I'm an Atheist, and I think the Amish are absolutely amazing. Do you?

Question

The Amish are a wonderful gentle people, I'm an Atheist and I have so much respect for them.

After the slaughter of those little girls in the classroom last year, for the Amish to not only forgive the parents of the killer, but to invite them to their gatherings!, and "take" them into their family with wide outstreched arms is about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. To me, it's about human compassion and love, and those things transcend theology.

gonnawin your answer was so cute and lovely, I wish I could bake you a big roast turkey with all the stuffings and gravy :)

:D

Answer 1

Ive always been amazed by them and I dont think you have to be necessarily atheist to appreciate them. Lots of people I know who are religious are amazed by their devotion to their beliefs and that contrary to other sects who are also devoted to their beliefs, the Amish undertake a tolerant and gentle approach. They of course have their beliefs about "outsiders" and I think the "outside" world is considered the devil playground. I am fine with it really since they arent going around trying to convert me or saying how I am sinner etc like many others.
Their actions when the shooting occured, to feel sorry for the killer's family and their approach to forgiveness was amazing.

I like them for their humility and their acceptance and how the exemplify hard work and such a devotion that they are not easily tempted by worldly goods.

Answer 2

I like that they are laid back and seem generally like nice people. However, there is a dark side to the Amish as well. They have this thing, sorry I don't know the name, but they let the teenagers live in the "real world" for like a couple months or something...you know with electricity, cars, TV, radio, all that stuff. Then they give them a choice, either come to back live with the Amish community or stay in the modern world. If you choose the modern world, they will never let you come back to the Amish community again. So basically all of your family and friends shun you. That kinda sucks if you ask me!

Answer 3

I live by a large Amish community. The are a decent, hardworking group of people. The problem is that they are also very romanticized by the non-Amish. They are not the "simple" folks most believe them to be. They have phones (kept outside the house), pay other people to drive them to their factory jobs (many work in the RV industry here), and very few are able to live off the land any more (grocery stores around here have parking for horse and buggy).

The society is extremely rigid and unforgiving. They "shun" members of the community for seemingly "trivial" things. I know a girl who was shunned because she wanted more than an 8th grade education (their children go to Amish schools until about 14, where they are taught by other Amish who went to school until about 14).

They also have a very bizarre custom of encouraging their teens to experience what the real world is like before becoming adult members of the community. They wear regular clothes, drive, drink, and even experiment with sex. Drugs are becoming a problem among Amish youth. I find this practice most disturbing. Imagine a 16 year old, with an 8th grade education and a factory job being given "permission" to sin by his parents. It is a real problem around here.

I like them, but my respect is temped by actually knowing them.

Answer 4

Although I actually do respect some of the values they have, I do not respect the Amish people or religion. I do not even tolerate the religion. Their religion begets a way of life to them which is extremely harmful to the psychological (and physical) well-being of their youth. On top of that, there are incidents of Amish on Amish violence due to the streak of fundamentalism inherent to the Amish denominations.

Answer 5

I absolutely agree. I'm an atheist as well (or maybe just a really suspicious agnostic) but for all the wrong religion does, sometimes we need to be quick to see where they are right.

I was very impressed with their move to forgive. Before the murders, I just liked their butter. LOL.

I was on the east coast about 2 weeks ago and we really enjoyed going through Amish territory.

Peace.

Answer 6

I grew up in Amish country, myself. (Witness, with Harrison Ford, was filmed in my hometown :)

I do admire their lifestyle, and I can see definite benefits of it. Their religion is of course false, but no more than any other one.

The only downside that I've ever seen of them is that their methods of discipline for their children would be considered child abuse by most people. A lot of people don't realize that. They are very physical with their punishments.

Due to that, and also due to the fact that there are highways running right in front of many of their homes, many of the children, when they come of age, do actually leave the communities. They don't see the point in ignoring technological advances, when they're right in front of their eyes every day.

I'm afraid their culture won't last much longer for that reason.

Answer 7

I respect the Amish for their passive nature, but I don't share your seemingly grand admiration for the people. There are genuine problems in the Amish way of life (mostly originating from their seclusion), such as child labour, genetic problems arising from their sometimes incestuous relationships, and even sexual abuse. While the community as a whole seems to be "virtuous", they are not without their problems, and their arrogance is a main contributing factor to it.

Answer 8

Sure - they're all right, I guess.

As a lifelong student of history, I do believe that man's chief goal in life, besides recording his life, is to advance. Therefore, I don't quite understand the primitive ways of the Amish, but as I said before, I have nothing against them. They're honest, hard working, God-fearing people, and it's not as if they harm anyone.

Answer 9

The Amish responded to their great tragedy in a completely forgiving and loving way. Not many Christian groups would have been so magnanimous or generous.
The Amish are a class act!

Answer 10

I wish I had been born amish, I would love to be able to make those cute little dresses for my daughters, and I love their farms and little homes, everytime we go to pennsylvania and go to amish country I never want to go home, its sooo pretty there, and their food is soo yummy, the reason I wish I was born amish is because then I would be used to it, I know there is no way now that I could become accustomed to working from sun up to sun down. but it would be great to have that discipline, I'd probably be alot healthier, and leaner :)