There are, as you may know, many different sects of the Amish. They all
believe different things regarding technology. There are the most
conservative who will not even carry a solar-charged battery to have a
flashing light on their carriages, who will not use a phone but will
pass messages through the "English" (you or I).
So yes, it is fascinating. It seems as though you're calling them
hypocritical because they'll use some technology but not all. I think
they're amazing for being able to live without it.
--
Martin K


Carl Denk wrote:
> They aren't all angels, there are problems with young people playing 
> loud boomboxes, drunk drivers of horse drawn carriages in towns of 
> non-amish (and mennonite) people, where the amish live outside town. 
> They take the technology they want and shun the rest. Some strange 
> rules, can't have a tractor, but can have a cart pulled by a team of 
> horses that has a gasoline engine powered hydraulic unit to power the 
> round bailer (hay or straw). Have seen a phone booth out on the front 
> lawn or using a cell phone, but won't have a phone in the house. Have 
> bought finished hard maple lumber, employees horse and carriages out the 
> side hitching post, but modern woodworking equipment being used. We are 
> on the very fringe of their travels, they tore an old barn down on our 
> street, every day several buggys of men, and one of women to fix lunch 
> for 2 weeks as the dismantled the barn piece by piece as I wondered how 
> they were getting the pile 15 miles to the settlement. One day there was 
> a flatbed semi-trailer loaded high with the wood, and a buggy following 
> home. ~)
>
-- 
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