Safety vs. Worldly

I enjoy reading the Amish America blog every once in a while. Today when I opened up the website, there was an article on the "low" (Swartzentrubber and Troyer) Amish in Kentucky in courts with the state over the SMV triangle. (You can find the article here.)

Living in a large Amish community with all types of Amish (Swartzentrubber to New New Order) I find that the buggies with reflective SMV triangles are easier to spot at night. The buggies of New New, New and some Old Order Amish also tend to have blinking lights attached to them and some even put reflective ankle bands on their horses' legs. I appreciate what they do to try to keep the buggy's occupants safe as well as me. I do not want to get into an accident with a buggy, but living where I do, I don't suppose it would be that hard to. I've had several close calls at night (despite my use of extreme caution at each turn in the road and crest of the hill), all of them with the buggies in the lower groups unfortunately.

I try to understand where the lower Amish are coming from in their beliefs that the SMV is too worldly (both in color and size) as well as "altering God's Will", but I struggle with why safety of others on the road appears to not be important.

I have some Old Order Amish friends and although they maintain they do not want to judge the lower Amish's beliefs, they agree with most of the locals that it is a safety issue and it would help them to be seen and reduce the number of buggy accidents.

I wonder where Romans 13:1-7 would come into consideration in this matter. The Bible tells us that we need to obey the rulers (the government) because they are put into position by God and that those of us who resist the rulers also resist God. I know our country is founded on the principle of religious freedom, but where does safety for all involved come in? Our government not only has the challenge of making sure appropriate safety measures are put into place as well as respecting each religous group's beliefs. I would imagine this is an extremely difficult task.

That being said, I do my very best to not judge the decisions made by these groups and I pray that their leaders have sought out God's help in their decisions on matters like these that not only affect their group of people, but also everyone else on the road.

What are your thougths on the safety versus worldly topic? Where should the line be drawn?

Blessings in Christ,