Free Plain Answers About the Amish Life by Mindy Starns Clark Page A
Authors: Mindy Starns Clark
inbox can surely understand that concept.
Who and/or what determines if a technology fits into the value system?
As explained in chapter 9, âRules,â when a new technology becomes available to a district, church leaders will evaluate its potential for causing harm to Amish life and values and then decide whether to allow it. No technology, regardless of how labor-saving it may be, is permissible if the leaders determine it will be spiritually detrimental to the community.
What are some examples of acceptable technological devices?
Though the rules vary widely from district to district, many technological items are allowed in Amish homes and farms, such ascalculators, flashlights, manual typewriters, gas grills, chain saws, and inline skates. Some districts permit gas-powered lawn mowers and even weed whackers.
Is it true the Amish donât have electricity?
Yes. Most Amish do not have electricity in their homes.
Do they use other forms of power?
Yes. In many Amish homes and farms, certain items are allowed as long as they have been adapted to work with non-electric fuel sources, such as propane or batteries. These would include refrigerators, lights, shop tools, fans, copy machines, sewing machines, smoke alarms, some farm equipment, hot water heaters, washing machines, and more.
What do they use to power these adapted devices?
Not all districts allow all types of power, but the Amish have found remarkably ingenious ways to make their lives easier using permissible power sources instead of hooking into the grid, for example:
⢠lanterns and lamps powered by kerosene, naphtha, gasoline, or propane
⢠stoves powered by wood, kerosene, bottled gas, or propane
⢠refrigerators powered by kerosene or propane
⢠small appliances powered by compressed air
⢠plumbing powered by wind, water, gas, diesel, compressed air, or gravity
⢠water heaters powered by wood, coal, kerosene, or bottled gas
⢠household heaters powered by wood, propane, or natural gas
⢠washing machines powered by compressed air or gasoline
Is high-tech farm equipment also adapted?
Frequently, yes. Tractors often must be changed so that they can be used for off-road use only, lest they provide the opportunity to go too far from home. This usually means steel tires rather than rubber. In many communities, tractors are not used in the fields at all but instead may only be used inside or near the barn as sources for high-powered needs such as blowing silage to the top of silos, powering feed grinders and hydraulic systems, pumping liquid manure, and so on.
In most cases, hay balers can be used in the fields as long as they are pulled by horses rather than self-propelled.
What about digital technology?
Digital technology is one of the greatest current technological threats to the Amish way of life. As more and more Amish leave farming behind and take up manufacturing and other jobs, they are exposed to computers, cell phones, and the Internet. To further complicate matters, many Amish-owned businesses, including farms, have felt compelled to enter the computer and cell-phone age as well.
If this type of technology is such a problem, why donât the Amish just ban digital devices altogether?
When the success or failure of a business depends on a device, leaders hesitate to draw the line and say it cannot be usedâat least, not hastily and without an enormous amount of thought and debate first. How these problems will be handled remains to be seen.
Have the Amish ever faced anything like this in the past?
To an extent. For example, the use of tractors on farms has been problematic for years. Starting as far back as the 1920s, leaders have faced tractor-related conundrums that have required much thought and careful decision making all along the way, especially with the release of each new type of tractor technology that has come along.
Isnât there a big difference between a tractor and
Who and/or what determines if a technology fits into the value system?
As explained in chapter 9, âRules,â when a new technology becomes available to a district, church leaders will evaluate its potential for causing harm to Amish life and values and then decide whether to allow it. No technology, regardless of how labor-saving it may be, is permissible if the leaders determine it will be spiritually detrimental to the community.
What are some examples of acceptable technological devices?
Though the rules vary widely from district to district, many technological items are allowed in Amish homes and farms, such ascalculators, flashlights, manual typewriters, gas grills, chain saws, and inline skates. Some districts permit gas-powered lawn mowers and even weed whackers.
Is it true the Amish donât have electricity?
Yes. Most Amish do not have electricity in their homes.
Do they use other forms of power?
Yes. In many Amish homes and farms, certain items are allowed as long as they have been adapted to work with non-electric fuel sources, such as propane or batteries. These would include refrigerators, lights, shop tools, fans, copy machines, sewing machines, smoke alarms, some farm equipment, hot water heaters, washing machines, and more.
What do they use to power these adapted devices?
Not all districts allow all types of power, but the Amish have found remarkably ingenious ways to make their lives easier using permissible power sources instead of hooking into the grid, for example:
⢠lanterns and lamps powered by kerosene, naphtha, gasoline, or propane
⢠stoves powered by wood, kerosene, bottled gas, or propane
⢠refrigerators powered by kerosene or propane
⢠small appliances powered by compressed air
⢠plumbing powered by wind, water, gas, diesel, compressed air, or gravity
⢠water heaters powered by wood, coal, kerosene, or bottled gas
⢠household heaters powered by wood, propane, or natural gas
⢠washing machines powered by compressed air or gasoline
Is high-tech farm equipment also adapted?
Frequently, yes. Tractors often must be changed so that they can be used for off-road use only, lest they provide the opportunity to go too far from home. This usually means steel tires rather than rubber. In many communities, tractors are not used in the fields at all but instead may only be used inside or near the barn as sources for high-powered needs such as blowing silage to the top of silos, powering feed grinders and hydraulic systems, pumping liquid manure, and so on.
In most cases, hay balers can be used in the fields as long as they are pulled by horses rather than self-propelled.
What about digital technology?
Digital technology is one of the greatest current technological threats to the Amish way of life. As more and more Amish leave farming behind and take up manufacturing and other jobs, they are exposed to computers, cell phones, and the Internet. To further complicate matters, many Amish-owned businesses, including farms, have felt compelled to enter the computer and cell-phone age as well.
If this type of technology is such a problem, why donât the Amish just ban digital devices altogether?
When the success or failure of a business depends on a device, leaders hesitate to draw the line and say it cannot be usedâat least, not hastily and without an enormous amount of thought and debate first. How these problems will be handled remains to be seen.
Have the Amish ever faced anything like this in the past?
To an extent. For example, the use of tractors on farms has been problematic for years. Starting as far back as the 1920s, leaders have faced tractor-related conundrums that have required much thought and careful decision making all along the way, especially with the release of each new type of tractor technology that has come along.
Isnât there a big difference between a tractor and
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