30 Secrets No One Knows About The Amish

1. You must NEVER speak out against them

Image Source/ GrungeA huge part of the Amish community is their religion and beliefs. However, it may not all be as pure and friendly as you may think... There have been many terrifying reports of abuse coming from Amish communities in recent years, and when these women are asked why they didn't speak out sooner, it is because the church and communities have engrained it in them that it is not 'Christlike' to report such happenings. They have often been warned against it and threatened with ex-communication.

2. Horror reports from Amish women

Image Source/ RankerThese reports of abuse are only gaining traction, with more and more Amish women coming forwards and leaving the communities where they grew up behind them. All reports are similar in their experiences of assault and being attacked by other members of the community. They are also consistent with the way these instances are covered up and brushed under the carpet. Easy to do when you live in an isolated community that preaches obedience...

3. Deadly DUIs are a regular occurrence

Image Source/ New York PostWhen you picture Amish people and you think of their horse and buggy, you would never imagine them driving recklessly after a few too many drinks... but it's much more common than you think. And it can be deadly! There were 84 deaths recorded between 2011 and 2015 from horses and buggies. Not only that, the wood the buggies are made from can explode and the horses almost always need tragically putting down. To make matters worse, they don't wear seatbelts, not even the children when their Dad is driving home drunk...

4. Creativity is BANNED

Image Source/ PianodaoCreative self-expression is not allowed within an Amish community and is something you must accept when joining them. This includes musical instruments, painting and any other creative output. There will be no singing campfire songs with a guitar in these Amish communities.

5. There seems to be a rising issue of drug abuse...

Image Source/ RankerThere was an incident in 2018 where an Amish girl almost died from a heroin overdose. This seems like a crazy thought, but apparently it was a relapse and so wasn't her first rodeo. It then came out that opioid addiction is becoming a rising issue in the Amish communities and has been going unnoticed for quite a while!

6. Women have a very strict dress code

Image Source/ The SunThere are strict rules for everyone within the Amish community, but women definitely have the most rules to live by. One major one being the way they dress. They are forbidden from wearing any accessories like jewellery or even make up, and are only allowed to wear bland clothing.

7. They also have VERY defined gender roles...

Image Source/ ShareablyThe men want their wives to stay at home, cook the food and look after the children. There is no deviation from these very traditional gender roles. So not only are they not allowed to wear what they want, they are also not allowed to do what they want either.

8. There are rules to follow if you want to have a beard...

Image Source/ PinterestWhen you picture an Amish man, you picture his long beard. Not every man is allowed to grow a beard though. Only men who are married are allowed to stop shaving, or those men that have turned 40 without being married to someone. Although, the latter is very unusual within their community. If there was ever an incentive to marry young, this may just be it.

9. You are absolutely NOT allowed a moustache

Image Source/ PinterestDespite their obvious love for impressive facial hair, it has to be confined to a beard only. It would be very frowned upon to grow a moustache and the apparent reason behind this is the belief that a moustache is widely associated with the 19th century military.

10. They have a super low risk of cancer!

Image Source/ PinterestThere are very low rates of cancer within the Amish community, which is assumed to be connected to genetics and the fact they live in such a tight-knit community. Some other people believe it's due to their healthy way of living and the organic foods that they eat.

11. They have a RECORD amount of genetic disorders within their community

Image Source/ PicFairThe number of inter-family marriages over the years within the Amish communities have lead to a widespread problem of a large amount of genetic conditions. Some of these genetic disorders were discovered there, meaning that they have been found nowhere else in the world! The problem has become so bad within some communities, they have had to build special clinics just to care for their children's special needs.

12. Never photograph them!

Image Source/ Amish VillageThis can vary depending on which community you are interacting with, but as a general rule, Amish people do NOT like to be photographed. They request that people do not take pictures of them, and if they do, they at least ask that their faces aren't in it.

13. They aren't all against modern technology

Image Source/ The Amish VillageOne of the core beliefs of the Amish is that they have no need for modern technology. Over the years, some communities have slackened off on this rule and have made some exceptions. Some communities have solar panels and some even have washing machines powered by diesel! Still no electricity though, they have gas powered lamps instead!

14. They aren't as peaceful as you would expect...

Image Source/ IMDbThe Amish community is considered to be peaceful by outsiders and this is very true. Although, this doesn't mean that they are against weapons. There are no rules against weapons in their community, which does not seem very fitting with their beliefs.

15. Newcomers are welcome!

Image Source/ Amish VillageIt is assumed that Amish communities shun outsiders, but this is not always the case! They are always on the look out for new members that want to join the Amish way of life. Although, not all of the community is always quite so accepting of newcomers, whether they can stick to the strict rules or not.

16. The men aren't expected to sign up to war

Image Source/ The GuardianWhen there is a draft for the war in the United States, men aged 18 or older are expected to join up and serve their country. The Amish community, however, are not expected to do this. The men only have to join up if it's what they actually 

want to do, which is rare as it goes against their peaceful beliefs.

17. Most Amish people speak more than two languages!

Image Source/ Ohio's Amish CountryThe Amish communities speak English like the majority of the United States but most of them also speak Pennsylvanian Dutch. This is taught from a young age, but many of them will also learn German in addition to that! The Amish community as a whole is incredibly multilingual.

18. They make money from puppy farming!

Image Source/ The Puppy Mill ProjectFor any animal lovers out there, this truth might be a tough one to hear. It is very common within the Amish communities for them to create a puppy farm or puppy mill to make money out of those not within their society. It runs like you would expect a puppy farm to run, so when the dogs are no longer capable of breeding, they will be dealt with 'humanely'.

19. There have been hundreds of reports about the mistreatment of animals

Image Source/ Indiana's Cool NorthAs we know, their main form of transport is horse and buggy. However, there have been hundreds of reports over the years about the mistreatment of these horses. It is reported that the poor horses are overworked, and when they collapse from sheer exhaustion their owners can beat them. This is just one example of an instance that led to the arrest of an Amish man in Pennsylvania in 2016. Another repetitive example, is horses suffering from heat exhaustion after being left out in the blazing sun.

20. They are even exempt from some laws, like health insurance!

Image Source/ OwlcationThere are various laws in the United States regarding health insurance. It is not always well known that the US grants exemptions to certain groups of people to claim immunity to some laws. The Amish are one example as they are exempt from the laws surrounding health insurance, meaning nobody has any health insurance!

21. They don't believe in visiting a doctor... even when sick

Image Source/ Penn LiveSome within the Amish community don't believe it is right to visit a doctor, even when you are ill. Crazy, right? However, it is thought that most no longer adhere to this rule. When someone in the community becomes ill, it is expected that the rest of the community will join together and help make them better, even if that means financially contributing towards their treatment.

22. They don't spend all their time building barns

Image Source/ UW NewsNow this is a huge stereotype of the Amish community, that they spend most of their time building barns! It's not all the time

, but it is one of the community activities they do, as they believe it brings people together and encourages them to get along. We can imagine that it is quite an accomplishment when it's done!

23. Believe it or not, they do use Uber!

Image Source/ TimeThey might refuse to own cars and drive themselves around in cars, but this doesn't mean they aren't happy for someone else to drive them around in one! If they are in a rush, Amish people will use Uber or similar services to get to their destination quicker than they would in a horse and cart.

24. The children start work after the 8th grade

Image Source/ SharedThe Amish community is very much built on 'hands on' work. Meaning there isn't much place for formal education within their communities. Children only stay in school until 8th grade, when they leave and are taught more practical skills. They also don't have the same curriculum as those outside of the community. The children are not taught science, which is not hugely surprising for a community that repels modern technology!

25. You don't need a qualification to be a teacher

Image Source/ Huff PostSince they let their children leave school at the 8th grade anyway, it doesn't seem that important that their teachers are educated either...right? While outside of the Amish community, it is expected that a teacher will have a high level of education and training, this is not the case for those within the Amish community - anyone can do it!

26. There's absolutely LOADS of them

Image Source/ New Yorker"Go forth and multiply" is a snippet of the bible that the Amish take quite literally. This explains why there are so many of them! Most of the Amish people in the United States live in Pennsylvania, and in 2018 there was reported to be 318,000 of them.

27. They do things differently when it comes to inheritance...

Image Source/ PinterestNormally, when it comes to inheritance, the idea is that any assets pass from one person to their eldest child. This is flipped in the Amish community, where any land they have is passed on to their youngest son, as they think it gives them more time to care for it before passing it on themselves.

28. BORING Wedding Nights

Image Source/ Funny AndMost traditional weddings end with the bride and groom spending the night together as a symbol of their new life together. Well this is not the case for the Amish. The newly weds spend the evening at the bride's house, chatting with family and supposedly forming a bond between everyone. I don't think this is quite what a lot of couples picture when they think of their first night together...

29. NEVER mix them up with Mennonites...

Image Source/ WikipediaAmish people are different to Mennonites. Although, they might look the same to a lay person so it can be easy to confuse the two. They both have very similar religious beliefs, but choose to live their lives quite differently. The Mennonites are more liberal with their technology rules, meaning they are allowed electricity and telephones in their homes, and often are allowed motorised vehicles too.

30. They have their own shops

Image Source/ The Amish Farm and HouseYou might only see Amish people now and again and it's probably at your local shops. That's one of the only reasons they tend to leave their homes. Although, they do have their own stores within their communities that would be their first port of call. Some of these Amish run stores are even open to the general public.

31. Rumspringa

Image Source/ PinterestRumpspringa is a ritual when an Amish teen is   encouraged to try new experiences. It is kind of a coming of age ritual. For a period of time they will go and try the things of the outside world - partying, drinking etc. The community turn a blind eye to this period of time. Once it's over, 90% return back to the community.

32. Restrictive dating potential

Image Source/ The Amish VillageDating within the Amish community is not full of potential, it is very restrictive indeed. There are not so many in each community as there are in comparison with the outside world where there are no restrictions on who to date. This highly limits options as both have to be within the community.

33. No selfies

Image Source/ DailyrecordNot only Amish reject people taking photos of them, but they also reject taking selfies of themselves or with friends and family. It is actually their belief that photos turn the subject into an idol - which they believe is wrong and just another form vanity.

34. They love parties

Image Source/ Points in caseThe Amish community is actually full of surprises. It is probably not what you expect from this very chaste community but they actually do love a party. Definitely not all, but a lot of Amish people love to party and it is a lot more common than you think...

35. A lot of underage drinking

Image Source/ The WhaleAgain, although we often view the Amish community as very chaste (which they are) there is actually a lot of underage drinking that happens within the community. Part of this is due to the ritual, but also underage people testing out new ways of life and new experiences.

36. They keep faceless dolls

?Image Source/ Wikipedia

The Amish people keep faceless dolls to ward off vanity. This sounds odd, and it looks it too... There is reasoning behind this strange tradition. It is because the Amish community does not want to get preoccupied with how people look, and so their is no face to focus on.

37. Dates have to center around the church

Image Source/ AmishfurnitureWomen who go on dates within the Amish community have to their center the dates around church activities. This may sound strange to the outside community but to an Amish woman this is fine and it is considered standard as this is what their beliefs are.

38. No kissing

Image Source/ IMDbThey have very strict rules. Especially when it comes to dating. So there is a rule of no kissing until the man has been introduced the the in laws. The in laws can then see if they approve and things become more official. Only then, can they share a kiss with one another.

39. Excommunication does occur

Image Source/ RankerBecause the Amish community is so peaceful it is hard to think that ex-communication does occur. But, it does happen. Of course in such a close knit community it would have to be something that everybody considered unforgiveable. If it does happen then the person will be most likely abandoned by friends and family

40. No lavish weddings

Image Source/ PinterestLike much of their life within the Amish community, weddings are humble and simple. There is no lavish or elaborate event with expensive gowns and decorations. This is not to say they don't celebrate - they do. But it is kept focused on the event itself rather than any extravagances.

41. The community is growing

Image Source/ bbcThe Amish community is growing and growing as it gains in popularity. In fact in the USA in the last few years the number of Amish people has doubled. Some think it is because people are becoming troubled by growing commercialisation, waste and vanity in the world.

42. They put 20% of their income aside

Image Source/ Christian Science ActionIf there was anyone to turn to advice about saving money it would be an Amish person. They save 20% of their income, in comparison with an average American who aves around 6% which is a massive difference in comparison. They do not spend unless it is necessary.

43. They go on hunting trips

Image Source/ Business InsiderThis links to their association with the maltreatment of animals. But animals are not as honoured in the community as they are perhaps by the wider community. And Amish people do sometimes go on hunting trips as a source of free entertainment for them.

44. They hate debt

Image Source/ Business InsiderAmish people despise debt and they will not get into debt if they can at all help it, they will find any other means. They rarely experience debt, whereas on the other hand, the average American owns three to four credit cards and has an average of  $16,000 in total debt.

45. They may take on a side job

Image Source/ Amish AmericaIf times get hard and they find themselves strapped for cash as we know they will absolutely not turn to borrowing money. But they may take on a side job instead to help them pay their way through the difficult period. So aside from their normal job they will take on extra for more money.

46. Many are experienced tradesmen

Image Source/ Small farmers mansionOften, the majority of Amish people are farmers, but if an Amish person is not  farmer then typically they are a tradesman. There are a lot of skilled and experienced tradesmen in the community and they often sell their produce to those outside of the community.

47. 0 waste

Image Source/ Modern FarmerThe Amish community are great when it comes to being eco friendly and helping the planet. As far as possible they focus on having 0 waste, using very little energy and they recycle EVERYTHING. In fact, they are one of the most environmentally friendly communities there is.

48. They often have more children

Image Source/ PinterestAmish people tend to have a lot of children - and a lot more than the average for the rest of the population. They usually have big families and sometimes often around 6 children. The family all work together to support themselves and be self sufficient, growing and making their own meals.

49. They bulk buy

Image Source/ FacebookAmish people are very money savvy and so they bulk buy everything when they cannot produce something themselves. Just because they bulk buy does not mean they consume much, they still live off very little but the good that they do buy last a very long time.

50. They buy second-hand

Image Source/ BloombergAgain, they aim to produce as little waste as possible and to be the least damaging to the earth as possible. So again, instead of buying things brand new they buy everything second hand so that things that may have been thrown away are reused again.