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Amish men ‘shunned’ after nationwide emergency alert outs them for having phones (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 1 year ago by csolisr@communities.azkware.net to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 124 points 1 year ago

Yeah that's bullshit. I live in a very very Amish area and I'm one of the minority who aren't Amish. Most of what people think about them is bullshit. So to hammer a few rumors out:
Electricity is a tool, and you're allowed to have tools in the barn, but not in the house.
A home phone/cell phone is a tool, it can be in the barn but not the house.
A car is a tool, but a photograph is vain. You can own a car but someone who isn't Amish has to drive it.

They all have cell phones, debit cards, vans, refrigerators, etc. They're just super picky about what gets to come inside the house

[-] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 72 points 1 year ago

I also have friends in Amish and Mennonite communities in southern and northern Ontario.

Each community and group is unique to every other. Some are strict Orthodox and some relax the rules .... and some are so normal looking and acting that you wouldn't know they were Amish or Mennonite unless they told you.

My favorite are the thuggy Mennonites in southern Ontario. They drive around in brand new all black decked out SUVs (minus the chrome because you to show some humility), wear super clean black brimmed hats, sharp clothes and beautiful black leather jackets. Famously a few of them were caught smuggling coke and other drugs from Mexico.

They may have the fear of God in their hearts ... but they're just as greedy and worldly as any of us.

[-] Saraphim@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

I’m in Ontario. I’ve never heard the term “thuggy Mennonite” but it’s fucking perfect.

[-] nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

We saw some thuggy Mennonites in the northern corner of PA this summer. Super nicely pressed shirts and suspended pants.

Most of them appeared to be looking down toward my scruffy family (who had just rolled out of a campsite and just wanted breakfast).

[-] ericisshort@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Now I want a gritty antihero drama series about the thuggy Mennonite’s of Ontario. I’m thinking a modern day Canadian Peaky Blinders kinda thing.

[-] DiomedesJimmu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I've never seen it, so I don't know if it's good. But there is this

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6257298/

[-] kambusha@feddit.ch 1 points 1 year ago

"Banshee" comes to mind. Not exactly that description but certainly has the Amish crime angle.

[-] Fondots@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Each community and group is unique

I recently looked into one of my local Mennonite churches, and it turns out that that particular church is probably actually one of the coolest, most liberal churches around, super LGBTQ friendly, lots of cool community outreach, etc.

Probably not representative of Mennonite churches in general mind you, but definitely shows the sort of diversity there can be there.

[-] PlasmaDistortion@lemm.ee 49 points 1 year ago

At that point I would just live in the barn.

[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago

That's Mennonite

[-] Unsustainable@lemmy.today 19 points 1 year ago

Are you saying that people have preconceived stereotypical notions of groups of people they aren't part of? I won't hear any of this nonsense!

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 14 points 1 year ago

You can own a car but someone who isn't Amish has to drive it.

What if they're in the barn?

[-] Rogue@feddit.uk 8 points 1 year ago

If it's a tool and being used for a clear purpose why can't the driver be Amish?

[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

They can't have their picture taken for the license

[-] Rogue@feddit.uk 8 points 1 year ago

It's that really the case? That's absurd. nobody looks like their license photo so I'm surprised the state doesn't provide an exemption.

[-] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It depends on the sect, but yeah for the most part it is. Once they cross that line it's Mennonite. but there are some sects, like the Swartzentroubers, that are very old order and don't even wear shoes. But for the most part they won't. Even the dolls at Amish stores don't have faces. And they may make exemptions for hijabs but there still has to be a photo and they just outright refuse for the most part, except for during rumspringe

[-] beefcat@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

not having a picture on your id would defeat the purpose of your id.

making an exemption would create a loophole more nefarious actors could easily exploit. no sane dmv is going to get away with instituting religious purity tests to make sure everyone who says they are amish is actually amish.

[-] init@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

If it's a tool and is being used for a clear purpose, why are the Amish in their house and not the barn?

[-] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 46 points 1 year ago

Fuck the amish. Misogynists and homophobes, 99% of them.

[-] Huxleywaswrite@lemmy.world 26 points 1 year ago

Don't forget abusive to animals

[-] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

Holy shit. Thanks for the knowledge

I read this: https://www.animaladvocatesscpa.com/blog/post/amish-animal-cruelty-unexpected-mix/

[-] Emerald@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That doesn't seem any worse then non-Amish animal cruelty

[-] Ryan213@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago

Is this both sad and funny? Or just one of them? Lol

[-] Coasting0942@reddthat.com 2 points 1 year ago

The real shunning was not turning off emergency alerts, or having phones turned off when you don’t need then.

But blaming Amish for being tech illiterate is like blaming a baby, so funny and sad it is.

[-] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago

Eh, half the reason Amish hate phones is that they'll infect the community with newfangled ideas like respecting women and gay marriage, so I feel very comfortable laughing at them for their willful ignorance.

[-] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Don't forget "not molesting children." https://www.npr.org/2020/01/19/797804404/investigation-into-child-sex-abuse-in-amish-communities

[-] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

The title says it's about child sexual abuse, but the transcript only shows discussion of abuse of women. Why is that?

this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023

279 points (94.6% liked)

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