Denise said:
I was looking to find articles discussing if the Amish were a cult. Still looking around a bit. Not many of the Amish are online! I have always been a little bit fascinated by people who live so apart from the world and there seems to be a mystique surrounding the Amish.
There was an Amish community just outside the town where I grew up. Let me tell ya, as a group, you'll probably never find a better natured people.
During the flood of '93, Nearly the entire Amish community came into town to help sandbag the levi even though none of their land was in any danger at all. The interesting thing was, they really didn't do it for polical reasons or to try to convert us, they did it because it was the Christian thing to do.
They aren't like they are in the movies. At least not the Amish I know. They are very strict on themselves but do not look down disapprovingly on non-Amish for not following their ways. They don't try to convert anyone. In fact, I don't think you can become Amish if you aren't born into it, but I'm not sure about that.
They aren't mind-washed either. They don't think technology is evil. They just choose to lead a simple life. But they're not stupid about it either. They have one telephone in the community for emergencies. They have probably the best group health insurance (they are collectively self-insured) in the US. Whenever any of them are sick, they don't go to the local hospital. They go to the Mayo Clinic for anything and everything.
And, like everyone else, they know how to cheat too. They don't have refirgeration, so they'll give ice cream to their non-Amish neighbors as a gift and then come over to help them eat it.
And when my father drives a couple of them somewhere they'll ask to listen to the radio. Aparently, Amish tend to prefer country music.
To be fair, being that old fashioned, they do have difficulties dealing with gender equality and all but a very few of the men have trouble dealing with non-Amish women. It's obvious they'd rather talk with the men. And I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to say more than three words to an Amish woman.
I don't know how you are defining "cult" but the Amish don't cut themselves off from society, they don't try to convert or brain wash anyone, and they can certainly think for themselves. I think you're barking up the wrong tree tring to find an Amish cult...
