Random Strict Rules You Must Follow When You're Amish (13 items)

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  (#3) The Way Couples Have To Date Is Straight Out Of The Old Testament

  While it is falling out of fashion in Amish communities, bundling - also known as "bed courtship" - is still practiced by some ultra-conservative Amish today. It involves a courting couple lying together fully-clothed in bed. While lying in bed, the couple are encouraged to speak to each other all night to become emotionally closer. While some Amish still practice bundling, the tradition originally stems from the Old Testament, and was mentioned in the Book of Ruth as a common Jewish practice.
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  (#10) Once You're Excommunicated, Church Members Have To Give You The Cold Shoulder

  The greatest punishment in the Amish community is excommunication. If a member violates a tenet of the Ordung, they risk being excommunicated. This can be for something as small as using a cell phone to something as serious as assault. The Amish derive this practice from several Bible passages: “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed,” Thessalonians 3:14.

  If all efforts to reconcile a transgressor into the faith have failed, community leaders will vote on excommunication. Once the member has been excommunicated, the shunning, or "Meidung", goes into effect. Once an individual is shunned, they will lose all contact and support from the community. While shunning is mostly permanent, it is possible to return to the community if extraordinary repentance is demonstrated.
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  (#8) They Must Shun Technology... But Found Ways To Get Around That

  As many people know, the Amish typically shun electricity and technology because they are “worldly.” But, living without technology in the Western world is nearly impossible in the modern age, and many Amish will find ways around this rule. More progressive communities will use solar panels to power electrical appliances. They are also known to employ wind turbines to generate electricity, while remaining off the grid.

  They also find ways around getting around, like hiring Mennonite drivers. They are also allowed to accept rides, which is a nice loophole.
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  (#7) An Amish Child Can Not Get More Than An Eighth Grade Education

  Amish parents only let their children go to school until eighth grade. Amish children learn reading, writing and basic math, as well as Pennsylvania Dutch. This is done out of practicality. The Amish are a community that prioritizes agricultural and vocational trades, so a loftier education tends to threaten their simple way of life. Their schooling policy eventually conflicted with the American set standard for education, which makes school mandatory until the age of 16. A lawsuit was brought to the supreme court in 1972, in Wisconsin vs. Yoder, over the issue. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the Amish, stating that forcing them to go to school past eighth grade was a violation of their First Amendment rights.
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  (#2) Rumspringa Is The Only Time They Don't Have To Follow All Those Strict Rules

   

  A post shared by kat (@lawlkatz) on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:00pm PDT

  When Amish teens turn 16, they can leave the community for a trial run of the English life known as Rumspringa, which translates to “running around.” During this time, teens can indulge in drugs, partying, technology, and pretty much anything that the Amish would consider a vice. While a handful of Amish teens choose to stay in the English world, the majority of teens on Rumspringa return to the community. However, once they return they must shun English living and devote their life to the Amish church. If they return, become baptized, and then decide to leave the community again, they risk being excommunicated.  
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  (#4) They Have To Make The Dedication To Baptism On Their Own

  Unlike some other Christian sects, the Amish don’t believe in baptizing children. They believe one must make the conscious decision to dedicate their life to the church before they can become a fully-fledged member of the community. The Amish broke off from the Anabaptists in Switzerland in 1693 to form a more conservative sect known as Ammann and settled in America in the 1730s. One of the core beliefs of the Anabaptists was adult baptism. Anabaptists “felt that baptizing babies could not be supported by Scriptures. They argued that sin entered the world with a knowledge of good and evil (Gen.3). Since an infant does not have this knowledge, it cannot have sin,” wrote Amish-born scholar John A. Hostetler.  

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