Faith and Culture Combine | A Religion Article

Main Article Categories

"Religion" Article
Article Directory Home

Faith and Culture Combine By Expert Author: Rob Daniels
View Summary \| Submitted: 2007-04-09 \| Word Count: 522 words

Stroll into the small farming community of Shipshewana, Indiana and be surrounded by a culture rarely found anywhere. The town of around 536 people hosts about 500,000 visitors each year. What is the big attraction? This area of Northern Indiana is home to many of the Amish faith. Tourism has been encouraged by residents of Shipshewana, attracting people come from far and wide to experience the simple, beautiful life led by the Amish.

The basis for the Amish religion is found in the Bible. Matthew 6 warns individuals from placing their hearts on riches. Amish make conscious choices to live simply, and not get caught up in material things. Wearing simple clothes and using no electricity or cars is their way of keeping life simple. Work is an important part of the Amish lifestyle. Arising by 5 am, family members start their morning chores. Children understand their chores are necessary for sustaining the farm. In mainstream American culture a child may be asked to take the trash out. Sometimes it is done, and sometimes it is not. On an Amish farm however, chores get done.

Looking for an Amish church to visit? You won't find one. Amish services are performed in the barns and homes of the members. Congregations are formed according to geographical areas covering a one to two mile radius. The leader of each congregation is called a Bishop, and he makes decisions regarding specific rules. For instance, a Bishop can give the congregation permission regarding use of cell phones or modern farm equipment like Bobcats. One congregation may be allowed to use cell phones, while a neighboring one may not, depending on their Bishop's ruling. Church is not held every other Sunday allowing members to visit relatives on off-weeks. It is common to have many visitors on Sunday. When the congregation gathers at the designated home they wait outside until the barn doors are opened, the signal to enter. By tradition, men enter first. As in many religious communities, practice is not based on doctrine alone, but often is established by tradition. While doctrine contributes to daily practices and beliefs, members are affected equally by culture and tradition.

One way in which tradition has molded Amish lifestyle is in the education of children. Amish children do not usually continue schooling past the eighth grade. In the past, families owned more land and children were needed to run the farm. Although farms are much smaller now, children still complete their education in the eighth grade. They are not required by law to attend beyond that because of their religious beliefs. Today children do not work on their family farms when they have finished their schooling, but rather they go to work at the local factories. Occasionally an Amish child may decide to continue attending school. They will stay in the home of a host, or "English" family for their extended schooling.

Amish tradition runs deep and is reflected in daily life. Family life is at the center of these beliefs--working, worshiping, and fellowshipping together strengthens ties and keeps their faith constant in a world that has changed around them over for over a century.

About the Author/Author Bio

Rob Daniels is a long term practitioner of Yoga and Pilates additional articles available at Religious Podcasts www.religious-podcasts.net and Religious Beliefs www.religious-beliefs.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Faith-and-Culture-Combine/83458

Article Tags: news and society, religion, faith, amish, religion, culture, amish religion, religious, belief, beliefs, church, family

More "Religion" Related Articles

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Religion" article category.

People interested in the above article "Faith and Culture Combine" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Practice of the Prophet (saas)

One of the most important characteristics, frequently mentioned with regards to the Prophet (saas) in the Qur'an, is that he only practiced what Allah revealed and asked of him, with no concern about what others might think. Important figures and members of other religions at the time wanted him to impose rules that would benefit them. Although these people were more numerous and powerful, the Prophet (saas) was punctilious about abiding by Allah's commandments and the Qur'an. Allah tells us the following in one verse...

The Prophets (saas) Patience

Throughout the period of his mission, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) experienced all manner of difficulty. Deniers and polytheists, from among his own people, insulted him most terribly, even calling him a magician or a madman. Others wanted to kill him and even schemed to do so. Despite all that, the Prophet (saas) tried to teach people of all backgrounds and cultures about the Qur'an, and therefore about proper morality and good behavior.

He Who Obeys The Prophet (saas) Obeys Allah

Allah charges everyone with obeying the prophets He has sent. These messengers were blessed men who abided by Allah's commands, communicated His revelations, represented the human model most pleasing to Allah by means of their words and actions, in short by their whole manner of living. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that those who abide by His messengers will be saved.

The Exemplary Justice of the Prophet (saas)

In the Qur'an, Allah commands believers to "Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look after them. Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth..." (Surat an-Nisa': 135). With the rules he imposed on Muslims, his just and tolerant attitude towards those of other religions, languages, races and tribes, and his way of not discriminating between rich and poor, but treating everybody equally, Allah's Messenger (saas) is a great example to all of mankind.

The Prophet (saas) Warned Against Idolatry

One of the most important errors that the Prophet (saas) has warned against is associating partners with Allah (shirk). As can be seen from the verses of the Qur'an, the Prophet (saas) always told people that Allah is the only god, that nothing had any power apart from Allah, and warned them against idolatry.

The Prophet (saas) Was A Bearer of Glad Tidings

In the verse "O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, and a bringer of good news and a warner" (Surat al-Ahzab: 45), Allah describes the Prophet (saas) as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. The Prophet (saas) always warned people against the sufferings to be experienced in Hell, and told them of the desirable future that awaited the good in this world, and of the infinite life of the Paradise in the hereafter. Allah reveales this characteristic of the Prophet (saas) in the Qur'an thus...

The Prophet (saas) Was Always Considerate and Courteous

Some of those who surrounded the Prophet (saas) were less than well-mannered and cultured. It can be seen from a number of verses that they could not understand how thoughtless they were and that their behavior could make others uncomfortable. For instance, verses speak of people entering houses by the back instead of the front, arriving when the Prophet (saas) was dining, or else taking up his time by talking for a long time.

Print Article

Comment on Article

Favorite Article

Email to Friend

Republish Article

Article Directory Home

News And Society

Religion

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!

(Search in 23 languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, German,
Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Dutch, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Greek,
Swedish, Romanian, Polish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Czech, Croatian, Bulgarian)

(We serve worldwide - Locations updated as at Sunday, 12 October 2008 12:20 pm , Singapore)

United States of America, USA . United Kingdom, UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) . Canada . Afghanistan . Albania . Algeria . American Samoa . Andorra . Angola . Anguilla . Antarctica . Antigua & Barbuda . Argentina . Armenia . Aruba . Australia . Austria . Azerbaijan . Bahamas . Bahrain . Bangladesh . Barbados . Belarus . Belgium . Belize . Benin . Bermuda . Bhutan . Bolivia . Bonaire . Bosnia-Herzegovina . Botswana . Brazil . British Virgin Islands . Brunei Darrusalam . Bulgaria . Burkina Faso . Burundi . Cambodia . Cameroon . Cape Verde . Cayman Islands . Central African Republic . Chad . Channel Islands . Chile . China . Christmas Island . Colombia . Comoros . Congo . Congo (Dem. Rep.) . Cook Islands . Costa Rica . Côte d'Ivoire . Croatia . Cuba . Curacao . Cyprus . Czech Republic . Denmark . Djibouti . Dominica . Dominican Republic . East Timor . Ecuador . Egypt . El Salvador . Equatorial Guinea . Eritrea . Estonia . Ethiopia . Falkland Islands and Dependencies . Faroe Islands . Fiji . Finland . France . French Guiana . French Polynesia . Gabon . Gambia . Gaza . Georgia . Germany . Ghana . Gibraltar . Greece . Greenland . Grenada . Guadeloupe . Guam . Guatemala . Guinea . Guinea-Bissau . Guyana . Haiti . Hawaiian Islands . Honduras . Hong Kong . Hungary . Iceland . India . Indonesia . Iran . Iraq . Isle Of Man . Israel . Italy . Ivory Coast . Jamaica . Japan . Johnston Atoll . Jordan . Kazakhstan . Kenya . Kiribati . Korea (North) . Korea (South) . Kuwait . Kyrgyzstan . Laos . Latvia . Lebanon . Leeward Islands . Lesotho . Liberia . Libya . Liechtenstein . Lithuania . Luxembourg . Macau . Macedonia . Madagascar . Malawi . Malaysia . Maldives . Mali . Malta . Marshall Islands . Martinique . Mauritania . Mauritius . Mexico . Micronesia (Federated States) . Midway Islands . Moldova . Monaco . Mongolia . Montserrat . Morocco . Mosquito Coast . Mozambique . Myanmar (Burma) . Namibia . Nauru . Navassa Island . Nepal . Netherlands . Netherlands Antilles . New Caledonia . New Zealand . Nicaragua . Niger . Nigeria . Niue . Norfolk Island . Northern Mariana Islands . Norway . Oman . Pakistan . Palau . Palestine . Panama . Papua New Guinea . Paracel Islands . Paraguay . Peru . Philippines . Pitcairn Islands . Poland . Portugal . Puerto Rico . Qatar . Reunion . Romania . Russia . Rwanda . Ryukyu Islands . Saint Helena . Saint Kitts and Nevis . Saint Lucia . Saint Pierre & Miquelon . Saint Vincent & The Grenadines . Samoa . San Marino . São Tom?& Príncipe . Saudi Arabia . Senegal . Serbia . Seychelles . Sierra Leone . Singapore . Slovakia . Slovenia . Solomon Islands . Somalia . South Africa . Spain . Sri Lanka . Sudan . Suriname . Swaziland . Sweden . Switzerland . Syria . Taiwan . Tajikistan . Tanzania . Thailand . Togo . Tonga . Transkei . Trinidad & Tobago . Tunisia . Turkey . Turkmenistan . Turks and Caicos Islands . Tuvalu . US Virgin Islands . Uganda . Ukraine . United Arab Emirates . Upper Volta . Uruguay . Uzbekistan . Vanuatu . Vatican City (Holy See) . Venezuela . Vietnam . Wake Island . Windward Islands . Yemen . Yugoslavia . Zaire . Zambia . Zimbabwe

Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.

Template Design by Internet Marketing Singapore | Internet Marketing