That’s a positively Humpty-Dumptian use of language.
Seems to me that the OP (and others in this thread) were pointing out admiration for the Amish community’s ability to forgive when they’ve been wronged. I don’t know that anyone here has suggested that the Amish as a whole are without any faults whatsoever.
I don’t doubt what you saw with your own eyes, but my kindly-meant advice to you is to question things you see on news stories. We are awash in junk journalism these days, in my opinion.
To somewhat get back to the OP, my mom is Mennonite, and some of the ways she and her family act are astonishingly full of grace. The Amish and the related Mennonites are definitely not perfect (not believing in education, for one thing), but they do have some good things going on.
post rescinded
Wait a second people… panache45 has real media coverage on his side (assuming he can find a cite), and yes the media can be and often is wrong but what do you have on your side besides not wanting to believe it?
Let’s not start screaming people down because you can’t find a cite for your own side.
Since panache45 has not, in fact, managed to find a cite yet, he actually doesn’t have real media coverage on his side, apart from his own recollections. And what kind of cite are you suggesting that everyone else find? A news article saying, “As expected, the Amish community, as usual, did not turn out to vote for Proposition 1”? Whoa, stop the presses!
I’m not saying that the Amish did or did not turn out to vote for Prop. 1, but I will remain noncommittal on this issue until someone turns up an actual cite either way.
And regardless, the Amish capacity for forgiveness is indeed remarkable and admirable, no matter how you feel about other aspects of their religious beliefs.
What MsWhatsit said. You can’t have evidence of something NOT occurring. Besides, I lived in Ohio during the time in question, same as panache45, and about as far away from the area we are talking about. I don’t recall any such media coverage. It may have been a story only in the Cleveland-Canton area, as I was closer to Columbus, but that still wouldn’t make it true.
Of course not, but indignant outrage isn’t evidence of something NOT occuring either, which is my point.
10 seconds of Googling and:
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I’m curious to see a citation for the Amish believing that drinking is immoral.
Backing up panache45’s position (sort of), I did find some articles that suggest the Amish community supported Bush during the 2004 elections based largely on his conservative and religious views. Cite. One could extrapolate from there that if there were some Amish willing to vote for Bush for those reasons, the same Amish would be willing to vote for Proposition 1.
Having said that, I still don’t think that has anything to do with the OP’s recognition of Amish grace.
A small point: It’s pretty easy to tell which homes are Amish just by looking: plain white houses, often large with several additions; no power lines running to the house; usually no gas-powered vehicles visible; black buggies in the yard (duh); any sort of hand-painted business sign out front (quilts, woodworking, fresh eggs) that says “Closed Sundays.” And, of course, people in Amish clothing.
At least in central Wisconsin, those are the indicators.
The rest of your points are well-taken.
I don’t have a cite for this, so slay me if you must. Here’s an anecdote.
The Amish men that my husband knows personally (who speak only for themselves, mind) have explained their views on alcohol thus: doctrinally, they are not opposed to all alcohol. They do not, however, wish to support the American alcohol industry, which they see as irresponsible at best. Therefore, home bottled wine and beer is fine. Busch Light, not so much.
That’s doctrine, of course. Which may or may not have any real bearing on behavior, as we all know. Your mileage may vary, this offer applies only to those with a credit score of 875, etc.
Alchohol = food?