Q: Do all Amish people only drive buggies?
Asked by George from PA Q: Do all Amish people only drive buggies? A: Hi George! No. People who join the sect known as the Beachy Amish are allowed to own cars Thanks for the question George!
amish-questions
Q: Why do the women use straight pins to keep their dresses on instead of buttons or snaps?
Asked by Eileen from OH Q: Why do the women use straight pins to keep their dresses on instead of buttons or snaps? A: Hi Eileen–Why do some sects use straight pins and not snaps or buttons? I have no idea. I’ve tried to find out. I’ve asked some Amish women, but the answer so far has been “that’s just the way it’s always been.” I suppose extra fancy buttons could conceivably be considered decorative, but I’ve never figured out why they have to use straight pins instead of safety pins! I did get one answer from an Amish friend that I’ve chuckled over. She likes to tease me about the Englisch habit of hugging–how we sometimes hug people we don’t even know all that well. Hugging is uncommon to the Amish culture. When I asked her why they used straight pins, she grinned and said the pins were to keep their Englisch friends from hugging them! Thanks for the question Eileen!
Q: Is the act of shunning a frequent thing in the Amish culture?
Asked by Samantha from TN Q: Is the act of shunning a frequent thing in the Amish culture? A: Hi Samantha! Not nearly as frequent as Amish romance books would indicate. One Old Order Amish woman told me that in her lifetime she could remember only one instance when someone in her church was shunned. Thanks for the question Samantha!