Leaving the community Some Amish youth do indeed separate themselves from the community, even going to live among the "English," or non-Amish Americans, experiencing modern technology. Their behavior during this time does not necessarily prevent them from returning for adult baptism into the Amish church.
The Amish's freedom of choice allows members to leave at any time. People who leave after joining the church are excommunicated and shunned, while those who leave before joining the church aren't.
They Can't Contact the Outside World. Amish children are not allowed to contact the outside world. This includes talking to people who are not Amish, using phones, and watching television. This rule is in place to protect the young people from being influenced by the outside world.
Fellow Amish in rare instances won't break bread with them at the same table, won't work with them and won't worship with them under the religion's centuries-old practice of shunning. In stricter settlements, shunning can break apart families, cutting off all contact between parents and their children.
Shunning is the most well-known form of Amish punishment. It's a way to separate the offender from the community and make them realize the error of their ways. When someone is shunned, they're cut off from all social interaction. This includes family, friends, and even business associates.
Amish parents consider their children their greatest earthly treasure. Children are welcomed as a blessing from God and large families are the norm.
Rumspringa (Pennsylvania German pronunciation: [ˈrʊmˌʃprɪŋə]), also spelled Rumschpringe or Rumshpringa, is a rite of passage during adolescence, translated from originally Palatine German and other Southwest German dialects to English as "jumping or hopping around", used in some Amish communities.
Feminine Hygiene
Female Amish wash their hair and wear it in a bun. As for makeup, Amish women aren't allowed to wear cosmetics or adornments considered worldly. This includes lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and jewelry.
Mothers are very demonstrative with their babies when they nurse them and sing to them as they soothe them to sleep. But they don't pick up their children to hug and kiss them.
The Amish believe that technology, especially cell phones, separates people and takes away important face-to-face communication and social interaction. In more lenient communities, cell phones may be used by families in a central location, with no particular owner, to keep in touch with family.
Dating among the Amish typically begins around age 16 with most Amish couples marrying between the ages of 20 and 22. To find a prospective date, the young adults socialize at functions such as frolics, church, or home visits. One of the most popular activities is the Sunday night singing.
Black and White Bonnets
An unmarried woman may be in the process of an Amish courtship, but until she gets hitched, she wears a black bonnet. Once married, a woman will swap out her old black bonnet for a fresh white one.
Remember, the Amish community cherishes the practice of gift-giving as a means of strengthening relationships, expressing gratitude, and celebrating life's special moments. While they may refer to outsiders as "English," they are more than willing to accept gifts from those outside their community.
Since the Amish feel strongly about their community and honoring God by respecting others, much of their spare time is spent connecting with others. The Amish will often visit with relatives, neighbors, church friends, and even non-Amish friends.
The marriages are dependent on if they are between two members of the Amish church or a member and an outsider of the Amish church. The decision to marry a person outside of the Amish church is one that comes with a decision to be made by the person in the community, but before they are baptized by the church.
Amish people aren't forbidden from interacting with outsiders, whom they refer to as 'the English', but there are only a few situations where this is allowed. An example of such a situation is their work. Just like any other community, the Amish people need to earn a living and support their families.
After giving birth, Amish mothers breastfeed their babies for as long as possible.
Amish boys and girls start looking for a partner as young as 16 years of age. Many marry in their early 20s. Both must be members of the Amish church and baptized in the faith to marry. The bride to be does not receive a ring, instead the groom might give her something like china or a clock.
In the Amish community, things like pregnancy are very sacred and secret. People's privacy is important, and intimate details are often not shared with other members of the community until it is more than obvious.
All types of birth control, and also all forms of natural family planning such as calendar-based methods, are forbidden in Old-Order Amish communities. However, especially in recent years, more Amish women have begun using contraception.
However, in addition to the modesty aspect, women must keep their heads covered at all times so that they can pray at any time. Both modesty and prayer are central to the daily lives of Amish people and for women, wearing head coverings and bonnets is an important part of that.
Amish men outlive Amish women, in part because of the high birth rate (average of 7 live births/woman). Birth control and abortion are forbidden by religious doctrine, even when pregnancy is life threatening.
The languages most commonly spoken by the Amish are Pennsylvania Dutch and English. Amish community members use Pennsylvania Dutch when conversing with each other in their community. English is only really used for communicating with outsiders.
Although the verb shun means to deliberately avoid anything, it has a specific meaning in certain groups and communities. In this case, it means to ostracize or expel from that group or community. The Amish, for example, may shun members of their order who repeatedly ignore the beliefs and rules of Amish society.
Q: May outsiders join the Amish? A: Yes. Although the Amish do not actively evangelize, several dozen outside people have joined the Amish. Potential members must be willing to learn the dialect and accept the rules of the church in order to be baptized and become members of the church.