Forbidden Donut

Do Amish people have to buy health insurance? Do Christian Scientists?

I really don't know, I am just curious. And my point is that Amish people get by without any of those examples and they have the freedom to be able to do it.

I've been to Lancaster. The amish use the fucking roads. They clog the fucking roads with their stupid buggies on sundays and me and cj and z do drivebyes while laying on the horn and yelling obscenities.

even though I understand your anger there, that is just being an ignorant asshole. By doing that confirms their thoughts against non-amish folks, and makes them look down upon us. The amish been around long before those roads were there, and been driving in that area the same way they do it today. Who are you to tell them that their belief is wrong and they should start driving cars?

I never claimed that their belief is wrong, or that they should start driving cars. You're making inferences that aren't there.

Are they annoying? Kind of, but really I was just using hyperbole mixed with having driven past them in the past to make the point that yes, they currently do use roads. I've seen it.

To add to Bill's point, offer a cell phone to an Amish youth (unmarried only) and he will take that shit 100 ways til Sunday. Offer any Amish a tractor (and a driver) and they will let you plow their field. Offer to drive them and they'll ride with you. Bring a generator and welding supplies and they will use them to repair their shit.

They treat every *thing* they own like garbage and every *one* who isn't Amish like they don't exist until they offer some kind of help, and then they'll use that person like they use their things.

I really am not a big fan of the Amish and their arbitrary shit.

More on point:
There is a religious exemption clause for the "mandate", which could more accurately be called a tax. It's a 2.5% tax on adjusted gross income that you can be exempted from paying if you have health insurance or fall into a category that is exempt from this tax.

There is also an age exemption, if you want to call it that. A "I'm on medicare/medicaid" exemption. A military families exemption and a living overseas exemption, as well as a "I have insurance already, you fucks." exemption.

If the Amish can devise a convincing religious objection to paying their fucking taxes, I'd love to hear it... If they win that battle, they make up a very small group of people and so the purpose of the mandate (larger insurance pool) is still maintained. If the Amish manage to do this, it is only the latest in a long line of totally idiotic and asinine shit they do on a daily basis. In order to achieve this one, they'd have to file the appropriate forms household by household. They will likely accept the 2.5% on gross income of... what is it again? Nearly nothing.

Relevant exemption shit

Relevant referenced section [1402(g)(1)]

This is actually an extremely deep and murky legal pond we're wading into. There are forms that cannot be revoked after being filed and if a leading minister of your order filed those forms for the ministry then poof, you can't exempt yourself from Social Security, and by proxy this legislation. It is balanced such that there is pretty much no reason to exempt yourself unless you really truly believe in not taking government money, or you really are poor, in which case you don't need to request an exemption as you'd belong to the expanded medicaid group.

Their belief is wrong and they should choose 1950 as their new arbitrary historical time period to live in.

Their reason for not liking (certain) technology is that it "weakens the family". Yes. Telephones weaken the family. The ability to get work done faster? Weakens the family. The ability to arrive at a destination in less than 1/2 an hour? Weakens that shit... bad. Because some of this crap is... necessary... they locally bend the rules to their whimsy. There is usually a phone in town. In a shed to avoid having the technology in their home, desecrating it or whatever. The person or people who bought it, do not technically own the phone, as that would violate the Ordnung, but if you ask to use it they will ignore your fool ass.

They use electric fences for cows in some places. They use in-line skates, battery powered lamps, propane grills, and disposable diapers because they are not explicitly prohibited.

It's like stealing something, then claiming you didn't break the commandment because you planned to return it. And then acting all hoity-toy about the whole thing when somebody confronts you about it.

Go ahead, practice your religion. But when it manages to actually inconvenience me, you can expect to hear about it.

The Amish aren't bad folks. Amishism, or whatever, is pretty lame though.

/This opinion generally applies to most faiths, on reflection... but most faiths can be easily ignored.

*edit*
On point... less ranty:
The Amish rarely, but do use police and fire departments. They also will use the postal service to send and receive mail. They effectively use most of that because they sell to people that do, and without those things, those people would be in a less favorable position to buy their wares. You have a hard time selling fancy expensive wooden furniture to people who can't drive, eat or drink, shower, or feel secure in their own homes.

Thanks for the info Andrew.

You're welcome.

Their reason for not using technology is not that "it weakens the family", it is that it distances them from God. Being Amish is a religion, this religion forms a life style. And you can't tell me television, fame, money, the new gadget doesn't direct your attention away from your religion.

I've never said that the amish are perfect at practicing their religion. But, I am not going to be the ignorant bastard who curses at them because of their beliefs. Would you respect a person who not only doesn't respect you, but also curses at you for something you believe in without even knowing you?

edit:

Well, by that comment we can see the selfishness in you. That is exactly what the Amish are trying to avoid. If one doesn't have patience enough to wait for a time to pass a bugy, how will he have enough time to practice his religion and pay respect to their God?

First off, being cursed for things I believe is not really new. Respect is earned, not given by default to people without even knowing them.

Whatever. Read about Amish history. They have no sense of it themselves. It is ridiculous.

Protip: If the founder of your religion tries to excise himself from his own congregation because he felt he was a flaming asshole for founding the religion, it's worth considering on its merits. The original congregation of Mennonites accepted all the Amish who felt like coming back to that church, and the Amish all came to America. Here, they got some passed through the grapevine local flavor of what they believe.

The beliefs aren't the pisser. The belief structure that is abusive to its adherents and obnoxious to outsiders, though, is.