The Amish Community

Tourists from all over the world are fascinated by the Amish community and make a point to visit places like Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in order to try to gain an understanding to the mysterious people who stay “behind closed doors.” They do nothing to attract attention, except for having a culture unique to the rest of society. They isolate themselves from the outside world and aim to live the simplest lifestyle possible. Their way of life revolves around complete obedience to God, church, and tradition. People find this so intriguing—who are these people, what makes them stand out, and how are they so successful in the midst of the changing world? (Kraybill, Johnson-Weiner, and Nolt, 3-4)

The Amish society originated in Europe in the year 1693, when it was founded by Jakob Ammann. The last European group dwindled in the late 1930’s, and the other Amish families had since moved to North America. The Amish is a Protestant Christian group that incorporates Jesus’ teachings into their everyday life. Amish communities today can be found mainly in the states of Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio, although they are spread throughout many other states as well as Ontario. Despite beliefs that this society would have died out by the twenty-first century, the Amish population has unexpectedly skyrocketed over the last one hundred years. In the year 1900, the population was a small six thousand people. However, according to The Amish, the current population of this culture group has reached 275,000 people (Kraybill, Johnson-Weiner, and Nolt, 3-4)

What makes the Amish so different is their simple way of life. The Amish are commonly known for their use of horse and buggies as transportation around the community. All modern technology such a...

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...because of the morals and values that have been instilled in them their whole lives. The Amish also believe that the bond of faith in new members of the church will make their community stronger than ever because they get to choose this path for themselves after exploring other lifestyles (Kraybill, Johnson-Weiner, and Nolt, 212).

Works Cited

Fisher, Suzanne Woods. Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 2009. Print.

"The Future of the Amish." Academic Search Complete. EBSCO, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Kraybill, Donald B., Karen Johnson-Weiner, and Steven M. Nolt. The Amish. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2013. 3-5. Print.

Mazie, Steven V. "Consenting Adults? Amish Rumspringa and the Quandary of Exit in Liberalism." APSA 3.4 (2005): 749-58. American Policial Science Association. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.