Inspiration of the Year

Destroying the Amish

Vulnerability in the Amish Communities

The Amish have always shunned modern technologies and communications, as part of their mandate to 'be no part of the world.' At this juncture in history, however, this practice has put the survival of their communities in grave danger. Because they do not follow technological developments, a particularly heinous one is overtaking them, almost without comment. These communities are extremely vulnerable.

RFID Chipping

RFID chipping of animals is a technology that is 'voluntary' on the national level, but state-by-state is mandatory. Few, or no, exemptions are being given to the Amish small farmers, nor to any small farmers, for any reason. However, penalties for non-compliance are so high that it will soon drive these farmers out of business. See: Amish & RFID Chips

About Amish Horses...

For the Amish, it is even worse. Rather than use motor vehicles for transportation, the Amish use horses. They use horses for their buggies, and they use draft horses for their farming. They borrow and lend their horses to their neighbors as need demands. States are requiring soon, however, that ALL livestock, including horses, be chipped with RFID.

Permits for Every Move

Permits are required by the states when animals are moved. The extent of the information required by these permits is, as yet, unclear. What is clear, however, is that the states expect that other animals that come into contact with the permitted animal be identified as well.

Technology Required

The Amish have no computers to document movements or to apply for permits. Neighborhoods may have fax machines, but most Amish will need to rely on snail mail to apply for movement permits, FUTURE MOVEMENT permits, that will allow them to use their horses without fines or penalties.

Practical Application

In daily terms, this means that the Amish must apply days, weeks, or even months ahead to obtain permissions for their horses to be moved from their premises. They may need to know, far in advance, other animals their horses will be coming into contact with. In the event they want to loan a draft horse to another Amish farmer for plowing or harvesting, such projects may need to be planned down to the very days, hours, and other horses the permitted animal will be with at the time.

Equivalence for Us

This is as if the government were to require of us permits for every move we make with our cars. If we had to apply for a permit to go to the grocery, for example, and once there, document each and every other vehicle we came into contact with on the way, while we were there, and on the way back, you begin to see the challenge this poses for the Amish.

Further, if we had to apply for the permit days, weeks, or months in advance of the movement, and plan which vehicles we would be near to, you can see how bad this can get.

Eyeballs (and Satellites) on the Amish

Since when, in America, is it acceptable for every single move we make to be monitored, recorded, and permitted in America? The Amish will need to seek permission to go to the store, to go to church, to school, to family gatherings, and the government will have documented records of each of those movements, when they occur, and the entire list of others in attendance, through the tagging of their horses.

Destroying the Amish

The very thing that is most identifiable and unique about the Amish, their horses, is for profit and control purposes, the most at risk. The Amish consider numbering technologies 'the mark of the beast' anyway, and in every possible way avoid using numbers for identification. For the extreme demand of chipping, permitting, and recording movements of their horses, the Amish are vulnerable in a way no one else is.

Peculiar Vulnerabilities:

The Amish detachment from all technologies means there are many of them who are completely uninformed about the demands this technology is making on them, and they may not know until it is too late to defend against it.

Their lack of technology means they cannot participate in the State mandated programs without either changing their lifestyles, or enduring a long, drawn-out and burdensome permitting process.

No Horses, No Amish

Without horses, the entire Amish lifestyle falls. Everything about how they live is dependent on horses: plowing, farming, transportation. For the Amish, RFID is not only the 'Mark of the Beast', it is the destruction of their entire lifestyle, pure and simple.

Amish at Christmas

At Christmas time, the Amish seem to me to be the ideal Americans, the ideal Christians, and the ideal Planetary Citizens.

America is suffering from the export of jobs, and so are the Amish. Yet, while their challenges are real, so also is their dedication to the great American work ethic and the American dream. From their small farms and workshops, they work for themselves, contribute to our economy, train their children to be effective adults, and build up and care for their own property.

As Christians, they are givers, not takers. They are appreciate of the gift of salvation, and do nothing to overshadow that great gift of God. Their giving is humble, practical and modest. No excesses, no glitter, no indulgence in wants instead of needs here. After the school shooting, we need no further proof of their peaceableness, meekness and forgiveness.

As planetary citizens, the Amish go lightly on this earth. They don't overuse anything. They shun modern social conveniences, so there aren't disposal and pollution problems with mountains of plastic, toys, games, old computers, old TVs. While we buy something plastic and throw it out next season, the Amish buy durable items, such as dishes, that will last for years, not one month. Amish children don't get every plastic toy McDonald's has to offer; they aren't begging for the latest hooker-style bratz doll; the Amish don't follow the trashy fashion trends.

Our country can't take much more unmitigated consumption, and the planet certainly can't handle it. It can't take much more hatred, violence, greed, and ambition either.

If the Amish school girl massacre touched us at all, perhaps we can, for this Christmas at least, honor them by making our holiday celebrations more like our friends, the Amish.