The Life of the Modern Amish

The Amish are a culture known for their strict adherence to tradition. The Amish do not use electrical power that is connected to the grid, drive cars, take photos, and dress very plain. However, honoring tradition does not necessarily mean rejecting any and all innovations. 

Today in Lancaster County, you will not find Amish women churning butter or see an Amish home lit solely by candles, but you might notice the lack of air-conditioning inside. Amish culture embraces the idea of a slower and simpler life, but they also are not stuck in the 1800s. Take for example, the powering of homes. Amish homes have appliances like ovens, refrigerators, and  washing machines (but not dryers!) powered by alternative sources. The most common power sources utilized by the Amish are batteries, propane, and solar panels. So how do the Amish know exactly what they are and are not allowed to do? The answer: it’s complicated. 

An Amish family looks to their church’s bishop to deem an activity acceptable or not. Like any religion, some congregations are more conservative than others, and some are more willing to allow modern tools into their life. 

One instance of this can be seen in the great cell phone debate. At one time all phones were prohibited unanimously. Yet, in recent years the conversation has changed from “Should Amish be allowed to own a cellphone at all?” to “What purposes should the phone be used for”. Most Amish have at least a “black box” phone or a cellphone that is kept in a case outside the home (typically a shed). The phone is to be used for business use only. In the past decade, there has been an increase in cell phone usage in the Amish community. Typically, it is a flip phone with very simple functions (call and text only) and still is only utilized for practical purposes like calling a family member to see when they will get home from work, etc. Each church and family has different standards and beliefs that might (or may not change) over time. The important thing to remember is that the Amish are not a monolith.