I have to mention that the way they treat their animals is horrific. The Amish run puppy mills, and horse owners will attest that Amish horses always arrive to auctions battered and beaten
@NYCHFAN agreed! I'll leave you with this... for what is the definition of pure evil and darkness than willful ignorance when surrounded by a world illuminated by knowledge... I love my scout. She's my world. She's a min pin/pitty mix, and she is my hero... Stay safe, my friend.
Damn. I hate that. Horses are beautiful animals and very loving and loyal when treated right. I can't understand why they would treat an animal that they use to help them on a farm like that.
@@Aashka_The_MysticThere’s a difference between having jargon and literally speaking a different language. A lot of Amish communities speak Pennsylvania German instead of English.
Not only that, but they don't allow their children to be educated beyond eighth grade, and the teachers themselves have no formal education beyond eighth grade in an Amish school.
I had a neighbor who had a friend (Ed) who came down to visit and had this cute little girl with him. She was maybe 22 months. And my neighbor was very surprised to see him show up with a kid It was like "You knock someone up?" When we found out this poor girl story. Ed lives in Amish country in Pennsylvania. He worked construction in Philly and he'd come home from work at about 8:00 at night It was dark and it was about 36° outside and he sees a little girl wandering around his cat flap, She had on a pair of cloth slippers, a dirty dress and no sweater or coat. It immediately knew this girl belonged to one of the families that lived on either side of his small farm property. So he went to the nearest neighbor to say hey are you missing a kid. It wasn't theirs but they knew where she lived so he's like cool I can go take her home. He went to take her home only to find that her parents (who are also serial horse abusers) said that she was shunned for 6 months because she had blasphemed at church by not being quiet. The Bishop had decided this and her parents were to keep her locked in a room to keep her separate from everyone else while she was in her shunning period. But she apparently got out or was let out and had run off. The parents seemed kind of blasé about the whole thing and Ed thought this was pure cruelty to a child especially one so young. So yes maybe he could keep her for 6 months. The parents said they had to talk to the bishop. The Bishop said it was fine In fact he suggested the parents maybe make arrangements to have him keep the child permanently because there was clearly something wrong with her because she will not be quiet.(She had the marks of being beaten, likely to make her learn to be quiet) The Amish father showed up two days later at Ed's house with papers that basically said this child was Ed's and he was her father. That he had slept with his neighbor's wife to create this child. (A total lie) And the father then took the child to The police station and said this is not my child. This is my neighbor's child. I want nothing to do with her please see that he gets her. Ed was of course contacted by CPS. And of course he took the girl. That is listed on the birth certificate as her father It's 100% his child now. And part of the reason he had agreed to come visit my neighbor was because he wanted to take her to a pediatric specialist that was down here in the DC area because he suspected she might be partially deaf. And it turns out she is and that's why the sweetheart couldn't be quiet because she can barely hear herself. I already wasn't super keen on holding the Amish up as this glorified perfect group of people but if anything this cements that they are like most other secretive cults highly dangerous and great for predatory people to hide in.
WOW! Thanks for taking the time to share all of this. That's...idkw2 say ..except I'm very grateful for everyone involved who gave that young girl a decent life. ❤😊
I think part of it is that when you see them, they act very sweet and nice to the outside world. When they sell food or clothing or blankets or whatever, they come off very nice and it leaves a positive impression on people. Then of course, all of those goods are of excellent quality. So people never feel like they are getting ripped off. But, there is always something where there is a dark underbelly when it comes to religion. And yes, there are plenty of atheists and agnostics who are shitty people as well. But religions seem to love too excuse that horrible behavior way, way too damn much.
@@robertkirchner7981 , no doubt. Evangelicals are way worse. However, I don’t think it’s an either or scenario. We can raise awareness for all harmful high control groups at the same time.
Sins are crimes against God, the supposedly biggest kind of deal to these people, so idk why they tried splitting hairs when it's all braided into a rat king esque dreadlock of spiritual-mental gymnastics.
I’m from England but massively interested in America’s cults and religious extremist communities, and I have been warning people about Amish for a long time now because over here many don’t realise they’re actually a cult.
Yeah, people who live further away from them seem to just be under the assumption that they just decided to live that way, for some reason, & not that it's religiously mandated & usually not up for discussion, even though different groups have varying rules about what is & isn't OK. These people are grossly undereducated, think they legally constitute their own sovereign country, that everyone is part of some grand conspiracy & actively out to get them, specifically &, even though they try to put on a show of not believing in sex before marriage, they actually push their children to be sexually involved with one another hard, hoping they'll get pregnant & it'll be that much harder to leave. Those who do leave are often pretty much stranded, without a vehicle, friends, an education that is capable of getting them anywhere in our world without being part of a specific religious organization or any way to interact with most of the things they were denied access to in a healthy way.
The Amish actually hail from Germany. I'm German. England has it's own fascinating cults. Stone hench much... lolololololol. People are people, period. Love ya mate. Fyi it's already 90 degrees where I live.
@@OscarLangleySoryuI believe a lot of Germans regularly try to. I lived near a large settlement & we would get a lot of German tourists asking for directions as they were passing through. I don't think they understand that these people are so insular that they don't see outsiders wanting to join them as a good thing. They react to it like you're trying to force your way into a minority friend group & act like them when you're not & that you are definitely not going to like being Amish- even they aren't that deluded. I've heard some people answer people asking if they can join the Amish by saying that, if you did, you & your children would never be seen as Amish, but "English" outsiders. Your grandkids would be the first ones in your family who would actually be seen as really Amish.
Yes shunning was the cause of the split between the Amish and Mennonites. Amish wanted to practice the shunning which in my opinion should be a crime because of how harmful it is.
They are horrible, often. Not only with animals either. It is frightenly common for young women (18-20) to have all their teeth removed by a blacksmith/barber, with no anestesia, if they have cavities. Dentures are cheaper, so that is what young women (girls really) often get. Amish men see this as "preventive medicine" to prevent abseces, which can be dangerous. Men get dental care because they are seen as having more value to the community.
I worked with a lady who was raised in a mennonite home. After being oppressed by her family and community, she was forced into a terrible marriage. She finally broke free from the marriage, she still stayed in touch with her parents (abusers) who seemed to hold her terrible ex-husband in higher esteem than their own daughter. She had hallucinations that she had been abducted by aliens from outer space many times (probably ptsa). She was such a kind-hearted person, what her relatives did to her is unforgivable.
Its like close as you can get to an arranged marriage with out it beimg arranged. Bascially groomed with a few church districts. Who is to say true love which is a beautiful Gift from God, is gonna happen with in your youth group and when your world is a 15 sq miles. Or as far as you can travel by horse or foot. Getting married by 21 and becoming a baby factory. The marriages are just business partners or real close roomates. Then their is the gentic gene pool thing everyone looks alike and you have 2nd cousin marriages. The same feeling you have for your wife you might get with your kids cause your wife is so genetically similar to you that you can differentiate between your spous,cousin or child. No wonder abuse runs rampant per population size.
@@3941602 Bear in mind that not all arranged marriages are bad either. Some are more consensual than others, in which case the people being married do love each other and are childhood friends.
The reason the church doesn’t involve authorities is because it would open a floodgate of accountability and they’d have to show records and be made to answer for more nefarious activity. They depend on their immunity and privilege and that’s how churches operate and thrive in general
I lived in southwestern Indiana, and our Walmart had a horse stall. The amount of children in wheelchairs due to spinal defects was so profoundly sad, and how amazingly well behaved their children were. There is a darkness you can sense.
@@OscarLangleySoryu Spinal defects in children (specifically neural tube defects like spina bifida) are vastly more common when before and during pregnancy the mother does not get enough folic acid, which is not easy from dietary sources. In the US, many grain products have supplemental folic acid added, which of course the Amish won't eat. For the most part they won't take the supplements directly, either, weich is the way rhis is handled in Europe.
"Every group has people that will abuse children. The question is, how will you handle that?" ...... I got a couple shovels and some friends who don't ask questions.
I grew up in York county PA by the river. Across the river we’re the Amish. They eventually started buying up all farms as they went up for sale on our side of the river. My grandpa thought they were good people so he drove them around to their jobs. A lot of actual jobs now. For a few but they eventually stopped paying and he kept doing it. He would let them borrow his wagons and equipment from his farm, when they did return it months later they would be broke. One Amish guy kept borrowing money. Eventually up to 5 grand . When my grandfather finally said something he played stupid. He eventually got money back from the bishop. After giving a bunch of Amish rides his van would be a wreck. Garbage on the floor. Dirt everywhere. Let’s just say after my grandfather died Amish did not get our farm.
It sounds to me like a lot of young Amish people would be far more likely to be rescued from that community if there was a large charity or social program to help them better integrate into modern society.
Possibly but that is exactly why I Lancaster county Pennsylvania you find very little help to integrate. In fact many outsiders will actively support the Amish in cover ups of corruptions.
There’s an ex-Amish guy on RUclips and TikTok who runs an organization to help people leave the Amish and to get help if they are being abused. I believe he is out of Indians??? His name is Eli Yoder and he has a super funny channel too. My husband and I recently moved to Lancaster County and he always thought the Amish were so good and pure and didn’t believe me when I said that things aren’t always as they seem on the surface…. Until he heard it from Eli! 😂 Really funny guy too! And he does a lot of good in his community as well.
My husbands family lives near a few Amish families. While they are known for doing great work in relation to building houses and barns, they definitely treat their animals like absolute trash. Their horses are essentially beaten into submission and are seen as a tool or a piece of machinery rather than a living breathing creature. The dog breeding thing is also pretty terrible. There was a fire at a kennel here in Ohio (owned by an Amish guy) and pretty much all of the dogs died. It was over 40 dogs and puppies, it was terrible. They also are known for hiding sexual abuse of children in their community. One day a few of them came to a local blood drive. My husbands Lion’s Club frequently cooks breakfast for these events so that they can get more interest (and hopeful donations) from the local community. One of the Amish guys brought his little kids and they were SO AFRAID to talk to us English (non-Amish) folks. We tried to offer them food and snacks and the kids didn’t understand (they don’t teach their kids English until they get older) and ran away from us. It was kinda sad. Like they are just teaching their kids to be afraid of people who are different than them.
Couldn't agree with you more about how they treat their animals. I've had little contact with them outside of horses, but the stories here are heartbreaking.
I've been thinking about the Amish lately and they are actually increasing in Numbers but I think it's because it's so much harder to leave an Amish community than any other because you virtually have no clue how to navigate the modern world, never being exposed to phones, tvs, computers, etc.
So glad to see this! I converted to conservative mennonite & it took me 7 years to finally see what a cult these "plain people" are, and how they were destroying my family. I see now how I was lulled in, my own mental health and trauma issues, and have apologized many times to my children. I'm so thankful I didn't lose them. It came down to choosing between my church or my children. I chose my children of course! I never understood those who cut off their children over religious beliefs. Looking back, I see there is a lot of abuse in the Amish/Mennonite circles - number 1 being that no one is allowed to think for themselves, and children are never taught to make their own decisions. They also physically discipline and mentally abuse their children. It comes down to the institution comes before anything else. They do not call the police for anything, and women sren't people. Everyone thinks they are so "sweet" and it's a "wonderful way to live". It only seems that way because there are no police reports for crimes, and people are afraid to speak out or leave because they lose everything. When I left, the next day, there were things on my porch that I had loaned out to people. I lost my whole community overnight. I was lucky in that I was not raised in it, and my family was there to catch me with open arms, welcoming me back. I truly felt like Major Tom in Bowie's Space Oddity when I left them.
Because you choose to tell your story, there are those who will think twice; or maybe who will make it out of a cult- who can understand a better way to live. That’s thanks to you. Continue to enlighten others. Your story is so important (you speak of a pathway back- a difficult and inspiring way to go). Again- thank you. 🙏🏽
Cool to see another former Mennonite! My parents became involved with a conservative Mennonite churcj and so much of my childhood was in the Mennonites. My parents left, however they are still wacky Christians. But my brother and his family are still in the Mennonite church. Often it seems like I missed out on quite a bit growing up, and I'm still finding all sorts of mental issues because of their teachings.
Here in Michigan, we recently updated our marriage laws to eliminate child brides, the reason it took until 2023 to do it is that every time the issue came up the amish and Mennonite communities lobbied hard against it saying it would severely harm their religious freedom. Seems that in those communities marrying off say 13 year olds to older men is routine.
Missouri has exemptions regarding lay midwives, because that's who delivers most Amish babies, at home. However, I have to hand it to them because the ones in my area knew when they were in over their heads and needed to call 911, which they did on cell phones with solar-powered chargers, and send Mom and baby to the hospital.
@@maestro3947-b9g That movie was obviously inspired by the Amish, considering that Shyamalan lives in Pennsylvania near wear the Amish are most numerous.
It looked more like he was picking at some piece of plastic on some object, not himself. Just sayin'. I thought it was his skin at first, too, then I looked a bit closer & realized, it stuck out too far & too angular to be his fingers.
Oh my goodness, thank you for covering this subject! I was just thinking yesterday "When is someone going to call out the Amish?". My jaw dropped when I saw this today. Crazy timing. Thank you again.
Great minds think alike !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was having those same thoughts too about when will somebody calling out Amish -- the so - called noble savages
I would be that nervous. I have social anxiety, and Owen has helped my life in several ways. Helping me deal with my own and my husband's religious trauma, helping me avoid the antifeminist atheist pipeline, helped me pill my dad out of Q anon... you may be just some guy, but you are some guy who has bettered my life.
@@maggieg.recommendsandrants3081 Sadly, there's a strong antifeminist leaning in atheist circle. You can thank Dawkins & Hitchins for that. Those two are highly-regarded atheist authors who are well-known for their misogyny & overall sexism.
Thank you, Owen, for your promotion of Amish reading material from Mary (Reflections and Memories of an Amish Misfit). Not only is it a generous gesture , but it’s also kind. Kudos.
There's an Amish community in Kansas (Yoder) and there used to be horse and buggys every where, but cars keep hitting them, even killing a family, so they drive tractors everywhere now. I even been to one of those Amish parties too and they are crazy!
I live in Sarasota, Florida, and we have an Amish area. In the winter, there are scores of travel homes that appear in the area where many of them live in the winter. It is said that they use their homes for church services, rotating amongst them, in order to qualify for property tax relief. What a racket!
@@LP-ct9nk Thanks. One of must haves when looking at he was to be high. That sure did pay off during Debby! Our pond was so high that it came up around one side of the house. I worry about those biting ants coming inside because that has happened before. I'm off of Clark, east of 75 How did you survive the storm?
You should do a video on the Bruderhof. It's a religious commune that has its main enclave in Pennsylvania, though they have branches all over the world. They're an antibaptist based group, similar to Amish, Mennonites, or Hutterites. But unlike the Amish and Mennonites, and like the Hutterites are, they're also a full commune. They don't allow any members to have money or buy anything for themselves. Instead the leadership buys everything they use and takes care of all their housing and the kids' schooling and everything. They have their own closed community, that's basically like a small town with everything they need. They fund their operation by running a large successful company called Community Playthings, which manufactures playground equipment, daycare center furniture, and equipment for disabled people. The members are all assigned different jobs within the village or the company. At least one woman who lives there has a popular RUclips channel where she talks about her life and how the Bruderhof works. Of course she makes it seem great, but I wonder if she really paints an accurate picture of what the group is really like, or if they give her special privileges because she's a RUclipsr and a favored member or something. They are REALLY serious about sharing EVERYTHING. I mean, they don't even own their own clothing. The group buys clothing for all members and they send it to a communal laundromat every week, where some members wash all of it. Some members, like the woman who does the RUclips channel, do art, like paintings and ceramics and stuff, but they're not allowed to sell it for a profit unless they give all the money to the group, (or supposedly to an outside charity, if you believe the woman from the RUclips channel.) Most members were born in and they get married and raise their kids there for their whole lives. Can you imagine that? These are people who have never functioned independently or had their own money or a bank account or anything and they're actually getting married and having kids.
I am pretty sure one of the (ex) plain people who’s been interviewed somewhere on RUclips was Bruderhof, and it didn’t sound any better than any of the other Anabaptist sects.
@@melanieahrens6739 Yeah, I don't see why it would be any better. I mean at least the Amish and Mennonites are not only allowed, but encouraged to be entrepreneurial and own their own businesses and individuals control their own money just like anyone else. So at least they're not financially controlled. If anything, that might even be an asset for people wanting to leave those religions because they know how to work hard and be good business people. The Bruderhof and the Hutterites on the other hand, are dependent on their group like a kid on their parents, for their whole life. It might be all well and good, if your leaders are good, normal, mentally healthy people who love you. But what if someone gets into a leadership position, who isn't? That's not a chance I'd want to take. And I can't even imagine getting married and having kids in that environment.
I knew a lot of Amish used to speak mostly Pennsylvania Dutch but I'd heard that they were (and it only took a few hundred years) now mostly English speakers. So I'm interested to hear that Mary didn't start to learn English until they went to school. I'm also glad to see that Mary's tattoos, shirt and hair indicate that they ain't a "plain" person any more. Insisting that people can't wear stripes, checks or florals is 100% culty.
The Amish still speak PA Dutch as their primary ( at least in PA) Now the " Fancy Dutch" ( sadly) have lost their dialect and are mainly English speakers. My dad grew up speaking the dialect as his first language but 2 World Wars and lots of anti- German sentiment all but killed it. There IS a growing movement to reclaim our dialect among us Fancy Dutch. Kutztown University has classes, as do several orthe places.
Nothing, they are pacifist who won’t call ‘the English’ for help. They might start a watch w their neighbors and their guns at night, so good luck with that!
I wouldn't suggest trying it, they're generally passive but they don't hesitate to take the law into their own hands. I don't think they're dangerous like Owen says though, just leave them alone and you won't find out. They leave everyone else alone, it shouldn't be an issue.
Hello Owen, a few months ago JWs rang at my door and I followed your advice, telling them in a nice way that I really am not interested and they should put me on their list for people not to visit. I was told that they aren't allowed to have such lists in Germany because of data protection. However since them I saw them several times in the house but they never rang the bell of my apartment again. Also thank you for pointing out the Amish, I feel like people have the tendency to romanticize them, while imo how much more extreme can you get than having your own land with essentially your own laws where you can just isolate generations from outside influences?
"I'm just a regular guy." And that is why we love your content. Also, I appreciate your awareness of the role of opportunity and timing in your success. In my experience there are two major sorts of reaction to achieving some success or role or position of significance. 1. Developing an overblown opinion of your own greatness independent of the assistance of others and the role of fortune and timing. 2. Realizing that a lot of people (admittedly not everyone though) could be where you are or do what you are doing if only they had the right opportunities.
The Amish should absolutely NOT be allowed to deny their children high school education. That's clearly a control tactic to make it more difficult for people to leave if they want to do so
Being brainwashed by narcissists who love to control people. They live in a dehumanizing fantasy that will give them a great reward a ultimate one. Jehovah's witnesses are like that, they don't give a fuck about wasting your life as long as they get their reward.
Kids are difficult, and not everyone has the desire or emotional maturity to deliberately parent. That's why this cultural expectation about everyone being parents pisses me off.
Right now, the Amish are doing a "great migration" to Pennsylvania for their roots homecoming. It's seen as the birthplace of the Amish. I've seen 2 houses (back when I was house hunting in both Missouri and Illinois) of houses being sold by Amish so they can migrate.
@@peterinbrat First off, I have spoke with some real Amish people when I looked at some houses for sale. Real Amish do NOT vote. You're thinking of Mennonites. Now, Mennonites DO vote and they look similar to the Amish. They're the ones you see at restaurants and grocery stores. They live in an in-between of living like Amish, but with a little bit of our society to some extent and no more. Do your research. And what the fuck did I say that had a goddamn thing to do with Trump?
Hi Mary! Saw you on 'soft white underbelly,' and you struck me as strong, brilliant, precise, and meticulous. Very impressed. Thank you for doing what you do. Stay wonderful. ❤
I can see how some might be nervous around you. Not because of fame or popularity. But because of what you've accomplished. You've helped a lot of people and that raises your worth in the eyes of a lot of people. Especially people you've helped personally. Me included. You got me into activism before I knew there was a community of people out there who are also fighting back against cults and the like.
Love Mary Byler! She’s been on Cults to Consciousness a couple of times, and they’re very interesting and informative interviews. (On edit) I look forward to hearing you interview her and any other Amish/Mennonites you’ve met. Looking forward to reading your book, Owen.
We have an Amish Community in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. These guys seem very different from the Amish I knew in Minnesota. They integrate with the local community far more often... and are not as strict with their tool use/electricity use. Their animals when I visit are well looked after and they seem well treated compared with others I met in my younger years. Their kids can speak freely with me in English even if they speak Pen Dutch amongst themselves. Heck, I've even offered a ride in my car to a couple and they were happy for it. I met their elder a few years ago and he seemed a very bright man. Simply one who lived differently from me. Whenever I asked them a technical question- what goes into their scratch grains that I buy for my chickens? How do you do x y or z? They seem to enjoy the conversation and are happy to have someone share an interest in their work. Even as I wear my jeans and tie die. I often bump into them at the local Dollar General too. Amish buggy parked in the lot. I will say this - they're still a cult. By definition. And I have no doubt whatsoever that these communities by default cover up abuses even if it's just dealing with them internally. However, it does seem in my limited experience that not all Amish Communities are created equal. This branch moved from a larger one elsewhere. Perhaps they moved and settled elsewhere because that branch was too extreme? Who knows.
When I lived in the area with a large Amish population, one of my co-workers said that when her daughter was about 5 years old, they saw an Amish family at Walmart, and she squealed, "Look, Mommy, Pilgrims!" My co-worker was mortified, but I told her that they probably hear that kind of thing all the time and had a good laugh on the way home.
I asked a "plain" woman (she wouldn't verify if she was amish or Mennonite) if she ever heard Weird Als "amish paradise" and she straight up sang parts of the song. I was shocked. This was on tiktok so who knows if shes lying about being plain. But I've heard of people in these communities having smartphones they hide before.
Being "plain" is actually a bigger culture than just Amish or Mennonite. There are a lot of different branches of the anabaptist movement. There are Huttites, Bretheren in Christ, and many others. There are also people who aren't born into the anabaptist community who live a plain lifestyle but don't officially belong to a plain community. It's actually a every complex thing.
Not really. Living separate from society isn't some great thing to be in awe of. If you like that, fine, but we've lived in societies since before we had LANGUAGE. They aren't a bad thing, and technology isn't bad either. Ted Kaczynski was incorrect about the industrial revolution.
I see Amish and Mennonites around here fairly often...well, mostly the Mennonites, since they'll use cars and whatnot, but the nearest Amish are less than fifty miles away for certain, probably even closer than I'm aware of. I've also paid close attention to anything that explains what those people are up to. I've known for a long time that there are rapists and murderers among them, not to mention serious alcohol and drug abuse. There isn't much that you can tell me about them that will surprise me at this point, but I'll listen anyway. What goes clop clop clop clop bang bang clop clop clop clop? An Amish drive-by shooting. I heard this, I think, twenty-five or thirty years ago. Don't forget about Weird Al's song, Amish Paradise.... What I'll point out, is that this is a common issue for religions in general. I'm sure there are a few that aren't corrupt, at least not yet. As far as I'm concerned, the entire point of a religion, is to influence a community, or even an entire society. Religious leaders have always been hard at work controlling their flock, but will only admit to a bit of guidance. My father molested my sisters, and the Southern Baptist pastor helped cover it up...of course they'd never consider calling the police. This was the sixties and seventies. He never so much as acknowledged any wrong-doing in his life. Yeah, this kind of thing could accurately be referred to as a pandemic. It's everywhere.
No religious organization is free from corruption, ever. Not a single one. All religions are scams used by ruthless, greedy people to prey on the most gullible, the most vulnerable, & the most stupid to gain money & power. They're all lies & scams, every single one.
Owen! I was one of those that joined you in 2016. I dont think I've seen any of your stuff for atleast 4 years! Nice of the algorithm to stick you on my for you page again, I see a lot of change. Good job!
I spent my first 11 years only a few miles from Lancaster. There are Amish all over the place. And also, probably more, Mennonites. Probably 1/3-1/2 of the kids at my elementary school were Mennonite. But I have to say, there are many degrees of Mennonites. Even our next door neighbors were Mennonites, but you would never know, except for the church they went to. I feel that they are quite different from the Amish. Even though they came from the same line of Christianity.
About a year ago, there was a high-profile and still unsolved murder of a neurosurgeon in the Detroit, MI area. He was from a Mennonite family, and his mother and sisters all wore long skirts and their hair was uncut and worn up, with a white cap. (He was also semi-openly gay, and people believe this may have been why he was murdered.)
I grew up in an adjacent denomination: ‘Amish Mennonite/Beachy’. I wasn’t mistreated to the extent that other folks have been, but I’m still glad I’m out of it
You should check out Eli Yoter. He was in an old order Amish community. They do not allow that running around like some of the others do. His was conservative even for the Amish.
I just moved to Lancaster County, PA and everyone who comes to visit me here just can’t believe this stuff then I tell them, but yeah- I read Mary Byler’s book that you mentioned. Yikes!!! It definitely makes sense though since it’s a super insular group that keeps to themselves. Most I meet are super nice and I even work for an ex-Amish family at a very popular local shop, but I am not surprised at all that this stuff happens just because it is so difficult for victims of abuse to get help or to leave and make a life for themselves with no IDs, no birth certificates, no outside ties, and when their entire family would shun them. Not to mention, the sheer naïveté that many Amish people have about the English world. Oh and don’t get me started on the victim blaming! Yuck!!!
The first church I visit was a Baptist church and at the time,there was no praising,like saying Hallelujah or praise the Lord,you can only say Amen,fellow members will look at you with the look as you're place?😳 A senior pentecostal man,started visiting and he be praising the Lord through the service, he got the look too.😂 I visit the Amish market to get flavored bacon,smoked chops and sweets. They're super weird and not friendly at all. There was a show based on the young Amish in the city. Just like you described it. Many go back,because they have never been exposed to city life. I honestly feel sorry for them. A very strong cult.😳
Shame on any religion that protects criminals under the guise that they are just sinners. An act can be both a sin and a crime, and it should both be disciplined within the church if appropriate AND punished in a court of law. Church discipline or the lack of it does not make anything less a crime and worthy of criminal punishment.
I've seen Mary on Cults to Consciousness - compelling story. Somewhere, way back on my dad's side we were Amish, but I guess during Rumspringa they decided living with "the English" was better. And I have books on Kindle and Amazon - Owen, do your homework. Writers make a maybe $1 on a full novella/novel (often less and definitely less on Kindle).
I have to remember not to click on these unless I have a gap of time to watch them. I realize watch time is influencing video reach so I’m trying to find opportunities to watch them all the way through, like washing dishes or something where I can have these on in the background. Occasionally I’ll click one before I have to go into work and have to go in and abruptly exit the browser so I’m getting better and checking that
Here is an Amish story for you. I have family in the east central Indiana area. I was just there witnessing the total solar eclipse. There are a lot of Amish in the area and my family know a lot of the Amish community. Incest and abuse is common among them. The latest horrific story I was told goes like this, a young Amish girl in her teens was abused sexually by her father and she went to someone and told them. Her own mother then took her to a dentist who I believe was also Amish. Her mother had all of her teeth pulled. She was in pain for 3 days and couldn’t do anything. Her mother then told the young girl “maybe next time you will think twice before turning your back on your father and family”…..absolutely horrible! I know this story to be true. Not all Amish are like this, but there certainly are some that are.
@@patriciamurfitt4590 don’t get me wrong, this is an extreme case I heard about. Iv heard good things as well as some pretty funny things about them. I’ve also heard because they don’t take care of their teeth very well, they end up having to pull their teeth at some point anyway, but this was just wrong.
I’m a believer but I enjoy your content and would like to meet you and be a part of some conversations on various topics with others. I have no idea about these conferences 😳. I may have to look into it.
You should have seen how I acted when I met Peter Davidson and Slyvester McCoy, I honestly say meeting you, you would see a nervous wreck, and even when you say you're just you, also Brian Jacques (Jakes) was the same way, I could approach and show my appreciation without being valued reader. I highly recommend Redwall to anyone lol
Holy moly 12 minutes to get to the actual point of the video I thought I was going insane reading the title over and over being like why the h*ll are we talking about influencers
I live in Pennsylvania, and and Amish owner bakery called SunnySide as like a million different locations I swear. There’s one in Leesport, Muhlenburg, Ephrata, EVERYWHERE. We have farmer’s markets here and fleee markets. They are everywhere. The farmers market near my house in Muhlenberg has one, along with 5 different Amish meat stands and vegetable stands and a pretzel stand. Nobody competes except for the Italian stands since my area had a big Italian immigrant population back in the 20s, which is how my great great grandmother got here. On the side of the road in rural areas there are little Amish greenhouses and shops and vegetable stands. The Amish are everywhere.
Imagine this is my second video to this person's channel and I sit through a 6-min monolog telling how famous they are and about how they don't view it in that way... before hearing the first mention of any of the content said in the title.
You mean "Rumspringa" In my German dialect it actually means "jumping araound". But yeah, how can they even choose if they are so many obsticles in your way.
I used to live in Maryland, with a big amish communities either way from virginia, and Philadelphia. My aunt who’s a nurse told me it wasn’t uncommon for CPS involvement with Amish kids, and battered women. Green shudders were the ones that allow contact outside of the communities. So we have no idea on the black shudders, as they have little to no contact.
I think you're more than some Dude, I think you are very brave to come out and tell the truth, and take on treats to yourself and your family. I like to say thank you. Not only that, but I wish I was half as smart as you, so I could change my state of Tennessee.
Literally me: I'm not nervous because you're famous or special... I'm nervous because you're a stranger I have such bad social anxiety and awkward shyness
That was a great episode, but it really only brushed the basics of the Amish community. One thing stuck out to me as incredibly accurate tho. When they had the horse haul MacGyver's jeep back to the farm, the Amish grandfather told the boy to "take care of your animal." He didn't use the horse's name or even acknowledge it at all. The Amish don't look at their farm animals as anything other than machines. In fact, the Amish don't believe that animals have souls, feelings, or emotions. The way they treat them is horrible.
There's a large Mennonite communities up here in Ontario, and from what I've experienced with my interactions with them they've become a lot more lax over the years. At the Catholic highschool I went to there were even a few Mennonite kids there as well (wasn't a typical Catholic highschool aside from a mass once a month which was optional and a religion class that taught about all religions it was a standard high school). There's been a fair amount of integration between the Mennonites and Non Mennonites as well. But this is just my experience growing up around them
Owen, how are you normal? You use a box-cutter (aka utility knife) to trim off calloused skin? You're a true dude! Love you. When I visit NYC next, I would pay you for a proper tour. Mwah.
Why are youtube guidelines for cursing enforced worldwide when Americans have a problem with this, but other things are just region banned. I hate this export of religious purity culture of the US to the world. it is cultural imperialism.
I’m glad I was born a southern Californian in 2002. Because I have autism, my parents forbade me from using the computer until 2008. Then I went to a public summer school where they had the kids use computers for the curriculum. I was the only kid who was clueless, so the teacher lectured my parents so I could begin learning at home.
I have to mention that the way they treat their animals is horrific. The Amish run puppy mills, and horse owners will attest that Amish horses always arrive to auctions battered and beaten
Omg... agreed... if the world knew...
They are also major pet suppliers from puppy mills.
@NYCHFAN agreed! I'll leave you with this... for what is the definition of pure evil and darkness than willful ignorance when surrounded by a world illuminated by knowledge...
I love my scout. She's my world. She's a min pin/pitty mix, and she is my hero...
Stay safe, my friend.
Damn. I hate that. Horses are beautiful animals and very loving and loyal when treated right.
I can't understand why they would treat an animal that they use to help them on a farm like that.
@@NYCHFAN Damn. They really suck with the way they treat animals.
They actually practice a pretty rare form of control . Linguist control . They keep their kids from even knowing how to talk to outsiders
That's fairly common in cults, they all have their own lingo
@@Aashka_The_MysticThere’s a difference between having jargon and literally speaking a different language.
A lot of Amish communities speak Pennsylvania German instead of English.
I appreciate this comment. I have never heard of this type of control but it totally makes sense.
I wish they handled the Amish with the same scrutiny that d'Armond Speers faced.
Not only that, but they don't allow their children to be educated beyond eighth grade, and the teachers themselves have no formal education beyond eighth grade in an Amish school.
I had a neighbor who had a friend (Ed) who came down to visit and had this cute little girl with him. She was maybe 22 months. And my neighbor was very surprised to see him show up with a kid It was like "You knock someone up?"
When we found out this poor girl story. Ed lives in Amish country in Pennsylvania. He worked construction in Philly and he'd come home from work at about 8:00 at night It was dark and it was about 36° outside and he sees a little girl wandering around his cat flap, She had on a pair of cloth slippers, a dirty dress and no sweater or coat. It immediately knew this girl belonged to one of the families that lived on either side of his small farm property. So he went to the nearest neighbor to say hey are you missing a kid. It wasn't theirs but they knew where she lived so he's like cool I can go take her home. He went to take her home only to find that her parents (who are also serial horse abusers) said that she was shunned for 6 months because she had blasphemed at church by not being quiet. The Bishop had decided this and her parents were to keep her locked in a room to keep her separate from everyone else while she was in her shunning period. But she apparently got out or was let out and had run off. The parents seemed kind of blasé about the whole thing and Ed thought this was pure cruelty to a child especially one so young. So yes maybe he could keep her for 6 months. The parents said they had to talk to the bishop.
The Bishop said it was fine In fact he suggested the parents maybe make arrangements to have him keep the child permanently because there was clearly something wrong with her because she will not be quiet.(She had the marks of being beaten, likely to make her learn to be quiet) The Amish father showed up two days later at Ed's house with papers that basically said this child was Ed's and he was her father. That he had slept with his neighbor's wife to create this child. (A total lie) And the father then took the child to The police station and said this is not my child. This is my neighbor's child. I want nothing to do with her please see that he gets her. Ed was of course contacted by CPS. And of course he took the girl. That is listed on the birth certificate as her father It's 100% his child now. And part of the reason he had agreed to come visit my neighbor was because he wanted to take her to a pediatric specialist that was down here in the DC area because he suspected she might be partially deaf. And it turns out she is and that's why the sweetheart couldn't be quiet because she can barely hear herself.
I already wasn't super keen on holding the Amish up as this glorified perfect group of people but if anything this cements that they are like most other secretive cults highly dangerous and great for predatory people to hide in.
Omg! 😳 I’m speechless….. 😭
This is way too much to read. Gtfoh with this
How did it continue? What became of her?
WOW! Thanks for taking the time to share all of this. That's...idkw2 say ..except I'm very grateful for everyone involved who gave that young girl a decent life. ❤😊
jesus fuckin christ that poor kid
Thank you for saying this. A lot of people see them as quaint and it drives me nuts that they don’t get how dangerous they are.
Fairly horrifying isn't it?
I think part of it is that when you see them, they act very sweet and nice to the outside world. When they sell food or clothing or blankets or whatever, they come off very nice and it leaves a positive impression on people.
Then of course, all of those goods are of excellent quality.
So people never feel like they are getting ripped off.
But, there is always something where there is a dark underbelly when it comes to religion.
And yes, there are plenty of atheists and agnostics who are shitty people as well.
But religions seem to love too excuse that horrible behavior way, way too damn much.
Another part of it may be the idea that they only pose a danger to themselves and not to the outside society.
Given their reluctance to allow outsiders to join them, it would seem they are mostly a danger to themselves. I worry much more about evangelicals.
@@robertkirchner7981 , no doubt. Evangelicals are way worse. However, I don’t think it’s an either or scenario. We can raise awareness for all harmful high control groups at the same time.
To call CSA a sin and not a crime is to side with the perpetrator, not the victim.
In their minds a sin is probably worse than a crime. It's the lack of consequences that's a problem.
That's the point of it.
They are well aware and since it's still too taboo to call out religious practices as abuses we are stuck here.
It's both a sin and a crime. And since God (probably) won't directly punish the sin until they die, it shall be punished for being a crime.
Yup
Sins are crimes against God, the supposedly biggest kind of deal to these people, so idk why they tried splitting hairs when it's all braided into a rat king esque dreadlock of spiritual-mental gymnastics.
I’m from England but massively interested in America’s cults and religious extremist communities, and I have been warning people about Amish for a long time now because over here many don’t realise they’re actually a cult.
Yeah, people who live further away from them seem to just be under the assumption that they just decided to live that way, for some reason, & not that it's religiously mandated & usually not up for discussion, even though different groups have varying rules about what is & isn't OK. These people are grossly undereducated, think they legally constitute their own sovereign country, that everyone is part of some grand conspiracy & actively out to get them, specifically &, even though they try to put on a show of not believing in sex before marriage, they actually push their children to be sexually involved with one another hard, hoping they'll get pregnant & it'll be that much harder to leave. Those who do leave are often pretty much stranded, without a vehicle, friends, an education that is capable of getting them anywhere in our world without being part of a specific religious organization or any way to interact with most of the things they were denied access to in a healthy way.
The Amish actually hail from Germany. I'm German. England has it's own fascinating cults. Stone hench much... lolololololol. People are people, period. Love ya mate. Fyi it's already 90 degrees where I live.
Warning…?
Are there a ton of British trying to run away to Pennsylvania to join the Amish or something lol
@@OscarLangleySoryuI believe a lot of Germans regularly try to. I lived near a large settlement & we would get a lot of German tourists asking for directions as they were passing through.
I don't think they understand that these people are so insular that they don't see outsiders wanting to join them as a good thing. They react to it like you're trying to force your way into a minority friend group & act like them when you're not & that you are definitely not going to like being Amish- even they aren't that deluded. I've heard some people answer people asking if they can join the Amish by saying that, if you did, you & your children would never be seen as Amish, but "English" outsiders. Your grandkids would be the first ones in your family who would actually be seen as really Amish.
@@MrChristianDT such a bizarre thing to want to do…
Yes shunning was the cause of the split between the Amish and Mennonites. Amish wanted to practice the shunning which in my opinion should be a crime because of how harmful it is.
I've seen both Amish and Mennonites in Upstate New York and the Mennonites definitely seem less extreme.
By the way, the shunning practice by Jehovah Witnesses is why they lost official state accreditation in Norway recently.
If it lives the Amish will abuse the hell out of it, no conscience.
They are horrible, often. Not only with animals either. It is frightenly common for young women (18-20) to have all their teeth removed by a blacksmith/barber, with no anestesia, if they have cavities. Dentures are cheaper, so that is what young women (girls really) often get. Amish men see this as "preventive medicine" to prevent abseces, which can be dangerous.
Men get dental care because they are seen as having more value to the community.
If they are bible literalist ,men are more valued than women.
This is what I mean when I say that religion is dog shit
Holy shit, that is fucked up!
Yiiiiiiikes what the hell! :o
I worked at a hospital in a town with a large Amish population….the Amish are definitely not how they seem
oh hell naw let us know what went on!!!!
any have to come in for stuff up their ass they can’t get out?
@@dirt420abuse and incest.
I did too, or at least the region. Guess where a pertussis outbreak originated?
Massive amounts of SA and incest
I worked with a lady who was raised in a mennonite home. After being oppressed by her family and community, she was forced into a terrible marriage. She finally broke free from the marriage, she still stayed in touch with her parents (abusers) who seemed to hold her terrible ex-husband in higher esteem than their own daughter. She had hallucinations that she had been abducted by aliens from outer space many times (probably ptsa). She was such a kind-hearted person, what her relatives did to her is unforgivable.
Its like close as you can get to an arranged marriage with out it beimg arranged. Bascially groomed with a few church districts. Who is to say true love which is a beautiful Gift from God, is gonna happen with in your youth group and when your world is a 15 sq miles. Or as far as you can travel by horse or foot.
Getting married by 21 and becoming a baby factory. The marriages are just business partners or real close roomates.
Then their is the gentic gene pool thing everyone looks alike and you have 2nd cousin marriages.
The same feeling you have for your wife you might get with your kids cause your wife is so genetically similar to you that you can differentiate between your spous,cousin or child. No wonder abuse runs rampant per population size.
@@3941602 Bear in mind that not all arranged marriages are bad either. Some are more consensual than others, in which case the people being married do love each other and are childhood friends.
The reason the church doesn’t involve authorities is because it would open a floodgate of accountability and they’d have to show records and be made to answer for more nefarious activity. They depend on their immunity and privilege and that’s how churches operate and thrive in general
I lived in southwestern Indiana, and our Walmart had a horse stall. The amount of children in wheelchairs due to spinal defects was so profoundly sad, and how amazingly well behaved their children were. There is a darkness you can sense.
What are you talking about
Spinal defects-? What is this about? Because they didn’t get modern medicine to fix it orrr I’m so confused
In my experience, well behaved children are a red flag.
@@OscarLangleySoryuProbably that and there isn't a very large gene pool, they can't marry non Amish people.
@@OscarLangleySoryu Spinal defects in children (specifically neural tube defects like spina bifida) are vastly more common when before and during pregnancy the mother does not get enough folic acid, which is not easy from dietary sources. In the US, many grain products have supplemental folic acid added, which of course the Amish won't eat. For the most part they won't take the supplements directly, either, weich is the way rhis is handled in Europe.
"Every group has people that will abuse children. The question is, how will you handle that?"
...... I got a couple shovels and some friends who don't ask questions.
Lol. We all have Friends in low places.
Lol
Yes ive done some things to right a wrong. I dont have a lot of friends but the ones i do have are close. We have each others 6.
Preach.
Good friends help you move. REALLY good friends help you move bodies.
Break the silence. Break the cycle.
I grew up in York county PA by the river. Across the river we’re the Amish. They eventually started buying up all farms as they went up for sale on our side of the river. My grandpa thought they were good people so he drove them around to their jobs. A lot of actual jobs now. For a few but they eventually stopped paying and he kept doing it. He would let them borrow his wagons and equipment from his farm, when they did return it months later they would be broke. One Amish guy kept borrowing money. Eventually up to 5 grand . When my grandfather finally said something he played stupid. He eventually got money back from the bishop. After giving a bunch of Amish rides his van would be a wreck. Garbage on the floor. Dirt everywhere. Let’s just say after my grandfather died Amish did not get our farm.
It sounds to me like a lot of young Amish people would be far more likely to be rescued from that community if there was a large charity or social program to help them better integrate into modern society.
Possibly but that is exactly why I Lancaster county Pennsylvania you find very little help to integrate. In fact many outsiders will actively support the Amish in cover ups of corruptions.
@@lyndajoy4466 🤢
There’s an ex-Amish guy on RUclips and TikTok who runs an organization to help people leave the Amish and to get help if they are being abused. I believe he is out of Indians??? His name is Eli Yoder and he has a super funny channel too. My husband and I recently moved to Lancaster County and he always thought the Amish were so good and pure and didn’t believe me when I said that things aren’t always as they seem on the surface…. Until he heard it from Eli! 😂 Really funny guy too! And he does a lot of good in his community as well.
My husbands family lives near a few Amish families. While they are known for doing great work in relation to building houses and barns, they definitely treat their animals like absolute trash. Their horses are essentially beaten into submission and are seen as a tool or a piece of machinery rather than a living breathing creature. The dog breeding thing is also pretty terrible. There was a fire at a kennel here in Ohio (owned by an Amish guy) and pretty much all of the dogs died. It was over 40 dogs and puppies, it was terrible. They also are known for hiding sexual abuse of children in their community.
One day a few of them came to a local blood drive. My husbands Lion’s Club frequently cooks breakfast for these events so that they can get more interest (and hopeful donations) from the local community. One of the Amish guys brought his little kids and they were SO AFRAID to talk to us English (non-Amish) folks. We tried to offer them food and snacks and the kids didn’t understand (they don’t teach their kids English until they get older) and ran away from us. It was kinda sad. Like they are just teaching their kids to be afraid of people who are different than them.
Every religious community seems to be adept at hiding sexual abuse of children.
Couldn't agree with you more about how they treat their animals. I've had little contact with them outside of horses, but the stories here are heartbreaking.
I've been thinking about the Amish lately and they are actually increasing in Numbers but I think it's because it's so much harder to leave an Amish community than any other because you virtually have no clue how to navigate the modern world, never being exposed to phones, tvs, computers, etc.
Actually, more Amish are using smartphones in order to help run their businesses
All that and ... Reproduction.
Solar iPad for children dropped monthly by drone
Hi, It’s Randall here. Thanks for putting us on your platform. You’re a good man. I hope to meet up with you again.
I think anyone that knowingly covers up child abuse should be charged the same as the abuser.
Any of these secretive, insular communities invite such behavior from the people(usually men) in power or authority.
So glad to see this! I converted to conservative mennonite & it took me 7 years to finally see what a cult these "plain people" are, and how they were destroying my family. I see now how I was lulled in, my own mental health and trauma issues, and have apologized many times to my children. I'm so thankful I didn't lose them. It came down to choosing between my church or my children. I chose my children of course! I never understood those who cut off their children over religious beliefs. Looking back, I see there is a lot of abuse in the Amish/Mennonite circles - number 1 being that no one is allowed to think for themselves, and children are never taught to make their own decisions. They also physically discipline and mentally abuse their children. It comes down to the institution comes before anything else. They do not call the police for anything, and women sren't people. Everyone thinks they are so "sweet" and it's a "wonderful way to live". It only seems that way because there are no police reports for crimes, and people are afraid to speak out or leave because they lose everything. When I left, the next day, there were things on my porch that I had loaned out to people. I lost my whole community overnight. I was lucky in that I was not raised in it, and my family was there to catch me with open arms, welcoming me back. I truly felt like Major Tom in Bowie's Space Oddity when I left them.
That is why the Mennonite Mob was so successful
The Mennonites I know here in Manitoba, cha-ching is their 11th Commandment
Because you choose to tell your story, there are those who will think twice; or maybe who will make it out of a cult- who can understand a better way to live. That’s thanks to you. Continue to enlighten others. Your story is so important (you speak of a pathway back- a difficult and inspiring way to go). Again- thank you. 🙏🏽
Alot makes religion look like a controlling phoney this is one of them
Cool to see another former Mennonite! My parents became involved with a conservative Mennonite churcj and so much of my childhood was in the Mennonites. My parents left, however they are still wacky Christians. But my brother and his family are still in the Mennonite church. Often it seems like I missed out on quite a bit growing up, and I'm still finding all sorts of mental issues because of their teachings.
Since it is so rare for anyone to convert to a conservative religion I'd be curious as to what lured you in. I.e. What led you down this trail?
Here in Michigan, we recently updated our marriage laws to eliminate child brides, the reason it took until 2023 to do it is that every time the issue came up the amish and Mennonite communities lobbied hard against it saying it would severely harm their religious freedom. Seems that in those communities marrying off say 13 year olds to older men is routine.
Missouri has exemptions regarding lay midwives, because that's who delivers most Amish babies, at home. However, I have to hand it to them because the ones in my area knew when they were in over their heads and needed to call 911, which they did on cell phones with solar-powered chargers, and send Mom and baby to the hospital.
Amish gives me the midsommer vibe.
M. Night shamalayanalsheyahdbahshehd "The Village" is more like it...
M. Night. Shamalamadingdong@@maestro3947-b9g
Well they are a germanic cult....
Yep yep
@@maestro3947-b9g That movie was obviously inspired by the Amish, considering that Shyamalan lives in Pennsylvania near wear the Amish are most numerous.
I’d be nervous to meet you after seeing you trim your nails with a box cutter
😂 I guess I am ALWAYS in Mom Mode or Grandma Mode....I wanted to slap Owen's hand and give him some nail clippers.
@@deeanthony7713 Or at least a pair of scissors
Wait what
Did I miss something ? 😂
It looked more like some kind of plastic object, not his nails or fingers. People's pattern recognition skills seem to be off these days.
As long as Owen is paying attention to what he’s doing, the box cutter could be a serviceable clipper. I use scissors to clean under my nails, so…
Owen: "I'm just a normal person, y'know."
Also Owen: **casually self-mutilates with box cutter on camera**
😂
😂😂
It looked more like he was picking at some piece of plastic on some object, not himself. Just sayin'. I thought it was his skin at first, too, then I looked a bit closer & realized, it stuck out too far & too angular to be his fingers.
@@DrachenGothik666 I thought he was cutting off an annoying fingernail.
Oh my goodness, thank you for covering this subject! I was just thinking yesterday "When is someone going to call out the Amish?". My jaw dropped when I saw this today. Crazy timing. Thank you again.
From what I've seen they always seemed kinda weird but not particularly harmful
Cults to Consciousness has done some great interviews with ex Amish members if you are interested in that.
@@seamstressdragon8707 Thank you. I'll look into that.
Great minds think alike !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was having those same thoughts too about when will somebody calling out Amish -- the so - called noble savages
I would be that nervous. I have social anxiety, and Owen has helped my life in several ways. Helping me deal with my own and my husband's religious trauma, helping me avoid the antifeminist atheist pipeline, helped me pill my dad out of Q anon... you may be just some guy, but you are some guy who has bettered my life.
I didn't realize there was an anti feminist atheist pipeline. For crying out loud, what's next?!
@@maggieg.recommendsandrants3081 Sadly, there's a strong antifeminist leaning in atheist circle. You can thank Dawkins & Hitchins for that. Those two are highly-regarded atheist authors who are well-known for their misogyny & overall sexism.
They’ve been spending most their lives living in an Amish paradise!
Love the weird al reference.
Lol
Good one!
And they haven’t paid the phone bill in 300 years!!!
" tell me why are we so blind to see"🎶🎵😂
Thank you, Owen, for your promotion of Amish reading material from Mary (Reflections and Memories of an Amish Misfit). Not only is it a generous gesture , but it’s also kind. Kudos.
There's an Amish community in Kansas (Yoder) and there used to be horse and buggys every where, but cars keep hitting them, even killing a family, so they drive tractors everywhere now.
I even been to one of those Amish parties too and they are crazy!
"And tonight we're gonna party like it's 1699"
Oh wow
I live in Sarasota, Florida, and we have an Amish area. In the winter, there are scores of travel homes that appear in the area where many of them live in the winter.
It is said that they use their homes for church services, rotating amongst them, in order to qualify for property tax relief. What a racket!
What is a "travel home".
@@wellhellothere6347 A travel trailer or a motor home
Hola fellow sarasotian. Hopefully Debby didn’t flood your place too much!
@@LP-ct9nk Thanks. One of must haves when looking at he was to be high. That sure did pay off during Debby! Our pond was so high that it came up around one side of the house. I worry about those biting ants coming inside because that has happened before.
I'm off of Clark, east of 75
How did you survive the storm?
You should do a video on the Bruderhof. It's a religious commune that has its main enclave in Pennsylvania, though they have branches all over the world. They're an antibaptist based group, similar to Amish, Mennonites, or Hutterites. But unlike the Amish and Mennonites, and like the Hutterites are, they're also a full commune. They don't allow any members to have money or buy anything for themselves. Instead the leadership buys everything they use and takes care of all their housing and the kids' schooling and everything. They have their own closed community, that's basically like a small town with everything they need. They fund their operation by running a large successful company called Community Playthings, which manufactures playground equipment, daycare center furniture, and equipment for disabled people. The members are all assigned different jobs within the village or the company. At least one woman who lives there has a popular RUclips channel where she talks about her life and how the Bruderhof works. Of course she makes it seem great, but I wonder if she really paints an accurate picture of what the group is really like, or if they give her special privileges because she's a RUclipsr and a favored member or something. They are REALLY serious about sharing EVERYTHING. I mean, they don't even own their own clothing. The group buys clothing for all members and they send it to a communal laundromat every week, where some members wash all of it. Some members, like the woman who does the RUclips channel, do art, like paintings and ceramics and stuff, but they're not allowed to sell it for a profit unless they give all the money to the group, (or supposedly to an outside charity, if you believe the woman from the RUclips channel.) Most members were born in and they get married and raise their kids there for their whole lives. Can you imagine that? These are people who have never functioned independently or had their own money or a bank account or anything and they're actually getting married and having kids.
I am pretty sure one of the (ex) plain people who’s been interviewed somewhere on RUclips was Bruderhof, and it didn’t sound any better than any of the other Anabaptist sects.
@@melanieahrens6739 Yeah, I don't see why it would be any better. I mean at least the Amish and Mennonites are not only allowed, but encouraged to be entrepreneurial and own their own businesses and individuals control their own money just like anyone else. So at least they're not financially controlled. If anything, that might even be an asset for people wanting to leave those religions because they know how to work hard and be good business people. The Bruderhof and the Hutterites on the other hand, are dependent on their group like a kid on their parents, for their whole life. It might be all well and good, if your leaders are good, normal, mentally healthy people who love you. But what if someone gets into a leadership position, who isn't? That's not a chance I'd want to take. And I can't even imagine getting married and having kids in that environment.
This group sounds like Hutterites. Can you imagine the birth defects in such a closed community? 😢
In any group if the leader is picking out your underwear for you there is rampant sa. You can pretty much bet on it.
@@amberinthemist7912 if you're over the age of 12, anyway!
Good for you helping bring awareness to this abusive cult that keeps getting away with heinous evil acts while looking harmless.
I knew a lot of Amish used to speak mostly Pennsylvania Dutch but I'd heard that they were (and it only took a few hundred years) now mostly English speakers. So I'm interested to hear that Mary didn't start to learn English until they went to school.
I'm also glad to see that Mary's tattoos, shirt and hair indicate that they ain't a "plain" person any more.
Insisting that people can't wear stripes, checks or florals is 100% culty.
The Amish still speak PA Dutch as their primary ( at least in PA)
Now the " Fancy Dutch" ( sadly) have lost their dialect and are mainly English speakers.
My dad grew up speaking the dialect as his first language but 2 World Wars and lots of anti- German sentiment all but killed it.
There IS a growing movement to reclaim our dialect among us Fancy Dutch.
Kutztown University has classes, as do several orthe places.
Hey what happens if you steal from the Amish? It's not like they can call the police.
Start a posse? Lol
@@CallmeLJ700 to steal from them? Or to stop the thieves?
Nothing, they are pacifist who won’t call ‘the English’ for help. They might start a watch w their neighbors and their guns at night, so good luck with that!
I wouldn't suggest trying it, they're generally passive but they don't hesitate to take the law into their own hands. I don't think they're dangerous like Owen says though, just leave them alone and you won't find out. They leave everyone else alone, it shouldn't be an issue.
They forgive you.
Hello Owen, a few months ago JWs rang at my door and I followed your advice, telling them in a nice way that I really am not interested and they should put me on their list for people not to visit. I was told that they aren't allowed to have such lists in Germany because of data protection. However since them I saw them several times in the house but they never rang the bell of my apartment again.
Also thank you for pointing out the Amish, I feel like people have the tendency to romanticize them, while imo how much more extreme can you get than having your own land with essentially your own laws where you can just isolate generations from outside influences?
"I'm just a regular guy." And that is why we love your content. Also, I appreciate your awareness of the role of opportunity and timing in your success. In my experience there are two major sorts of reaction to achieving some success or role or position of significance. 1. Developing an overblown opinion of your own greatness independent of the assistance of others and the role of fortune and timing. 2. Realizing that a lot of people (admittedly not everyone though) could be where you are or do what you are doing if only they had the right opportunities.
The Amish should absolutely NOT be allowed to deny their children high school education. That's clearly a control tactic to make it more difficult for people to leave if they want to do so
3:47 dude what are you doing with that box cutter? It looks dangerous.
You're special to us, my dude!
What the hell is so hard about loving your kids?
Being brainwashed by narcissists who love to control people. They live in a dehumanizing fantasy that will give them a great reward a ultimate one. Jehovah's witnesses are like that, they don't give a fuck about wasting your life as long as they get their reward.
Kids are difficult, and not everyone has the desire or emotional maturity to deliberately parent. That's why this cultural expectation about everyone being parents pisses me off.
@kellywalker1664 so just like Santa parents told of a God so children behaved
@@kellywalker1664 Do these people breed at younger ages than the average person?
@@kellydalstok8900 don't know for a fact, but a pattern like that would make sense.
Right now, the Amish are doing a "great migration" to Pennsylvania for their roots homecoming. It's seen as the birthplace of the Amish. I've seen 2 houses (back when I was house hunting in both Missouri and Illinois) of houses being sold by Amish so they can migrate.
Great, I live in ground zero for the Amish in central PA.
The Amish vote and helped get Trump elected in 2016.
@@peterinbrat First off, I have spoke with some real Amish people when I looked at some houses for sale. Real Amish do NOT vote. You're thinking of Mennonites. Now, Mennonites DO vote and they look similar to the Amish. They're the ones you see at restaurants and grocery stores. They live in an in-between of living like Amish, but with a little bit of our society to some extent and no more. Do your research. And what the fuck did I say that had a goddamn thing to do with Trump?
Thank you Owen 😭 we appreciate your conversations and talking about this.
Mary
Also, I was highly impressed that you used photos of actually Amish people. Thank you again.
Hi Mary! Saw you on 'soft white underbelly,' and you struck me as strong, brilliant, precise, and meticulous.
Very impressed. Thank you for doing what you do.
Stay wonderful.
❤
I saw Mary on Cults to Consciousness. Wow. Such a strong person. 💕
She did an awesome interview with Soft White Underbelly.
@@mikecynic5167 Ooh.
Not luck, we love your personality and how relatable you are ❤ alot of us go through alot and its nice to be reminded we aren't alone.
Kind of weird that people sort of forgot about Amish Mafia.
I can see how some might be nervous around you. Not because of fame or popularity. But because of what you've accomplished. You've helped a lot of people and that raises your worth in the eyes of a lot of people. Especially people you've helped personally. Me included. You got me into activism before I knew there was a community of people out there who are also fighting back against cults and the like.
Mary is amazing; been watching different interviews for a while now and I'm so happy to hear her presentation went so well at the convention
Love Mary Byler! She’s been on Cults to Consciousness a couple of times, and they’re very interesting and informative interviews. (On edit) I look forward to hearing you interview her and any other Amish/Mennonites you’ve met.
Looking forward to reading your book, Owen.
We have an Amish Community in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. These guys seem very different from the Amish I knew in Minnesota.
They integrate with the local community far more often... and are not as strict with their tool use/electricity use. Their animals when I visit are well looked after and they seem well treated compared with others I met in my younger years. Their kids can speak freely with me in English even if they speak Pen Dutch amongst themselves. Heck, I've even offered a ride in my car to a couple and they were happy for it.
I met their elder a few years ago and he seemed a very bright man. Simply one who lived differently from me. Whenever I asked them a technical question- what goes into their scratch grains that I buy for my chickens? How do you do x y or z? They seem to enjoy the conversation and are happy to have someone share an interest in their work. Even as I wear my jeans and tie die. I often bump into them at the local Dollar General too. Amish buggy parked in the lot.
I will say this - they're still a cult. By definition. And I have no doubt whatsoever that these communities by default cover up abuses even if it's just dealing with them internally.
However, it does seem in my limited experience that not all Amish Communities are created equal.
This branch moved from a larger one elsewhere. Perhaps they moved and settled elsewhere because that branch was too extreme? Who knows.
When I lived in the area with a large Amish population, one of my co-workers said that when her daughter was about 5 years old, they saw an Amish family at Walmart, and she squealed, "Look, Mommy, Pilgrims!" My co-worker was mortified, but I told her that they probably hear that kind of thing all the time and had a good laugh on the way home.
Cats were put on this earth to keep us honest.
I asked a "plain" woman (she wouldn't verify if she was amish or Mennonite) if she ever heard Weird Als "amish paradise" and she straight up sang parts of the song. I was shocked. This was on tiktok so who knows if shes lying about being plain. But I've heard of people in these communities having smartphones they hide before.
Being "plain" is actually a bigger culture than just Amish or Mennonite. There are a lot of different branches of the anabaptist movement. There are Huttites, Bretheren in Christ, and many others. There are also people who aren't born into the anabaptist community who live a plain lifestyle but don't officially belong to a plain community. It's actually a every complex thing.
Interesting
As someone who social anxiety, I'm afraid telling someone "don't be nervous"doesn't work. We already know we shouldn't be lol
You're special to me Owen.
There is something super admirable about living that way of life, but without the abuse.
Interesting
@@bigjalapeno7061 I'd like to live a life where I'm not reliant on the outside world, but without the abuse and shunning of people.
Not really. Living separate from society isn't some great thing to be in awe of. If you like that, fine, but we've lived in societies since before we had LANGUAGE. They aren't a bad thing, and technology isn't bad either. Ted Kaczynski was incorrect about the industrial revolution.
I assume it's because the Amish usually keep to themselves.
I found you when I first started deconstructing. You've helped me more than you will ever know ❤
In Western Canada we have Hutterites another branch of anabaptists. I believe their beliefs are closer to those of the Mennonites
Warm greetings from South Africa 😃😃
Hallo Suid-Afrika, hartelijke groeten uit Nederland 😊
I see Amish and Mennonites around here fairly often...well, mostly the Mennonites, since they'll use cars and whatnot, but the nearest Amish are less than fifty miles away for certain, probably even closer than I'm aware of. I've also paid close attention to anything that explains what those people are up to. I've known for a long time that there are rapists and murderers among them, not to mention serious alcohol and drug abuse. There isn't much that you can tell me about them that will surprise me at this point, but I'll listen anyway.
What goes clop clop clop clop bang bang clop clop clop clop? An Amish drive-by shooting. I heard this, I think, twenty-five or thirty years ago. Don't forget about Weird Al's song, Amish Paradise....
What I'll point out, is that this is a common issue for religions in general. I'm sure there are a few that aren't corrupt, at least not yet. As far as I'm concerned, the entire point of a religion, is to influence a community, or even an entire society. Religious leaders have always been hard at work controlling their flock, but will only admit to a bit of guidance. My father molested my sisters, and the Southern Baptist pastor helped cover it up...of course they'd never consider calling the police. This was the sixties and seventies. He never so much as acknowledged any wrong-doing in his life. Yeah, this kind of thing could accurately be referred to as a pandemic. It's everywhere.
No religious organization is free from corruption, ever. Not a single one. All religions are scams used by ruthless, greedy people to prey on the most gullible, the most vulnerable, & the most stupid to gain money & power. They're all lies & scams, every single one.
Owen! I was one of those that joined you in 2016. I dont think I've seen any of your stuff for atleast 4 years! Nice of the algorithm to stick you on my for you page again, I see a lot of change. Good job!
I spent my first 11 years only a few miles from Lancaster. There are Amish all over the place. And also, probably more, Mennonites. Probably 1/3-1/2 of the kids at my elementary school were Mennonite. But I have to say, there are many degrees of Mennonites. Even our next door neighbors were Mennonites, but you would never know, except for the church they went to. I feel that they are quite different from the Amish. Even though they came from the same line of Christianity.
About a year ago, there was a high-profile and still unsolved murder of a neurosurgeon in the Detroit, MI area. He was from a Mennonite family, and his mother and sisters all wore long skirts and their hair was uncut and worn up, with a white cap. (He was also semi-openly gay, and people believe this may have been why he was murdered.)
"I'm just like any other dude. I'm no smarter or better than everyone else. *Plugs book*"
Nice orange chonk in the background 🐈
Love a good orange chonker. He 's got a nice cinnamon chonker, too. We got to see a glimpse of him, too. 🐈🐈⬛🧡🤎
You mean his chat
That is a good point Owen, how do you avoid that ebbing and flowing of your sense of self based on a little celebrity status, etc.
I grew up in an adjacent denomination: ‘Amish Mennonite/Beachy’. I wasn’t mistreated to the extent that other folks have been, but I’m still glad I’m out of it
Owen, you are a lovely humble person. You deserve all your success.
If people knew the depravity of all Abrahamic religions they would weep at it's historical atrocities.
Abrahamic mythologies. Any teaching that “others “ another human being is just wrong.
You should check out Eli Yoter. He was in an old order Amish community. They do not allow that running around like some of the others do. His was conservative even for the Amish.
I remember watching Mary in an interview on her exit from the Amish community. It was a very informative interview, and I enjoyed it very much.
Woah, you're like a normal person? That must be so interesting, I don't know any normal people.
I just moved to Lancaster County, PA and everyone who comes to visit me here just can’t believe this stuff then I tell them, but yeah- I read Mary Byler’s book that you mentioned. Yikes!!! It definitely makes sense though since it’s a super insular group that keeps to themselves. Most I meet are super nice and I even work for an ex-Amish family at a very popular local shop, but I am not surprised at all that this stuff happens just because it is so difficult for victims of abuse to get help or to leave and make a life for themselves with no IDs, no birth certificates, no outside ties, and when their entire family would shun them. Not to mention, the sheer naïveté that many Amish people have about the English world. Oh and don’t get me started on the victim blaming! Yuck!!!
The first church I visit was a Baptist church and at the time,there was no praising,like saying Hallelujah or praise the Lord,you can only say Amen,fellow members will look at you with the look as you're place?😳 A senior pentecostal man,started visiting and he be praising the Lord through the service, he got the look too.😂 I visit the Amish market to get flavored bacon,smoked chops and sweets. They're super weird and not friendly at all. There was a show based on the young Amish in the city. Just like you described it. Many go back,because they have never been exposed to city life. I honestly feel sorry for them. A very strong cult.😳
Mary is fucking awesome. Her interview on Soft White Underbelly was amazing. Such a powerful personality.
Thanks for the info
Shame on any religion that protects criminals under the guise that they are just sinners. An act can be both a sin and a crime, and it should both be disciplined within the church if appropriate AND punished in a court of law. Church discipline or the lack of it does not make anything less a crime and worthy of criminal punishment.
I've seen Mary on Cults to Consciousness - compelling story. Somewhere, way back on my dad's side we were Amish, but I guess during Rumspringa they decided living with "the English" was better. And I have books on Kindle and Amazon - Owen, do your homework. Writers make a maybe $1 on a full novella/novel (often less and definitely less on Kindle).
I have to remember not to click on these unless I have a gap of time to watch them. I realize watch time is influencing video reach so I’m trying to find opportunities to watch them all the way through, like washing dishes or something where I can have these on in the background. Occasionally I’ll click one before I have to go into work and have to go in and abruptly exit the browser so I’m getting better and checking that
There’s a large Amish community in Southwest Ontario as well. They keep spreading out too.
Here is an Amish story for you. I have family in the east central Indiana area. I was just there witnessing the total solar eclipse. There are a lot of Amish in the area and my family know a lot of the Amish community. Incest and abuse is common among them. The latest horrific story I was told goes like this, a young Amish girl in her teens was abused sexually by her father and she went to someone and told them. Her own mother then took her to a dentist who I believe was also Amish. Her mother had all of her teeth pulled. She was in pain for 3 days and couldn’t do anything. Her mother then told the young girl “maybe next time you will think twice before turning your back on your father and family”…..absolutely horrible! I know this story to be true. Not all Amish are like this, but there certainly are some that are.
I live in this area, see them all the time and am always wondering how those girls and women are treated. 😢
@@patriciamurfitt4590 don’t get me wrong, this is an extreme case I heard about. Iv heard good things as well as some pretty funny things about them. I’ve also heard because they don’t take care of their teeth very well, they end up having to pull their teeth at some point anyway, but this was just wrong.
I’m a believer but I enjoy your content and would like to meet you and be a part of some conversations on various topics with others. I have no idea about these conferences 😳. I may have to look into it.
You should have seen how I acted when I met Peter Davidson and Slyvester McCoy, I honestly say meeting you, you would see a nervous wreck, and even when you say you're just you, also Brian Jacques (Jakes) was the same way, I could approach and show my appreciation without being valued reader. I highly recommend Redwall to anyone lol
Holy moly 12 minutes to get to the actual point of the video I thought I was going insane reading the title over and over being like why the h*ll are we talking about influencers
Agreed. Wtf Telltale?
Oh, cats are perfect for constantly reminding you that you are infinitely flawed 😅
I live in Pennsylvania, and and Amish owner bakery called SunnySide as like a million different locations I swear. There’s one in Leesport, Muhlenburg, Ephrata, EVERYWHERE. We have farmer’s markets here and fleee markets. They are everywhere. The farmers market near my house in Muhlenberg has one, along with 5 different Amish meat stands and vegetable stands and a pretzel stand. Nobody competes except for the Italian stands since my area had a big Italian immigrant population back in the 20s, which is how my great great grandmother got here. On the side of the road in rural areas there are little Amish greenhouses and shops and vegetable stands. The Amish are everywhere.
Imagine this is my second video to this person's channel and I sit through a 6-min monolog telling how famous they are and about how they don't view it in that way... before hearing the first mention of any of the content said in the title.
You mean "Rumspringa" In my German dialect it actually means "jumping araound". But yeah, how can they even choose if they are so many obsticles in your way.
I used to live in Maryland, with a big amish communities either way from virginia, and Philadelphia. My aunt who’s a nurse told me it wasn’t uncommon for CPS involvement with Amish kids, and battered women. Green shudders were the ones that allow contact outside of the communities. So we have no idea on the black shudders, as they have little to no contact.
Someone else could've done it but you did.
Thank you for the work you've done
"I'm just some guy!" It's true, Owen is pretty rad.
I think you're more than some Dude, I think you are very brave to come out and tell the truth, and take on treats to yourself and your family. I like to say thank you. Not only that, but I wish I was half as smart as you, so I could change my state of Tennessee.
Great Job Owen keep Exposing the Corruption
Literally me: I'm not nervous because you're famous or special... I'm nervous because you're a stranger
I have such bad social anxiety and awkward shyness
I only have discovered what Amish was on a MacGyver episode.
That was a great episode, but it really only brushed the basics of the Amish community. One thing stuck out to me as incredibly accurate tho. When they had the horse haul MacGyver's jeep back to the farm, the Amish grandfather told the boy to "take care of your animal." He didn't use the horse's name or even acknowledge it at all. The Amish don't look at their farm animals as anything other than machines. In fact, the Amish don't believe that animals have souls, feelings, or emotions. The way they treat them is horrible.
“The Witness” with Harrison Ford was my “in depth” introduction.😂
There's a large Mennonite communities up here in Ontario, and from what I've experienced with my interactions with them they've become a lot more lax over the years. At the Catholic highschool I went to there were even a few Mennonite kids there as well (wasn't a typical Catholic highschool aside from a mass once a month which was optional and a religion class that taught about all religions it was a standard high school). There's been a fair amount of integration between the Mennonites and Non Mennonites as well. But this is just my experience growing up around them
Bruh I wish they would have a conference here in Salisbury. It would be cool to meet you.
Owen, how are you normal? You use a box-cutter (aka utility knife) to trim off calloused skin? You're a true dude! Love you. When I visit NYC next, I would pay you for a proper tour. Mwah.
It looked more like he was trimming some plastic thing, not his fingers. I agree, it was kind of a random thing to do.
Owen I recommend watching Amish haunting shows of cruelty with in the Amish
Why are youtube guidelines for cursing enforced worldwide when Americans have a problem with this, but other things are just region banned. I hate this export of religious purity culture of the US to the world. it is cultural imperialism.
You Tube is a corporation, not America. Talk to them about it.
I’m glad I was born a southern Californian in 2002. Because I have autism, my parents forbade me from using the computer until 2008. Then I went to a public summer school where they had the kids use computers for the curriculum. I was the only kid who was clueless, so the teacher lectured my parents so I could begin learning at home.