by Catherine Haug, February 5, 2012
Setting aside their religious views, the Amish set an example to explore, for those of us who aspire to live sustainably and in community. A 2-hour episode of American Experience on Montana PBS, to be aired at 7 PM on Tuesday, February 28, explores this unique society that many of us didn’t know much about until the film Witness captured our attention in 1985.
The Amish movement began over 500 years ago in Switzerland as a branch of the Mennonite movement. Many emigrated to the US in the 1800s, settling primarily in Pennsylvania, then expanding into the midwestern states. Their lifestyle varies from community to community, but in general, they are known for “simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.” (2)
For more about this program, or on the Amish lifestyle, read on.
From American Experience: The Amish (1):
An intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life, this film examines how such a closed and communal culture has thrived within one of the most open, individualistic societies on earth. What does the future hold for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past? And what does our fascination with the Amish say about deep American values?
From the Montana PBS monthly program booklet:
This episode answers any questions American have about this insistently insular religious community, whose intense faith and adherence to 500-year-old traditions have by turns captivated and repelled, awed and irritated, inspired and confused for more than a century. With unprecedented access, built on patience and hard-won trust, the film is the first to penetrate deeply and explore this attention-averse group. In doing so, this program paints and intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life.
It questions why and how the Amish, an insistently closed and communal culture, have thrived within one of the most open, individualistic societies on earth; explores how, despite their ingrained submissiveness, the Amish have successfully asserted themselves in resisting the encroachments of modern society and government; asks what Americans’ attraction to the Amish says about deep American values; and looks at what the future holds for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past.
For more information about the Amish Lifestyle, see:
- Amish.net: The Amish Lifestyle
- Amish 101 – Amish Culture, Beliefs & Lifestyle
- Ohio’s Amish Country:The Amish Way of Life
- Explaining the Amish Way of Life – VOA Story (3 minute You Tube video)
References:
- American Experience: www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/amish
- Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish