In this day and age, smartphones, computers, TVs, and other gadgets seen to take over every aspect of our lives. They become so essential to our everyday life that it’s hard to imagine life without them.

But there are some communities in the United States that have been snubbing modern technology for decades. Amongst them are the Amish people. This group of people is known to have a traditional and simpler way of life. There are many rumors and stigmas revolving around them but their actual lifestyle remains quite unknown.

Still, we listed down some facts about them that will surly leave you in awe.

Unlike the rest of America, the Amish treat technology as a negative force that takes away from communal work, and distances individuals from their home life. According to the Amish, most technological developments undermines the community.

While this is the reason why they seldom drive cars or use electricity, they are definitely not trying to recreate the old days. Technology is evaluated according to its perceived value to the community, not by its innovation. Some Amish people use modern tools for specific activities.

The Amish first came to America in the early 18th century, and many characteristics of that era are preserved in their traditions such as the recognizable Amish beard. The Amish men sport their uncut beards, but they never grow a mustache.

The reason for this is historical. When their movement was just starting out, mustaches were linked with military men. Being pacifists, strictly against war, the Amish decided to shave their mustaches off. Today, military men favor a clean look, but the Amish tradition has stuck.

The Amish refer outsiders as “English,” even if they from different nationality. When they first came to America, everyone that approached them were English settlers, who, obviously, spoke English. The Amish couldn’t refer to them as Americans, because they too were Americans. So they merely called them English.

The Amish know the English language and use it to converse with “outsiders,” but among themselves they speak Pennsylvanian Dutch. This is the simplified version of writing the German deutch, not the Netherlands Dutch. They therefor speak a mix of English and German.

The Amish faceless dolls may appear creepy to the rest of the world, but these homemade toys are actually in line with the fundamentals of Amish life.

The Amish don’t want to promote self-obsession or vanity. They consider a doll with a face as an individual with unique features which can make it prettier or unattractive than other dolls.

With that in mind, we can now understand why the Amish prefer to keep their dolls as plain as possible. And looking at their creations, you can still find beauty in these toys.

Back in the day, Amish children could go to public schools together with non-Amish kids, learning English, Math and other basic subjects, up until the 8th grade.

This setup was allowed by the community until the 1950s, when they decided to remove their kids from the public school system and teach them themselves, at home or at Amish schools. This decision was triggered when they saw that the American way of life became less and less similar to the Amish lifestyle, due to fast advancement in technology.

The Amish way of living is a major factor why they rarely get sick. Many Amish are physically active throughout the day, they don’t smoke or drink alcohol, and they go to bed early, right after sunset. They also grow most of their food in organic fields. With this healthy lifestyle, no wonder they seldom get cancer of fall ill to serious diseases.

Most Amish still practice their own 18th century medical procedures and don’t usually rely on modern technology for their treatment.

The Amish people treat Demut – humility – and Gelassenheit – calmness, composure, placidity – as important qualities. They strive to stay humble and calm, rejecting what they call Hochmut, which translates to pride, arrogance or haughtiness.

With their simpler and more modest ways of life, they shun modern technologies including cameras. They also don’t paint. So when a loved one passes away, they don’t have any way to visually remember them but only through their actual memory.

Having iPods or smartphones, and listening to the radio is strictly prohibited in the community. Even live music is not allowed. For the Amish, self-expression could lead to pride and arrogance, and therefore it is forbidden.

However, they do sing songs in church. These songs come from a High German church songbook called Ausbunch, the oldest Protestant church hymnal. Since they don’t have musical notes, the ancient melodies are passed down from one generation to the other through oral tradition.

Playing musical instruments in public is not allowed as the Amish believe in humility and modesty. But this doesn’t mean they deprive themselves of music altogether.

Some Amish play instruments such as accordion and harmonica in the solitude of their homes. But their musical events in public usually take place in church during mass.

Being an extremely old religious group that has managed to protect their ancient customs throughout the centuries, the Amish are the only community in the world where you can hear ancient songs and singing styles not found anywhere in the world today.

The Amish children are confined within their community so they are unaware of the world outside. Young people can become very curious about the “English” lifestyle that takes place in the towns and cities around them.

Instead of forbidding these teens, the Amish tradition has a rite of passage called Rumspringa, a Pennsylvania Dutch word meaning jumping or hopping around.

When Amish kids reach the age of 16, they are encouraged to go on a Rumspringa and explore the world before they decide to be baptized and officially join the Amish congregation.

Young Amish people may go on a Rumspringa for as long as they like. Some Amish teens return home within a week, while others take advantage of their newfound freedom. They usually travel across the US, and even outside the country, trying out new technology and sometimes even drugs.

The Amish elders have given them consent to explore because they know it wouldn’t be reasonable for their children not to see what they would be giving up by choosing to live in the Amish community. If they decide to return, then their decision becomes ever more meaningful.

Because Rumspringa can take as long as a person wants, some “Rumspringers” decide to stay in the outside world for many years, knowing they can come back to the traditional community when they are ready, without being treated as an exile.

And despite the enticement of the modern world, it’s surprising to see that most of the kids who leave actually return to the Amish community, to be baptized as official members of the group, accepting their simpler way of life.

While some Christian sects baptize babies, for Amish, baptism is one of the most important ceremonies in their life and they consider it as a serious vow that only a full-grown person can commit to.

Young Amish are normally baptized after several months of classes on the subject, and they are constantly reminded that it’s not mandatory but a very serious choice.

For the Amish, it’s better not to make the vow if you are not sure you can uphold it, than to break it later. Those who have been baptized and later broke their vows are rejected by the community.

Amish people try their best to be self-reliant to avoid what they consider “worldly.” They build their own houses and barns, grow their own fruits and vegetables in farms, and raise their own livestock. However, they can’t do everything on their own.

When there are times that they need something their community is unable to provide, they go shopping. There is at least one dry goods store in most Amish towns, where people can buy items like books and kitchenware.

In the traditional world of the Amish, it is usual for women to be housewives. It is considered custom that the man takes care of a woman. They are also not allowed to be preachers or bishops.

But during baptism, the wives played an important role of baptizing the girls, while the bishops baptize the boys. In addition, Amish women create quilts and other handmade items that they then sell them at stores for tourists, and to other Amish communities.

Though the Amish community is very strict and conservative, they don’t have arranged marriages, and young adults can choose to marry whomever they want.

This doesn’t mean they are loose and free to go about their ways. They still adhere to certain rules when it comes to dating, and courting occurs only in public areas.

Moreover, Amish men can only propose to a baptized member of the Amish congregation and can’t propose without the consent of the elders and church leaders.

Since the Amish have been living in isolation from the rest of the world, their wedding ceremonies are also based on their centuries-old customs.

Modern day weddings are usually lavish events with many preparations. But for the Amish, this special occasion is simple and modest. There is no exchange of rings, and the bride does not wear makeup or beautiful gowns.

Jewelry, makeup and elaborate dresses are related to vanity, so the Amish choose not to apply them. The Amish bride wears a traditional simple blue dress, while the groom wears his daily black outfit.

Modern-day honeymoons are usually spent in exotic locations and beautiful beaches, where couples can relax and enjoy their time together. For Amish, they have a different way to celebrate their marriage.

In their tradition, the newlyweds will have to stay the night after the wedding ceremony at the bride’s parents’ homes, helping with cleaning and other household chores.

This is a traditional way of expressing their gratitude to the parents for having raised and supported them throughout their lives.

After the newlyweds spent the first night in the bride’s parents’ house, the new husband and wife stay with other relatives. Actually, the rest of the honeymoon is one long visit to relatives on both sides.

When the honeymoon is over, the fresh husband and wife usually live in the parents’ homes, until they build their own house. The family usually helps them to construct their new home so that they can start a family of their own.

In keeping with their Gelassenheit values, the Amish put the needs of their community before their personal needs as individuals. This way they keep adhering to their humble principles.

When a member of the group is in need, the whole community will unite together to lend a hand.

This is usually seen through their barn raising endeavors. The Amish are famous for their fast construction of barns made entirely by hand, without using any power tools. This is made possible by the collective effort of the Amish community.

The history of the Amish church begins in Switzerland, but after persecutions in Europe, the Amish travelled to the more permissive America, where they formed their communities in the early 18th century.

While the Amish are Americans in every aspect and speak English fluently, the language that they use in their day to day activities is a distinct form of German called Pennsylvania Dutch. They only use English to communicate with outsiders. In addition, the Amish give sermons in classic German which is the language their Bibles are written. So, the average Amish person speaks three languages.

The Amish live by two sets of rules throughout their lives. The first is taken from the Bible, as any Christian community. The second set is more subtle.

The Amish believe in what they call Ordnung. This words means order, arrangement, system, or organization. Ordnung is basically what defines the very core of Amish characteristics.

Many of the practices related with the Amish today are a direct result of the Ordnung. It essentially dictates the chosen lifestyle of the Amish.

The Amish life is concentrated on community and their lifestyle is dictated by Ordnung. There are rules to be followed, and for those who don’t abide, there is disciplinary punishment.

One of the most serious punishments you can receive for disobeying Ordnung is Meidung, meaning “time-out,” and what it entails is being shunned by the community.

A Meidung serves as a reminder to the person being disciplined that the community is most important. It may last a few days, weeks or even months, and its objective is to protect the public.

The Ordnung also dictates the dress code of the Amish people. Members of the Amish community have strict set of rules and regulations about the type of outfits they are permitted to wear.

Since they shy away from vanity, their clothes are very old-fashioned, inexpensive, and conservative, reminding of a strict uniform. Makeup, jewelry, and accessories, have no place in their dress code. Women wear similar dresses, while mean wear simple white shirts and black pants.

With regards to Amish wellbeing, they are amazingly healthy, thanks to their lifestyle. Diseases like cancer, asthma, and diabetes are much lower amongst the Amish community compared to the common population. But this doesn’t mean that they don’t encounter health issues of their own.

Inbreeding is common in the Amish community, because of their secluded lifestyle. That means that normally, due to lack of other potential partners, cousins or second cousins marry. This practice can cause some genetic diseases such as dwarfism, Angelman syndrome, and various metabolic disorders.

It’s common in the Amish families to undergo extensive DNA testing due to the unique nature of their sheltered communities. This test is used to help geneticists in their research about possible genetic issues. This is also used to map better family ties, and to gain more understanding of the dangers certain couples might face when reproducing.

Despite their reluctance to use technology, this new science has been broadly accepted among the Amish but only for this particular reason.

Since music and art are mostly rejected in the Amish communities because they can lead to vanity and pride, they found another way to express themselves and to entertain each other.

Food became and attraction, and communal meals are a big part of the Amish community. Everyone brings something to the table on these special events, and the whole community will share their food together. Sharing is caring and for the Amish, this gesture is vital in the makings of a community.

The Amish are devotedly religious and form their entire lives according to the teachings and beliefs taught in the Bible. Though they are highly devout, their churches are simple and humble looking.

The Amish believe that you don’t need a physical church to learn and teach the Bible because the church can be anywhere, even outside. So with this thought in mind, the church service is quite simple, without any altars, candles and flowers. This is also in line with their ideals of modesty.

The Amish philosophy is in line with their customs, and vice versa. The Amish aren’t egocentric or vain, believing that all men are equal. They treat others with respect and serve the community before they adhere to their personal needs.

They also don’t believe that their church is the only correct one. They will accept anyone regardless of their beliefs, religion, origin and race. As long as you respect them and not disrupt their simple way of life, or humiliate them, then you are most welcome to befriend these kind people.

Since the Amish people are a farming community, having a large family is significant for everyday work. More children means more helping hands in the field, in the barn, and when taking care of the livestock.

The Amish don’t practice birth control and don’t use any contraceptives, but surprisingly, these are not forbidden in Amish communities.

The average married couple has 5 to 7 children. Both boys and girls help around the house and in the farm. So the productivity of their farming activity is remarkable.

The Amish deeply believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ, in which he instructed his disciples to “do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39).

So naturally, the Amish are pacifistic and are strictly against any form of violence. They will not use force, even when attacked. They take Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount seriously and they do their best to avoid any military services, as well as service in police forces or even involvement in politics.

While the Amish people prefer natural treatments and remedies, they will not hesitate to go to the doctor’s office when necessary, and when their life is clearly in danger. Despite the fact that they don’t use most of the technology of the modern world like electricity and other appliances, the Amish use the help of modern medicine to treat serious illnesses and diseases. So it’s not rare to see the Amish in hospitals and pharmacies in the areas they live in.

“Be ye not conformed to this world”, Romans 8:12 – this is one key principle of Amish philosophy. This is the reason why they stay away from modern technology and live in closed off communities, shunned from the modern world.

Their practices and traditions are there to help them distinguish themselves from what they regard as “worldly” things. The time spent during Rumspringa is aimed to expose them to what is “worldly,” and then make the decision where and how to live.

In the early 18th century, the Amish moved to the New World from Europe. The migration was a reaction to religious wars, poverty, and persecutions in Europe. They first settled in Pennsylvania and other groups later settled elsewhere in North America.

Today, they live in 28 states and now over 330,000 Amish people reside all over the country. Most of them continue to have many children, increasing their numbers over the years.

There is also a large Amish community in Canada, and new communities have also arisen across Latin America, with limited success.

Mennonites are closely related to the Amish and outsiders often confuse the two. Both the Mennonites and the Amish come from the same Anabaptist faith, and both communities believe that member should be baptized as adults since children still can’t make that serious commitment. The Mennonites also live close to the same locations that the Amish have chosen to settle in.

And still, there is an important difference. Firstly, the Mennonites adopt technological developments a lot more freely. Moreover, while they still dress simply, they tend to wear more contemporary outfits, and are a little more tolerant in their lifestyle.

An Amish family property, commonly a house and a farm, is usually inherited by the youngest son. This is because by the time the parents retire, the older children would have a family of their own and would have built houses and farms accordingly.

Since men are considered the breadwinners of the family, it is always the son and not the daughter who take over the parents’ property. Women are expected to marry with men from other families who, later on, will have an estate to pass them down.

Though the Amish are very traditional and conservative, the parents encourage their children to spend the night with the person they are dating.

Still, the young adults should be dressed when spending the night together, and must also be separated in the bed itself. The reasoning behind spending the night together is to get to know one another and bond better.

In the Amish community, it’s also common for lovebirds to hold hands and even sit on each other’s laps.

By now, we know that the Amish don’t use cameras and don’t snap photographs of themselves. However, some don’t mind when other people take pictures of them. Still, there are others that can be offended, so it’s better to ask their permission first.

Many of the Amish people manage to make a good living out of tourism. They earn money by selling high quality and handmade items to tourists. Their way of life is an attraction to many outsiders, and we can understand why.

Some Amish communities allow telephone use, because they understand it comes really handy in case of an emergency. But even then, the phone is not kept inside the house, and is rather placed in a barn, a shack, or any public place where it can easily be reached by those who are in dire need to use it.

The Amish don’t allow phones inside the house because they think it may lure the family to connect to things which they consider “worldly.”

The Amish are skilled and talented at what they do. The products of their labor are considered high quality and are in demand in other towns. But you may be wondering how they became so skillful.

While Amish children go to school up to the 8th grade only, their education doesn’t end there. Community elders teach girls how to cook, sew, and make handicrafts, while boys are taught how to farm, do carpentry and trade – all skills necessary for them to become productive members of their society and contribute to their households and communities.

The Amish believe that the word of God is far more important than any rules government. And so, they support the separation of church and state.

For this reason, they turn down any social benefits and public funds. Since the church is their only authority, they also never join the military. Whenever a crime is committed, rather than getting the state authorities involved, they discussed and solve the problem among themselves, and let the church decide how discipline and hand out punishments.

The Amish women make their own clothes, including their wedding dresses. The brides usually wear blue but some communities allow for her to choose a different color. After the wedding, married women should wear the same dress every Sunday to church services throughout their lives!

It’s a scary thing to imagine that the dress you wear at your wedding will be the last thing you wear in your life. But the good thing about this is that you can be sure that the dress is made with the utmost care, so it definitely isn’t easily worn out.

There are times that Amish people seek outside medical treatments. And when they ask for professional help, the medical bills can be really expensive. Since they don’t have medical insurance, they have to pay in cold cash. When this happens, the whole community will lend a helping hand. They all work to get the money, and they don’t stop until the bill is fully paid.

There are several organizations that offer financial assistance to the Amish but the community doesn’t want to rely on others so they usually take the responsibility upon themselves.

It is typical to see Amish people driving a horse and carriage down the countryside.The Amish consider owning a car to be risky as it can lure community members to venture outside, and leave their old ways behind. Owning or driving a car is there for prohibited in the community, but they allow outsiders to drive them if necessary.

The other reason why they shun motorized transportation is that it can make them less dependent on their community.

When outsiders want to join the Amish religion, they must first stay in an Amish family for a long while, and take part in the daily activities of the community. They also have to learn German and Pennsylvanian Dutch, as well as to accept the physically demanding way of living. Once they’ve spent enough time with the community, they can choose to be baptized, after which they are allowed to marry into an Amish family.

While it is considered rare, some outsiders have converted into the Amish faith and became highly-regarded members of the community.

Unlike the rest of the world, the retirement age for the Amish is not fixed in advance. It’s a choice made by taking several factors into consideration, such as personal health and family needs. It can there for vary between the ages of 50 and 70.

In the modern world today, when an elderly person stops working, they often find themselves alone. But this isn’t a problem with the Amish. When a person retires, he or she continues to live with the family, sometimes in a building adjoining the family house called the Grossdaadi Haus. They also continue to take part in family and community activities.

The Amish are considered as highly-regarded artisans by modern standards. Their handicrafts are highly valuable and can be very expensive. The reason behind this is that the Amish treat their work as a form of worship, so they take special attention and pour their best effort in everything that they do, be it be carpentry or cooking.

Their isolated lifestyle mostly keeps them from modern designs and trends. It allows them to preserve their traditional handiworks, passed down from one generation to another.

In the past, in order to buy premium Amish furniture, you had to actually travel to an Amish community and meet the craftsman personally; then place your order, go home and return to pick up your new table or cabinet once it was done.

Nowadays, this is no longer the setup. While the Amish shun technology including the internet, there are several intermediary traders who sell Amish products online, providing an essential link between the old communities and the world outside.

Today, the Amish are increasing in numbers and are considered one of the fastest growing communities in the U.S. More Amish people mean higher demand for services catering especially to the community.

One of these special services is the Bank of Bird in Hand, which was the first modern Amish bank. It was established as a joint venture between Amish and outside investors, and caters to the Amish community’s specific needs. This includes financial plans that fit their lifestyle. There’s also a drive-through window built for their traditional carriages.

Amish people go on dates like everybody else. But their ways are more fascinating than going on tinder. The Amish teens have an event called “Sing.” It usually takes place on Sunday evenings at their barns.

The Amish boys and girls gather together at long tables, the boys on one side and the girls at the opposite. Then they sing their favorite hymns, which are normally upbeat.

After the event has formally ended, the teens socialize and may split into couples.

Since the Amish don’t have vibrant music events or cinemas where they can watch movies, their way of entertainment is none other than food.

Food is a major part of Amish culture and any reason to get together, be it a Sing, a wedding ceremony, or just a cool summer night – is an excuse to dine.

The Amish have many traditional dishes and meals that have been passed down from one generation to the next, some improved to perfection.

Scroll on to read about some of the festive dishes prepared by the Amish.

In his book Sauerkraut Yankees: Pennsylvania Dutch Foods & Foodways, William Woys Weaver writes:

“The Pennsylvania Dutch developed soup making to such a high art that complete cookbooks could be written about their soups alone; there was an appropriate soup for every day of the year, including a variety of hot and cold fruit soups.”

Soups are considered a practical dish, so it makes sense that the Amish and Mennonites have become real soup experts. Most Pennsylvania Dutch have broths on hand, as they preserve every drop of cooking liquid including vegetable, fish and beef stocks.

Root beer and cream soda are popular in some parts of the United States, but the Amish are also known for a drink called Birch Beer.

Birch beer is made from sap extracted from the bark of birch trees and can be either alcoholic or light. The alcoholic version has been brewed since the 17th century and all sorts of variants of the drink have become famous not just within the Amish communities, but in the neighboring towns and cities also.

If you’re huge fans of Oreos, you’ll definitely want to try Whoopie Pies. This Amish sweet delight has been passed down in the generations, but only in recent years it has become famous across the U.S.

The mouthwatering pie is like a sandwich but made with two pieces of chocolate cake, with a fluffy white frosting or cream generously spread between them. The traditional cookies are made with vegetable shortening, not butter. And the most commonly made Whoopie Pie is chocolate.

An Amish feast isn’t complete without the Shoofly Pie. This Amish specialty is very simple to make, and can be made from on hand pantry ingredients. All you need is molasses, sugar, flour, eggs, and water.

Though the recipe is easy, the Shoofly Pie is extremely delicious, and has become a trademark of Pennsylvania Dutch cooking.

The pie has been in Amish communities for centuries and is still served in their homes. It is also offered in restaurants across the country.

More than 100 apple varieties are grown in the United States. So for Amish community, apples have become a big part of their diet.

Apples pies and strudels are widespread in the country, but one interesting dish is the Schnitz un Knepp. It’s a popular dish in the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch and rural families, made of ham or pork shoulder, and cooked with dried apples and dumplings.

Most Amish families have their secret recipe of Schnitz un Knepp. So if ever you visit the Amish community, be sure to include this in your itinerary.

The Amish religion comes from Swiss German Anabaptist origins. Beginning in the 16th century in Zurich, Anabaptists believed that baptism is only meaningful and valid when a person confesses his or her faith in Christ and actively wants to be baptized.

Amish elders don’t allow infant kids to take this vow, but rather wait until they are old enough to commit themselves, based on their own free will. Some religious authorities didn’t agree with this theological notion and the Anabaptists were heavily persecuted.

The Amish might seem like the strictest of Anabaptists groups, but this is not the case. They are a derivative of the broader Mennonite movement. They only adopted the name “Amish” after they migrated to America. In the second half of the 19th century, the Amish were divided into Old Order Amish and Amish Mennonites.

There are several other groups who share similar practices and lifestyles to those of the Amish. So if you see someone shunning technology and driving a carriage, don’t presume they are Amish.

The Old Order Mennonites are also Anabaptists who speak Pennsylvania Dutch, wear plain clothing, live in secluded communities and shun technology.

It’s difficult to summarize the differences between the Amish and the Mennonites because different Amish and Mennonite communities have different rules.

In general, Mennonites don’t shun modern technology as much as the Amish do. Many of them drive cars and use electricity for specific activities. Some even study in college.

To sum up, some Mennonite communities are stricter than your typical Amish while some Amish communities are quite lenient in the traditions.