Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Hatchling Dragon said:
Amish is a religion? I thought it was a way of life, eschewing all technology as 'evil' or some-such.
[hijack]Definitely a religion. I can't find my appropriate textbook, but the Amish are devout Christians, offshoots of some Dutch(?) heresy from a few hundred years ago. They practice absolute nonviolence toward other people, believing their reward awaits them in the afterlife. They don't hate technology (many Amish carry cell phones with them into the fields), but they believe that unnecessary technology is vanity and contributes to moral decay (thus the cell phones can only be used in cases of emergency, their buggies cannot be equipped with pneumatic tires, and they're absolutely forbidden from getting premium channels in their cable package).
Amish kids, incidentally, are given some free rein: until they officially join the community around the age of eighteen, they can do quite a bit of wild experimenting. Once they reach majority, however, they either have to join the society or break off most ties with their family and friends.
In a fantasy world, I'd play an Amish-inspired religion as immensely mistrustful of most magic, including any divine magic other than healing spells. And they'd be absolutely nonviolent, therefore poor adventuring stock (although an ex-Amish character could be fun)[/hijack]
(Hoping that my linking this discussion back to fantasy keeps it from being forbidden religious discussion)
Daniel