The Amish are a group of Christian church fellowships. They are best known for their simplistic living and plain dress. The Amish people feature in the film Witness and also more recently on a VO5 advert for hair wax. They are best known for their reluctance to accept many conviniences of the modern world.
The histroy of the Amish came from a church in Switzerland in 1693. Today there are over 25 different Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren church groups in Lancaster County, all holding slightly different traditions and their own interpretations of the Bible. The more traditional groups are called 'old order'. They do not use electricity or telephones in their homes. By restricting access to television, radio, and telephones, the Amish are better able to keep the modern world from intruding into their home life. They isolate themselves from modern society.
The Amish have long preferred farming as a way of life. They feel their lifestyle and their families can best be maintained in a rural environment. While they do not permit the use of tractors in their fields, these old order Amish groups do use modern farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules.
"Amish lifestyle is dictated by the Ordnung (German, meaning: order), which differs slightly from community to community, and, within a community, from district to district." Amish people are true believers in community and they believe that all families are a blessing from god. Their separation from the rest of society helps strengthen their community. The old order Amish groups do not own vehicles, they believe that cars would provide easier access to the ways of the world. You will often see their horses and buggies on roads.
The Amish have long preferred farming as a way of life. They feel their lifestyle and their families can best be maintained in a rural environment. While they do not permit the use of tractors in their fields, these old order Amish groups do use modern farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules.
"Amish lifestyle is dictated by the Ordnung (German, meaning: order), which differs slightly from community to community, and, within a community, from district to district." Amish people are true believers in community and they believe that all families are a blessing from god. Their separation from the rest of society helps strengthen their community. The old order Amish groups do not own vehicles, they believe that cars would provide easier access to the ways of the world. You will often see their horses and buggies on roads.
The use of Amish characters in the film Witness means that the characters are very trusting of one another, especially as I wrote that their community is strengthened by their voluntary isolation. The fact that the mother lets her little boy go to the toilet on his own accord did not phase her as they live so far away from society that they are not knowledgeable of the dangers that he was faced to in that toilet.
Emily you can borrow Witness over the holidays as it is a great thriller and focuses on the contrast between the Amish rural community and the fragmented urban lifestyle of the USA. Some useful research here. Well done
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