All language subtitles for Amish.A.Secret.Life.iNTERNAL.2012.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-ANThELIa

♪ There is not another,
sister, friend, or brother ♪

♪ Loves the way that Jesus can

♪ He proved His love for me
when He died on Calvary ♪

Oh, there's the turkeys.

♪ He gave His life
for falling men ♪

Turkeys.

♪ His love...

Turkeys.
Gobble, gobble, gobble.

In many ways,

they were a typical
Old Order Amish family.

♪ His love is an endless love

They were
maintaining traditions

and a way of life that
go back 300 years.

Turkey nice is.

♪ There is none above you

C'mere turkeys.

250,000 Amish

live in the middle of
modern America today.

Look at the piggy.

Oink, oink, oink.

Just like
their forefathers,

they believe in holding
onto the old ways

and leading a plain
and simple life.

Moo.

Power.

Power?

♪ There is power

But what made this
Amish family extraordinary

is the fact
they'd agreed to be filmed.

♪ The land of the lamb
And power ♪

They were prepared to go
against the strict rules

of their church which
forbids photography.

In allowing themselves
to be filmed,

they were taking
an enormous risk.

♪ There is power, power
wonder-working power ♪

♪ In the precious
blood of the lamb ♪

The film was to be
about Amish family life

and faith,

and a family had
been found to take part.

But by consenting to filming,

they risked excommunication
from the Amish church.

For two weeks,
they'd been praying,

asking God whether or not
they should participate.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

How are we?

I'm good. I'm David Lapp.

- Say hello to Steve.
- Hello, Steve.

Good morning, David,
good morning.

It's a lovely
day, isn't it?

It is. How are you this morning?

Very well. It's a
beautiful, beautiful morning.

It is, praise the Lord.

This is my youngest son, Benuel.

Hello, good morning.

Say hi, Ben.

Hi.

- How are you anyway?
- Good.

How you
feeling about filming?

We have peace with it
or we wouldn't be doing it.

You know, we really sought
direction from God

and if we wouldn't have got...

If we wouldn't feel it
would be OK with Him,

we would not be doing it.

Shall we go
and meet the family?

Yeah, yes, please come in.

Cupcake.

We got visitors.

OK.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

- Cooking.
- How are you?

Fine, how about you?

Good, good. It's a lovely
day out there, isn't it?

- Yes, it is. Hi, Steve.
- Yes.

Miriam, hi.

This is Katie. This is
our oldest daughter.

Katie, Lynn.

Actually it's a
little bit dark in here.

Could we possibly pull up
a couple of the blinds?

This is my son, Daniel.

- How old are you, Daniel?
- Six.

This is Jacob.

- How old are you, Jacob?
- Nine.

There you go.

Of course you don't
have electricity here, do you?

No, we don't.

Why...why is that?

Why don't Amish people
not have electricity?

Well, it's...
it's because of...

the distraction
that comes with it.

Like...rather than having
television and video games

and all kinds of gadgets
that run on electricity,

we believe that...
um,

well, that's the reason
they don't is because...

it's to keep out
the distractions,

you know, so you can focus on
principles of life

like family time together,
reading the Bible.

The Amish
speak a German dialect

as their first language.

They came originally from
Europe in the early 1700s,

settling first here
in Pennsylvania.

What do you think people
in Britain

will make of you and your lives?

What will they think?

That's a good question.

I have no idea.

Will they think it's real?

I don't know, I don't know.

You know, if they look at our
lifestyles

without electric, you know,

they'd probably think
we're a little...

old-fashioned maybe or
just a little too simple,

I don't know.

What do you know
about people in Britain?

The only thing
I would have heard about Britain

is the Prime Minister,
Tony Blair, I believe,

and...you know,
about the Queen and the King,

but I'd have no idea how...

how they compare
with the United States really.

We've got a new Prime
Minister now, actually.

- OK.
- Tony Blair's gone.

OK.

Yeah, I didn't keep
up with the facts.

Without radio
and television and the internet,

the Amish exist
in a world quite separate

but alongside
the rest of America.

A great deal of modern
technology is rejected.

They live by a set of rules

designed to retain their
identity.

David and Miriam were breaking
the rules by being filmed.

Amish church forbids
people from posing

or actively giving their consent
to photography or filming.

Is lunch ready, Jacob?

Who's going to take
a nap after lunch?

- Not me.
- Not me.

- Not me.
- Me?

- Not me.
- Me.

Heavenly Father...

we come before You

in the name of Jesus
Christ our King.

We thank You that You have
allowed us to stand up today,

for the beautiful day, Father.

Heavenly Father,

I ask that You would bless
Jacob and Daniel

and Kate and Benuel James

and my beautiful wife, Miriam.

Father, I ask that You
would bless me as well

so I could do Your will.

Heavenly Father,
we ask that you would...

in the name of Jesus Christ,

that you would allow
the BBC to bring honour

and glory to You, Jesus.

We ask that it would
soften somebody's heart

and that the end result would
build Your kingdom,

Jesus Christ.

We ask for a
blessing and strength

upon the work that people
are doing for it, Father,

and we just ask that we
could be doing Your will

throughout and
all that the honour

and the glory would
come to You, Jesus.

Amen.

Go Ben.

Time to feed the rooster.

Time to feed the rooster.

- Time to feed...

Let's go now.

They act like soldiers
because the rooster is...

is not always nice to them.

There's the rooster.

Were there just five?

- Seven.
- Seven?

What is your approach to
the number of children you have?

To me, I don't even, I don't
have a goal, I don't...

Are your
children planned?

Uh-uh.

We just, we just rejoice when
God gives us another child.

There is no planning
on our part.

I'm not even sure what
the definition of plan is

but I think I know what
you're talking about.

- Well, contraception.
- Yeah.

- Right, controlled, yeah.

No, there is no planning.

Um...

For me, it's...

I think Miriam thinks
about children more than I do.

For me, I'm so busy with the
ones that He has given us...

when He gives us another
one, I'm rejoicing

but I'm not really thinking
we should have another one

because how could
I be one on one

if we'd have ten instead
of five or four?

But God would...

He doesn't make mistakes

so I'm sure there is a way.

Happy is a man that has
his quiver full of them.

I think a quiver of
arrows is 12 arrows?

Is that... Am I right?

I think so, yeah.

And happy is a man
that has 12 of them.

Is that how
many you would like?

Would you like 12 children?

Well, I can't quite see
it possible anymore.

I'm 32.

And I've had four. Ah, you know,

I need a couple sets of twins
maybe to be able to make 12.

But I always thought a
family of ten would be ideal.

The family were
happy to be filmed shopping

but it had to be discreet.

Other Amish also
shop at the store

and could challenge
them at any time.

♪ Thank You, Lord

♪ For Your blessings on me

♪ Thank You, Lord

♪ For giving to me

♪ All of my friends

♪ And family

♪ Thank You, Lord

♪ For Your blessings on me

♪ All of the days

♪ All of the days
For the rest of my life ♪

♪ No matter what
Life holds for me ♪

♪ I could be on my knees

♪ I could be on my knees
Forever, You know ♪

♪ But I never could
Thank You enough ♪

Everything to Your honour
and glory in Jesus' name, amen.

But at 6:15...

♪ Peace, forever, You know

..some chicken alfredo.

♪ But I never could
thank You enough ♪

- Sabbath today.
- Yeah.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, what a beautiful day.

It is a beautiful day.

You are welcome to come in
and worship with us.

We have here.

The Amish attend
church every other Sunday.

In between,
they worship at home.

Of all time.

Thou shalt not kill
and whosoever shall kill

shall be in danger
of the judgement.

♪ Let it shine,
Let it shine ♪

♪ Let it shine, let it shine

♪ Hide it under a bushel, no

♪ I'm gonna let it shine

♪ Hide it under a bushel, no

♪ I'm gonna let it shine

♪ Let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine ♪

We don't work Sundays
more than necessary.

I might go out to the
garden if I need an onion,

you know, that I didn't bring in
Saturdays

and I decided I'll make some
soup and I need an onion.

Things like that are...
except that we try to...

use the day totally for...

spiritually renewing

and just to spend time
with our children.

Like Sunday, 'fore noons,

the children don't play
outdoors.

And in the afternoon, it's a
time of us to play games with
them.

Miriam and
David have been married

for nearly 11 years.

How did you
get together then?

Why, you know, in the
traditional way, you just...

you just, ah...

monster up enough of
boldness and courage

to ask a girl
if you can court her.

So that's what I did
at the age of 18.

- So we had a year and
a half of courtship,

then we were married.

And that was a blessed
year and a half.

I did not doubt
that relationship.

I clearly thought it was
God leading us together.

Miriam had a conviction
for a hands-off courtship,

so we had a hands-off courtship.

I mean, no touching
at all or what's the line?

- Hands-off, I'm not
sure if that was...

- We didn't embrace each other.

We didn't hug each other,
we didn't kiss each other,

but we would sit together.

We sat beside each other and
enjoyed each other's warmth.

A squeeze of a hand sometimes.

This is my wedding dress...

that I had with a white,

we wear white cape aprons.

I feel it's very important
to make the dress

in such a way that it
adorns our inner spirit

and not bring out our...

our bodily figure.

It should be men are attracted
to the heart,

not to the figure.

As a woman, we can do a lot
to not bring a man to lust.

I feel us women don't quite
realise men's battle with...

it's just God made
them with that nature.

They have this lust for nature.

The natural instinct is
there but if we encourage it,

it might make them stumble.

I never knew the battle
before my husband told me.

You know, the battle that...

he had with women that had a lot
of leg exposed

or even lower necklines
and, um...

I had no idea that
he had that battle.

- Good morning.
- Morning.

Good morning.

- Come on in.

It's
4:30 in the morning.

Every day Miriam gets
up to cook breakfast

for Dave before he
goes to work at five.

Good morning.

Good morning.

- Good morning.
- Good morning, Steve.

Two eggs and a cornmeal mush.

It's my favourite.

Heavenly Father, I ask
for a blessing upon the hands

that prepared this food.

I ask for a hedge of protection
around my family today

as I go to work, as Jacob
and Daniel go to school,

as Miriam and Benuel
and Kate are at home.

Father, I ask for a
hedge of protection

around them all and that
you will keep them safe.

And if it be Your will that we
could be together tonight

at our supper table.

In Jesus' holy
name we pray, amen.

Dave usually
gets a lift to work

from one of his staff
who isn't Amish.

The rules forbid car ownership,

but there's nothing to stop
people from accepting a lift

or using a taxi.

Hey, good morning, Benuel.

Come.

Danny, Jacob, let's eat.

Jacob, do the blessing for us.
OK.

Amen.

Aishley is here.

Hey, you have a good day.

God bless you.

OK, I'll see you.

See you, Jacob.

- You get up for Dave.
- Yes. Mm-hm.

Every morning?

Yes, unless I'm
not feeling well.

He'll get his own
breakfast and lunch.

But he could get his
breakfast himself, couldn't he?

Yes, he could,
oh yeah, he's very...

He's quite able.

So how comes
he doesn't then?

That's my job.

He has other things...

that are more important
and are...

I'm the...

I'm the queen of this
house so I need to see...

that everybody is well fed
and...

What does the Bible
say about your role then?

He calls us to be
keepers at home...

submissive to our husbands,

and look well to the
ways of our household.

And how do
you feel about that?

I feel it's perfect, it's the
perfect, it's a perfect...order.

50 years ago,

the majority of Amish
were farmers.

But in Pennsylvania

high land prices
mean most now work

in Amish-owned small businesses.

Dave has his own
concrete construction firm

employing Amish
and non-Amish staff.

He makes a decent living
but is trying to get back

to the traditional
model of Amish life.

He wants to buy his own farm.

Good morning.

This is a bit different

from being at home
with the children.

- It is, it's a lot different,
something I'd always enjoyed.

But as my children get older,

my heart's not as much here
anymore.

I think about my
children waiting

until I come home evenings.

Ah, eight years ago,
I could've, you know,

worked from five in the morning
'til six at night not a problem.

But now when school is out,
I'm like, "You know what?

"My children are at home.

"I need to go home
to my children."

So does being
submissive work then?

I mean,
can that work for a woman?

Yes, yes.

I do feel we need
to share our views.

We just can't, we can't just
quietly submit

and not share how we
feel about some things.

He still can offend me, which
I want to overcome that.

I feel so privileged

that he does mention
my weaknesses and...

I don't want to be offended,

I just want to be thankful
that he points those out.

Obedient...

I believe.

I believe it's important

that we're obedient
to God's word so that...

our family can function

in the way He designed
families to be.

Two months later,

the risk of the family
being challenged

by the Amish church
hadn't gone away.

Hey, welcome, Steve and Lynn.

Come on in.

- Good morning.
- Morning.

Good morning, Daniel.

Are you awake?

We're just about ready to
go out and set the benches.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Miriam.
- Come on in.

So what's
happening this weekend?

Oh, we're getting ready
for church.

Church services are
going to be at our house.

Everybody takes turns.

Every two weeks, somebody opens
their house up or their home.

And it's
your turn this week?

Yeah, so we're preparing
seating and food for...

I don't know, 100 people.

20 families...

Say 150 people.

..an average of
five children per family.

Danny, Danny.

These are the benches
for the church

that the people can sit on.

You just sit.

It's a little
bit over three hours mostly

and like to 8:00 'til 11:30
or something.

What's your favourite
bit of the church service?

Ah...

the last song then you know
the church is about out.

We as Old Order Amish,
we don't have a church house,

so every able member that has
a room on their property

takes a turn to provide space
and food for service.

We need to make sure
that we have place

to tie up all the
horses and feed them.

We need to make sure we have
enough of lunch for everyone,

which is a cold lunch,

the traditional snitz pie.

The word 'church' in the Bible,

in Greek, it means assembly.

So our forefathers assembled
in their homes 400 years ago

and that's where the
practice started.

An Amish church
service

is led by a number of elders,
a bishop, and ministers.

They sing from a songbook
containing hymns

written by their forefathers.

The ministers will read
from the Scriptures

and the congregation
says silent prayers.

The church people
are very dear.

They are close friends.

You get together
every other week.

If there's a need,
if you have a hospital bill

and you have a
need for finances,

the church people are
there to help you.

So it's really a close-knit
community.

That is very interesting.

That's the Jonah story.

There's no way
we could film tomorrow?

You could attend
but you couldn't film.

Yeah, there's no
way you could film.

The church would stop
if you'd film.

There would be...
I have no idea what would happen

but it would not continue.

But you could attend.

You are invited to sit
right here in our midst.

It doesn't happen a lot

because people don't understand
German

and they don't like to sit for
three hours on hard benches.

For David and Miriam,
it was a balancing act.

They wanted outsiders
to understand Amish life

but also to respect
the private traditions

of the Old Order church service.

It was decided to film,
but from a distance.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Until now,

Dave and Miriam were the only
Old Order Amish

who'd consented to filming.

But today,
Miriam's holding a tea party

for some women friends.

For the first time,
there were other Amish

who were prepared to take
a risk and be filmed.

There appeared to be two
different groups of women -

some were Old Order Amish,

others were clearly not.

We've gathered for
about three years.

I joined about three years and,
ah,

then we were all members
of the Old Order Amish.

But as time went on,

a few of them, um, were
excommunicated

on spiritual beliefs

and so now we are still
continuing

and we've been
friends for so long

and it just seems we
need each other so much.

Come on up.

As members of
the Old Order Amish Church,

Miriam and Dave are
obliged to shun anyone

who is excommunicated.

It means they shouldn't eat
together or gather together.

It has been too long.

It's about half and half, about
half

have gone through the fire...

of being excommunicated but...

they really hold onto the values
and still want to be a light

to their own people.

They see a lot of
righteousness in our culture

and want to keep our values

and there's many things
we hold dear

and don't want to lose.

♪ I may never fly
o'er the enemy ♪

♪ But I'm in the Lord's army

♪ Yes, sir

♪ I'm in the Lord's army

♪ Yes, sir

♪ I'm in the Lord's army

We're in a time and a generation
where, um...

I feel the spirit is moving.

I think there's people rising...

who've studied the Bible
and see the need...

for us to, um,

just breakdown some
lies that I believed

or that our people believe.

♪ I may never march
in the infantry ♪

♪ Ride in the calvary

♪ Shoot the artillery

♪ I may never...

Miriam was revealing

that she and Dave
are part of a movement

within the Amish community

which is more open
and evangelical in its approach,

and whose mission is to
spread the word of God.

♪ Yes, sir

♪ I'm in the Lord's army

Yes, sir.

I think the rules can
be over-emphasised

and we look to that as, you
know, a way of...

ah, salvation.

It can make it confusing.

Miriam was
picking her words carefully

because she didn't
want to offend

her Old Order
family and friends.

It was clear they
no longer believed

that keeping to every
church rule was the route

to heaven, although they
still valued the Amish

lifestyle and traditions.

They explained they'd
been rebaptised

at night in their
garden a year ago.

They felt their original baptism
as young adults was not valid.

This rebaptism was a
whole new affirmation

of their belief in God.

- It was right about this
time in the evening

and right in there, it's
about three feet deep,

two and a half, three feet deep.

So we all came down here

and someone held
the lamp like this.

About 50 people
standing around here

and four couples had
desire to be baptised

in the name of Jesus Christ.

And that's what we did.

A year ago on this day.

Two people went out in
the water to help you.

So you went in the
water, knelt down,

and then you lean back 'til
you were completely submerged

in water and then you come
forth

and you're, you're bright

- and you rise up in Christ,
yeah. - As Christ.

And you go the house and
grab a towel real quick.

- If our people would find it
out...

we couldn't be Amish 'cause
there's people being -

there have been
people excommunicated

because of rebaptism.

So that was, that was very hard
for me to just...

put me in that situation
where I'm rebaptised

and where I know our
leaders wouldn't approve.

But they will
learn about it now.

Um, you mean, now that, well...

I guess, you know, if you put
that on the film.

So, um...

we have, we have, um...

told my parents

and, ah, I felt, I felt their
blessing, especially Mom's.

There has been much
conflict about practices on

how to baptise or rebaptism
within our church.

It always brings
strife and conflict...

and it's because of
the spiritual war.

How do you
think people will feel...

if it's known from the film
that you've been rebaptised?

Well, it's the truth and God
can always use the truth.

He can always make good of it.

Ah, it...

If I, if I just dwell on people
finding it out,

I'm fearful.

You could still
be excommunicated

for being rebaptised?

Oh yeah. I have no idea what

our people would really
do in our church.

Or for taking
part in this film?

Yes, yes.

Less than a
week later, another group

of people gathered at
Miriam and Dave's house,

this time to worship together.

Again, many of them
were excommunicated

and some of them
were driving cars.

You're allowed to get
together

and talk with
excommunicated people

but you're not allowed to eat
with them and ride with them.

So there's some risk, yeah.

Some people
come here in secret.

The Amish church doesn't know.

Hmm, yeah.

You know.

Getting together with
a big group regularly

that's excommunicated,
they would start to wonder,

you know, why are we getting
together? You know.

Because, you know, why don't
you get together

with
people that are still Amish?

Why do you hang out
with the excommunicated?

Yeah, that makes
them uncomfortable,

that makes the leaders and
the elders uncomfortable.

If we're ready, let's
all stand up and pray.

Heavenly Father,
we come before you

in the name of Jesus
Christ because Jesus said

He is the Way, He is the Life,

He's the only way to You,
Father, so we come in His name.

We ask you that You
would be with us.

We thank You for the
food that we ate.

We thank You for the building
that You have provided.

We praise You, we praise You,
we glorify Your holy name,

in Jesus' name we pray, Father.

- Amen.
- Amen.

If you were
excommunicated...

what would you lose?

I mean, would you be shunned by
your family and your friends?

Some, I'm sure.

I assume some family would
not, but others would.

They would shun you?

Yeah, yeah.

What would
they do exactly?

Well, they, they wouldn't
come anymore,

they wouldn't invite
us...to gatherings or...

ah...

they might, ah, avoid
us, you know, if they do see us.

They would be required
to do that by the church?

By some people.

But that would
represent a huge loss

for you, would it, wouldn't it?

A huge loss?

It might seem so but...

ah, Jesus calls us to rejoice...

if we're put out because
of His name, for His cause.

I know it would be hard
because it would be

the reality of rejection...

and I know that's hurtful.

- These are people you love.
- Yes.

♪ I know this life is precious

♪ The next breath you take
could be your last one ♪

♪ Another day is coming
another sunrise ♪

♪ Another day, God holds
every moment of it ♪

♪ This life we have

♪ This gift of a Maker

♪ This sacred freedom
here in our land ♪

♪ This divine hour I recognise

♪ Need to hold on tight
to these precious lives ♪

Five months later
and the family were moving
house.

Dave had managed to buy a farm,

75 acres, a mile away
from their old house.

♪ Below me at God's creation

♪ And I'm overwhelmed with
all the beauty in it ♪

♪ You're still my eyes
and I realise ♪

♪ This life we have

♪ This gift of a Maker

♪ This sacred freedom
here in our land ♪

♪ As I walk the night away

Can you get one last hill here?

Hey, come on.

♪ Amen, oh

♪ A, amen

♪ Amen

♪ Amen, amen

♪ With the horns now

♪ Amen

♪ With the rhythm now
Amen ♪

♪ Amen

♪ Amen

♪ Amen, amen

I think God has a
special place for farmers...

♪ Amen

..and it's on my heart to earn
a living by working the land.

There's something special
about putting seeds

in the ground and watch it grow.

♪ Amen

♪ This little light of mine

♪ I'm gonna let it shine

Hey! Hey!

♪ This little light of mine

♪ I'm gonna let it shine

The family
will have less income

from farming than when Dave
worked in construction.

- Hey!
- Hey!

- How was your morning?
- Good.

Benuel James!

Being together and
having each other's hearts

is more important than finances.

Love requires time...

so if you want your child

to feel your love, you will
need to spend time with them.

So by working together...

I expect to be able
to connect with them...

because once I'm an old man,

80 years old, I usually
ask Katy my daughter

if she's gonna be my nurse
when I'm 80 years old.

You know, I am fully
persuaded

if I have
time to meet her needs now,

she'll have time
to meet my needs.

- Hello.
- Hello, Kevin.

This is David Lapp.

I'm looking for a
brown Swiss cow.

We want to get a cow
'cause we wanna make our

own yoghurt, butter, cheese,
all the fresh milk to drink.

This is the phone shannie.

The traditional Amish
in Lancaster County

don't have phones in their
houses, so they'll have a phone

in a shannie outside.

That's quite a long
way away from the house.

Yeah.

Are you going
to leave it here?

We'll probably get
it closer to the house, yeah.

It's just a way of
the elders' decision

to try to keep life more simple.

Personally I see it
as a, as a waste of time.

The idea
had been to make a film

about Amish family
life and faith.

David and Miriam embraced
the risks of taking part

because of their beliefs.

The threat of being forced out

of the Amish church
has not gone away.

The family see themselves
as Amish Christians.

They have put their new
beliefs before the Amish rules.

There is no way of life
that will bring peace

and joy to a person's heart.

Some people think that
if they would only

live a unique lifestyle
like the Amish

that would help
them to be happy.

Some people think if they
would have a bigger house

they would be happy,
but my message is all

those things are
good but if that's

what your happiness is based
on, it's not going to last.

If you accept Jesus, that
will be the true happiness.

The reason we took part
in the film is because

one of the last
commandments that Jesus gave

to His disciples before
He left was go ye

and tell the world, go
ye to the uttermost parts

of the world, teaching
and preaching

and baptising in
the name of Jesus.

There might be
consequences but we pray that...

we asked Jesus that we
would not offend people.

God bless you, keep
you, in Jesus' name.

God bless you. Goodbye.

♪ Are you going to be
a saint on that shore ♪

♪ Or a sinner left far behind

♪ Don't you think of your
soul and want to be saved ♪

♪ Don't you want to go
to heaven sometime ♪

♪ Sometime, sometime

♪ I'll be going to
heaven sometime ♪

♪ God is leading the way
and I can't go astray ♪

♪ I'll be going to
heaven sometime. ♪

Captions edited by Ai-Media
ai-media.tv