Who Are the Amish?
The Amish are the most conservative segment of the Anabaptist movement, which also produced the Mennonites. The Amish resulted from division within Swiss Brethren. They derived their name from Jacob Amman, an influential Swiss Brethren leader of the late 1600s and early 1700s.
Most of the Amish forefathers came from Germany and Switzerland. Many were driven from their homes by religious persecution, and hundreds of them immigrated to the United States druing a period of 125 years, starting soon after 1720.
The Amish believe the Bible teaches a life of simplicity and a distinct separation between the church and the world. In view of this, they have refrained from accepting technology and a lot of cultural changes that have been introducted as progress. Therefore, they still use horse and buggies, not because they think the automobile is wicked in itself, but because they believe the lifestyle it represent tends to break down a cohesive family structure, and the simple lifestyle they value so highly.
Many such choices and practive only make sense withing the context of a unique historical and religious setting. To outsiders, these practices may seem quaint and old-fashioned, when in reality, they're an expression of biblical principles, and interpretation and apploication of scriptures that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.
As a group they do not wish to be idolized, and they have distast for their name to be used commercially to promote sales. It is quite safe to say the Amish would feel a keen disappointment if tourists leaving LaGrange/Elkhart Counties would remember them only for their thrifty farms, their quilts, and crafts. Instead they would desire a deeper understanding of their Christian profession, which is silently portrayedd by their simple lifestyle.
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