At the moral core of Amish worldview lies an ongoing spiritual battle between two opposing spiritual states: Hochmut (pride, vanity, and self-exaltation) and Demut (humility, meekness, and lowliness).
Why Hochmut (Pride) Is Considered the Root of Sin
In Amish theology, pride is the primary sin that separates human beings from God. Displays of individual wealth, flashy jewelry, modern fashion, higher education titles, and social media self-promotion are all condemned as expressions of Hochmut that destroy community equality.
Cultivating Demut (Humility) Daily
Demut is actively cultivated through plain dress, quiet speech, manual labor, simple living, and yielding personal ambitions to serve the family and church community.