Amish

[MrsFrozen]

What do the Amish believe? Are they sola scriptura? Does anyone know? Why do they think technology is evil?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I think they are Sola Scriptura, but I'm not sure.

I do know that they are anti-technology because they don't like technology, which has corrupted many societies, to take precedence in their lives and interrupt more important things.

[Brother Adam]

Dating from the 1520's in Central Europe, these radical Protestants take their name from Menno Simons, an early Dutch Leader. "Radical" in yearning to get to the roots of biblical manner of living, they rejected the "magisterial Reformation" of Luther and Calvin and were in turn treated as outsiders, even heretics. Their converns have been with exemplifying godly living.

Beliefs are based on a confession of faith signed in Dordrecht, Holland in 1632. The following doctrines were laid down: faith in God as Creator, humanity's fall and restoration at the coming fo Christ; Christ as the Son of God; obedience to teh law of Christ in the gospel, the necessity of repentance and conversion for salvation, baptism as a public testimony of faith, the Lord's supper as an expression of common union and fellowship, obedience to civil government,exept in the use of armed force.

Source: Handbook of Denominations, 10th Edition, Frank S. Mead

[frozencell]

This should be MrsFrozen.

[MrsFrozen]

Thanks, Brother! What's Handbook of Denominations like? Does it talk about all the different religions and such? Is it a good book? I'm trying to learn more about other religions, just out of curiosity.

[Brother Adam]

It principally covers Christian denominations in the United States. It does so from a secular point of view. While it covers Judaism today and other psuedo Christian groups, it does not cover Muslims, Hindus, or other such religions. "Honoring Your Neighbors Faith" is about the only reliable basic book I know of covering a whole bunch of religions. It is published by Concordia for the ELCA and costs $10

[ironmonk]

[quote name='MrsFrozen' date='Oct 9 2004, 05:42 PM'] What do the Amish believe? Are they sola scriptura? Does anyone know? Why do they think technology is evil? [/quote]
I was just talking about this with a friend of mine at work, here is what I found last week...

[url="http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/origin.htm"]http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/origin.htm[/url]

From the page:
[quote]Amish ethics -- Living non-resistant lives (They do not serve in the military, but only in hospitals or alternate service), with brotherly love, sharing material aid and living close to the soil and following the Bible literally. They cite the Bible which says, "Be ye not conformed to the world" as their chief tenet.[/quote]


Amish FAQ
[url="http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/amishfaq.htm"]http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/amishfaq.htm[/url]


God Bless,
ironmonk

[CatholicforChrist]

BrotherAdam, what is that about honoring your neighbor's faith? Are these like "religious tolerance" books? I hope they don't support religious tolerance, which is condemned by the Church.

[MrsFrozen]

Thanks, Ironmonk! Very helpful info.

[MrsFrozen]

[quote name='CatholicforChrist' date='Oct 11 2004, 02:00 PM'] BrotherAdam, what is that about honoring your neighbor's faith? Are these like "religious tolerance" books? I hope they don't support religious tolerance, which is condemned by the Church. [/quote]
I must not understand. What is religious tolerance? Why is it not supported by the Church?

[MrsFrozen]

[quote]If the Amish interpret the Bible literally, how do they relate to Christ's command to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?

Early Anabaptists, the ancestors of Amish and Mennonites, were very evangelistic, going everywhere preaching and teaching. This was a sharp contrast to the Christian society in which they lived. Persecution followed and many Anabaptists died for their faith and their zeal for evangelism. In the years that followed, missionary zeal decreased. The church succumbed to persecution and discrimination. Gradually Amish and Mennonites became known more for their traditional practices and their quiet, peaceful way of life and less for their active evangelism. This trend continued until it seemed almost wrong to send members out of the close community to evangelize. Old Order Amish, along with some Old Order Mennonites, have retained this position and desire to remain the quiet in the land. However, missionary zeal experienced a strong rebirth around the beginning of this century in Mennonite circles and more recently among the Church Amish. As a result of this rebirth of evangelism, Mennonites today number more than one million people in over 60 countries around the world and speak 78 different languages. [/quote]

Huh. Interesting stuff about why they don't evangelize. Kind of seems like they don't want anyone to join them! Anyway, I have always found the Amish people to be interesting.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='CatholicforChrist' date='Oct 11 2004, 02:00 PM'] BrotherAdam, what is that about honoring your neighbor's faith? Are these like "religious tolerance" books? I hope they don't support religious tolerance, which is condemned by the Church. [/quote]
That is the title of the book.

Religious tolerance:
Author:
Archbishop Renato R. Martino

Description:
On November 13, 2001, Archbishop Renato Martino, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the U.N. read the following statement on Item 119C Human Rights -- Religious Tolerance before [full text]
Categories:
Catholicism > Pending

Larger Work:
L'Osservatore Romano
Pages: 6
Publisher & Date:
Vatican, November 21, 2001

Human Rights - Religious Tolerance

Mr. Chairman,

The Holy See welcomes the Report prepared by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 55/97 of December last year. The Report identifies positive situations where improvements have been made in curbing intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief in certain fields and in certain countries.


Obstacles to Tolerance
Of serious concern to my Delegation, however, is the information contained in the Report which reveals the maintenance, in many parts of the world, of discriminatory or intolerant policies with regard to minorities in States having an official religion; the increase in extremism affecting all religions; and the gradual shift towards non-belief within society, characterized by a growing militancy that enters into competition or conflict with religions.


Religious freedom
Mr. Chairman, at the heart of every culture lies the attitude humanity takes toward the greatest of all mysteries: the mystery of God. Indeed, different cultures throughout history and throughout the world testify to the many and varied ways in which people face the question of the meaning of personal existence. Religion expresses the deepest aspirations of the human person. It shapes people’s vision of the world and affects their relationships with others.

Religious freedom, therefore, constitutes the very heart of human rights, and the right to religious freedom is based upon the dignity of the human person, who experiences the inner and indestructible exigency of acting freely according to the imperatives of his or her conscience. This inner reflection, even if it does not result in an explicit and positive assertion of faith, cannot but be respected in the name of the dignity of each one’s conscience, whose hidden searching may not be judged by others. This concrete liberty of reflection and its expression has its foundation in human nature itself. As such, "one’s exercise of the right to freedom of religion is not to be impeded, provided that the just requirements of public order are observed" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dignitatis Humanae, n.2).

The right to life and the right to freedom of religion or belief are the basic premises for human existence. The fact that there are still many places today where the right to gather for worship is either not recognized or is limited to the members of one religion alone, is a sad commentary on any claim to a more just, peaceful world where fundamental rights and freedoms are more widely promoted and respected. It is a direct and serious contradiction to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states clearly that "everyone has the right to freedom of religion, including the freedom to change his or her religion or belief." Despite the various national and international Declarations which proclaim the right to freedom of conscience and religion, there are still too many cases of religious repression. It is common knowledge that there are nations in which individuals, families and entire groups are still being discriminated against and marginalized because of their religious beliefs. This grave violation of one of the fundamental rights of the person is a source of enormous suffering for countless believers. "Unhappily," as Pope John Paul II has said, "the world has yet to learn how to live with diversity, as recent events throughout the world have painfully reminded us" (Pope John Paul II, Address to the United Nations, 1995, n.9).


Violence in the name of religion is a perversion of religion
On the other hand, my Delegation renews its conviction that recourse to violence in the name of religious belief is a perversion of the very teachings of the major religions. The Holy See reaffirms here today what many religious leaders have repeated so often: "The use of violence can never claim a religious justification, nor can it foster the growth of true religious feeling" (Ibid, Message for World Day of Peace, in L'Osservatore Romano [23-30 December 1998], p. 9). Any strategy which seeks to quell such cases of violence must help people to understand that believers have a duty to treat all men and women as brothers and sisters in the one human family, and that prejudice and enmity have no place in true religion and can never be justified on religious grounds. Such a strategy must assist believers to recognize with joy the religious values that people have in common. Many religious traditions believe in one God, the only God, who is all Justice and all Mercy; most profess a belief in the importance of prayer, of fasting, of almsgiving, of repentance and of pardon.


God wishes to be adored by people who are free
While no one can ever deny that there are important differences between religious traditions, these differences should be accepted with humility and respect, in mutual tolerance. The practice of any faith must be conducted with respect for other religious traditions because everyone hopes to be respected for what he or she is, and for what he or she conscientiously believes. Religious tolerance is based on the conviction that God wishes to be adored by people who are free. This is a conviction which requires us to respect and honor that inner sanctuary called the conscience, wherein each person meets God.

When such respect and understanding is not realized, and when the divisions become manifest in civil strife and war, there is a need for mutual forgiveness. The commitment to religious tolerance and collaboration must be based upon the conversion of hearts and upon prayer, which will also lead to the necessary purification of past memories.

Mr. Chairman, the world is scandalized by the sharp divisions that manifest themselves in the destruction of human life. Called to overcome our fears, men and women of faith everywhere are invited to commit themselves courageously to the path that leads to peace, to make a gift of their spiritual wealth, and to share it in a trusting exchange. Such an invitation is not impossible to accept, but rather it is a true and lasting way to peaceful co-existence and human flourishing.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


© L'Osservatore Romano, Editorial and Management Offices, Via del Pellegrino, 00120, Vatican City, Europe, Telephone 39/6/698.99.390.


This item 4054 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org

[Brother Adam]

To objectively learn about and respect the faith of others however, is not condemned by the Church. You do remember the golden rule, do you not?

Thanks.

[popestpiusx]

[quote name='MrsFrozen' date='Oct 9 2004, 04:42 PM'] What do the Amish believe? Are they sola scriptura? Does anyone know? Why do they think technology is evil? [/quote]
Not sure exactly but they make really good food.

[Craftygrl06]

So this past summer I went to Amish country and I actually learned quite a bit about the Qmish people. Here's something strange: the reasoning behind their "no electicity" belief is based on the notioon of "lines"...lines that connect them to the outside world. LITERALLY they do not want phone lines or electric lines coming to their homes...however a lot of them have cell phones which personally i don't get. There are no physical lines there so i guess it doesn't directly contradict their beliefs but you just don't think of the Amish as having cell phones. Also, here something i didn't know: you'd think that menonites came from Amish because they are less strict and that is the way things usually progress, but actually the Amish derived from the mennonites because this guy, joseph amen, didn't think they were being strict enough. Most amish are tri-lingual, they speak High German(in their church services) German (greatly diluted and mixed with English) and plain English. The Amish have and interesting way of choosing their "Bishop" the community nominates three men. The three men meet with a town council of sorts and each pick a Bible off of a table. One of the bible's has a marker in it. The man who picked that Bible is the new bishop. This is how they say God chooses their head guy.

WHO SAYS SUMMER VACATION CAN'T BE EDUCATIONAL!!