Really? I fail to see in the bible where it says “Thou shall not have buttons” or “Thou shall restrict thyself to 19th century technology”. People look at them and think “If I have to give up electricity and indoor plumbing, there is no way I am going to be a Christian”. They seem to the world to be a dour and humorless people.
I am not saying that they are bad people, quite the opposite, but their methods are not biblical.
If memory serves me correctly, a lot of what they believe is derived from what their elders said.
But regardless of where they get their beliefs, if they can help us win, I’m all for them.
Who cares. I’m all for any minority that pays their own bills and doesn’t look for a government handout. I’m also for freedom to live anyway you choose. Inner cities aren’t plagued with gangs of murderous, dope dealing, amish thugs so I gonna leave them alone.
****...have to give up electricity and indoor plumbing,****
A working companion told me of where he used to live. A large group of Amish bought up some houses in a suburb. Two days later, they all pulled out the commodes into the front yard and beat them to pieces with sledgehammers.
The issue with buttons/adornments/attire has to do with humility. Anything considered prideful (including buttons) is to be avoided. They dress so as to avoid drawing individual attention to self within their community.
While you may consider their lifestyle not in accordance with Sacred Scripture, they would likely disagree, and cite Rom 12:2 and 2 Cor 6:14, 17 and other passages. That's if they decided to respond at all instead of accepting the misunderstanding in silence.
Their selflessness in helping their own and outsiders is unparalleled if you ask me. Even though you've spoken unkindly of them, they'd be the first to help you if you were stranded by the road or otherwise in need of assistance in their power to give you. Unlike many of us English, they don't evaluate someone's worthiness of assistance before rendering it. If that's not living the Christian message by example, I don't know what is!
Peace be with you.