The Amish community is known for its distinct way of life, rejecting many aspects of modern society and embracing a simpler, more traditional way of living. But what about body art? Can Amish individuals express themselves through tattoos, or is this practice considered too modern and secular for their beliefs?
The Amish people’s literal understanding of the bible forbids them to get tattoos. As Leviticus 19:28 says, “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord.” Furthermore, Amish society considers these as vanity and worldly, which are highly prohibited in the Amish culture.
In this article, we will explore the world of Amish tattoos, examining their religious and cultural significance and uncovering the surprising truth behind this controversial topic.
Amish Community Versus Vanity and Worldliness
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When one thinks about the Amish culture, the first thing that comes into mind is their plainness and modesty. They believe that living a simple life is what God teaches in the bible.
Since all Amish communities generally take the holy book word for word, they have avoided everything related to vanity.
Amish people are forbidden to wear clothes with decorations such as buttons, Amish women cannot wear makeup nor have their hair cut and show it to the public, Amish men can’t grow mustaches nor shave their beards after marrying, and Amish children play with faceless and fingerless dolls.
In addition, the Amish church considers things such as tattoos, cosmetics, piercings, and earrings vain and worldly. Therefore, seeing an Amish person wearing or having any of these things would be impossible.
The Amish strongly believe that worldliness or getting influenced by worldly things would cause them to get absorbed by the modern world, create envy among others, and detach themselves from their faith.
In terms of Amish beliefs, these would compromise the longstanding Amish way of life and keep them from being close to God.
What Do Amish People Think of Tattoos?
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Looking closely at all Amish communities worldwide, each group lives a strict Godly life. Unlike the society most of us live in, the Amish church has been taking extra precautions from the start to prevent Amish community members from having access to possible temptations that may cause them to commit sins.
Since getting inked is a sign of vanity, a part of the modern world, and is mentioned in the holy book, it is seen as one of the biggest sins an Amish person can commit. Even the idea of having one is frowned upon within any Amish community. Therefore, getting one is strictly forbidden.
Moreover, all Amish community members are taught as part of their religious teachings that the human body is a temple of God. Therefore, it shouldn’t be marked with anything, especially something permanent.
Most of them with a more conservative Amish faith would say that having a permanent ink on your body can be equivalent to self-mutilation and rebellion against God.
Can You Become Amish if You Have Tattoos?
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In today’s modern world, getting inked is no longer a big issue for many of us compared to the last century. Due to society being more open, less discriminating, and less conservative, men and women get ink for personal reasons and self-expression.
Most don’t try to hide them anymore. You’ll see people from all walks of life walking around with inks on their arms, legs, and even necks and faces.
The answer can be complicated if a person has ink and want to become Amish. In general, tattooed people are not allowed, especially in conservative Amish groups like the Swartzentruber Amish, Schwartz Amish, Nebraskan Amish, etc.
The Old Order Amish, on the other hand, are known to be more friendly to outsiders. They commonly reside in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and many other parts of the United States and Canada.
If an inked person is serious about converting to Amish, he can try the less conservative and more modernized Amish groups. A certain group living in Holmes County, Ohio, the New Order Amish, are known to be the most progressive Amish.
Some of the subgroups under New Order Amish reportedly have electricity. Additionally, they speak English during their church services when no Pennsylvania Dutch speakers are present.
Bearing permanent ink on the skin would require the joiner to take a few extra steps because even though there are many Amish subgroups, some may live differently from others when adapting to modern conveniences.
They still have a common center, especially when discussing the Amish faith, since they all belong to one well-established religious group.
Ways to Become Amish if a Person Has Tattoos
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Over the years, many outsiders who are used to the modern American culture have attempted to become Amish for many reasons. Some have liked their new life of becoming one with the well-known plain people, while others have decided they couldn’t handle it.
According to scholars Donald Kraybill, Karen M. Johnson-Weiner, and Steven Nolt, in their book “The Amish,” released in 2013, only 75 people have successfully become Amish and have stayed since 1950.
Anyone who has permanent tats and is serious about joining the simple life of the Amish must do the following:
Repent for Getting Tattoos
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Since the Amish consider this type of body art a sin, repentance is the first step to forgiveness. For the Amish, repenting for sins makes it possible for sinners to grow and develop spiritually and get closer to God again.
Have the Tattoo Covered at All Times
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If the ink can be concealed with clothing, the interested joiner must always cover it. Under any circumstances, the mark on the skin shouldn’t be seen by anyone.
Get the Tattoos Removed
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If the tattoo can not be covered by any means possible, the only chance is to remove it permanently. Thanks to modern technologies, anyone can now get rid of permanent tattoos in four ways:
Plastic surgery
Laser tattoo removal
Removal cream
Salt scrubs
What’s Next?
If the interested joiner gets accepted by the Amish successfully, there are more steps to take. There are instruction classes and tons of consistent church services to attend. He must learn the Amish languages – Pennsylvania Dutch and German.
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He would also have to commit to all Amish rules and give up every worldly thing he has. Lastly, he’ll have to put his best foot forward as the congregation would closely observe to see if becoming Amish and living a Godly life would suit him well.
If he fails but is still interested in becoming a part of the Amish community, he may start by reading a few books and living like the Amish way for as long as he can.
Some Amish families living in less conservative Amish communities may accommodate outsiders in their homes for months or even a year so that they can experience what it takes to become Amish.
What if an Active Member of the Amish Church Gets a Tattoo?
The Amish people are also humans. Humans, by nature, are not perfect. Even though no information is available on any active Amish community member getting tattooed, we can only assume a few possible scenarios based on their longstanding rules and traditions.
Rumspringa, a period, where Amish youngsters who just turned 16 have the chance to discover the life outside Amish society. | Photo: moranfamilyofbrands
In the Amish culture, there’s a period called the Rumspringa that lasts almost two years, where an Amish youth who just turned 16 will be given a chance to explore what’s outside the Amish society.
During this period, Amish rules would not apply to him, so he could do whatever he wanted, like wear modern clothing, start a relationship with a non-Amish girl, drink alcohol, or get tattooed. All this while maintaining contact with his Amish family.
If this Amish youth decided to return and get baptized by the Amish church, he would have to do something about his ink. The baptism would be put on hold until he repents and removes the marking from his skin permanently. After his repentance, he would have to meet with their church officials to decide his fate.
Shunning is the most well-known form of punishment in Amish society. If an active member of the Amish community decided to break the rule and get inked, he would most likely be shunned.
The offender would be separated from the community to make them realize their sins – cutting off all social interactions, even with people living in their own homes, Amish families, friends, business partners, co-workers, etc.
To get back, the shunned member should remove the ink and repent for his sins. The decision to forgive him would be up to the church.
Conclusion
The Amish way of life is committing to every word from God. For all Amish community members, these strict rules help them escape temptations and sins that may cause possible detachment from their church, community, and faith.
As people would always say, avoiding temptations is more effortless than resisting. The Amish have already established this by taking vanity and worldliness off their menu.
By the Amish dressing modestly, not wearing any jewelry, and avoiding tattoos, they are confident they’re on the right track to keeping themselves close to God all the time.
The Amish community has long been known for their distinctive way of life, adhering to traditional practices and shunning modern technology. But what about when it comes to matters of life and death? Do the Amish accept blood transfusions, a medical procedure that can mean the difference between life and death?
Amish may accept blood transfusions as there’s nothing in their beliefs and understanding of the bible that tells otherwise. They are likely to give their consent if they know that it’s for the benefit of the recipient.
In this brief exploration, we will delve into the Amish beliefs and practices surrounding medical treatments and examine their stance on this crucial issue.
The Amish Beliefs and Blood Transfusions
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Blood transfusion is one of the most vital medical procedures today. It’s typically done when the body loses a lot of blood from injury or surgery. Compared with chemotherapy and surgery, it’s a less complicated life-saving medical treatment.
Some medical conditions and illnesses, such as kidney failure and leukemia, may require blood transfusions too. Without it, death may occur.
Now, do Amish accept blood transfusions?
The Amish people actually allow it. They are willing to either be the donor or the recipient if the situation requires it. They will never hesitate to respond when they know that a fellow Amish member is in crisis or a human body is suffering from a life-threatening illness.
The Amish as Faithful Blood Donors
The life-giving benefits of blood transfusions can be related to how the bible mentions blood every time a covenant is made. Since the Amish lifestyle and beliefs are fueled by how they almost literally interpret every word of the bible, it is understandable how they value blood and how it saves lives. For them, the “gift of blood” is a “gift of life.”
If the power of the blood could save tons of children in Israel in Exodus 12:22, could allow the high priest to approach the presence of God without getting struck dead in Leviticus 16:13-14, and could make people enter the holiest place in the temple in Hebrews 9:13-14; what more could blood do today especially in saving human life?
In the Amish culture, everyone lives according to their religious beliefs. There was the blood of the lamb that saved the firstborn children in ancient Israel, and there was the blood of Christ who saved everyone from sins. Undoubtedly, blood has been saving human lives since the beginning of time and continues to do so.
Contrary to what some people believe, the Amish know the essence of using modern medical services, including surgery, hospitalization, dental work, anesthesia, blood transfusions, etc., in saving human lives. Considering the Amish understanding of the bible, they will likely give their consent if they know that it’ll be good for their fellow Amish.
Can Amish Donate Organs?
For the Amish, the decision to donate an organ or tissue is up to them. Whether organ donors, tissue donors, or none of the above, their final say is and will never be affected by any religious law.
Every faithful Christian knows that a simple organ donation saves lives because the Christian Church encourages organ donation and other selfless ways to help neighbors.
As their teaching says, we were all created for God’s glory and to share our blessings. The Bible also says, “God has placed you in your neighborhood for a reason, and as Christians, we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves ” (Matthew 22:37-39).”
Since the Amish are Christians and read the same bible, they follow these teachings and apply them to their daily lives.
Can Amish People Get Organ Transplants?
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The Amish Religion doesn’t forbid their congregation to seek the help of modern healthcare services and licensed medical personnel, especially when their health is at risk. At the same time, they believe people must live purely and free from external influences.
With that, an Amish transplant recipient will only agree or request organ donation or surgery if he or she is convinced that these options are the best for his or her own body and survival.
Although organ transplant is permitted, there is one exception – the heart. Only unbaptized Amish children with heart problems can have heart transplants after birth. Since heart disease rates are higher in the Amish, this could probably be an issue if not for their strong religious beliefs.
Are There Many Amish Organ and Tissue Donors?
The Amish people fully support organ and tissue donation. They see it as the deceased’s final act of generosity to save someone else’s life. However, due to the delay and disruptions in the Amish death traditions caused by the program, the Amish rarely agree to donate.
According to a funeral director serving the Amish in Lancaster County for almost seven decades, he has seen precisely two who proceeded to donate organs out of approximately 1,500 approved organ donors reviewed by the organization. He has also experienced his fair share of emotional Amish families venting out due to the delays.
Live Amish donors will not hesitate to give for kidney or part of liver donations if they know that it is the only way to help the transplant recipient. If the outcome is uncertain, it’s not uncommon for them to feel reluctant or even oppose donation.
Conclusion
Like the rest of us, the Amish value how important these life-saving treatments and modern medical services, such as blood transfusion and organ donations, are. Their generosity can extend up to this level. However, unlike the people outside their grid, they live by simplicity and centuries-old traditions derived from the bible that already define who they are.
The Amish life’s cornerstone is faith. They treat daily life as a spiritual activity. Therefore, nothing in this world could change how they usually do things inside their communities. If it comes to choosing between something written more precisely in the bible and something that is not, the first one will always be their choice.
Amish men and women are all known to be among the most hardworking and helpful people in their community in the world. These exceptional Amish values are often seen in their joint cooperative work projects, such as the well-known Amish Barn Raising.
An Amish barn raising is a significant Amish community event where all Amish able-bodied men cooperate to build a new barn or other structures like houses, farms, or schools.
Below is a closer look at this Amish tradition.
More About The Amish Barn Raising
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Since the early age of the Amish religious group hundreds of years ago, their church leaders have taught each one of them the practice of “mutual aid.”
In this system, the Amish people work hand in hand to accomplish a task that would benefit everyone in their community. They also believe that they are responsible for the welfare of their fellow Amish church members.
In a traditional Amish Barn Raising, community members provide free manual labor to one of their fellow members should they wish to build a barn or any structure, with an understanding that the favor will be returned someday.
The most practical goal of this tradition is to strengthen the bond and camaraderie among the Amish people within the community. Everyone is encouraged to help since barn raisings are their chance to socialize and maintain a good relationship with each one of the volunteers. Sometimes, they get to meet their schoolmates during the event and build new friendships.
It is important to note that barns are significant to all Amish communities because they hold their church services and other community events in members’ barns. They have no literal churches like other religious groups. Therefore, the Amish people treat each barn like most people who are non-Amish treat their churches, temples, and other religious structures.
Why Is It Called A Barn Raising?
Historically, “barn raising” describes a collaborative action of many people from a neighborhood or community gathering together to raise a barn literally. While the men worked, the women were in charge of feeding them. It was a traditional community event that no one should miss.
Even though building methods had already changed for almost the whole world, the Amish have maintained the traditional style of raising barns.
In times when there are no new barns to raise in these Amish communities, there are lots of farm projects or rebuilding of houses from the ground up in cases of disaster that require everyone’s help and cooperation.
What Happens At A Barn Raising?
Generally, participation in barn raising is mandatory. Every man should participate. Older men who had joined many barn raisings for the past years are designated chief crews. Failure to attend may result in censuring within the community.
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On the barn-raising day, 100 to 150 Amish men arrive early. The organizer or hired engineer oversees the entire project and gives detailed instructions to the men. The Amish women prepare and bring the food for lunch and afternoon break in a potluck and huge all-you-can-eat buffet setting.
The Amish have no diet restrictions, as they believe they need more carbohydrates due to their heavy daily workload. The food served at their barn raisings usually consists of bread loaves, butter, potatoes, beef roasters, chicken, pies, vegetables, etc.
Amish children also participate in the event. Some help with the occasional carrying of light materials needed for the construction, and some help their mothers prepare the meals for everyone. You may also see small children running and playing around.
The Amish barn raising is like a massive event for all Amish; this is why everyone is expected to participate, and even a few outsiders can pay a good visit to watch and learn from the whole building experience.
Most of the time, large communal dinners with ciders are waiting for all participants at the end of the day.
How Long Does An Amish Barn Raising Take?
Contrary to outsiders’ belief that the Amish custom of barn building can be done in one day since almost all able-bodied members of the Amish community are helping, the barn construction and final finishes may take a week or two.
The whole process of building barns is more challenging than we see in pictures or read online – especially for the Amish, who never rely on machines, materials, and methods developed by modern society.
The wood frame, however, takes up a single day to lay. But before that iconic step, the workers must first work on the clearing and foundation a day before. Since hundreds of hands are working, the barn’s entire frame is expected to be put in place by the end of the barn-raising day.
The enclosing – roof, exterior walls, paints, and other finishing steps may take a week or more, depending on the structure’s overall size.
Who Pays for It?
In a regular barn raising, the Amish family who owns the property usually pays for the supplies. They may also hire engineers who foresee the whole plan and process. They are also responsible for ensuring the materials needed are accessible and available.
Suppose a disaster is the cause of the building or repair, and the family can’t afford anything. In that case, the Amish church and its members may donate lumber, materials, and some domesticated farm animals.
Since they never delay extending their hands to the needy, homelessness and starvation don’t exist among Amish families in any of their communities.
The labor cost is always free in an Amish barn raising. The volunteers usually bring their tools.
Amish Barn Raising: The Preparations
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Before an actual barn raising, the owner, or organizers will do all the planning and preparations. The Amish will usually collaborate ahead of time to see what resources and materials everyone can contribute. This will also give them enough time to trim all the lumber and clear the ground site according to plan.
The cellar and foundation will be laid first. This is done a day before or on the morning of the barn raising, so the workers can spend the day assembling and putting up the frame. If the structure is huge, the roof, walls, enclosures, and paints will be done in the next few days or even weeks.
Conclusion
Barn raisings are not exclusive to the Amish. There are lots of countries and cultures that used to do this tradition. Due to a lack of resources in the early centuries, people would always automatically gather to help neighbors and those in need.
Others may have a different name or a different setup, but all barn raisings have one goal: to help each other and promote camaraderie. However, many have abandoned this tradition since technology has already provided the “extra hands” the old civilizations lacked.
Since the perks of modern times haven’t touched the entire Amish community yet, the Amish Barn Raising has remained one of their most important events.
Additionally, their Amish belief in aiding others has preserved this tradition for eternity. Despite the heavy work, everyone can expect that the Amish Barn Raising will always be there to stay.
The Amish refuse to enjoy the benefit of today’s technology, such as electricity, mobile phones, computers, medicines, and even medical or health insurance. Naturally, this raises the question, “How do Amish women give birth?“
Amish women give birth at home in a more natural way with the assistance of their family and midwives. Those with medium to high-risk pregnancies go to a birth center or a local hospital to receive the best medical services their conditions require.
For those who don’t belong to the community, the way the Amish give birth can be intriguing. If you are finding yourself curious about the process, this article can help you understand them better.
How Do Amish Women Give Birth?
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Some English people attend numerous antenatal or birthing classes and even hire a Douala to physically and emotionally help them with childbirth. The Amish, having no access to these perks, get help and support from their family, children, husband, and other people from their communities experienced with Amish birth or home delivery.
Where are Amish Babies Born?
Generally, Amish women give birth to a baby in three places – at home, a birthing center, or a hospital.
Home
Most Amish children are born in the comfort of their homes. This idea can be challenging for some of us outside this community because we are often taught that home births come with certain risks. They are linked to a higher risk of infant death, convulsions, and other disorders than planned hospital births.
Amish women who are not experiencing any issues with their pregnancies prefer home birth, where they can be close to their families during this important chapter of their lives. They typically seek the assistance of a local midwife or a doctor who understands the Amish way of life.
Birthing Centers
A birthing center is the second choice for most Amish women. Midwives working in an Amish birthing center are both Amish and non-Amish.
Since the Amish only provide formal education until an Amish child’s eighth grade, this has become one of the controversies they had to face due to the government’s regulations regarding health and well-being.
The Amish are known as pacifists, which is why none of them join the Military. They tend to avoid any publicity or disagreements on politics, etc.
In 1990, however, more than 500 Amish and Mennonite people from Pennsylvania gathered and rallied to support a bill allowing uncertified midwives to deliver Amish babies in the state.
They were forced to move because they believed the state government was already intruding on their centuries-old childbirth practices after the state sued a lay midwife in Mercer County for delivering hundreds of babies to Amish women.
Despite all this, many Amish women experiencing normal pregnancies choose their local birthing centers over hospitals for cost and comfort. In addition, these centers usually discharge patients to the care of their family members four hours after giving birth, which most Amish families prefer.
The only thing that these centers can’t provide is advanced medical treatment and caesarian sections. For these types of procedures, they transport patients to nearby hospitals.
Hospitals
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Since the Amish don’t carry commercial insurance, giving birth in hospitals is an issue in terms of cost. While some practices may vary from each Amish community, some have already built their own healthcare, funded by a system that combines church support, benefit auctions, and arranged discounts with local health centers and hospitals.
For some Amish communities with no arranged healthcare system, support from the other members of the Amish church can be surprising to non-Amish folks. This trait of the Amish people, who often go out of their way to help those in need, is one of a kind for many.
If the hospital gives a bill they can’t settle, the Amish church and the members will pay for it. After all, it is God’s teaching to help one another.
What Things Do Pregnant Amish Women Do Differently?
While many of us regard the Amish as conservative, it’s a bit different when it comes to giving birth. This goes particularly true with pregnant Amish women as they do things a bit differently when it’s time to give birth.
Amish women are not afraid of labor.
We all have that one friend or relative who’s about to become a new mom, telling us about her fear of experiencing difficult and painful labor. Or, maybe, a social media post about a birth story gone wrong. No wonder, the society we’re living in now is full of worries, especially regarding the subject of giving birth.
Amish women don’t have the same fear. Most come from large families where childbirth is standard and considered a blessing, especially in the case of multiple births.
Expectant mothers from Amish communities don’t use Epidurals.
Since the Amish don’t get any benefits from modern stuff the rest of us are accustomed to, like modern medicines, they don’t take any pain relief. With that, they don’t allow doctors and other medical professionals to give them anything that will soothe the pain during childbirth.
For the Amish, childbirth is like any other chore that needs to be completed successfully. They also believe giving birth to a new baby means receiving God’s blessing wholeheartedly.
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Therefore, all that pain experienced in labor and delivery is nothing compared to their belief. After all, it is called “labor” for a reason.
Due date is not a thing in the Amish Community.
For Amish families, setting a due date when the baby is expected to arrive is absurd. While we are busy ticking the days off a calendar, they believe that nature will decide if it’s time for the baby’s entrance to the human world.
Scheduled caesarian sections and inductions are rare and only happen in medical emergencies where any worst thing could happen – like where the baby’s or the mother’s life would be at risk.
The Amish don’t discuss their pregnancies in the open.
When a typical non-Amish woman gets pregnant, one of the first things she and her husband plan is how to announce it to their children, family, and friends. It may be a social media post, a party, or a group text.
In an Amish community, they take modesty seriously. Since pregnancy is a blessing, announcing it may be misinterpreted as bragging and insensitive to others trying to conceive or recently experiencing child loss.
A unique birthing garment is worn in Amish births.
All Amish women prefer to stay covered up all the time as much as possible, and giving birth is not an exception.
For this occasion, they prepare a unique dress that will still cover the whole body but has access to where the baby should come out. It also has a small opening near the stomach to allow the mother and the new baby to have skin-to-skin contact.
The Amish never use birth control.
The strict Amish traditions dictate that any form of birth control should never be used. For them, using one is like refusing to accept a gift from God. More children, more blessings.
A typical Amish family has six to nine children in total. These children are raised and trained to be responsible, having household chores at the age of five. The Amish way of raising children helps make the day-to-day life of an Amish woman with multiple children less heavy.
Amish babies don’t drink breast milk right away.
In the non-Amish world, an expectant mother is taught that after giving birth, the baby should latch immediately to ensure that it can benefit from the first drops of nutrient-rich breast milk known as the colostrum.
In the Amish world, they believe that newborn babies should not jump to breastfeeding immediately. They often have to wait hours after birth, and the babies are given watermelon seed tea or jello water, which is supposed to prevent jaundice.
Pregnant Amish women stay active.
While waiting for the baby to arrive, there’s no reason for a pregnant Amish woman to hit the pause button on her chores and daily activities in their home or farm.
They consider staying active vital because it helps move the baby down to the pelvis, making the labor and delivery more manageable, especially if they’re going for a home birth.
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Unless she has a medical condition tied to her pregnancy, she prefers doing her usual tasks until her new baby arrives, especially if she has other children to care for.
While other pregnant women in the modern world are busy planning their baby showers, Amish women are occupied with completing their chores before the end of the day.
Conclusion
Other modern pregnant women dream of giving birth at home. However, no matter how advanced we think we are now, our society doesn’t always support home birth due to the risks for both the mother and the baby. We are so used to the support of our healthcare system that consistently provides everything we need.
Since Amish communities help and support each one of their members, they have a different way of accomplishing anything.
It’s safe to say that they don’t automatically reject support from anyone outside their community; it’s just that the Amish people have centuries-old traditions and practices that they prefer to follow unless unexpected situations would occur and require assistance from the outside.
The absence of technology and regular medical interventions make the Amish births different from what the rest of the modern world is accustomed to.
It’s a combination of old-fashioned methods being done before established birthing centers, hospitals, medical doctors, and insurance companies are born, plus a series of practices applied based on the teachings of the Amish church.
The Amish are known to be highly family-oriented. For them, no family ever seems to be “too large” Considering the unique Amish lifestyle and beliefs, however, many non-Amish people wonder what happens if an Amish couple can’t have children naturally. Can they adopt children?
The Amish people, especially those unable to have a child naturally, can adopt or foster both Amish and non-Amish children. There are no rules from their church leaders against adopting children, including whom they can and can’t adopt.
If you are curious to know how the process works, this article will explain everything you need to know about it.
How the Amish Adopt Children
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Amish families are commonly large for three significant reasons. Inside their community, children are treated as blessings from God – more children, more blessings.
Secondly, the Amish church forbids birth control and abortion. Lastly, Amish women marry and start having kids at a very young age. In Amish communities, being an Amish mom is something to be proud of.
A 300-year-old religious community in Amish America consisting of large families may put a bit of pressure on a childless couple’s life. Fortunately, a childless Amish couple can go to some agencies in their areas to start an adoption process.
In some rare cases, adoptions happen when tragedies strike. In 2011 when a 30-year-old Amish uncle and aunt from Ohio had to sell a large home they built to move to Jasper, and adopt 12 Amish children after their parents died in a road accident in New York.
Since they were the only immediate family members of the deceased who have no other children, they were the only ones who are capable of taking this kind of huge responsibility. A similar incident happened in Indiana in the 1980s, when 11 Amish children were adopted by an Amish couple because their parents died in a car wreck.
Can Amish Adopt Non-Amish Children?
The Amish foster and adopt children from various countries and races. If the kids are adopted, not fostered, they will raise them Amish. They will work hard to teach them how to be full-fledged Amish children.
Since the Amish take the bible literally, they enormously respect how beautifully God painted the picture of adoption, “But Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father.” – Romans 8:15
Sometimes, newly-adopted older children who are already exposed to the modern world face difficulties adjusting to an Amish home. From watching television to quilting or doing outdoor activities with other kids, or playing board games with family, this is becoming a significant step for them.
Children from African-American, Asian, or Hispanic races face challenges in accepting their differences while growing up in a new community. Mostly, these young people feel isolated.
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Since one of the core values of the Amish culture is “family” their acceptance and color-blind love for their new children would resolve any insecurity or fear of rejection that adoptees usually feel.
When an Amish family adopts a non-Amish child, he will be treated like their own. Therefore, the child will live by the family and their church’s faith and lifestyle. The same applies to how they dress, which school to go to when they reach a certain age, etc.
To adopt children is both a privilege and a responsibility for the Amish. Since the Amish are religious, they believe that the most incredible privilege of adoption is the privilege of guiding a kid to trust in God. At the same time, they must fulfill their obligation to pass on their wisdom from the Old Order Amish to their children.
The Amish and Foster Care
According to Carol Award Winner Suzanne Woods Fisher, a pastor in Texas asked his congregation years ago, “Who will stand with me to defend, care, and support abused, abandon, and neglected children in our community?”
Surprisingly, many people volunteered, and as a result, their area has more than enough licensed foster families to help fulfill the growing number of children in the foster care system.
She eventually fictionalized this story in her book Stitches in Time. In her book, a reformed young law offender and now deacon of a church inside the world’s largest Amish community in Pennsylvania posed a challenge in his church to empty the foster care system in Lancaster County. While some people said “no” those who said “yes” had their lives changed forever.
This narrative is not far from what’s happening in reality inside many Amish communities. Many children from the English world who are in the foster care system are getting cared for by Amish families, many from the New Order Amish. They believe that every foster child that comes into their lives is God’s will.
The Amish live to care for their own – or that’s what most English people think. It may come as a surprise that their love isn’t only for Amish children, but also for those from the outside world with needs that their biological parents can not fulfill.
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Many of these foster kids from the modern world are placed in the system due to various heartbreaking stories. They may be victims of abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
Some infants cared for by Amish foster parents suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and neonatal abstinence syndrome. The parents of these kids are usually incarcerated, institutionalized, or no longer permitted by law to stay with them.
How Do Foster Children Adjust to The Amish Lifestyle?
The length of a foster child’s stay with his foster parents depends on his needs and the biological parents’ participation (if applicable) in the program. A caseworker works with the foster parents to identify and assess the situation to properly determine the child’s placement goals.
In the meantime, the Amish parents vow to love and care for them as much as they can since they believe that what they do for these children is for the children’s sake, not theirs.
Even if a foster kid isn’t born Amish, they will still dress him as one of theirs as long as the child stays with them except for when they have to visit their biological parents. They also have special gatherings inside their community where foster and adoptive parents meet. The children would wear Amish clothes in specific colors to quickly identify the foster from the adopted ones.
Foster parents take their foster kids to public schools outside their community. While this can be inconvenient for them since they usually take Amish children to Amish schools, this is just one of the great lengths they’re willing to go to for these kids.
Since the child’s placement in a few months isn’t set in stone, taking him to an Amish school may be seen as crossing the line. They know and respect their boundaries as foster parents.
An Amish school convinces children to reject technology and everything the modern world has to offer, makes them believe that only the bible reveals the truth, and persuades them to stay within the community. In addition, even though Science is taught in these schools, despite what many believe, they only select texts or lessons that will not contradict their church teaching.
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This changes when a child is legally adopted. No matter where in the outside world he came from, an adopted child should learn how to live the Amish way as early as possible by going to an Amish school. Here, he will learn everything he needs to blend in with his new family and community.
In cases where the law requires visitations, they willingly accompany their foster kids to their biological parents. Most of the time, they work together for the child’s welfare. When the time comes that the child has to return to his parents, they will oblige even though it saddens them because they understand that everything happening is the will of God.
Conclusion
Not all mothers are built the same. Some can have as many babies as they want, while some are mothers by heart and can only have children through adoption. For the latter, it can be a long and challenging journey.
The life goal of being a mother is universal. It may not apply to all women today, but for a regular Amish girl living in a community where having a family is one of the cores of their culture, this is quite certain. Fortunately for the Amish communities, adopting children is allowed by their church.
While many of us have heard stories about how Amish people like to live independently and don’t care about other people outside their communities, it’s time to rethink.
Most people from the outside only focus on the simple Amish lifestyle with their little buggies and no-technology homes. However, many of us do not know that these “simple people” have much more to offer to children with needs, whether these children are Amish or Non-Amish.
Their helping hands can be in the form of adoption or fostering children from different parts of the world or all walks of life. Either way, it’s an all-win fulfillment for them – their faith, their communities, or their dream of becoming a parent.
Under the rules of Amish church leaders, the congregation must take marriage seriously – that they should continuously work to keep their marriage strong. When an Amish couple gets married, they are expected to stay married for the rest of their lives. Now, can Amish divorce?
In Amish communities, divorce is not acceptable or authorized by the Amish church. When an Amish man seeks divorce, he must leave the Amish faith, resulting in him being excommunicated. On the other hand, the remaining spouse will not be allowed to remarry until the other one passes.
To get a better understanding of the Amish views on divorce, read on.
The Amish Culture Views on Marriage and Divorce
Like most aspects of the lives of Amish people, marriage is heavily influenced by the laws of the Amish church. Marriage is the foundation of a family, which is one of the core elements of the Amish community. This is why they are known to have large families and, for years, this is how and what many Amish people live and believe.
These Amish beliefs on marriage strongly contradict the idea of divorce. It is considered a reason for excommunication, since divorce violates the vows taken by all Amish men and women during their Amish baptism.
Amish Beliefs and Views on Marriage
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To fully understand why many religious groups, like the Amish, prohibit divorce, we must learn how they value and respect the Amish marriage. The Ordnung, the Amish Code of Conduct, regulates how each of them should live.
It is a set of written and unwritten rules that also tackle centuries-old traditions that uphold each Amish way of living we know today and even Amish marriage customs centered on their strong faith and beliefs.
Amish Couples “Sleep Together” Before Marriage
Some Amish communities allow (or encourage) young Amish couples to sleep together before marriage. Unlike our usual understanding of “sleeping together”, this is literal for the Amish. Premarital sex is strictly prohibited. Some stories even say that a wooden board is placed between them to prevent them from doing something “unlawful.”
This practice is done so that the young couple can talk and get to know each other well before marriage. It helps them decide whether to pursue this life-long commitment, which is very important to the Amish community.
An Amish Man Should only Marry an Amish Woman and Vice Versa
Marrying someone with the same belief and religion as you can be a common preference for many religious groups and cultures. But for the Amish church and laws, this is a strict rule all Amish men and women should observe.
Can Amish marry outsiders? If an Amish woman or man wants to marry one, he or she should leave the Amish faith. In rare cases, the Amish church accepts converts, although they do not encourage it.
Only Amish Fathers will Work Outside the House
Amish wives or mothers’ most significant obligation is to take care of their small children at home while their husbands work outside. They are allowed, however, to run home-based small businesses to help with the family finances without neglecting their obligations to their children and husbands.
The only exception is if an Amish couple has no children. An Amish wife can work or run a business outside their property or in a nearby town if she has no small children to take care of in their home.
The Amish Man is the Head of the Home
In every conservative and old-fashioned unit of society, the man is almost always the head of a team. Understandably, this also applies to the Amish community.
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Although Amish husbands are the dominant figures in every family and are in charge of financial matters, the wives still have an equal say to all the decision-making that affects the family’s welfare and future. Amish couples work together to share workloads.
Many Amish men help with household chores, yard work, and tasks regarding the children. In fact, you will see many Amish fathers hold their children outside their homes or inside their churches.
Amish women help their husbands in the fields or even in furniture making. No tasks are heavy for them since they are known as exceptional hard workers. Most importantly, this is one of the core values of an Amish marriage – being there all the time for the spouse and family.
Amish Couples Spend Time with Each Other and Have Fun
From an outsider’s point, it’s common to think that everyone in the Amish community doesn’t know how to have fun. Whenever we think about the Amish community, we think of people wearing plain clothes while working in the fields or their wood crafting shops.
On the contrary, the Amish love telling jokes, playing indoor and outdoor games, and bonding with their Amish friends over sumptuous meals. Many Amish women love quilting, crafting, gardening, and many other creative things.
Amish men, like their counterparts outside their grid, are also involved with fishing, hunting, and other fun things we usually see men do outdoors. Amish couples enjoy traveling as well, even without their kids sometimes.
These activities, and their faith in God being the center of everything they do, help strengthen Amish couples’ marriages, especially during trying times.
What Happens If The Marriage of An Amish Couple Fails?
Not all marriages are perfect – even for the most conservative and God-fearing people.
Since the Amish are prohibited from taking their problems to the court of law, the couple experiencing marital difficulties may seek the help of their church leaders to intervene.
A Christian counselor will guide the couple to resolve their differences until they meet an acceptable ground. They would be convinced to strive harder to keep their marriage strong.
What If An Amish Man Cheats on His Wife?
Unfortunately, such marital issues are not openly discussed with others within the Amish community, as many view cheating victims as just as guilty as abusers.
Consequently, most Amish women with cheating husbands have nothing else to do but pray that their spouses will eventually realize their sins, return to them, and repent.
During this challenging chapter of their lives, they usually rely on financial assistance from the Amish church, family members, and other generous people from the Amish community.
When Can An Amish Man or Woman Remarry?
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After separation, it will still be considered an act of adultery if one begins a new relationship with someone else. Even though the split had already happened decades ago, the Amish community will still view them as a married couple.
An Amish person will only be allowed to remarry after their spouse’s death. The courtship should also be discreet and can only be done through mail out of respect for the deceased.
However, many Amish believe this to be unfair since Amish men tend to die first, and men are most likely to remarry based on statistics.
What If One Leaves The Amish Community to Pursue Divorce?
Even if an Amish man leaves the Amish faith and goes to modern society to pursue the filing of divorce, the remaining will still not be allowed to remarry since the Amish church doesn’t recognize nor sanction divorce.
The one who leaves, however, would be free to remarry a non-Amish person since he’s already excommunicated and shunned from the Amish community.
What Happens If One Gets Shunned by The Amish Church?
Amish shunning is a centuries-old practice in the Amish culture in which church members isolate, ignore, or punish someone for breaking church rules. Shunned Amish people eat alone and are forbidden to join community activities. Everyone is often prohibited from visiting, doing business with, or receiving anything from a shunned member of the Amish church.
For example, a shunned Amish church member who left the faith to seek a divorce can rarely return if he shows great remorse for breaking his vow during his Amish baptism. Since, for the Amish, breaking such is like defying God’s laws, this is a harrowing journey to take.
Like the decision to enforce such punishment upon the individual, the acceptance will also depend on the congregation’s votes. If, for example, the shunned individual didn’t win the votes to get reaccepted and would be disregarded forever, this won’t be the first time.
Conclusion
In general, marriage is a life-long commitment that should be honored and taken care of for the rest of the married couple’s lives. While it is true that everyone should stay married once they take this road, not everything works out the way we want it to.
After all, living a married life has its ups and downs. Even though Amish people are highly conservative, they have a good sense of what they truly deserve.
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Family is a core element of the Amish. To have a family is to get married to the partner you chose from the start. Therefore, Amish marriage is as essential as keeping families intact for the whole community.
For centuries, Amish people have lived this kind of life. Taking good care of their marriage is an Amish way of honoring God’s words and wisdom. If you look at it, divorce is not the main problem of the Amish church – it’s the desire to end a marriage permanently through divorce.
Since nothing has changed since the day the Old Order Amish Community came to America in the mid-1700s, they’re still basically disconnected from conveniences like electricity, gadgets, modern medicine, etc. This makes a lot of people wonder if they get to live shorter or longer than the average American folks.
The average life expectancy for the Amish people was over 70 years while the average American was only 47 during the early 20th century. The Amish people still have a notable edge in late-life health quality with lower chances of serious illnesses that are very common for the rest of the world.
To know more about the Amish life expectancy and the factors that allow them to live longer, read on.
Life expectancy refers to the number of years a person is expected to live. It varies with a person’s current age, sex, nationality, and where he lives. Of course, in real life, it is much more complicated than that.
Many have been taking an interest in the comparison between Americans and Amish when it comes to life expectancy and health span. They live in the same country and probably breathe the same air, so why is there a difference in the first place?
The average life span of Non-Amish people in America caught up through the years – from 47 years in 1900, 68 years in 1950, and 79 years in 2019. However, it fell to 77 in 2020 and 76 in 2021.
The Amish population, on the other hand, still has a better standing. The latest may also be over 70 years, but when the Americans were dying in their 40s during the early 20th century, the Amish people lived their best yet simple lives for over 70 years.
Why Do The Amish Live Longer?
As it turns out, only some things are solved with modern technology. Americans and other populations outside the Amish community have access to almost every health or medical benefits and modern medicine this current era offers. Yet, the Amish men still have a better average life expectancy. How do they do it?
The Amish Lifestyle
Farming is at the center of the work life of the Amish men. Since they don’t use technological devices such as agricultural machinery, they must do all the tillage, seeding, planting, cultivation, fertilization, harvesting, and more by hand. Manual labor is quite literal when it comes to them.
According to Time, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) equipped Amish volunteers with pedometers in 2004. This experiment aimed to see how much physical activity they achieved every day.
The results were astonishing. The Amish men took more than 18,000 steps daily, and the Amish women made more than 14,000. Let’s compare it to non-Amish people who are encouraged by doctors to make at least 10,000 steps a day and fail.
As a result, only 4% of the Amish communities are obese compared with 36.5% of the general US population. According to CDC, obesity leads to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other forms of cancer.
While some of the Amish smoke cigars, most still choose to stay away from this habit. Since most people from Amish communities are non-smokers, they have a 63% lower rate of tobacco-related cancers, based on a 2004 study of the Amish population in Ohio.
The Amish people’s consistent physical activity and active lifestyle are the top reason behind their longer life spans.
The Amish Genetic Mutation
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Thanks to the hunch of a cardiologist at Northwestern, Dr. Douglas Vaughan, who thinks that the Amish are blessed carriers of an “anti-aging gene” after a fellow doctor named Dr. Amy Shapiro discovered a young Amish girl with an unusual bleeding disorder.
The patient was not hemophiliac. When injured, she would bleed and stop. After a day or two, the bleeding would start again.
Because of this incident, a group of researchers from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago collected blood and urine samples from the Amish to test Vaughan’s theory in May 2015.
In a study released in November 2017 by Northwestern University researchers, they discovered a gene in an Amish community associated with an average life expectancy 10% longer than that of people without it. They call it a genetic mutation that protects against many elements of natural aging in humans.
The subjects, mainly from an Old Order Amish family living near Berne, Indiana, had 10% longer caps (telomeres) at the end of chromosomes that shrink over time and trigger the aging process. The longer the telomeres are, the longer the life is.
Serpine1, the gene mutation that produces Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), is known to slow down aging, improve insulin levels and blood pressure, prevent other forms of age-related illnesses, especially diabetes, enhance arterial flexibility, and lead to a longer life.
Scientists are unbelievably amazed that they started to conduct human trials on an experimental longevity drug. It hopefully creates the effect of the PAI-1 and provides strong protection against illnesses related to human aging.
In partnership with Tohoku University in Japan, Northwestern developed and tested an oral drug, TM5614, that inhibits the action of PAI-1. The drug has passed the first 2 phases and is now being given to patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, advanced melanoma, and other health problems alongside other treatments. It was even tested on Covid patients during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020.
It is important to note that only some Amish people carry Serpine1. At the time of this writing, it was only found in just one Amish community in Indiana.
The Amish Aging in Place
People of old age in the Amish communities are cared for at home by their family and relatives. While this may not always be possible for non-Amish families, the Amish always see that they devote their time and effort to giving their family members of old age the best care they can provide.
Aging in place boosts life fulfillment, good life quality, and self-esteem. These are the factors to remain satisfied, healthy, and comfortable in old age. Less stress, less cause of blood pressure shooting up. Brain health is one of the top priorities especially for older people because it all starts there.
A PLOS ONE study even states that aging in place offers the same longevity benefits as quitting smoking.
In addition, a senior who stays at home is free to keep his active lifestyle going. Physical activity is not restricted compared to when one is confined in an institution.
The Amish Diet: A Setback
Since the Amish are farmers and grow their food, many of us imagine that most of them are salad lovers. That’s quite the contrary.
The reality is that the Amish have no diet restrictions. They make bread and cereals from whole grains. Since they spend most of their daily lives doing manual labor, they are unconcerned about the amount of fat and calories in their diets.
The typical Amish diet consists of the following:
Breakfast:
Bread
Homemade cornmeal mush
Eggs
Sausages
Cooked Cereals
Casseroles
Fruits
Juices
Lunch or Dinner (the heaviest meal of the day):
Bread
Pasta
Potato Dish
Canned Vegetables
Fried Meat
The Amish, having no televisions and influences from the outside world, celebrate everything with festive meals. They bond and socialize with families and other members of the community over big dinners.
There are even sightings of Amish folks in their buggies falling in line at the Burger King drive-thru in Lancaster County.
The Amish people stay healthy in many other ways; however, they have no restrictions on the Amish diet. Cardiovascular disease is one of the things that they don’t have the edge over.
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Blood pressure and heart disease rates are higher in the Amish compared to non-Amish populations. Since they tend to avoid modern medicine, they would base their health-related decisions on their beliefs, church, beliefs, and any information gathered from their family and friends.
While an Amish man’s physical activity in working on a farm may burn the calories off, leading to weight loss, all the fat and salt can still negatively affect his health over time.
One study has shown that culturally appropriate education is needed for the growing population of The Old Order Amish to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion
While most factors that contribute to the Amish’s overall life expectancy are exclusive to them, like the genetic mutation that some of them are fortunate to have, we can’t deny that we can learn a lot from the others on the list.
As we look at the lifestyle differences between the Amish and the rest of the world, we can’t deny that most of us wouldn’t dare to be in their shoes, even just for a day.
While many of us wouldn’t live a day or two without the internet or at least the comfort of having electricity, adapting the concept behind the Amish lifestyle and choices may make a significant difference in our well-being.
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Many doctors encourage us to live an active lifestyle or exercise for at least 30 minutes daily to battle the growing obesity problem worldwide. Unfortunately, not everyone can do it.
Being manual laborers, the Amish people can achieve more than the recommended steps a day without having any sports medicine, even before the sun sets. While they can’t avoid heart attacks and other cardiovascular disease issues because of their lack of diet restrictions, weight loss is never a problem for them.
Many non-Amish people often wonder if the Amish pay taxes. For most, this question is a bit fair considering the Amish families’ simplicity and lifestyle. These people reject various conveniences brought by technological advances and even government-funded projects.
Law-abiding, Amish people pay taxes like income, sales, and real property taxes. They respect the government even though they choose not to receive any subsidy from some government projects.
To know more about Amish and how they fulfill their tax obligations, read on.
Many outsiders think that the Amish’s isolation from the public also means that they’re ignoring the government and the laws.
In reality, however, these people are known to be law-abiding citizens; even though some rules may seem unfair to them, they still adhere to everything the government and their church tell them.
The common myth that the Amish don’t pay taxes is quite offensive to many Amish people. They actually pay taxes because they understand that it’s mandatory. Like Non-Amish people, they deliver what the government dictates, especially regarding tax laws.
Income Tax
The Amish pay state income taxes. Most men belonging to their community are business owners and self-employed. They are incredibly successful and pay vast amounts of income taxes.
Fortunately, they are also eligible to claim Child Tax Credits whenever applicable. The majority of income taxes goes to several government programs like Social Security, health programs, defense, and interest on the national debt.
Social Security and Health Programs
Since the Amish culture entails taking care of one another, especially the old and the sick, they don’t receive the benefits of Social Security. They usually consider such programs as insurance programs that wildly contradict Amish beliefs in joining commercial insurance.
The Amish people may cite 1 Timothy 5:8, “But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
National Debt
Since Amish people pay income taxes despite their refusal to receive the government benefits of such taxes, they play a more prominent role in contributing to the interest in the national debt.
Sales Tax
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The Amish pay sales taxes every time they make taxable purchases. These sales taxes are placed on the sale or lease of goods and services in the United States, which fund local services like roads, schools (depending on the state), and emergency services.
Roads
They may not have cars, but Amish people still use the roads with their buggies or horses. These can still cause damage that may necessitate tax-funded repairs.
In some states like Ohio, the Amish should register their buggies. Part of these registration fees goes to the roads’ maintenance costs. However, this does not apply to all fifty states or everywhere.
Schools
The Amish children are taught in parochial schools provided by many Amish communities through the eighth grade. They are exempted from state-compulsory attendance beyond the eighth grade based on religious beliefs.
Amish children from an Amish community without a parochial school are sent to public schools, which presents a challenge due to the language barrier.
However, this option is rare since most Amish families care deeply about their children’s education and prefer being taught under Amish principles.
Emergency Services
Despite their self-sufficiency or heavy reliance on Amish neighbors, they still call the police when a worse crime occurs in their area.
They are used to taking matters into their neighbors’ and church’s hands, especially those due to minor issues. However, with law enforcement involved or without, they still abide by their church rules regarding pressing charges.
Property Taxes
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Property taxes, commonly called “Land Taxes,” vary from one state to another. In Pennsylvania, where there are more Amish occupants, land prices and property taxes are incredibly high.
These property taxes fund elementary and secondary schools, libraries, and other community services.
Most Amish families own lots of lands. Most of them also have large homes due to their large families. Therefore, the Amish pay property tax with huge amounts of money yearly.
Schools, Libraries, and Other Community Services
Even though the Amish have their schools, libraries, and other services within their communities, they still pay property tax to fund public elementary and secondary schools, libraries, parks, and other services in the country.
The Amish stay most of the time within their communities, so they don’t benefit from these.
Most of the time, school taxes are part of the property taxes. If not, all Amish people are required to pay school taxes separately.
The Amish people pay property taxes or public school taxes to provide children with public schools and pay extra to send their own to Amish private schools.
What Taxes Do Amish People Not Pay?
Due to the Amish people’s lifestyle and religious beliefs, the general Amish population doesn’t have to pay social security, gas, and sin taxes.
Social Security Taxes
Social Security is a government benefit that starts paying American taxpayers when they reach the age of 67 years old.
While this is mandatory for all Americans, religious sectors such as the Amish may choose not to pay for this, provided they must take the necessary steps legally.
How to Opt Out Of Social Security if You’re Amish
Being born from an Amish family doesn’t automatically exempt anyone from social security tax.
Youths from Amish communities who are not yet baptized are required to pay these taxes. In many Amish churches, the age requirement for baptism is between sixteen and twenty-five.
An Amish person who is not working for a Non-Amish employer, a businessman hiring non-Amish employees, and is already baptized in an Amish church can opt out of social security tax.
To opt out, fill out the Application for Exemption From Social Security and Medicare Taxes and Waiver of Benefits, commonly known as Form 4029.
By filling this out, the signee must acknowledge that he’s waiving all his rights to any social security benefits, no matter how eligible the signee is based on the previous payments.
For Non-Amish people or non-members of specific religious sectors, opting out of Social Security is not easy.
As of today, the law only allows members of the clergy and members of recognized religious sects such as the Amish and the Mennonite to opt out. Economic reasons are not accepted.
Even though Social Security may be one of the best benefits anyone can get, for the Amish, receiving hand-outs or any financial help from the government is never right.
They seriously stand up for their belief that every Amish man should care for his family.
Gas Taxes
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To pay directly for the gas tax, one must purchase gasoline. The Amish People use horses or buggies that don’t require gasoline. Therefore, they don’t directly pay gas taxes to fund repairs for the roads they use daily.
For this reason, many outsiders think the Amish are pretty selfish since their buggies and horses cause more damage to the roads than cars.
However, if one looks at the sales tax a regular Amish person pays, it is worth noting that somehow the Amish help fund road repairs in the country. Aside from schools and other emergency services, sales tax funds repairs and maintenance of roads.
In addition, a few Amish business owners use fuel-powered generators to run their businesses. This small number purchases gasoline or diesel to power their generators.
Sin Taxes
Sin taxes are specific taxes added to products that many people consider sinful. These products include alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and gambling items.
Since leaders of Old Order Amish churches prohibit the use of tobacco, consumption of alcohol, and taking part in any gambling activities, the Amish people automatically don’t pay sin taxes.
However, this doesn’t mean that all Amish people don’t smoke. Some Amish men grow tobacco at home and smoke it using their pipes.
Conclusion
Despite what many Non-Amish people believe, the Amish pay taxes and even give more than their fair share.
They may not always benefit from the money they spend with these taxes due to their religious beliefs, but what’s more important to them is that they can fulfill their responsibilities to the government.
Furniture makes a home beautiful. However, budget, design and quality are the main considerations in finding that standout wooden treasure.
Violeta, one of the Amish Furniture Factory clients, was on the lookout for that value-for-money item. She made thrilling seconds of scrolling and finally found the coffee table, end table from the Royal Ridge collection and the slide-out waste bin, all built-in brown maple and wheat stained.
Thanks for the great pics, Violeta! Enjoy your tables.
Here’s her 5-star review:
I love my Amish furniture.
Excellent craftsmanship and it is made in the USA which is important to me.
The quality of Amish furniture can’t be beat.
I expect to enjoy it for years to come. I ordered my furniture sometime in October 2021 and was told that my order might be done and shipped somewhere in April, maybe May because of the back logged of the orders because of the pandemic but lo and behold it came two months early than I anticipated.
Customer service is wonderful.
I did not ask for swatches because I was just content to look the stain colors on-line.
But thankfully they sent me the swatches and I did not have to change my mind. It was exactly what I want
Amish Furniture Factory takes pride in what they are representing. The quality of service and every inch of detail in their handmade product speaks for itself. This is why Bonnie was drawn to browse on the showcase of fab furniture online at the AFF website.
She ordered a sleigh bed seat, built-in oak and acorn stained to liven up her room. Here’s what she shared with those who are still on the hunt for their wood pieces.
I couldn’t be more pleased with the bench I purchased from Amish furniture Factory!
I ordered fabric samples a couple times till I found what I thought would work and it is exactly what I hoped for.
It was shipped to my house via a private company and arrived in perfect condition. I had to wait a few months for it to be made and delivered, it was very much worth the wait.
I absolutely love my bench.
Ordering through the Amish Furniture Factory was a very good experience and I will order from them again in the future.
