[[File:Amish farm morristown new york.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An Amish farm near Morristown, New York.]]
The '''Amish''' are is an [[Anabaptist]] [[Christian]] denomination and part of the [[Mennonite]] sect known for rejecting many modern conveniences such as [[electricity]] and [[automobiles]], while adhering to an [[agrarian lifestyle]]. They dress plainly (a compliment is "You look plain") and live apart from mainstream society while resting on the [[Lord's Day]] (Sunday). There are Amish communities in 32 out of the 50 [[United States]], in 2022, while rapidly growing and expanding into additional states. "The Amish are one of the fastest-growing population groups in [[America]]," and their population "has more than tripled" in just three decades.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/15/amish-ten-things-you-need-to-know/14111249/</ref> As of June 2022, the Amish population is estimated to be 373,620.<ref>https://groups.etown.edu/amishstudies/statistics/amish-population-profile-2022/</ref> By 2024, [[Ohio]]'s booming Amish population surpassed Pennsylvania's, and Amish country is the #2 most visited location in Ohio with 4 million tourist visits annually.<ref>One site ranks Amish country as the #5 best to visit in [[Pennsylvania]]. [https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-pennsylvania/]</ref>
The rate of [[autism]] among the Amish are a leaders in establishing rights is only 1 out of religious libertyevery 271, mentioned while the overall rate in more than about the [[U.S.]] is 1,000 court cases as out of Janevery 36. 23, 2022 (roughly half federal and half in state court)<ref>https://x. com/BrianLenzkes</ref> Most of the cases concern challenges to regulations of their farms, but some implicate the Differences in [[Second Amendmentvaccination]] and other rights. One example was an unsuccessful motion to dismiss a federal indictment in [[Pennsylvaniavideo game]] of an Amish man for allegedly "dealing in firearms without a license ... in violation of the Gun Control Act, specifically, title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(1)(A) and 924(a)(1)(D)." ''United States v. King'', No. 5:22-cr-00215-001, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 224929, at *1 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 14, 2022)[[addiction]] could be factors.
The Amish live "[[off-the-grid]]" without use are leaders in establishing rights of electricityreligious liberty, which [[liberal]]s ostensibly prefer yet hypocritically rarely do themselvesmentioned in more than about 1, 000 court cases as of Jan. 23, 2022 (roughly half federal and even impose regulations making it difficult to live this wayhalf in state court). Amish do not participate in Most of the cases concern challenges to regulations of their farms, but some implicate the [[Social SecuritySecond Amendment]] (they obtained an exemption due to their religious beliefs) and also generally do not attend school beyond 8th grade but continue to learn by reading throughout their livesother rights. Their ancestors were [[German]]-speaking [[Swiss]] who arrived One example was an unsuccessful motion to dismiss a federal indictment in eastern [[Pennsylvania]] of an Amish man for allegedly "dealing in firearms without a license ... in violation of the 1700sGun Control Act, specifically, title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(1)(A) and more came over in the 1800s. The now-largest Amish settlement 924(a)(148 large families today1)(D) west of the [[Mississippi River]] was from [[Switzerland]] to Kolona in southeastern [[Iowa]], in 1846.<ref name="Trib">https://www ''United States v.chicagotribuneKing'', No.com/news/ct5:22-xpmcr-198800215-08-09-8801210505-story001, 2022 U.html</ref> Many Amish people speak [[Pennsylvania Dutch]]S. Dist. LEXIS 224929, a dialect of [[German language|German]]at *1 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 14, 2022).
Amish live "[[off-the-grid]]" without the use of electricity, which [[liberal]]s ostensibly prefer yet hypocritically rarely do themselves, and even impose regulations making it difficult to live this way. Amish do not participate in [[Social Security]] (they obtained an exemption due to their religious beliefs) and also generally do not attend school beyond 8th grade but continue to learn by reading throughout their lives. Their ancestors were [[German]]-speaking [[Swiss]] who arrived in eastern [[Pennsylvania]] in the 1700s, and more came over in the 1800s. The now-largest Amish settlement (148 large families today) west of the [[Mississippi River]] was from [[Switzerland]] to Kolona in southeastern [[Iowa]], in 1846.<ref name="Trib">https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-08-09-8801210505-story.html</ref> Many Amish people speak [[Pennsylvania Dutch]], a dialect of [[German language|German]]. The Amish are the fastest -growing religion in the United States, doubling every 20 years.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-08-01/why-the-amish-population-is-exploding#:~:text=But%20according%20to%20a%20new,in%201989%20of%20about%20100%2C000. Why the Amish Population Is Exploding]</ref> The Amish population is growing so fast that each year some families move out to acquire more farmland. They are highly successful financially and morally. By 2050 the Amish are expected to attain 1 million in total population in the [[United States]], and by 2222 the Amish could be the majority in the U.S.<ref>By doubling its population every 20 years, the Amish population would increase by 1024 times in 200 years.</ref> The largest Amish communities are in [[Pennsylvania]], where the Amish population exceeded 84,000 as of 2021 and is growing at more than a 3% annual rate.
The hit movie [[Witness (film)|"Witness" (1985)]] is a highly accurate, respectful portrayal of the Amish that was filmed on location in the [[Philadelphia]] area.
The group was founded by Jakob Ammann in the 1690s and began to settle in [[Ohio]], Pennsylvania, and [[Indiana]] beginning in the 18th century.<ref>The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989</ref> "The Scribbler counted the number of directory pages devoted to each Amish surname. Stoltzfus came in first, by far, followed by King, Fisher, Beiler, Esh, and Lapp."<ref>https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/there-are-4-books-every-old-order-amish-family-keeps-in-its-home-collection-the/article_5a448cc2-9a8d-11e8-a2ea-1fc6bc69d5d9.htm</ref> Hochstetler, Hochleitner, and Yoder are also common Amish surnames.
Many Amish have large families and in 2012 the Amish were named the fastest -growing [[faith]] group in the United States. The Amish population is projected to grow to 1 million people by 2050.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/1130/For-Amish-fastest-growing-faith-group-in-US-life-is-changing For Amish, fastest-growing faith group in US, life is changing]</ref>
No cases of the [[coronavirus]] were reported among Amish in 2020 during the [[CCP global pandemic]].
The Amish asserted a religious exemption to any participation in [[Social Security]] as being against the tenets of their religion. The Amish lost their appeal on this issue in the unanimous [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decision of ''United States v. Lee'', 455 U.S. 252 (1982), But then [[Congress]] created a narrow exception for Amish-owned businesses and businesses owned by similar members of religions having well-established objections to Social Security, which enables them to opt out of the obligations and benefits of the program. A special form must be filed by the Amish to assert this exemption.
Congressman Gibbs (R-OH), who had Amish constituents, introduced federal legislation in 2021 to broaden the rights of the Amish.<ref>https://gibbs.house.gov/2021/12/gibbs-introduces-legislation-amish-community-regulatory-relief</ref>
The Amish do not accept any Social Security, unemployment, or welfare checks from the government.
Researchers at Elizabethtown College found that:<ref name="Lanc"/>
{{cquote|at at least 4,125 Amish people in Lancaster County registered to vote and 2,940 voted in the 2020 general election, a significant increase from the about roughly 2,060 registrants and 1,020 voters in 2016.}}
== Conversion to Amish ==
== Travel ==
Contrary to secular perception, Amish are allowed to travel by train, and be passengers in cars. But they are not allowed to travel by air or drive cars, which are viewed as non-essential luxuries.<ref>https://amishamerica.com/how-do-amish-travel/</ref>
== Language ==