Essay on The Amish

Amish view pregnancy and childbirth as normal biological functions of the female body, however; due to their cultural beliefs they will not seek out prenatal care until late in their pregnancy, if no problems arise. Women who are primiparous, giving birth for the first time, will generally seek prenatal care at around four months, while those who are multiparous, those who have given birth multiple times, generally seek prenatal care during the third trimester. Amish women typically do not outright reject the use of modern medical technology and practices if it can assist in the pregnancy, however; they must determine which practices coincide with their cultural and spiritual belief system. Many Amish women will seek the advice

The Amish society first originated in 1962 in Europe and the first Amish arrived in Pennsylvania in the 1730’s to escape persecution in Europe.The Amish church started as a breakaway from the Annabaptists (adult baptizers) in Switzerland in 1693, led by Jakob Ammann. Frater, J. (2012) According to BBC Religions (2009) the Amish believe that the community is at the heart of their life and faith, and that the way to salvation is to live as a loving community apart from the world. Individualism is avoided.

The aspects of an Amish funeral service are steeped in customs that vary largely from that of an English funeral. Though the ideals and customs of an English funeral service change with the new trends of the region. While the Amish funeral service has changed very little from the Amish deviation from the Quakers. In most branches of the Amish church, the rituals and traditions surrounding death are held in the highest regard. These sacred teachings are known to very few members of the church; generally, by the bishops, or by the Amish funeral director. The funeral, as seen from the English perspective, is a celebration of life or the mourning of a life; while, the funeral seen from an Amish perspective, is a celebration of the gift of God.

Each Amish province is completely independent and lives by its own set of unwritten rules or Ordnung. The Old Order Amish are the most rigorous of them all. One way that the Old Order Amish punish members who have been disobedient to the community and God is by shunning. Shunning is defined as “to avoid somebody or something intentionally” (Shun, 2007). Shunning is not meant to injure an individual, but merely to wound them. It is an attempt for redemption. If an individual repents they will be allowed back into the patronage. It is only in extreme cases where an individual continuously breaks the rules where they may be permanently shunned. There are usually a very low percentage of Amish who are excommunicated. Because the community is so closely netted, shunning has proven to be a great form of social control.

| 1. They are taught that the individual is nothing, mankind is everything, and that everyone must be treated with absolute equality. To

According to dictionary.com (n.d.), Jehovah witnesses are a part of a Christian Sect. Henslin (2012) states that a sect is like a cult, but larger than the cult. Dictionary.com (n.d) states that Jehovah Witnesses were founded in the late nineteenth century,

In the mid the seventeenth century, the Amish movement was founded in Europe at the time of the Protestant Reformation. They are derived from a group impatient with the pace of reform in the existing churches. One of the main issues is baptism. A group of Anabaptists practise adult baptism. Religion is the basis of Amish life. They believe they must obey God at all times.

The Amish people are a subculture group. This culture is one of the more distinctive and colorful cultural groups across America. Their rejection of modern technology is what has kept them apart of the high tech culture. They start back in the sixteenth-century Europe when a rebaptism of adults was then a crime punishable by death. Anabaptists or rebaptizers were groups’ that threatened civil and religious authorities. The Swiss Anabaptists followed a Jesus life were they loved their enemies, forgiving insults, and turning the other cheek. While other groups we’re more into violence. The Amish came in 1693 when the Swiss and the South Germans Anabaptists split into two groups: Amish and Mennonites. Looking for political stability and religious freedom they moved to North America where they first settled in southern Pennsylvania then to Ohio, Indiana, and to other Midwestern states. Were they have been able to maintain a distinctive subculture. They try to maintain cultural customs to preserve their identity. Amish speak a dialect of German known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch. This language is not a written language. Amish use the English when conversing with non-Amish individuals. When talking in Pennsylvania German to each other they tend to switch to English

The Amish and the State is wrote with the intent to identify the cultural values and social organizations of the Amish order along with how the traditional values of the Amish counteracted with the modernity of the state. This book covers the most prominent aspects of the Amish order dating all the way back to their very existence during the Radical Reformation in the sixteenth century. It entitles one to see and feel the persecution the Amish order has faced since 1525. Donald Kraybill believes that the Amish order, even though some individuals view their religious practices as being extremely impractical, is a major attribute toward the freedom

Amish culture nurtures a subdued self, gentle handshakes, lower voices, slower strides, a life etched with modesty and reserve. As the cornerstone of Amish culture, Gelassenheit collides with the bold, assertive individualism of modern life that seeks and rewards personal achievement, self-fulfillment, and individual recognition at every turn (Igou, B., 2010). The Amish would align with the Collectivistic cultural dimension because they are very community-oriented and close-knit (Hofstede, G., 2011). A few examples of such loyalty to others would be the barn raising which is done by all the men of the community to help one another, church services held by different families in their own homes, and sharing their goods produced from farming

They do not use buckles on their clothing. In some Amish community a men who are married is not allowed to shave the beard because the bible say so in Psalm 133:1-2, “which states that a man, after marrying, allows the beard to grow”. Amish women and girls wear long dress. Their hair must always be covered in public. They never cut their hair and must cover themselves completely. They believe that God wants them away from the vanities of the world and the way that they live and dress is necessary to keep their heart pure. They do not mark their body with tattoos this is not allowed for the Amish societies. They do not use cosmetic, neither jewelry. In some case they are allowed to wear ring as a rheumatism

The thriller film ‘Witness’, directed by Peter Weir in 1985, tells about cultural conflicts between the Amish of Western Pennsylvania and Modern American corruption and violence. Philadelphia Police officer, John Book was obligated to hide from the three brutally and corrupt police officers as they were looking for a little Amish boy, Samuel Lapp. The boy witnessed the brutal killings and identified the killer as the three police officers. The ‘Witness’ strongly displayed many images of people and incorporated several techniques and images in various scenes to portray the contrast between two different worlds.

The Amish life is centered on a form of Christianity that demands strict adherence to the word of the Bible.

Some extreme cases are the conservative Swartzentrubers, and the Nebraska Amish of Central Pennsylvania who do not use indoor plumbing, or motorized machinery of any kind. They also wear even more conservative clothing. The Nebraska Amish, for example, do not wear suspenders or bonnets, and will not even allow screens on their doors and windows. Over 90% of the current Amish population, are from the original emigrant ancestors. There are less than 10% converts included in the total membership.

For the Amish Mennonite community the purpose of the community is very clear. First, it provides them a sense of identity, not only who they are as of the present but also helps them to trace their origins and the reason for their