“1.) Is it all about doing outward things and conforming to them?”
Amish young people join the church as adults. This is a time they learn first-hand what the rest of the world is like before making a lifetime commitment to the Amish church. The level of “worldliness” among the youth varies.
“2.) If salvation and living for Jesus Christ are truly the most important goals in life, how does Rumspringa help with these? Every 16 year old Amish person can stay and fight the good fight of faith and would not have to leave to do this. This fight will continue and be ever-present regardless of where they are at.”
Salvation is questionable. It is a works oriented version of Christianity. Obviously, like any works-oriented version of Christianity, there are believers mixed in.
“3.) How can leaving for two years get rid of inwardly craving sin or deal with sinful thoughts that would creep into any person regardless of whether or not they left at 16 years of age?”
They don’t “leave for two years, generally. Most don’t even “leave”. This isn’t about ridding them of sinful thoughts. It is a way for them to make a free choice with full commitment. Again, not every youth takes it to an extreme.
“3.) And are Asians, Africans, Native Americans the “English,” too?”
Don’t know. They are outsiders.
I believe "English" means non-Amish.
“3.) And are Asians, Africans, Native Americans the “English,” too?”..Don’t think they ever envisioned our wonderful pristine country as having been invaded by Third word scabs. They did, however, have a (nice ?) way of dealing with Native Americans (indians). Fought’em hand to hand and the top dog got it all.
You talk about them making a “free choice with full commitment”?
Commitment to what?
Commitment to never ever thinking any sinful thoughts or having sin in their hearts? Or commitment to wearing certain clothes, avoiding modern conveniences, etc? Anyone can commit to only wearing certain clothes, etc. That’s easy.
But the former: Good luck with that. Not gonna happen. As was said before, we are all born with a sinful nature - the “Adamic” nature.
We all have to fight the good fight of faith as the Spirit wars against what Paul called “the flesh.” It ends when we go to be with the Lord.
So, a 15, 16, 17, 18 - all the ay to 65 year-old Amish person - will have to say no to sinful thoughts and desires that are INWARD and “walk in the Spirit” to not “fulfill the lusts of the flesh” as Paul the Apostle said in the New Testament.
Rumspringa or not, walking in the Spirit to not fulfill the lusts of the flesh won’t get any better or worse with a “Rumspringa.”
Rumspringa: a dumb idea whose time to get rid of has come.