• 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 » Everything Amish » Amish in the News

    Tradition vs. Rules in Wisconsin

    Published: Jul 29, 2013 · Updated: Feb 2, 2021 by Kevin Williams | 9 Comments

    More conservative communities of Amish that live in Wisconsin are butting up against government rules and regulations.  This has been an oft-repeated battle as more and more Amish move to new, unfamiliar areas.  In some Amish settlements, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are welcome, in others they are not.  This battle has been fought in Upstate New York, rural Pennsylvania,  Kentucky, and Iowa.  Now it is Wisconsin.  Click here to read the latest.  What do you think?  Should a family be permitted to forgo smoke detectors if they have a religious objection to the technology?

    « Grilled Cheese For Grown-Ups
    Amish Cook, Week of July 29, 2013 »

    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. Tammy

      July 29, 2013 at 1:27 pm

      Everyone should have a smoke detector in their home. I do not see why a battery smoke detector would be against religious beliefs, they would not be on the "grid" so to speak, so why oppose it? Something that is so simple that can save lives should be required.

      Reply
    2. Howard Billig

      July 29, 2013 at 1:51 pm

      As a professional firefighter, I too often see the consequences of not having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. I respect the beliefs of all people, but would have difficulty justifying to myself the loss of life due to not allowing something that could save a life. I guess not being Amish, I don't understand the objection and possibly would think differently if I was. Also, most people don't consider what a firefighter/EMT goes thru mentally when faced with death or serious injury to those we are trying to help. Not having these detectors allows fires to progress further before being noticed which causes firefighters to face a more dangerous situation as opposed to if it was noticed sooner. So even though a person makes a decision for themselves, I would think if that decision could effect the life and safety of others, some consideration should be given to that. Again, I respect the beliefs of the Amish but do think there are some things that could be compromised on without losing religious freedom. I hope I don't seem unsympathetic and anti-Amish because I am, as kevin, interested in and respectful of not only the Amish but all plain people.

      Reply
    3. Carol

      July 29, 2013 at 2:08 pm

      Either we have religious freedom or we don't. Smoke detectors can be good but if they violate someone's conscience then the government has no business forcing them to have one. If they were renting the house to non-Amish folks or using it as a B&B or something then I could see the need for them. But if the government is going to be free to keep pushing more and more into what is and is not "allowed" to be exempt for religious beliefs then how much "freedom" do we really have?

      Reply
    4. Helen

      July 29, 2013 at 2:51 pm

      I think everyone should have smoke detector. You just never know when there could be a fire and the smoke detector would warn and save them.

      Reply
    5. Dawn

      July 30, 2013 at 1:01 am

      It's like the Swartzentrubers (sp) & their stance against safety reflectors on the buggies. They believe that God ordains the moment of their deaths..

      Reply
      • Wendy

        August 01, 2013 at 2:14 am

        God knows the moment of our death. That moment will come regardless of a smoke or carbon monoxide detector. That being said, God also calls man to be wise and not a fool. A smoke alarm is a great deal different than an automobile and electricity. I do not understand the stand against them... unless they are afraid of members taking up chain smoking.

        Reply
    6. Diana H

      July 30, 2013 at 2:24 am

      Having been born under the sign of Libra, I can see both sides of the question, however,
      from a safety standpoint, I would say yes they should be required and as Tammy has
      expressed, they do not require "electricity" but only a battery which needs to be changed
      once a year.
      I am sure Lovina and her family would have some input into this question having experienced
      a fire in their home this past year. And I read of an Amish family, (I don't remember which
      state they lived in) whose whole house and most of the family burned in a fire. A fire
      detector making its loud unpleasant noise, surely would have alerted some of the adults
      and likely saved several lives.

      Reply
    7. Missy

      July 30, 2013 at 3:24 pm

      Well, you may be destined to die in a tornado, but shouldn't stop you from going to the basement. A smoke detector is such a small thing that saves lives. If God has chosen your time, a smoke detector won't help anyway!

      Reply
    8. Mary

      July 31, 2013 at 1:43 pm

      Kevin, I love the Amish the strong, dedicated people that they are, but they use other devices run off batteries, so I don't understand why they would object to these. As the others said, heating with wood/ coal is a safety thing anyway, Is it the Bishop who would make that decision? There are soooo many little ones that need to be kept safe. I hope who ever the decision lays on, will reconsider!!!!!

      Mary

      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

    • Homemade Chocolate Crunch Easter "Eggs"
      Homemade Coconut Crunch Easter Eggs
    • 5 Amish Copycat Recipes (Fast-Food Favorites: Big Mac Dressing, Pizza Hut, and More!)
    • Amish Wedding Customs and Traditions
    • Amish Wedding Cake
      Amish Wedding Cake Recipe
    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