Aside from distinguishing themselves from those who served in the military, shaving mustaches is a way for Amish men to show humility by not drawing attention to themselves with an ostentatious display of facial hair.
Amish men use their beards as a symbol of marriage. If a man has a clean-shaven face, it means he is single and ready to mingle, which is important for the ladies to know. However, if he's got a beard, he's taken.
Amish Beard Rules Were Among the First Amish Laws
He believed that, because God designed man to grow a beard, it was God's Will that man grow a beard. And therefore, shaving it off was a sin. But the Amish are not alone in their reverence for the beard.
In addition to that, the Amish, being a pacifist group, didn't want to associate themselves with those who waged war, so strictly forbid their members from growing mustaches.
A commitment to modesty means a man must not wear any jewelry, including a wedding ring. So instead, a married man stops shaving his beard, indicating that he is completely a man and the head of his family. His beard symbolizes his commitment to his wife, his children and his religion.
The reason Amish women don't cut their hair is more than just aesthetic preference. It's rooted in Christian scripture, specifically the words of St. Paul in I Corinthians 11:15 which states “but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory”.
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 women don't display their hair for Biblically-based reasons . They also do not cut their hair, pinning it all up underneath a kapp, or prayer covering. The Biblical Commandment. The Amish and Mennonites believe that it is a Biblical command for women to cover their heads when they pray.
Divorce is forbidden in the Amish church. To get divorced is to violate a vow made during Amish baptism and is punishable by shunning.
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.
#8: Amish men stop shaving their beard when they get married
From their wedding day forward, an Amish man is not to shave his beard, signifying manhood and his commitment to his marriage.
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.
The Amish (/ˈɑːmɪʃ/; Pennsylvania German: Amisch; German: Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches, a separate Anabaptist denomination.
Despite being surrounded by an ever-changing society, the Amish culture thrives on old-fashioned traditions. Amish women don't shave their underarms or legs because, according to their interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:5-15, doing so would violate God's law.
In order to separate themselves physically from those who would engage in military service (while letting the world know they were married, because the Amish don't exchange wedding rings), they decided to grow beards but shave their lips.
Amish men and women usually assume traditional and well-defined gender roles. Husbands carry the primary responsibility for the financial well-being of the family. Wives typically devote themselves to housekeeping and motherhood.
The Amish bedroom rules contain what is known as bundling. This is the practice of sleeping in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex while fully clothed.
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.
My ex-wife Priscilla was an Amish. We met during her Rumspringa. She told me they used to fill a wooden bath once a week and then the family would take turns bathing in it.
As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.
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.
Meet the McCallums, one of Australia's few Amish families — The Sydney Morning Herald. A family leaves behind the trappings of the 21st century to lead a simple, self-sufficient and pious life in rural Tasmania.
Amish Beliefs on Buttons
Buttons, like zippers, are seen as a form of modern convenience. They're believed to promote vanity and draw attention to the clothing considered inappropriate in the Amish community. Instead, they use straight pins or hooks and eyes on clothing that require closure.
According to the Schwartzentruber Amish Ordinance Letter, Amish women are not permitted to shave their legs or underarms. Amish ordinances also forbid women from cutting their hair.