Impressed at the Amish

[Street Gerbil]

Rejecting (or rather, ignoring) irrelevant stuff makes them appear to be oldfashioned, but they are not consciously anachronistic.

Actually, I have to disagree on that one.
Several of their clans have a nasty habit of refusing to put "slow moving vehicle" reflectors on their buggies. Their folks keep getting killed but keep refusing to comply with the law out of pure pigheadness. A majority of Amish condemn that approach, by the way.

[Hitcher]

I don't under stand why they choose to live like that specific time? At that time people wernt "old fashiond" they were living up to the mod cons of the time, why did they choose that time rather than 100 years before that...

They don't choose to live "old fashioned" as we know it. They reject or rather choose not to use things from the outside world that put at risk the things they value as a community -- like community. Many innovations of the "modern" world, such as electricity and powered devices, put at risk the community-based teamwork and participatory processes that the Amish value. Think about it, individualism or the nuclear family would not be possible without the tools, systems and technologies that allow people to live apart from others. Even photographs are shunned by the Amish because they encourage personal and family vanity.

Amish will allow the use of modern devices, on a case-by-case basis or with constraints. Hence the stories of ageing farmers with no sons available to catch and harness plough horses being allowed to use a tractor; or powered cultivation equipment being towed by horses; or of telephone use, provided the phone is a payphone and some considerable distance from the user's residence.

Amish are Anabaptist Christians and are to be admired for "walking the walk" their faith requires. Among many things they show us that we could be more enriched by applying a little more humility to ourselves and that there is value in the contribution others may make to our lives. May their god bless them and keep them.

[onearmedbandit]

Wow, have we stumbled upon the one religious 'sect' that we can't blame for any wars, death, or corruption? Surely they have a few dirty secrets hidden away??? (p/t).

[RantyDave]

Ah, jeez. Apparently the eldest one asked to be shot first to buy time for the others.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2531138&page=1

These people are f'king hard cases, no two ways about it.

Dave

[sels1]

The Amish certainly deserve respect over the way they are able to "walk the walk' of their religion.
If there is one good thing to come out of this tragedy, is this shining example of love and forgivness has been broadcast around the world, pricking some peoples consciences and touching others hearts, and is an example to us all.

The old saying "The Lord moves in mysterious ways" comes to mind.

In a similar vein, if the Chinese hadnt driven the Dalai Lama out of Tibet in the '50s, (a terrible thing at the time) would Buddhisim be as well known/practised around the world as it is now?

[Wolf]

I have always had a lot of respect for the Amish and was deeply saddened to hear of the killings.

It is incomprehensible to me why anyone would want to murder a bunch of the most peaceful people on this planet, people who keep themselves to themselves, live their own lives according to their beliefs and don't expect anyone else to follow them. Why would anyone want to murder an adult male Amish, let alone female children from their community?

Their response to this terrible event strengthens my respect for them all the more.

I truly wish the killer - I'll not immortalise the bastard by even trying to remember his name - had not taken his own life. I would prefer that he had lived to rot in a cell for the rest of his life.

[Skyryder]

I loved that movie about the Amish with Harrison Ford in it.. can't remember the name of it atm. But they seem like lovely people, who just go about their lives not harming others and taking care of their own.

Witness. If that's not a repost.

Skyrder

[iwilde]

How can it be right to not feel hatred towards that child killer? One day it will all come to a head and the comunity will explode. Nothing wrong with "an eye for an eye", he should have beed violated and shot had he lived. Imagine one of those girls being your daughter? How forgiving would you be?

[Wolf]

Witness. If that's not a repost.

Skyrder

It is... bwahahahahahaha!

[SARGE]

Wow, have we stumbled upon the one religious 'sect' that we can't blame for any wars, death, or corruption? Surely they have a few dirty secrets hidden away??? (p/t).

Buddhism..and Wicca ( us Asatru' are some violent mofo's however..)

[Lissa]

How can it be right to not feel hatred towards that child killer? One day it will all come to a head and the comunity will explode. Nothing wrong with "an eye for an eye", he should have beed violated and shot had he lived. Imagine one of those girls being your daughter? How forgiving would you be?

He should have just killed himself, without taking innocents with him!

[Ixion]

How can it be right to not feel hatred towards that child killer? One day it will all come to a head and the comunity will explode. Nothing wrong with "an eye for an eye", he should have beed violated and shot had he lived. Imagine one of those girls being your daughter? How forgiving would you be?

Well, I would not be very forgiving. But that is because I am not a very good Christian. They apparently HAVE forgiven him . I wish I was that good a Christian. The community hasn't exploded in 300 and odd years, so I suppose it will cope with this too.

Nothing wrong with "an eye for an eye", just it's not the way they live. They live by a different standard.

[iwilde]

Well, I would not be very forgiving. But that is because I am not a very good Christian. They apparently HAVE forgiven him . I wish I was that good a Christian. The community hasn't exploded in 300 and odd years, so I suppose it will cope with this too.

Nothing wrong with "an eye for an eye", just it's not the way they live. They live by a different standard.

Maybe this will be the cause for an explosion? In 300yrs how many times have they had their young school girls tied up with the intention of sexual abuse and shot excution style? i bet not many times. Christian or not Christian, it's not human nature to forgive a piece of shit like this without it effecting your mentality in the long term.

[SARGE]

Maybe this will be the cause for an explosion? In 300yrs how many times have they had their young school girls tied up with the intention of sexual abuse and shot excution style? i bet not many times. Christian or not Christian, it's not human nature to forgive a piece of shit like this without it effecting your mentality in the long term.

the Amish and Mennonites will forgive stuff that would piss off the most loving flower child...the crime rate in an Amish village is almost zero.. they are not materialistic and i seriously doubt they know the meaning of the words "hate" or "revenge"

the killers wife will be welcomed as a sister into their community.. wait and see

[Ixion]

The Anabaptists (whence the Amish derive) have had their share, and more of persecution over the centuries. That is why they fled to America, though all to often hatred followed them there also.

No, it is not human nature to forgive such cruelty. I doubt that I could. But perhaps they have assistance from One more than human.