The Amish of Pennsylvania
...neration verbally, not through writing. In 1527, several Anabaptist leaders met in a secret conference and issued a declaration of "brotherly love" (The Amish). This declaration brought together the idea of living together in a community, and is still a basic guideline of the Amish today. The Amish also strongly believe in a practice called Meidung, or shunning as most people know it today. The Amish practice shunning even more strictly that the Anabaptists. They shun any members who leave the Amish church or any members that marry an outsider. When a person was shunned, nobody was allowed to buy anything from or sell anything to the excommunicated "member". You are not even allowed to eat with the person who has been shunned. A few weeks after a member is shunned, they are allowed back in the community if they realize and renounce their sins to the community. Jacob Amman took shunning so seriously because of a passage from Corinthians. The passage states "...Not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one." Another sacred practice of the Amish is of washing feet. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples during the last supper, so the Amish wash each other's feet during communion. They stoop when they wash each other's feet as a symbol of humility (The Amish). The main difference between the Amish faith and the Christian faith, is that the Amish combine their faith and culture. Everything they do is related to their faith. Many of the ideals and values of the Amish is the polar opposite of those of modern American culture. The five basic units of Amish life are personality, symbols, ritual, structure, and values. These five units together is called Gelassenheit. Gelassenheit teaches the Amish to be reserved, modest, calm, and quiet (The Amish). It has a large emphasis on serving and respecting others in the community and it includes ideas about a modest way of acting, talking, dressing, and walking. Gelassenheit also structures social life so that communities remain small and simple (The Amis...