Two Pennsylvania Amishmen have been sentenced to 90 days in jail for refusing to comply with state sewer laws, the AP reports.
The men are part of a small conservative sect, the Swartzentrubers, within the Amish community. They say hooking up to the local sewage system violates their religious beliefs. Most Amish reject electricity for the same reason (connecting to a profane world), but many do not have the same problems with sewers.
At issue is an outhouse for the local schoolhouse; Westmoreland County officials say the men do not have permits for the outhouse and, by spreading the waste on the fields, are disposing of it improperly. On a side note, I used to live in Lancaster County, where many Amish farmers live, and where rumors of such practices are rampant. Not necessarily true, though.
District Judge Michael Zungali offered the men, who represented themselves, the change to pay a fine or perform community service. The men refused but have until July 21 to appeal the sentence or report to jail.
Amish have been jailed for noncompliance before, most recently in the 1970s, during a fight over schooling that reached all the way to the Supreme Court. As Amish families move to new communities in search of less expensive farm land, these skirmishes are likely to continue.