The Old Order Amish Living a simple life is not just a phrase to the Old Order Amish community, simple is the way of life. The Old Order Amish live with a mental model of religion which is involved in every aspect of their lives, from their Material Conditions of no electricity and advanced technology in their simple lives to their Social Relations which are based on religious beliefs and orally transmitted rules. Religion is the most essential aspect that sets and influences the Amish life and is dependent upon their chosen set of material conditions for its maintenance. It is important to know the Amish people are not just old fashioned, they live as God intended them to, according to the bible at least. The Old Order Amish or otherwise known as the Plain People are a community that migrated from Switzerland and originated from the Mennonites or Anabaptists, what sets them apart from other Christians is their belief and practice of adult baptism. No longer existing in Europe, they have settled in over 28 states and one Canadian providence (Ontario). They adopted the idea of adult baptism from the Anabaptists, they do not believe in infant baptism, and instead they perform a baptism on adults around the age of 18. Unlike infant baptism, the Amish believe that a baptism should be performed consensually and therefore are performed on adults believing that only adults can make an informed decision about their life and whether to commit to church. This creates a mental model about religion that is much more conscious,. The acceptance of their religion involves a conscious commitment to accept an entire way of life focused on simplicity and community that guides all of their decision-making throughout their lives. The Old Order Amish speak a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch but are taught English in school which they attend only until 8th grade. Not many understand their simplistic lives without any extras that we view as necessities. The Old Order
