Most of our youth marry between the ages of 18-22. Our divorce rate is close to zero. Marrying young is not a problem for us. The young men have learned how to work and support a family and the young women have learned how to cook, sew, take care of her children and be a supporter of her husband.
For better or worse smartphones are making their way into many Amish communities. Our church has agreed to allow them. We’ll see if that was a good decision. Only time can tell. We don’t have TV or radio but I see that in a way the smartphone goes beyond either one. It can be a big distraction with precious time wasted on the smartphone rather than face to face interactions or reading the Bible.
To the guy from Mississippi, The answer is yes, and let me add that in way would I compare my wife to a robot. I am very thankful for her, she has been a gift from God. She has always supported me in good times and difficult times. Last Monday she helped plant corn with our one row corn planter. She cooks and cleans and does a large amount of canning every year.
Until our store is up and running I raise sweet corn and other produce for income and build furniture. There are many ways to build a business to support ones own family as well as offer employment to others in ones own church with the advantage of enjoying a wholesome work environment.
Honestly, I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for all the help my church has given our family through the years. Years ago folks in my church lent me enough money to start our family run store. We eventually sold it to move, but are now working on starting another store. The money will come from within our church groups, borrowed at very low interest. God has been so good to us. We don’t have insurance, but when we had major medical expenses our church helped us pay most of it.
Mr. Works: I would be glad to have you over sometime for a warm glass of organic milk, I’m sure we would get along fine and have plenty to talk about. God bless you my friend.
To Ezekiel: Our Amish churches have stubbornly held onto old values including a strong sense of accountability to each other. We don’t have much time for individualism.
I think it was God Himself who gave us permission a long time ago to be fruitful and multiply. I don’t recall Him ever saying since then, it is enough now. But having said that, good parenting is following bible principles.
One question, based on all the reasons given on why makeup is ok for women. Would the same be true for men? The Bible as far as I know doesn’t forbid men from wearing makeup at all. To combat an extra-biblical standard maybe men should be allowed the same freedom given to women on this matter. One more thought on makeup, from what I understand women put it on in the morning and take it off at night. I pity her husband. And do young women use makeup as bait? Is the newly married young man then in for a shock when he sees his unadorned new wife for the first time?
I feel the world and now the church too has established a false standard of beauty and it is placing a unecessary and wrong emphasis on outward adornment. To me this just shows how far christians have drifted, and how much the church is in love with the world.
To Quiet Christian: We Amish and Mennonites are often referred to as the “quiet in the land”, but we’re finding out that our appearance and lifestyle can speak quite loudly.
One sister of ours said she was shopping and a man came up to her in the store and began rudely telling her that Christians like her were legalists and going to hell. She gently replied, and who told you I am a Christian? He walked away embarrassed.
The Bible should be our standard and guide in areas including things like our appearance. Why don’t Christians do that anymore? After all that’s what they used to do. Have modern Christians graduated to a new more spiritual level. If so why the decline in most churches. Our church numbers are doubling every twenty years.
8/10/18 12:16 AM
