Tammi's World

Amish 101

Yesterday's incident in Lancaster has really kicked me in the gut. Mama Vi is beside herself. Unfortunately I did not get hold of her before she saw it on the news.

Any time there is something like this - can you believe we can actually SAY that? - it is sickening. Mind blowing. Who would do something like this? Why? My mind cannot grasp it. Not at all.

But this one? This one is just way to close to home for me. In case you've just recently started reading here let me fill you in. My mama was raised Amish. It's our families religion. Me? I am not. I'm not Amish. I'm not Mennonite (although I was for a time). No - I'm just Tammi. My beliefs are my own. Period.

What I'd like to do is draw back the curtain a bit and show you a small glimpse into the Amish faith and how they will most likely deal with all this.

I'll put the rest in the extended entry - just in case this is not something that interests you. (Plus, I can tell - this is gonna be one very long post!)

First it's important to know - right off the bat - I am not condoning nor am I condeming the Amish faith. It is what it is. Has been since the 1500's. It's not up for debate. No matter how much you disagree with their beliefs this is NOT what this post is about. It's about understanding. Period.

Also, as I stated I am NOT Amish. I am not going to use this post to point out any issues (and there are plenty) that I have with their faith. If I believed as they do - I'd be in my little cape dress and covering workin' out in the field bein' submissive to my man. No. Not me. I'm just sayin'....

The Amish are Pacifists. They believe in turning the other cheek. They are self sufficient with in their community. Forgiveness is KEY to their beliefs. God forgives us, we forgive those who wrong us.

Many of us believe that we have done a decent job of sheltering our children. Well, no one does it like the Amish. No TV. No radio. Books are closely screened. At a young age, all of their social life involves the church. Church and Family. Violence has no presence in their lives. There's no cops and robbers. There's no cowboys and indians. They don't own guns, so to have one shoved in your face is something they would never have even THOUGHT of. The life of an Amish child is full of chores, prayer, bible study, music and family. Period.

They take care of their own. No need for insurance. No real need for a bank, most of the time. The church is their family. They take care of their own.

Let's talk a bit about yesterday. On the news I heard the one newscaster mention "there is little if any security in one of these schools". Ok - 1 room school house for Amish kids. Security is the last thing they would think of. PLUS - What kind of security? A man standing at the door with a pitchfork? Cause that's about all I can think of. No electric. No weapons. No security. And that won't change.

Why did the teacher leave those girls? Well, the teachers were either pregnant or had their small infant children with them. Plus, they are taught to be submissive. You DON'T FIGHT BACK. Period. A man storms in, with a shotgun and a hand gun and orders them out. You DON'T FIGHT BACK. I'm sure they are tryin' to deal with the decision they made, but I can't see what other choice they had. They do not know how to fight. They do not know self defense. That won't change either.

In talking with Mama Vi I told her I was glad the bastard was dead. I hope the devil was roasting his soul.

Mama told me to remember that God loved even him, for some reason. I need to remember that and pray for his soul.

I cannot.

But folks - that is how they think. Honestly. They will pray and pray and pray for this sick, tormented being. It is how they believe. I am sure that community, at least those whose daughters are not still in the hospital, are all at homes, in church praying right now. Praying for understanding. Praying for peace. Praying for the soul of that monster that tore their community apart. Because they need to forgive him. That's a cornerstone to their faith. "Forgive as you shall be forgiven" - I don't know which passage this is and I can't find my bible right now, but I know this one. It's been burned into my mind. Since childhood.

When that man took his own life he deprived them of their form of justice. Their right to forgive. Many of us would want the right to "Do unto others as they have done unto us" (paraphrase) and I'm right there at the front of that line. But remember - "turn the other cheek". The fact that it is no longer possible to look this man in the eye and forgive him, this man who was actually a part of their community, had been to many of the farms, this will really be a stumbling block for many peoples faith. And it will cause them great sorrow - that they were denied to opportunity to forgive. THAT is their version of closure.

So as you watch the news and see this community mourn, please keep in mind - they may dress different, they may talk different but they hurt just like the rest of us. They just deal with things differently. But that doesn't change the fact that their daughters were ripped from their lives in a way that most of them could have never ever imagined.

You won't see them on Oprah or Larry King. I'm sure they didn't even realize how many photos there were being taken of them. They will draw together - from across this country - to get through this. Their sorrow is private. Their healing is private. Their faith? Speaks for itself.

Posted by Tammi at October 3, 2006 05:07 AM | TrackBack