rent a car, travel, communicate with peers from big cities. In short, the teenager is allowed to see the world. After a while, young men and women must make a choice - to return to the community or leave it. Strikingly, the unbiased statistics are as follows: 85 percent of children choose the path of their ancestors. This is followed by initiation into the Amish - baptism. The community is confident that a person must make this decision himself. There is no turning back - they become Amish for life.
Amish children from an early age help their parents with the housework: work in the field, milk cows, bake bread. There is a division of labor - a girl must learn to weave bedspreads and tablecloths from natural fabrics, and a boy must learn how to make furniture from natural wood. Amish education is discouraged. And why, in their opinion, pore over books when it does not help in any way in the household ?! At the age of six, children go to school, where they receive knowledge of basic subjects in English, although at home the Amish speak a German dialect among themselves. By the way, they call everyone who does not understand their language "English". After eight years of schooling, children complete their education.
ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE
Amish families are strong, with many children. Marriages are only allowed with other Amish. Contraceptive drugs, abortion, artificial insemination, stem cell research are prohibited. But there is one problem - some hereditary diseases are common among the Amish. This is explained by the fact that all Amish descended from about 200 founding ancestors, and spouses are often chosen from neighboring communities related by a common ancestry. Some of the hereditary diseases are quite rare and even unique. The Amish categorically refuse genetic tests before marriage and genetic testing during the period of bearing a child, completely entrusting themselves to the will of the Almighty. Therefore, infant mortality is not uncommon. The Amish use the services of doctors, but in a peculiar way. While most Americans rely on insurance for illness, the Amish rely on … the community. As soon as one of its members needs to see a doctor, everyone is thrown into a common pot. However, there are cases when parents left the community just so that their children received full treatment and care. Even under the threat of excommunication and avoidance (the practice of limiting social contacts with “lost souls” in order to shame them and induce them to return to the fold of the church)! But this is rather an exception. The Amish know for sure: if trouble catches them - a hurricane, a fire, the death of a loved one - the community will not leave them to their fate.when parents left the community just for the sake of their children receiving full treatment and care. Even under the threat of excommunication and avoidance (the practice of limiting social contacts with "lost souls" in order to shame them and induce them to return to the fold of the church)! But this is rather an exception. The Amish know for sure: if trouble catches them - a hurricane, a fire, the death of a loved one - the community will not leave them to their fate.when parents left the community just for the sake of their children receiving adequate treatment and care. Even under the threat of excommunication and avoidance (the practice of limiting social contacts with “lost souls” in order to shame them and induce them to return to the fold of the church)! But this is rather an exception. The Amish know for sure: if trouble catches them - a hurricane, a fire, the death of a loved one - the community will not leave them to their fate.
Ksenia SVETLOVA