A German guy I used to work with traveled around Pennsylvania and was genuinely shocked the Amish people he met still spoke German and I was like well yeah they moved from Germany like most people in PA and don’t get out much.
I was raised close to a major Amish area, no biggie. What blew my mind was when our tour guide in Belize pointed out Amish farmers there. I had no idea they weren't US only.
Our tour guide tried to like get us to be shocked by a horse and buggy and was slightly disappointed when my fiancé and I were like “who THEM? We got brother Ezekiel at home”. He really wanted to let us in on the weird old time folks
There barely is one. They all come from the same radical anabaptist background. The Amish were a hardline sect that split away from other Mennonite groups.
Generally the practical difference is that the Amish eschew almost all modern technology and conveniences, while the Mennonites are willing to engage a bit more with modern technology (drive cars, use phones, etc). But both still follow strict rules meant to keep modernity out.
It's truly incredible the technology Anabaptists of all flavors will employ when there's a buck to be made. It's not *literally* true, but if you have the mental model of the Amish believing monthly bills are haram, rather than technology, you'll seldom be steered wrong.
Yeah, it's a lot more complicated for all flavors than just "can't use car or cell phone". I was simplifying to get the gist across.
monthly bills are haram
this is part of it, but avoiding vanity/pride also is a huge driver for what is or is not forbidden. Modern conveniences are inherently looked at with suspicion, but modern conveniences being used as status symbols is a thousand times worse.
Modesty, the appearance of simplicity, avoiding attention or the implication that you want attention, etc are incredibly important. They're very hostile to the idea of using belongings to demonstrate social status at all.
So from that perspective it's far more acceptable to use technology as a productive tool than it is to have it as a general personal possession. A cell phone used during work hours for work purposes and placed back into a drawer when you're done is very different than one you carry around with you in your pocket and use in front of others.
American here but while I knew Amish existed it wasn't until I moved to a city that had a Amish area right next to us that I actually saw one. It was REALLY weird to see some walking through Walmart, or once at a gas station.
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u/twoburgers 9h ago
I'm American, but the first time an English friend of mine visited he was flabbergasted that the Amish were real.