5 ms·

Did the missionary eschew modern technology in order to get to the Philippines? Got it guys, the answer is no. They use technology when it suits them.

larsiusprime 12y ago
You do not understand the Amish. They do not have some simplistic "all modern technology is bad" ban. They selectively use some modern technologies, and eschew others.
- saltysugar 12y ago
  Anything that's convenient for them, I guess?
  - maxerickson 12y ago
    They generally don't electrify their homes. That doesn't seem like it is a contrived choice designed to enhance convenience. (My understanding is that the choices tend to hinge on whether something creates an ongoing reliance on the greater world)
  - derekp7 12y ago
    What it boils down to, is whether or not taking advantage of a technology puts them under the influence of those outside their community. For example, if they use electricity then they have to be involved with the affairs of the town, and not self-reliant. But they can choose to use a diesel engine to power equipment for their farms, as they have the ability to make their own bio-fuel. And they use modern refrigeration and battery-powered lights on their carriages for safety reasons. In short -- does a technology pull them away from their faith, or is it needed for a greater good? Not to mention, that each Amish community is independent and sets their own rules (there is no central Amish version of the Pope, for example).
    - moogleii 12y ago
      It seems to me using a plane would be a bit of a slippery slope then. A commercial airplane's main purpose is to access somewhere beyond one's own community, and the experiences of international travel to a foreign land will change you (not to mention, I'm curious why they would target the Philippines vs any modern local American city). But people will do as they do, I suppose.
      - derekp7 12y ago
        They aren't opposed to an experience changing them. And most things are guidelines to make choices, not absolutes. In this case, going on a mission was a higher priority, and the most effective way to get to the target was via air travel. If there was an alternative then they would take it. This decision matrix isn't unique to the Amish -- people do it every day. For example, I want to save money. But I also want to work at a job. To get to the job I have to travel. I choose to drive to the job (incurring vehicle expenses), whereas I have the alternative of walking (would take several hours) or cycling (too lazy, too cold). Therefore I choose to spend money on gas instead of either not working or walking to work.
        moogleii 12y ago
        >They aren't opposed to an experience changing them. And most things are guidelines to make choices, not absolutes. In this case, going on a mission was a higher priority, and the most effective way to get to the target was via air travel. If there was an alternative then they would take it. It's not so much the experience change I'm pointing out, rather that that will bring foreign influence from outside (and obviously foreign influence has occurred because they are using tractors and diesel from the other comments.) And if we're considering a decision matrix that tries to minimize outside influence, that still doesn't explain why the Philippines vs any where in North America, really.
        alistairSH 12y ago
        Minimizing outside influence is only a portion of the decision matrix. They want to maintain their community and their religion. Minimizing outside influence might be part of that, or it might not. As said above, there is no absolute rule - the community decides are a group which technologies/changes they want to use or discourage. Yes, that does lead to some oddities.
- moogleii 12y ago
  Hence, why I asked, smarty.
  - danielweber 12y ago
    You also could have read the article: In the Ohio case, "patient zero" had traveled to the Philippines on a missionary trip. (In case you were wondering, he took a plane. Miller explained, "Some Amish fly. Some don't.")
    - moogleii 12y ago
      Yeah, and I could have Googled it, too, but I asked here instead. But you got me. I went back to work after the section where they talk about not having a car, internet, or computer.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
- skynetv2 12y ago
  my house builder was amish. He OWNED all the equipment (huge tractors, cranes, etc.), he will ride in them but he WONT drive them. He hired someone else to drive. And he would stand on the crane to reach the roof. And he has no TV and stitches his own clothes etc. So, while I am not against or for their way of life, one can plainly see them adapting to new way of life but still denying something as basic as vaccinations when they feel like it.
  - freshyill 12y ago
    It's not uncommon to see Amish stands at farmers' markets in parts of Pennsylvania, far from anywhere a horse and buggy could reasonably get them to. I asked some friends in college about it (farmers themselves) and it kind of blew my mind when they told me the Amish just get a ride with someone else.
- mcguire 12y ago
  The article explains it this way: "We don't have any internet or computer. We don't have a car," Ivan Miller, an Amish furniture store owner in the community struck by measles, explained. "It's not that we feel a car is wrong. It's our choice because we feel if we had a car, it would bring us to a lot more temptations in the world. [emphasis mine]"

larsiusprime 12y ago

You do not understand the Amish. They do not have some simplistic "all modern technology is bad" ban. They selectively use some modern technologies, and eschew others.

saltysugar 12y ago
Anything that's convenient for them, I guess?
- maxerickson 12y ago
  They generally don't electrify their homes. That doesn't seem like it is a contrived choice designed to enhance convenience. (My understanding is that the choices tend to hinge on whether something creates an ongoing reliance on the greater world)
- derekp7 12y ago
  What it boils down to, is whether or not taking advantage of a technology puts them under the influence of those outside their community. For example, if they use electricity then they have to be involved with the affairs of the town, and not self-reliant. But they can choose to use a diesel engine to power equipment for their farms, as they have the ability to make their own bio-fuel. And they use modern refrigeration and battery-powered lights on their carriages for safety reasons. In short -- does a technology pull them away from their faith, or is it needed for a greater good? Not to mention, that each Amish community is independent and sets their own rules (there is no central Amish version of the Pope, for example).
  - moogleii 12y ago
    It seems to me using a plane would be a bit of a slippery slope then. A commercial airplane's main purpose is to access somewhere beyond one's own community, and the experiences of international travel to a foreign land will change you (not to mention, I'm curious why they would target the Philippines vs any modern local American city). But people will do as they do, I suppose.
    - derekp7 12y ago
      They aren't opposed to an experience changing them. And most things are guidelines to make choices, not absolutes. In this case, going on a mission was a higher priority, and the most effective way to get to the target was via air travel. If there was an alternative then they would take it. This decision matrix isn't unique to the Amish -- people do it every day. For example, I want to save money. But I also want to work at a job. To get to the job I have to travel. I choose to drive to the job (incurring vehicle expenses), whereas I have the alternative of walking (would take several hours) or cycling (too lazy, too cold). Therefore I choose to spend money on gas instead of either not working or walking to work.
      - moogleii 12y ago
        >They aren't opposed to an experience changing them. And most things are guidelines to make choices, not absolutes. In this case, going on a mission was a higher priority, and the most effective way to get to the target was via air travel. If there was an alternative then they would take it. It's not so much the experience change I'm pointing out, rather that that will bring foreign influence from outside (and obviously foreign influence has occurred because they are using tractors and diesel from the other comments.) And if we're considering a decision matrix that tries to minimize outside influence, that still doesn't explain why the Philippines vs any where in North America, really.
        alistairSH 12y ago
        Minimizing outside influence is only a portion of the decision matrix. They want to maintain their community and their religion. Minimizing outside influence might be part of that, or it might not. As said above, there is no absolute rule - the community decides are a group which technologies/changes they want to use or discourage. Yes, that does lead to some oddities.
moogleii 12y ago
Hence, why I asked, smarty.
- danielweber 12y ago
  You also could have read the article: In the Ohio case, "patient zero" had traveled to the Philippines on a missionary trip. (In case you were wondering, he took a plane. Miller explained, "Some Amish fly. Some don't.")
  - moogleii 12y ago
    Yeah, and I could have Googled it, too, but I asked here instead. But you got me. I went back to work after the section where they talk about not having a car, internet, or computer.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
skynetv2 12y ago
my house builder was amish. He OWNED all the equipment (huge tractors, cranes, etc.), he will ride in them but he WONT drive them. He hired someone else to drive. And he would stand on the crane to reach the roof. And he has no TV and stitches his own clothes etc. So, while I am not against or for their way of life, one can plainly see them adapting to new way of life but still denying something as basic as vaccinations when they feel like it.
- freshyill 12y ago
  It's not uncommon to see Amish stands at farmers' markets in parts of Pennsylvania, far from anywhere a horse and buggy could reasonably get them to. I asked some friends in college about it (farmers themselves) and it kind of blew my mind when they told me the Amish just get a ride with someone else.
mcguire 12y ago
The article explains it this way: "We don't have any internet or computer. We don't have a car," Ivan Miller, an Amish furniture store owner in the community struck by measles, explained. "It's not that we feel a car is wrong. It's our choice because we feel if we had a car, it would bring us to a lot more temptations in the world. [emphasis mine]"