What percentage of Amish are African American?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

'cause I was watching one of those commercials for the Amish-built electric space heaters with the fake flame that looks like it was stolen from the window display of a Hot Topics store down at the mall, and I thought I saw a black amish guy in the background. Well, he at least had the beard and hat.

[trof]

1. About zero?

My guess.

[mainegreen]

2. I ranted here earlier about the absurdity of Amish *electric* heaters.

I think your as likely to find real Amish working with eletric heaters as you are to find an Amish TV/VCR repair technician.

[madeline_con]

3. It's not the heater, but the mantle that's supposedly Amish built.

They "give" you the heater as a bonus. :eyes:

[mainegreen]

4. Yeah, that doesn't really help convince you, though does it?

Free electric heater with every Amish press-board box?

[madeline_con]

5. I'm just saying. Not that I beleive it.

Then again, the Amish mix with the infidels for all sorts of business opportunities.

[sniffa]

6. But because the Amish stand by their work

you're getting a money-back guarantee that the Amish do quality work.

[mainegreen]

7. How does one claim one's refund? By calling the Amish call center?

The absurdity of it all mesmerizes me like a bad car wreck.

[Critters2]

9. They're sold through a company to whom the Amish sell the cabinets.

It's that company that you'd get the refund from.

[Critters2]

8. The Amish make housings for the heater. The heater isn't Amish made.

The cabinet is. The Amish are known for their woodworking skill, so that's the selling point. But the Amish I know wouldn't be averse to working on a product they might not use, for sale. They know others use it. They just wouldn't use it themselves. And then there are different degrees of what the Amish do or do not use, depending on what type of Amish (church Amish, house Amish, Beachy Amish, etc.). I had Amish neighbors--church Amish--who drove cars, used electricity run from gas generators, etc. The men dressed fairly modern-ly, but the women were mostly plain-dressed. It was fun to watch tourists look shocked when some Amish woman got in a car and drove away! :)

Not all Amish are Old Order, though most are. What distinguishes the Amish from their Mennonite cousins is one thing and one thing only--the practice of shunning. Anabaptists who practice shunning are Amish. Most Amish are plain dressed, Old Order. But not all are. Otoh, some Mennonites are plain-dressed, but are not Amish.

So, yeah, Amish workmen might make an electrical heater they would sell you, but not use themselves, if their bishop approved of it. Some would, some wouldn't. But in this case, I think the "Amish made" label applies to the cabinet.

[sniffa]

10. Pfft! They're no Shakers

I'm holding out for the Shaker heater.

[mainegreen]

11. There are, what, 4 shakers left?

All about 90 years old.

That's about 3 heaters a year. Made with old, shaker (cough), that's shakey nerves.