From the moment a 19-year-old Chris Burkholder bolted from his Amish lifestyle his bishop grandfather and family members have shunned him. Now in his thirties, he’s authoured and self-published an autobiography about his experiences growing up in three different Amish communities in the Midwest. He relates that members of his closed-society regularly engaged in incest, bestiality and domestic abuse and did little to address these behaviours.
I don’t know Chris personally. A workmate who does vouches for his integrity and good intentions. Two weeks ago his non-Amish wife was fired from her job at a local hospital despite an impeccable work history, according to my co-worker, who feels the dismissal is due to gossip spreading about the book and its content.
Chris is not the first ex-member to report of these goings on amongst the Amish. Every now and then a victim breaks out and comes forth only to be described as an anomaly by seemingly incredulous community members. If you’d like to contact Chris about his book, Amish Confidential, either to purchase it or help him with circulation, I could arrange it. No strings attached. visit this website.
Updated 26 February 2006
How can we purchase the book “Amish Confidential”
I suggested to my workmate that Chris set-up a blog so he can handle this directly. I’ll be talking to her at work today and will find out how you can purchase it.
http://www.amishconfidential.com there is the book’s link
Nice job on the website, Joe.
If you read the book, you would know the bishop was his father, not his grandfather. I have read it twice, and had the pleasure of meeting Chris and his wife at a book signing.
Thanks Diane, your site is nice too. I just got off the phone with Chris and it is his dauther’s birthday today, she is 4. My twins are 4 since October. 😉