I'd have to say the idea of rumspringa is a really smart idea. I think by allowing teenagers to choose which life they want to follow, those who actually choose Amish really want to be there, really believe in the faith, and really remain loyal to their family and the church (in most cases). In opposition to a religion like Catholicism, one I have much experience with, there is no "deciding period" or anything for someone to decide to leave or join. Most of the time, baptisms are performed as babies, and if the parents are religious, the child usually grows up religious. Not having this choice and exploration, I feel, leads to a lot more rebellion later on, and a lot more skepticism of what's been taught all their life.
The easiest opposition to make against rumspringa is that by allowing children to explore the "english" world, they are therefore allowed to do illegal and immoral things. Should minors really be allowed to do that, and then just allowed back into the church and forget about all those things when they decide to come back? Can methamphetamine drug-dealing be forgotten and forgiven that easily?
I feel like 18, fully legal, might be a little more appropriate of an age for something like rumspringa, especially if the kids are living on their own and everything, but 16 isn't too bad. It's definitely old enough to be able to make decisions and take responsibility for those and for their actions.
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We are on the same page again! I find it very interesting that the teenagers who experience with illegal substances are still accepted into the church. These children perform acts that would be considered immoral if a member of the church, but not outside of it. I think they should experience the 'english' world, but in a way that MOST teenagers experience it- in other words, not taking illegal substances such as meth. I guess I just do not really understand the logic.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you use the phrase 'fully legal', Kelly, for the only thing I can think of that that would apply to here is voting... but the Amish reject the english world and would not vote anyway. It does raise the issue of what happens when there are conflicting views/ values between a subset of a society and the larger society -- such as with the Amish, or with Native American reservations. It seems like in some cases, things that would be illegal in the larger society are allowed (at least in terms of 'turning a blind eye') in (supposedly legitimate) subsets, such as pot-smoking as part of Rastafarianism; but other times, as with polygamy in some Mormon splinter groups, it is still deemed as prosecutable by the larger society.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that you note that their is no Rumspringa equivalence in Catholicism. I think the key difference is that in catholicism you do not grow up blind to other religions. If you ever want to not be a catholic anymore you do not live in a society that will stop you. Where as being Amish, the entire society is built around a system of moving you to religion and keeping you there.
ReplyDeleteBy "fully legal" I meant in the sense that in the english worl, 18 is considered adult, not only in being able to vote, but also in terms of crime and being tried as an adult, being able to sign leases and other contracts without parental consent, etc. There's a lot of things that come with 18!
ReplyDeleteAnd to Adam -
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, that Catholicism is still in the english world and stuff, but it all depends on your family and the church you've grown up with, etc. For me, I would never have been able to "leave" the Catholic church until pretty much now in college because of how religious my family was, how involved my family was in our parish, and how I went to a strict Catholic school for 9 years.
It's not the same as an Amish community, but ignorance of what else might be out there can still be applicable.