happens to a young person who decides not to be baptized into the Amish religion? Where do they go and how do they make it on their own in a world they know little about? Thanks. T.L. a young person who does not join the church, i.e. becomes baptized, remains in a state that sociologist would refer to as pre-adult. Thus, while they would not be supervised or repremanded like children, they would not be allowed to participate in community life like an adult. Only through joining the church would one be allowed adult responsibilities and participation. Till then one lives in a world somewere between childhood and adulthood and the older one gets, the more uncomfortable this twilight world becomes, thus forcing one to be baptized or to leave. If one leaves, life is no different than it would be for any other kid raised in a conservative rural family that leaves home young. Sure there are things that other teenagers know, but how long does it take to learn how to use the TV remote or the ATM card. To tune in a radio station, switch on a light, use the microwave timer, ipod, computer, dishwasher, etc. The Amish runaway is ignorant not retarded. The hardest part is not in learning how to live in the english world, thats easy, but in having no knowledge of things such as sports teams, the rules and who the players are, or of famous people, or of musical stuff like instruments,