This is because the Amish have a completely different lifestyle from the rest of American society where their lives do not separate daily routine and religious routine. This theme of Amish life is referred to as Gelassenheit, which explain the daily attitudes and actions that expected out of each Amish person. This includes submitting oneself to God's will and authority (Kraybill, 1993). Because they are pacifist people who take care of their own family and community members, the Amish reject Social Security, Military Conscription, and other social welfare programs (Hostetler, 1980). By participating in any of these programs the Amish would be violating separation and Gelassenheit (Kraybill, 1993). .
The Amish are not opposed to paying all taxes. In fact, they pay income tax, sales tax, real estate tax, school tax, and personal property tax (Ferrara, 1993). However, they do not pay Social Security because they see this program as a type of national insurance. The Amish object to this type of government aid because they believe that the church should take responsibility for its own members. In Amish society, the elderly or those who cannot care for themselves are taken care of by the immediate and extended family. Since they believe in brothers and sisters taking care of one another, turning family or community members over to the state would be a sin. Another reason as to why the Amish do not believe in federal aid is because they say it would take dependency away from the church and devalue its programs (Niemeyer et al, 1993). Besides reliance on the government, the Amish are worried that if they accept federal aid, they will be dependent on the government which will in turn, be able to control their society (Hostetler, 1980). Also, the Amish do not need federal aid from the government since they have their own, effective social welfare system. Besides, the taxes would deprive young Amish workers of money that they need to save so that they can buy a farm of their own and it would give them income in their retirement years that they do not need (Ferrara, 1993).