Vass Is Deitsch?

There was a great article in the supplement of the english Telegraph yesterday about the Amish in America.

Now let the Reverend give you a quick capsule decription of my friends, The Amish.

They came from a division of the Mennonites or Anabaptists (Re-baptizers) from Switzerland about the l500s. They baptize people only as adults at about age l8, shunning of technological things like automobiles, television, video games, movies and fashions, prefering to travel round by horse and cart. They do not use gasoline or electricity and higher education beyond eighth grade is frowned upon.
They are then cast out into the world of satan at the or at least into a local suburb of Ohio for their 'rumspringa' to test out modern day life in the hope they will return to their flock with their faith renewed and never care to return. In this growing period of adolescence, it is accepted that they can drink, fuck, swear, play pool (oooo satan's game with its indiscriminant balls of colour and ferocious violent overtone...!) make friends, go to college.....

But there are somethings that don't quite add up, perhaps its my ignorance about 19th Century thinking, I dunno....
They don't own cars..... but they will ride in one....
They dont allow phones.... but they will use one in the street.....
They do not force their faith on their children.... but will shun them if they later reject Amish life....
They wont allow computers.... but they have a websites (!?!) http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/
http://amish.net/

and a tourist board... http://www.amish-heartland.com/

Did I miss a meeting? Was this a workshop I was not invited to?
I totally respect the people right to believe in such an unorthodox way of life but the way they treat their offspring pretty much sucks and borders on abuse.
Neglect and cruelty reign if you refuse a child a proper education and the right to experience the world. You cannot keep these people locked up like hermits.

Some of the most important beliefs held by the Amish are:

Separation from the outside world, vow of obedience, and closeness to nature. (Imagine not being able to sit down in front of American Idol??)

There are other regulations over societal customs such as dress, which are simple made of basic cloth and ties (buttons are the attachments of evil! Velcro is Satan's accessory!)

Use of inventions and no formal education beyond elementary school. (One thing people in America needs is education, trust me.)

The fear of being shunned and excommunicated keeps the Amish from being tempted by the outside world. The moral beliefs of the Amish Church are based on the Bible and most of their views stem from literal translations of the teachings of the Bible.

The Amish do not try to recruit members from the outside world because that would be seen as consorting with those that are shunned. (You mean there's no point in continuing my beard growth??)

This idea of shunning those who reject their faiths I believe is directed from this passage.
I Corrinthians 5:11, states "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one".

But once a person has been shunned, if they acknowledge their sins and wish to make ammends with the community, they are allowed back into the fellowship, usually after two or three weeks, surely thats a contradiction and rejection of their own faiths in so many terms.

I just hope their morals steeped in tradition are not compromised whilst the health and well being of their children are taken care of. The world aint that bad.

Buy hey, thats some quiltmaking, huh?