Amish Essay

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Amish of Pennsylvania and Modern life
‘The Amish are among the most unusual Christian denominations, seemingly frozen in the 19th century.’ by Jack Zavada. The Amish originated from Switzerland in 1693 and descended from the strict teachings of Jacob Amman which led to a split of other Mennonites. Amish communities sprang up in Switzerland, Alsace, Germany, Russia and Holland, but unfortunately there are no more Amish people remaining in Europe. Many of the Amish started to immigrate to North America to avoid the religious persecution and the compulsory military service that was in Europe in the 18th century, and settled in eastern Pennsylvania.
The Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania are a group of people who are unique villagers living a life of ethics, cultural traditions, and family organization which are the three elements of happiness. Observations of these may also lead to the claim that the Amish life is more than just the life of one who deviates from such practices and beliefs, thus showing that justice is within the souls of these settlers.
Wealth, security, and freedom of the Amish are clearly demonstrated through the strict avoidance of any modern technology that can be used for a typical nowadays work. The Amish greatly value family dynamics and the importance of maintaining a close- knit community. Therefore, the use of modern technology for farming fields, traveling long distances, and even entertainment purposes is seen as a sign of weakness among the families. The Amish do not acknowledge electricity, tractors, automobiles, televisions, cell phones, or any form of technology. They believe in working hard to achieve their tasks, even if it is a simple task which could be as simple as cleaning a house or t...

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...ee elements. This can be seen as materialistic goods as well as the desire to minimize work by hiring others are ignored within the community. Our souls however, do not have this balance since the constant craving of materialistic things consumes our everyday thoughts and actions. Our appetites grow stronger by the day, enabling us to realize that we can never be rich enough to possess all the goods we want in life. Our wants seem to be unlimited, meaning that we can never fully reach the wealth, sense of freedom, and internal security that enable the Amish to embrace the highest level of happiness in life. Therefore, based on Plato’s account of the just person, the Amish are seen as people that are more just than we are since they do not possess an internal conflict within their soul, a conflict that has influenced our selfish thoughts and actions for years.

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