This website dedicated to the Amish
across the United States reminded and emphasised for me how diverse the faiths
of this country are. However, dissimilarly from the majority of other religions
in America, the Amish seem to make it clear they want very little contact with
anyone from the outside world and "do not solicit nor encourage tourism to their quiet countryside farms." This
is accentuated throughout the website by their references to the
"Englishers, Yankees or High People (names given
by the Amish for anyone who is not Amish) and their insistence that they do not
care to be educated about the modern world.
The
website also appears to focus on the skills and traditions of the Amish people,
with very little reference to their religious background. However, any
reference to the Bible within the website is clearly taken very seriously; for
example: "The Amish people do not pose for pictures because they believe
that photographs violate the biblical teaching against making graven images
(Exodus 20:4)." Also, in the section of the website entitled 'Amish Life
FAQ', questions are asked about their religious beliefs, but even here their
answers are quite blunt and to the point without much, if any, explanation or elaboration.
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