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Here I thought what I was talking about was people of certain religions being given exceptions that the rest of us cannot get unless we're part of certain religions.

Okay, cf. Amish being exempt from Social Security tax (and being ineligible for any benefits, of course), which is well-established at this point. This is not available to you unless you are a member of one of these orders.

They honestly believe it is a sin, so First Amendment applies. This is fair, of course, because it's not just an attempt to weasel out of obligations while partaking of benefits. They simply do not participate in the system due to religious objections.

Also, consider the case of conscientious objectors/pacifists during 20th century US wars. Exemption due to religious beliefs.

Small quibble: they do wear buttons on their shirts: http://www.amishnews.com/ai.html. Couldn't find a reason for why they wouldn't, outside of "It's a myth that the Amish don't wear buttons."

Then explain how the Amish are exempt from FICA based on their religious beliefs.

LMGTFY

http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticles/amishss.htm

third to the last paragraph..

Yep, take a look at the amish web site

The doctrinal issue seems to be that insurance indicates a lack of faith in God.

The fact that throughout the middle ages the church was in effect the social security system seems to be forgotten. Thats what the tithes were really for.

Still you gotta love the fact there is an Amish Web site.

I agree that this does sound like a contradiction, but I went to eat at an Amish restaraunt last summer and was surprised to read a pamphlet about their lifestyle that said they don't shun technology outright. Instead they are trying to avoid intrusions into the home, maintain Gelassenheit (simplicity and modesty) and stay seperate from the rest of the world. The Amish leaders consider each technology carefully before deciding whether to allow it into the community. They don't drive cars because they are status symbols. They don't have electrical outlets because they connect to the world, but they do have generator and batteries. Community telephones are allowed and some Amish men carry mobile phones. There are some definitely some weird contradictions like tractors are ok, but pneumatic tires aren't, so they only use tractors with steel wheels.

More info: Amish Telephones The Amish: Technology The Amish Get Wired. The Amish? Amish FAQ

According to Amish News, the Amish do not shy away from technology, and in fact even use cell phones

The article summarizes their position on technology:

As is typical of the Amish, when a new technology comes along, the Amish examine its effect on the church and community. The technology should not be an intrusion into the home, but rather serve the social purposes and goals of the group. In a sense, the Amish "re-organize" the technology.