• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Amish 365
  • About
  • Amish Recipes
  • Amish Culture
  • Amish Marketplace
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Amish Recipes
  • Amish Culture
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Amish Recipes
    • Amish Culture
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » The Plain Columns » The Amish Editor

    Thoughts on Episode 2 of the NatGeo Special, The Amish: Out of Order

    Published: Apr 24, 2012 · Updated: Apr 24, 2012 by Kevin Williams | 10 Comments

    I liked the episode!

    Esther is an enjoyable presence in the show.  I think her presence balances out Mose Gingerich's.  Mose Gingerich is a likeable guy and I'm not being negative,but I just wonder how typical his experience is of ex-Amish?  Sounds like he came from a very conservative community with extraordinarily rigid rules.  But I think he sowed a lot of goodwill by helping a non-Amish become Amish in tonight's episode.  To me that showed that he's not out to bash the Amish, he's pragmatic and open-minded and I like that. The 16-year-old girl who wanted to join the Amish, to me, seemed way too young to make that decision.  The Amish are Anabaptists - they're baptized as adults - so she wouldn't even be allowed to join a church for a couple of more years.  The Amish believe only adults are equipped to make such a choice about their faith.

    Other observations:

    Where'd they find an Amish bishop willing to talk on camera? Very unusual, even with evolving views within the church towards cameras.  And the Amish bishop said that the ordnung is a set of "written rules."  That may be true in his church but in most Amish churches the ordnung is unwritten.

    Otherwise, I think it was an enjoyable episode.  I think Mose Gingerich and NatGeo are doing a good job so far of blending education and entertainment.  Just my two-cents, anyone else have any thoughts?

     

    « Amish Asparagus Potato Soup
    Homemade Rhubarb Juice - Stocked Up For The Year Ahead »

    About Kevin Williams

    Hi, my name is Kevin Williams and I am owner of Oasis Newsfeatures and editor of The Amish Cook newspaper column.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Zelka Cani

      April 25, 2012 at 1:33 am

      I would love to watch this series but do not seem to be able to find it. Can it be watched in Australia?

      Reply
      • Ellen Wycuff

        April 26, 2012 at 4:38 pm

        you maybe able to find episodes online. Try hulu.com or the national geographic website here is a link but it only shows bits and pieces:
        http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/national-geographic-channel/shows/amish-out-of-order

        Reply
    2. Connie

      April 25, 2012 at 9:43 am

      I forget it is on tv...caught the last 1/2 hour or so and liked what I did see. I am impressed that he is trying to find a good fit for her to live with. I agree with you though, I think she is too young to make such an important decision. She seems to be looking for acceptance in a new 'world'...she likes playing at being Amish but, will she really want to stay there after she's lived that lifestyle for a year or more? Tough call.
      I am going to try to remember to watch the rest of this program.
      Thanks Kevin for bringing it to my attention.

      Reply
    3. Brenda

      April 25, 2012 at 10:41 am

      I enjoyed the show. I never gave thought of all the struggles the young men and women leaving encounter - no money, no education (so to speak) no drivers license, etc. I do believe the young girl wanting to join the Amish is looking for a "normal" family. However, she is leaving herself an "out" by saying that she would have to reconsider her decision if she were not able to still communicate with her existing family. She has a very tough decision at such a young age.

      Reply
    4. lorraine stoddard

      April 25, 2012 at 5:29 pm

      I like the show very much. It was nice that the 1 young man got a loan to buy a house. I doubt very much that the teen girl would make it as an Amish person. She was interested in the Amish,but,that was about it. The only part I didn't watch was with butchering the chicken. When I was 10 years old I was on a farm in Sawyer,Michagain and I seen this. Because of that,I didn't eat chicken for 15 years. Mose sure is a nice,understanding person,and so was Ester.

      Reply
    5. Mona G.

      April 26, 2012 at 8:03 pm

      I am enjoying "THE AMISH, OUT OF ORDER on Nat. Geo. this beats some of the other reality shows on TLC......to me the young girl wanting to go live with the Amish is just a faze she's going thru.......I don't see it working out......and I do think Mose is doing a great job helping the kids that come to him for help.....he's been there, done that and he understands what they are going thru.....thank God for Mose......

      Reply
    6. Lynette Sowell

      April 26, 2012 at 10:08 pm

      I enjoyed the episode a lot. I think it shows that there are all "kinds" of Amish and you can't make a sweeping generalization because there are always exceptions. I have a friend whose parents left the Amish when she was a little girl. She is not shunned, but her parents are--to the extent that if the family visited for supper, the parents would be served from different bowls/plates and sit separately. I think Michaela is looking for loving stability and less pressure to look a certain way. Ironically, though, English teens have their own "same" look, if you think about it. I'm looking forward to next week. (and bravo to the young man who bought his own house and saw the possibilities. I saw them too!)

      Reply
    7. SC Susie

      April 27, 2012 at 9:22 am

      I am really enjoying the show although I have a hard time processing Michaela's joining the Amish. She is looking for a "true sense of family" and "simplicity" - which can all be found outside the Amish faith too. She's had a rough home life so far but I'm thinking she is in for a heck of challenge when she truly meets the cultural differences. I could not fathom living under the Ordnung especially when it comes to music, art, creativity, Internet, movies - just to name a few. I wouldn't last a week!

      Reply
    8. Erin

      June 04, 2012 at 10:45 am

      I enjoy watching the show. It helps me to understand my Amish neighbors and shows that it isnt as easy as everyone thinks it is to be Amish.

      Reply
    9. Mona G.

      June 04, 2012 at 3:33 pm

      Everyone, be sure and watch this tomorrow nite (Tues. 6/5 ) at 9:00 and at 10:00 the HUTTERITES comes on.......looking forward to both these shows tomorrow nite on NAT. GEO.....

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kevin Williams - The Amish Editor Amish Cook Column

    Hi There, I'm Kevin!

    Welcome to Amish365, where I share my knowledge of Amish cooking and culture! I’ve spent almost three decades exploring Amish settlements and kitchens from Maine to Montana and almost everywhere in between. I’ll occasionally throw in stories of my travels, journalism adventures (I’m a Pulitzer prize-nominated journalist), fascination with grocery stores and Kmarts, and much more!

    More about me →

    Latest Amish Recipes

    • The Amish Cook - Daniel's Delicious Crispy Homemade Waffles
    • How Do The Amish Celebrate Easter?
    • Amish Easter Brunch Casserole
      Amish Easter Brunch Farmers Casserole
    • Do the Amish Allow Photographs?
    dutchcrafters

    Download The "Almost Amish" Ebook

    Footer

    Footer

    About

    • About The Amish Editor
    • Download "Almost Amish" Ebook
    • Amish Communities
    • Amish Marketplace

    Contact

    • Work With Us
    • Contact

    *As a member of various affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2000 - 2020 Amish 365 | Powered by Touch The Road