The Amish and What Separates Them From the Rest of the World

A member of the Christian group in North America, mainly the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church, the Amish originated way back in the late 17th century from among the people who followed Jakob Ammann. Known to have a great degree of conservativeness, Ammann believed that anyone who was excommunicated from the Church should likewise be shunned in the community. He was also the one who introduced foot washing, following Catholic practices. There are many more beliefs that Ammann started, and many of them had been retained, while some had also evolved due to the many tensions.

Beards

Did you know that the Amish are very much culturally distinct from the rest of the world? They have their own set of rules and practices, and sporting a beard but not a mustache is one of them. Another unique reason why they have beards is to serve as a visual identifier that that man is married. What happened to the traditional wedding band? Well, they are material possessions, and usually, they frown upon such extravagance and investment, hence Amish men do not wear wedding bands.

Another reason why they have beards but not the hair above the lips have to do with the military. They consider themselves as advocates of nonresistance or not engaging in war and any other conflicts for that matter, and shaving their mustache area was one way they communicated their stance. This is because, at one point, the British army was required to have hair above the lips for tactical reasons.