Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
RZehr
Posts: 7027
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:42 am
Affiliation: Cons. Mennonite

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by RZehr »

TeleBodyofChrist wrote:
RZehr wrote:Widows pressured to marry again?? Within a culture that the man always instigates the courtship, what would it accomplish to pressure the widow?

No, widows are not pressured to marry.
I am beginning to wonder if things are being intentionally misunderstood. Why in the world would you think what I asked had anything to do with rules of courtship? Why so sarcastic?

I just wanted to know if they were pressured to take to any proposals even if they did not want to because the church was supporting them.

It is not blatantly obvious what the practice would be since every church is different. Valerie mentioned what women she encountered told her so I asked.
No sarcasm. Surprised, mixed with shock and bewilderment, yes.
I didn't see what Valerie wrote.
0 x
User avatar
TeleBodyofChrist
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:20 am
Location: Traveler
Affiliation: Christian
Contact:

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by TeleBodyofChrist »

RZehr wrote:
TeleBodyofChrist wrote:
RZehr wrote:Widows pressured to marry again?? Within a culture that the man always instigates the courtship, what would it accomplish to pressure the widow?

No, widows are not pressured to marry.
I am beginning to wonder if things are being intentionally misunderstood. Why in the world would you think what I asked had anything to do with rules of courtship? Why so sarcastic?

I just wanted to know if they were pressured to take to any proposals even if they did not want to because the church was supporting them.

It is not blatantly obvious what the practice would be since every church is different. Valerie mentioned what women she encountered told her so I asked.
No sarcasm. Surprised, mixed with shock and bewilderment, yes.
I didn't see what Valerie wrote.
Okay, thanks for the response. It came off that way because it was after Josh's post, and I bolded what she said. I could see how it might have been hard to see the bold text as it was not black but purple or something.
0 x
Let’s read the whole bible together in 30 days!
If interested you can view my profile and go to my website.

2 Tim. 3:16-17
Sudsy
Posts: 5856
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Sudsy »

Video 3 comments -

When asked about the head phones I thought the Amish man could have given a better reason or set a later time to explain why he didn't want it around his house. 'We don't want any of that' imo, is saying this is the rule, just follow it which was a strange thing for James to hear. It was good to see their connection later in the video.

I like the connection made between holiness and good deeds when it showed the quilt making for a charity that was explained as "holy deeds" being necessary to focus on a godly life so we do not stray from God's path.

I also liked the emphasis on bible study and seeing them carry their own bibles to bible study. Technology in some churches like ours has made it convenient for people to not carry their own personal bibles to church. And bibles are provided in the pew racks for those who prefer reading from a bible over reading on the video screen. I often hear the preacher say turn to page (and he gives a page number) to find a text. Imo, we should be familiar enough with the bible in a pretty short time to know where a text is located when the book, chapter and verse is given. New converts can always use the book index while learning. I see very few carrying their own bibles to church. This is a concern of mine. One thing that I appreciated in my previous Baptist church was the pastor quit using the overhead for texts and encouraged people to carry their own bibles to church. Call me old fashion but I believe there should be this kind of respect for the book our faith is based on.

I like the hymns sung also as it brought back some good memories. All our songs now are modern ones except for the rare older hymn with some alterations.

I see to that the bible they gave Charlotte was the New Testament. This was a better move than the entire bible at this point in her faith journey, imo.

I probably would not fit in with this group as I sway with the music. Pretty conservative though for a Pentecostal background. I could relate to the yodeling though as quite a few in my family could yodel.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Valerie »

Sudsy, we still need to discuss video 2- telebodyofChrist had a good report after viewing it which I haven't participated in that one yet- maybe you have & I missed it- I find this discussion beneficial because 2 extreme opposite worlds are being exposed to each other & what can be gleaned-

Have to catch up later with video 2, blessed Lord's Day to you!
0 x
Sudsy
Posts: 5856
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Sudsy »

Valerie wrote:Sudsy, we still need to discuss video 2- telebodyofChrist had a good report after viewing it which I haven't participated in that one yet- maybe you have & I missed it- I find this discussion beneficial because 2 extreme opposite worlds are being exposed to each other & what can be gleaned-

Have to catch up later with video 2, blessed Lord's Day to you!
OK, I'll wait til we are through with Video 2.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
Paul
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:33 pm
Affiliation:

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Paul »

Sudsy wrote:Video 3 comments -

When asked about the head phones I thought the Amish man could have given a better reason or set a later time to explain why he didn't want it around his house. 'We don't want any of that' imo, is saying this is the rule, just follow it which was a strange thing for James to hear. It was good to see their connection later in the video.
I thought James was a little childish to say it was "quite unusual" for him to be without his headphones/mp3 to be honest. I didn't see him with his headphones on at the other Amish home, they all had to give up their electronics there too if I remember correctly, so I think he was testing the boundaries.. imo he wasn't being very polite.
0 x
Sudsy
Posts: 5856
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Sudsy »

Paul wrote:
Sudsy wrote:Video 3 comments -

When asked about the head phones I thought the Amish man could have given a better reason or set a later time to explain why he didn't want it around his house. 'We don't want any of that' imo, is saying this is the rule, just follow it which was a strange thing for James to hear. It was good to see their connection later in the video.
I thought James was a little childish to say it was "quite unusual" for him to be without his headphones/mp3 to be honest. I didn't see him with his headphones on at the other Amish home, they all had to give up their electronics there too if I remember correctly, so I think he was testing the boundaries.. imo he wasn't being very polite.
Interesting perspective. My reaction is that James was coming from a background where he did not have to live according to rules restricting what he mostly cared to do. When someone attempts to direct his life, especially in an area he might see harms no one else and is important to him, I think it took him by surprise and his defense was exaggerated to attempt to persuade the rule maker to change his mind. However, he was willing to co-operate with the rule.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
Paul
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:33 pm
Affiliation:

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Paul »

Sudsy wrote: Interesting perspective. My reaction is that James was coming from a background where he did not have to live according to rules restricting what he mostly cared to do. When someone attempts to direct his life, especially in an area he might see harms no one else and is important to him, I think it took him by surprise and his defense was exaggerated to attempt to persuade the rule maker to change his mind. However, he was willing to co-operate with the rule.
Well I think you're right about his background, but I do think he already spent a week (or two?) at an Amish home without his electronic devices already.. so to say it is "quite unusual", well he had at least a weeks practise already. ;)
Don't get me wrong though I do love James, and I loved how he bonded with the first family, especially the Amish man that went turtle hunting with him (I think that was the first episode.. apologies if I am mixing up). He recognised the vulnerability of James (when he said he thought he was someone whose feelings can be easily hurt), which isn't strange considering James's background, and he was very warm and kind to him. And James even adopted an Amish haircut as a thank you :) - loved that part. I especially hope and pray the Lord will use this experience in James's life.. maybe in the long run.. to bring him to the Saviour.
0 x
Sudsy
Posts: 5856
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by Sudsy »

Paul wrote:
Sudsy wrote: Interesting perspective. My reaction is that James was coming from a background where he did not have to live according to rules restricting what he mostly cared to do. When someone attempts to direct his life, especially in an area he might see harms no one else and is important to him, I think it took him by surprise and his defense was exaggerated to attempt to persuade the rule maker to change his mind. However, he was willing to co-operate with the rule.
Well I think you're right about his background, but I do think he already spent a week (or two?) at an Amish home without his electronic devices already.. so to say it is "quite unusual", well he had at least a weeks practise already. ;)
Don't get me wrong though I do love James, and I loved how he bonded with the first family, especially the Amish man that went turtle hunting with him (I think that was the first episode.. apologies if I am mixing up). He recognised the vulnerability of James (when he said he thought he was someone whose feelings can be easily hurt), which isn't strange considering James's background, and he was very warm and kind to him. And James even adopted an Amish haircut as a thank you :) - loved that part. I especially hope and pray the Lord will use this experience in James's life.. maybe in the long run.. to bring him to the Saviour.
Amen. I think a lot of ground work, at least, was made for James to see some very loving and caring Christianity in action. To me, this is the kind of light shining that we are to be. People have a hard time ignoring genuine Christian concern for them when we offer a listening ear and helping hand. And Jesus said, do this to even those who consider us as enemies.

Sin in this world has taken an awful toll on some folk like James. I missed up on an opportunity the other day to befriend a lonely looking person and I pray God will give me more boldness and His concern for those He came to rescue from the awful effects of sin in this world. These folks are all around us. If we only had eyes to see them as Jesus did.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
User avatar
TeleBodyofChrist
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:20 am
Location: Traveler
Affiliation: Christian
Contact:

Re: Living With The Amish Youtube Series

Post by TeleBodyofChrist »

Video 3:

The girls and boys were split between houses this time. The boys stayed with a diary farmer and the girls stayed on a chicken farm.

The headphone situation happened right away. If I remember, correctly at each home the teens were told in the beginning what was allowed at that community. For example, the first couple went around with a basket explaining their views on technology and collecting it from ALL of them.

The other communities something was always different and I sure it was confusing for the teens because every community is DIFFERENT. With most denominations most churches within the denomination are generally the same. I have found the Anabaptist denomination to be the most confusing because they do not adhere to a specific set of rules for all churches.

This situation that happened with the headphones should have been addressed as it was the first episode. Asking all the teens not singling out one. I do not think James was being disrespectful because how was he to know what would be accepted there yet? They had not told him until that very moment and then it was just him which usually puts people on the defensive.

Outside of that the boys generally did not complain about much.

There was a scene where Jordan was talking to an engaged fellow and the subject of waiting until marriage came up. Particularly, no touching at all. It was interesting and I felt that Jordan was respectful in his reaction to the concept. Most people think the Duggars are extreme because they do not kiss. However, the Duggars do allow them to touch. Jordan did make a comment that has actually come up here in a different thread. Jordan said he does not get aroused from just touching a girl's hand. Where as, the Amish fellow did not want to touch his fiance for worry of going further. This shows the major difference in sensitivity between cultures Christian or non Christian.

I was surprised the Amish fellow that told James about his headphones shared something so personal. I think it helped James greatly. I think he had the impression that nothing like that could happen there in the Amish community. It is actually, a tendency for a lot of people think the Amish are holy and perfect and not recognize that they are human. They can sin no matter how many rules or how they appear just like any one else. It happens.

I was blessed by how the community continued to treat the Amish family that had this happen. There was not any difference in fellowship as far as could be seen. Unfortunately, I can not say the same for the community by us as I know families who children fell and the treatment received was not forgiving at all. The whole family was looked at as having something spiritually wrong. Very judgmental.

The girls seemed to hate the chicken farm well, except for Charlotte. The smell was a lot for them and they had to get air. Now, I am a city girl and I am not use to the farm, but I did not see anything wrong with those chicks. I am not sure what Siana was talking about. What did she think went on at farms? This is not Babe. I can not remember if she is a vegetarian or not but most people eat meat and animals have to die in order to have meat. It is nothing personal. I found it rude for her to imply they were in a bad situation because she was ignorant of what a bad farm actually looked like. The family seemed like they tried hard to make the chicks' short life tolerable.

For some reason, the courtship discussion the girls had with the engaged couple was cut off. I tried a couple of different links for this video and it was the same so, I do not know what was said there. Probably the same thing I suppose.

Hannah came out and said she was already sleeping with her boyfriend and the relationship was only four months long. The Amish teen girls did a good job not showing judgment but at the same time they told her the truth. What frustrates me about Hannah is she already knows this but has chosen to dismiss as not for today. If you are going to sin just own it do not lead others down that path by twisting scripture. Another problem Hannah might be facing is most teens around her do not wait. It is harder to stand for what you know is right when you are the only one. It is not impossible and takes unshakeable faith. I wonder if the situation was switched and the Amish teens were surrounded by sexually active teens if they would hold strong or let doubt in?

Did anyone notice how Siana and Hannah seemed to pay more attention to Charlotte's eagerness to immerse herself fully in the experience? I noticed it too, but I think that is her personality. When she is doing something she immerses herself in it whether it is looking good or taking care of chickens. However, there is a negative with this personality type... they tend to go from flower to flower never sticking to any one thing for long. I think Charlotte even said something to the effect that she finds it hard to stick to and finish things. It would be interesting to know what she is doing now.

The yodeling scene was interesting. What caught my attention was the instruments. This is a perfect example for how James would not know what is accepted from one community to the next. The community by me does not allow instruments for musical accompaniment and they are more liberal than the community these teens were in. I would not think an Amish community would allow guitars and the like. Honestly, solo singing was frown upon so the yodeling would be surprising as well.
0 x
Let’s read the whole bible together in 30 days!
If interested you can view my profile and go to my website.

2 Tim. 3:16-17
Post Reply