Answering Questions Part 1

The response from yesterdays post was interesting! I will be doing several posts to answer all your questions .

Why is it so important and why do all Amish wear head coverings? I don't mind them, just always wondering why they do.

The Amish women and girls wear head coverings because of the passage in 1 Corinthians 11:5 where it says; But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. And in verse ten where it says For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Do the Amish ever listen to music, or play musical instruments?

Amish churches do not approve or allow listening to music (radios, CD's etc) The only place most of them hear anything is when the ride with a "taxi" Most drivers who haul Amish for any length of time know they love to listen to Country and have their radio turned on for them. New drivers usually didn't to begin with and it was torture trying not to think of what we were missing on a twenty minute drive that could have been filled with George Strait and Alan Jackson. (Funny thing is, since we have our own vehicle and I can listen to anything I want to. I have lost my taste for Country.)

A lot of Amish churches have a no musical instruments rule, including the one I grew up in. But a lot of others allow harmonicas.

I find, what little I know of the Amish way of life, very interesting, comforting, simple. Am I wrong? Why would you want to leave it and do many folks leave that way of life? Do you still practice it at all?

The Amish way of life is so much more than what you can see by just visiting Amish country. The majority of those born Amish will remain Amish until they die. But there are always some who will leave for many different reasons. For some they leave as rebels, others want to see what they are missing in life, others change their religious views, and other similar reasons. We no longer live like the Amish in most ways, but I am sure there are little quirks that we have and some views on different things that our Amish roots show through.

Why did you leave the Amish? Were you shunned?

Since I am chronicling my journey from a little Amish girl to where we are today I will come to the part where we made the hardest decision in our life, that of leaving the Amish. I will share the details then. And yes we were and are still shunned.

Do the kids in the Amish community know about all the stuff as far as technology goes, and have they seen it, and how do they feel about the way other kids dress.

Amish kids know far more about technology than most people give them credit for. They don't think anything about the way others dress. They have seen it ever since they can remember and to them that's just the way non-Amish dress. No big deal to them at all.

How do the Amish view the outside world in general? Do they see the people who do not live as Amish as sinners or just as "others"?

To the Amish the outside world is a dangerous place. Though they would not go as far as to say you have to be Amish to go to heaven they do believe it enhances the chance to get there.

Well, this is something I've always wondered...do Amish women have home birthing? Do they have one particular lady as a midwife?

In the area I grew up most of them went to the hospital to have their babies, but there were a few brave ones that did home birthing and yes there was one particular lady who enjoyed being a midwife. There are other Amish areas where home birthing is the preferred method.

If a bad farm accident occurred would they utilize an ambulance and ER?

If there is a need, ambulances and ER are welcomed by the Amish. And have been used often.

Do the women gossip? Are their any meddlers?

Gossip, sadly is one thing very common among the Amish, and "oh, yes" there are definitely meddlers.

I always kind of wondered why they weren't supposed to attend professional sporting events?

They used to quote scripture, in German of course to warn us about sports. "For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

What do you still retain from your life as being Amish, like what WON'T you change?

This one is a little harder. One thing we still retain from being Amish is the language. It is still the easiest to speak and the one we use 90% of the time we are at home. Some other things are some of the convictions we have, that we were taught by our parents. We see no reason to throw all such things to the wind just because we are no longer Amish.