The Amish Lifestyle

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the Amish people and explains how their lifestyle is in stark contrast to that of most Americans. The writer explains why they refuse social security, health insurance, and the use of electricity. Amish children end their formal education, which includes religious education and practical homemaking or farming skills, at 8th grade and begin to work after about the age of thirteen. Amish baptism beliefs, weddings, funerals, and the practice of shunning, which is the term for expulsion from the Amish community, are also described. The paper concludes that the Amish faith is not one that many Americans can understand, and cites one of the Bible verses upon which the Amish have based their culture and way of life.

From the Paper:

"The Amish are quite different from today's "normal Americans." They dress in simple and self-made clothes and also forbid photography of themselves because they believe it leads to pride and threatens the importance of "community" by calling attention to individuals. All in all, the Amish way of life is vastly different and yet seemingly senseless from the modern American's way of life because of the simple fact that they use a different method of transportation, refuse to use electricity, the lack of a formal education, their different work habits, and their unusual religious services."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Amish." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 18 March 2008. http://www.britannica.com/bps/topic/20820/Amish
• "Amish Mennonites" Encyclopedia Britannica: Micropedia.15th ed. 1977.
• Meyer, Carolyn. Amish People: Plain Living In A Complex World. Canada. McClelland & Stewart, Ltd. 1977.
• Powel, Kimberly and Albrecht Powell. "Amish 101- Amish Beliefs, Culture & Lifestyle." About.com. 2008. 23 March 08. http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/pennsylvania/a/amish.htm
• "The Amish Lifestyle." Elkhart County Visitor Center. 2006. 18 March 2008. <http://www.amishcountry.org/the.amish.lifestyle>

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