Photo: Phyllis Lilienthal / Pexels
Ah, the Amish. Such a distinctive and fascinating community. Ever since they first settled in America in the 1700s, they’ve expanded and grown in number. However, they seemed to have not changed one bit at all despite centuries of progress for everyone else everywhere else. The world grows and changes, yet much of their way of life stays the same. Today we take a look at the Amish and their simple, humbling way of living.
They have close to zero modern tech
Photo: Kurt Anderson / Pexels
Let’s start with an easy one, shall we? The Amish have a very strict and conservative take on technology; more specifically, modern technology, as they wish for the Earth to remain ‘the way God originally created it’. They drive no cars (instead resorting to horses and carriages like the picture above), use no computers and use phones only sparingly; most homes aren’t connected to the public power grid, so families rely on propane or kerosene lamps and battery lights instead. What a way to live, eh?
There IS, in fact, dating in the Amish culture
Photo: K O'Shaughnessy / Pexels
Because of the strictness of the Amish community, many people speculate that there is no dating period and that marriages are arranged only by the parents. On the contrary, Amish singles do have opportunities to get to know one another after Church on Sundays. If two singles like each other, the male offers to give the girl a ride home. They then stay up talking until the wee hours of the morning, when he goes home.
They also propose, though not specifically like us
Photo: Bruce Squiers / Pexels
After the couple decides that they want to be together forever, the next step for them is to get engaged. However, unlike most engagements, the man does not ask the woman to marry him by presenting her with a diamond ring. Instead, he gives her a piece of china or a cloth (something useful). The couple must also have the engagement approved by the church. Once they receive the “ok”, the engagement is “published,” or announced, to the congregation at a church service.