The Amish

AMISH HISTORY

Amish belong to a Protestant-based religious group that originated in Switzerland and Germany in 1500s. Martin Luther broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. Consequently, the Protestant Reformation, putting heavy emphasis on personal faith and the authority of the Bible, swept through northern Germany and Scandinavia.

Not satisfied with conservative reform, many sects developed other forms of worship. One point of contention for the reform movement was baptism which, it was believed, should only be performed on adults who consciously accepted the teachings of Jesus Christ. Adult baptisms became identified with the so-called Radical Reformation movement. Its reformers were called Anabaptists, meaning "Rebaptizers" because they had already been baptized in the Catholic Church as infants. They also believed in separation of church and state.

This Swiss Anabaptists became known as Mennonites, after a Roman Catholic priest, Monno Simon, who led them in the Netherlands and Northern Germany in the 1530s. The Mennonites, regarded as heretics, were persecuted with torture, burning at the stake, jailing, drowning and general harassment during the 1600s. At the same time, a sect of stricter Mennonites, who followed Jacob Ammann, broke off from the group and became known as Amish.

Why did many sects develop from Protestantism? Many people believed that Protestantism was not enough conservative. They wanted their Religion to be stricter than the current one.

What religious observances are the most important for the Amish? The most important observances for the Amish are the belief in personal faith and the authority of the Bible.

Who Was Jacob Ammann? Jacob Ammann was a very strict Mennonite who founded the Amish Sect.

What did Protestants think of Baptism? They thought that it should be performed on adults, not children.


Listen to this song and fill the gaps




"Wonderful World"

Don't know much about ...................
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the ..................... I took

But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love ................ too
What a wonderful world this would be

Don't know much about ......................
Don't know much trigonometry
Don't know much about ........................
Don't know what a slide rule is for

But I do know that one and one is ...................
And if this one could be with you
What a wonderful world this would be

Now I don't claim to be an "A" student
But I'm trying to be
So maybe by being an "A" ..................... baby
I can win your love for me

Don't know much about history
Don't know much ...........................
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took

But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be

La ta ta ta ta ta ta
(History)
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
(Biology)
La ta ta ta ta ta ta
(Science book)
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
(French I took)

But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a ............................ this would be


AMISH LIFESTYLE

Amish, often referred to as plain people maintain a very distinct lifestyle. They use few modern conveniences and keep a horse and buggy as their means of conveyance. Buggies are a common sight in Lancaster as they clip-clop down country roads as well as more travelled routes.
Amish easily are identified by their manner of dress, which, they feel, is a symbol of their separation from the world and a constant reminder of their commitment to God and their religion.
Men and boys wear dark suits, coats without lapels, pastel-coloured shirts, a straw or black broad-brimmed hat and black shoes. Women wear skirts with long sleeves and high necks topped off with caps and white or black aprons. They also wear select pastel colours. Wire hook-and-eye fasteners, straight pins and velcro are used as fasteners. Women and men do not wear jewellery or embellishments such as buttons (although, some buttons are worn on winter coats) on their clothes in order to maintain humility and disavow anything that might gain them recognition, such as distinctive dress. Likewise, Amish do not style their hair, wear makeup, manufactured clothing or anything to alter God’s creation.
Black is the dominating colour for Amish life but, ironically, Amish are buried in white. Married men wear a beard. Moustaches are taboo since they were once associated with military officers and Amish are pacifists. Men keep their hair trimmed in a single layer, parted cut that dips to the earlobe on the sides and above the collar in the back of the head.

QUESTIONS
1. Match the following words to the definitions.

Fastener
Conveyance
Commitment
Disavow
_______________: Strong belief in an idea or system, especially when it is shown by your actions and behaviour.
_______________: Vehicle.
_______________: When you say that you are not connected with it or responsible for it.
_______________: Device such as a button or a zip or safety pin that fastens something, especially clothing.

2. Answer the following questions.
a. Why are Amish referred to as plain people?
b. When do Amish people wear clothes in white?
c. Why do they not wear luxurious things?

3. Put the following sentences into the passive.
a. We have a table for dinner at the Hilton
b. The white-fly is destroying melon crops in USA
c. Everybody in the city knows him well

4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning of the original.
a. Despite the age of the house, we managed to sell it.
b. Her children have long conversations on the phone. Consequently, the phone bills are expensive (Result).
c. Helen is very busy at work. Andrea is on holiday (whereas).
d. The temperature was freezing. The children were sent home (reason)
e. Although the tickets were expensive, we went to the concert (In spite of)

5. Composition. Write 130 words about fashion and models.