Amish way of life

The Amish, a branch out of Anabaptist Christianity, maintain a lifestyle that is culturally distinct from typical North American culture. They believe their culture reflects biblical values, or at least that traditional agrarian lifestyle is superior to current cultural trends. For example, Amish believe large families are a blessing from God, so families with a dozen or more children are not uncommon. Family life is considered more important than economic success, so the elderly and handicapped are not sent to care facilities but are provided for at home. Known for their avoidance of modern technology, the decisions about what is to be used and what is to be avoided are made by the group, not the individual. These decisions are based either upon biblical practices or traditions that have been passed down, with the well-being of the community considered more valuable than the desires of the individual.

Practice varies widely among Amish, from car-driving Beachy Amish that use electricity, automobiles, smart phones, and colorful clothing, to the most traditional Swartzentruber Amish, who would carefully avoid owning or freely using all of these.

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