The Amish are not technophobes, rather they look at technology for what value it can bring in relation to its potential for harm. In short, "does it bring us together or draw us apart?"

In the 1920s the Amish church separated after intensive debate on the usability of the telephone. Now there are Old Amish, New Amish, and Beachy Amish, with varying degress of technological acceptance.

Many modern Amish will use cell phones, but only in certain situations and circumstances. Phones are not kept in the home, they are kept in communal shacks. Some Amish will use computers and (occasionally, rarely, in some places, in some communities) even connect to the internet. It still remains important, however, to keep basic family life simple and human powered, so as to preserve the bonds of family and community.

Does a television help to improve family life? If you think so, you're probably not Amish