Amish men work as farmers, shop owners, craftsmen, and laborers; women work as housewives and gardeners, with some having small, home-based businesses. Fathers are considered heads of the household, while mothers play the primary nur- turant role with children.
The “I” and the “me” are important because Amish women operate by both attitudes: that of the individual and collective group. The “I” is an Amish woman's individual identity. An Amish woman's “me” identifies with the Amish customs such as living her lifestyle in accordance with the Amish teachings.
Faith-based Amish traditions include wearing plain clothing, living in a simple manner and helping a neighbor in need. Church buildings with pews are traded for services in community homes, choirs for solemn hymns without music and professional pastors for community leaders.
Although the father serves as the spiritual head of the home, mothers are very active in nurturing the spiritual life of children. The husband is responsible for religious matters related to the church and the outside world. Networks of extended families provide a strong sense of identity in Amish society.
Men usually work on the farm, with women helping from time to time, if needed. Men are also mainly in charge of financial matters, while women do the cooking, washing, cleaning, etc.
Not only do the Amish not actively practice polygamy, they certainly don't believe in it. They view polygamy as adultery. Although the various Amish settlements may interpret certain rules slightly differently, there is no deviation from this law. The Amish believe in traditional marriage between one man and one woman.
The Amish Community and Dating
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.
The Amish are exempted from social security and reject health insurance coverage, do not practice birth control, and often veto preventive practices such as immunization and prenatal care.
Shunning — also known as avoidance —is a rare happening in the Amish community. While outsiders might view it as punishment, the Amish consider it an act of love to help those who have strayed from their beliefs.
Amish Birth Culture
Members of this faith-based community typically practice home births, which are performed without modern medical interventions such as epidurals or pain relief medications.
They enjoy board games, such as Scrabble, Life on the Farm, and Monopoly or card games, like Uno. However, there is never any gambling involved! Sports games are also enjoyed by all ages, but they are not played competitively. Amish do not support the idea of competition and pride, but rather community and teamwork.
As you may already know, Amish men grow their beards out as a sign they are married, which is essentially for the same reason that Amish women wear white bonnets. Before they are married, Amish men must cut and trim their beards regularly.
In addition, members of the Amish community are allowed to remarry after their spouse passes. Widows sometimes garner financial assistance from their families or the church and may even find work outside of the home, according to Amish America.
Amish men are expected to be good husbands and fathers. They are responsible for providing for their families and for leading their households. They're also expected to be loving and supportive of their wives and children.
Marriage is deemed a sacred act in the eyes of God. As marriages between Amish and outsiders are forbidden, instances of Amish dating outsiders are rare but not entirely unheard of.
In conclusion, the Amish have strict hair rules that are deeply rooted in their belief system. Amish women keep their hair long and never cut or style it, while men are allowed to keep their hair shorter but still must wear hats when outdoors.
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.
There's no prohibition on alcohol in most communities, but certain strict Old Order communities aren't in favor of it. You'll never see Amish men going outside of the community to bars and other such establishments. If they do drink, they do so at home or in the community, at a social gathering.
But they don't pick up their children to hug and kiss them. There are no rules against such demonstrations of love… it is just not done. Another interesting fact about affections, is that the Amish don't have a way of saying “I love you” in their language.
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.
Each person sleeps on their side of the bed, with a board in between them to prevent any physical contact. The couple is allowed to talk to each other during the night, but they're not allowed to touch each other.
Amish women are expected to cook, clean, and care for the children. They also often help with farm work. While some Amish women do work outside the home, it is usually in a job that is related to the home, such as being a midwife or a teacher. The Amish believe it's important for women to be involved in the community.
The blue door is typically a shade of navy that's been chosen to represent the "blue sky" of heaven. It symbolizes how the Amish believe in looking forward and striving for spiritual growth beyond our earthly lives.
In line with their beliefs and traditions, the Amish don't wear personal jewelry. While this means they don't show off their marriage in the way most other Americans do, they're no less joyous and celebratory of their commitment.
Contrary to certain myths or misconceptions, the Amish community is open to receiving gifts from those outside their community, whom they refer to as "English." In fact, the Amish greatly appreciate thoughtful gestures and acts of kindness from their English neighbors and friends.