In this piece, I would like to talk about a favorite movie: Witness starring Harrison Ford. The setting of the 1985 movie is Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, among the Amish. I like and admire the Amish. Let me start with a little bit about them.
The Amish are one of the most interesting religious communities in the United States. Their story began in Europe during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. They were originally part of the Anabaptist tradition. Anabaptists believed in baptizing adults rather than infants. In 1693, a Swiss Anabaptist named Jakob Ammann left the church, and his followers became known as the “Amish.”
Facing ongoing religious persecution (not uncommon among various Christian sects), the Amish began migrating to North America in the early 1700s, settling in Pennsylvania. There are no Amish left in Europe now. Their current population of over 360,000 are mainly concentrated in the US states of Pennsylvania (Lancaster County), Ohio and Indiana. Because they have large families (5 or more children), their population is doubling roughly every 20 years.
The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, a dialect of German. They refer to the non-Amish as “the English.” Their lifestyle is based on their spiritual practice of yielding one’s individual will to God, the church and the community. Amish congregations follow rules that guide how they live: from what kind of clothing they wear to what kind of technology they are permitted to use. For instance, they do not use the electrical grid because it opens the door to devices (TV, internet) that harm community structure. Their clothing is humble and unpretentious.
They believe that non-violence is an absolute requirement for salvation and is a daily imitation of the life of Jesus Christ. They do not try to reform the government or change the world’s violent tendencies. Instead, they focus entirely on ensuring that their own actions reflect absolute love and defenselessness, even when faced with injustice.
The Amish refuse to serve in the military in any combat or non-combat capacity. They do not carry weapons, wear military uniforms, or swear allegiance to a nation. During times of the military draft in the US, the Amish secured status as conscientious objectors, opting for alternative civilian service (like working in hospitals) or even accepting prison time.
The Amish will not use physical force to defend themselves or their property. They do not serve on juries, as they believe humans do not have the right to judge and condemn other humans, and they do not become police officers.
They believe in mutual aid, that the community must take care of its own elderly, sick, and the poor. In 1965 they secured an exemption from paying Social Security taxes. They help themselves and others when they can but don’t wish to burden others. It’s part of their religion. They do not build churches. Their Sunday worship is held at homes or barns of their members.
In brief, they are the polar opposite of the people who practice the “Religion of Peace.” In every way imaginable.
They reject modernity or even the trappings of modernity. But as they do not believe in force, they permit their children the freedom to decide whether or not they want to be part of the community. Around age 16, the youth are allowed to experience the non-Amish world for a while such as wearing worldly clothes, driving cars, computers and mobiles. Then if after that the youths choose to be baptized (remember they are only baptized as adults), only then they become part of the Amish community for life.
As I mentioned before, I admire and like the Amish. I first got to know about their existence through the movie “Witness” soon after its release in 1985. Later I had the good fortune to see them in real life when I moved to Newark, DE, for a few years starting 2017. Lancaster County was only an hour and a half away from home. I would regularly take my visitors on a day trip there.
Here’s a video I took at Lancaster County in 2018 when I took a friend and her family who were visiting me from Delhi.
The movie is delightfully done. The story is simple and engaging. It’s about a tough Philadelphia cop named John Book (played by Harrison Ford) and a bunch of corrupt cops. A little Amish kid happens to witness a murder at the train station in Philly. Book gets entangled in the investigation and has to take refuge in Lancaster County among the Amish, and they help him recover from his injuries. However, in an unfortunate incident, Book retaliates with violence against a thug he encounters in a nearby town. That forces the Amish to tell him to leave.
Here’s that scene where a thug assume that Book is Amish and therefore would not retaliate with violence. The Amish are as horrified as the town’s people when Book responds with punches. One of the Amish attempts to explain the violence by saying, “He’s my cousin—from Ohio.”
I am led to believe that that scene is not quite true; it’s filmy drama. The “English” understand that the Amish are non-violent. The “English” therefore would themselves beat the crap out of any of their own that bother the Amish. Also, the Amish are farmers. They are non-violent but they are tough. People would not bother them out of sheer prudence.
The movie had lots of interesting dialog. In one scene, John Book is having trouble milking a cow and is asked “Haven’t you handled a tit before?” and he says, “Sure but not this big.” In another bit, the grandpa Amish cautions John Book to “be careful among the English.”
It’s a fun movie. I guarantee that you will like it—or your money back. I will have more to say about the Amish in a later post.
Let me end with a classical piece. The Toccata and Fugue in D major by Bach. Xaver Varnus on the church organ.
Be well, do good work and keep in touch.
(This post is brought to you by the support of my nephew Rahul and his wife Navika — and by readers like you. Thank you.)
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