Have the Amish relaxed some of their rules?

[Kitsune]

A few days ago I saw an RV with people who were dressed like Amish. It appeared to be a whole family. Some of their cloths were modern such as one of the girls was wearing flip flops and they were at an auto part store.

[ArmorPierce]

I remember seeing a amish family at niagra falls. They were packed into two vans men separated from the women except for the driver.

[Broomstick]

Amish are permitted to hire drivers.

Amish are permitted to ride on trains and buses, and to take taxis.

In matters of life and death, they will even use aircraft - medical evacuation, for example.

They are not permitted to OWN cars, vans, etc. Occasionally you'll get an Amish kid getting their license during rumspringa, but it's kinda rare.

Also keep in mind that the Amish are not one, cohesive group. Each community of Amish has their own set of regulations and some communities are more restrictive than others.

[Deathstalker]

They also could have been Mennonites.

[Superman]

They also could have been Mennonites.

Or Quakers?

[Gil Hamilton]

Got to agree with Broomstick. There are lots of different Amish communities and they can vary somewhat dramatically in attitude from community to community, while many of the core concepts remain the same. Some are loose with alot of the rules and flexible, while some are unbelievably insular.

For example, you get Amish communities that have electricity, which is used for communication (some of them have telephones for emergencies) and refrigeration (usually for dairy and other perishables that the community may want to sell). Those tend to be friendly, absurdly patient, just have a different outlook sorts of people.

Then you have Amish communities on the other side of the spectrum who, frankly, want nothing to do with the outside world. You don't hear much from them.

Of course, regarding the people in the OP, they may well have not been Amish. specifically, but of a different order of Old Memmonite (the Amish schismed from the Memmonites). There are a bunch of orders of them and you'll see some with the ye olde dress but driving a car. One of the more surreal things I've seen was no less than 14 of them packed into a McDonald's on my way home from college. It happens.

[Gil Hamilton]

They also could have been Mennonites.

I'd tend to agree, sounds like a Memmonite sect.

[Kitsune]

I don't have a problem with them being Mennonite or Quakers although I thought Quakers had gone almost completely modern.....

[Gil Hamilton]

I don't have a problem with them being Mennonite or Quakers although I thought Quakers had gone almost completely modern.....

Quakers are modern as anyone. They have a tradition of living simply, but as far as I know, no quaker group prohibits anything in the way of modern living. They just really recommend you don't get carried away with it.

[Sea Skimmer]

They are not permitted to OWN cars, vans, etc. Occasionally you'll get an Amish kid getting their license during rumspringa, but it's kinda rare.

That is not true at all, no one tells the Amish what is allowed, they set community standards are a very local level. The Amish prefer a simple life which is separate from the English world, but in many localities it has simply become too unsafe and impractical to keep using horse and buggies, so they’ve started buying cars, usually small black ones. Go drive out in Lancaster Pennsylvania and see the traffic the roads now carry and anyone could understand why. The Amish don’t reject or inherently dislike technology, they simply feel that many modern conveniences make them too dependent on the outside world, and adversely affect the tightly knit communities they live in. They accept telephones and modern medical care as being necessary for emergencies for example.

Or Quakers?

Please tell me, who the fuck ever told you Quakers don’t use modern technology?

I don't have a problem with them being Mennonite or Quakers although I thought Quakers had gone almost completely modern.....

Same question for you as the above. Who the fuck is spreading this absurdity which has absolutely no basis in fact EVER? There was a time when Quakers did strongly emphasis keeping appearances plain, but that was ONLY in relation to clothing and speech, today that thinking is still around but it’s a matter for individual friends to decide for themselves.

[TheKwas]

I don't know where you live, but they could also be Hutterites, which has numerous liberal communities with internet access and cellphones.

[Broomstick]

They are not permitted to OWN cars, vans, etc. Occasionally you'll get an Amish kid getting their license during rumspringa, but it's kinda rare.

That is not true at all, no one tells the Amish what is allowed, they set community standards are a very local level.

Gee, I thought you could figure out that by "not permitted' I meant "by the rules of the community", not some external authority. Yes, the Amish do have "someone" that sets their rules - the community.

The Amish prefer a simple life which is separate from the English world, but in many localities it has simply become too unsafe and impractical to keep using horse and buggies, so they’ve started buying cars, usually small black ones. Go drive out in Lancaster Pennsylvania and see the traffic the roads now carry and anyone could understand why.

While that may be true in Pennsylvania I largely base my comments/observations on the Indiana Amish, which happen to live starting about 20 miles east of my current location. Trust me, they still horse-and-buggy, which is why there's a Wal-Mart with a barn as well as a parking lot, so their Amish customers have a safe place to park their horses while shopping. The Niles Amtrak station has a row of hitching posts. It's a shame that Lancaster is becoming unsafe for the traditional horse and buggy, but the Amish are quite adaptable when necessary.

The Amish don’t reject or inherently dislike technology, they simply feel that many modern conveniences make them too dependent on the outside world, and adversely affect the tightly knit communities they live in. They accept telephones and modern medical care as being necessary for emergencies for example.

Yes. I believe I pointed out their willingness to use things like medivac helicopters and if one of theirs needs medical care of the sort that requires electric power they'll make sure it's provided. But those are exceptions to their general way of life.

[Kitsune]

Same question for you as the above. Who the fuck is spreading this absurdity which has absolutely no basis in fact EVER? There was a time when Quakers did strongly emphasis keeping appearances plain, but that was ONLY in relation to clothing and speech, today that thinking is still around but it’s a matter for individual friends to decide for themselves.

Come on, I read an article about the Quakers about two years ago or so. I can remember bits and pieces. One part was that they have discarded for the most part.

I thin alot of people here need to take a Valium or two

[Magus]

Or Quakers?

Please tell me, who the fuck ever told you Quakers don’t use modern technology?

Where do you get the idea that he was stating that Quakers don't use modern technology? He was providing a rationale for why why they might be dressed like that, despite using an RV.

[Kitsune]

Edit of what I stated earlier:

Come on, I read an article about the Quakers about two years ago or so. I can remember bits and pieces. One part was that they have discarded for the most part was their clothing from what I remember.

I think a lot of people here need to take a Valium or two......

[Kanastrous]

they have discarded for the most part was their clothing from what I remember.

Quaker nudists?

They are loosening up.

[Kitsune]

they have discarded for the most part was their clothing from what I remember.

Quaker nudists?

They are loosening up.

You got me there

Nah, I mean the simple dress code of times past

[Gil Hamilton]

I think Sea Skimmer is a little rough around the edges because I'm pretty sure he's mentioned being a Friend, so would naturally respond to some ignorance.

Quakers are pretty much a protestant branch and possibly one of the least obnoxious one, since they rarely if ever proselytize and focus on community outreach and generally being a good member of the community. However, they aren't in any way less modern than anyone else.

That is not true at all, no one tells the Amish what is allowed, they set community standards are a very local level. The Amish prefer a simple life which is separate from the English world, but in many localities it has simply become too unsafe and impractical to keep using horse and buggies, so they’ve started buying cars, usually small black ones. Go drive out in Lancaster Pennsylvania and see the traffic the roads now carry and anyone could understand why. The Amish don’t reject or inherently dislike technology, they simply feel that many modern conveniences make them too dependent on the outside world, and adversely affect the tightly knit communities they live in. They accept telephones and modern medical care as being necessary for emergencies for example.

It really depends on WHICH Amish community you are talking about, because they are plenty who rally are that insular; they honestly do think most modern technology is not only something to be avoided but actively wicked, practice shunning, the whole nine yards. These are the ones with the really thick German accents if they speak English at all.