Okay ladies, your turn!

When it just doesn't fit anywhere else.
MaxPC
Posts: 9044
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:09 pm
Location: Former full time RVers
Affiliation: PlainRomanCatholic
Contact:

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by MaxPC »

Hats Off wrote:We have often seen where our clothes do attract people for the right reason - when they see us they automatically have ideas about what to expect from us. And I think I will leave it at this - I do not think I need to justify our dress patterns or standards.
Amen!
:up:
0 x
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35
Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Valerie »

MaxPC wrote:
Hats Off wrote:We have often seen where our clothes do attract people for the right reason - when they see us they automatically have ideas about what to expect from us. And I think I will leave it at this - I do not think I need to justify our dress patterns or standards.
Amen!
:up:
We recently met our Orthodox friend who became a priest- and his lovely 22 year old daughter. Her dress was extremely modest- she makes her own dresses and wears 2 layers and they are really quite lovely! Her head was covered with a long scarf- (they had lived in an Amish community at one time) - dad also dresses very conservative (although this time in his priestly clothes) anyways- I remember asking about how they feel standing out like that (as there are none in their area that dress like that) and his reply to me was touching- he said, well seeing the way we dress (i.e. when shopping at WalMart) may have been the only time they thought about God that day-
No matter what, seeing people dress this modestly does get people thinking about why- and why it means something to them to do so- I remember putting a lot of thought into it when moving to OH and seeing Amish & Mennonites for the first time-(besides on a vacation) it caused me to consider a lot- and put my thoughts in a 'good' direction about people that are willing to do this, and why-
0 x
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Valerie »

MaxPC wrote:
Hats Off wrote:We have often seen where our clothes do attract people for the right reason - when they see us they automatically have ideas about what to expect from us. And I think I will leave it at this - I do not think I need to justify our dress patterns or standards.
Amen!
:up:
We recently met our Orthodox friend who became a priest- and his lovely 22 year old daughter. Her dress was extremely modest- she makes her own dresses and wears 2 layers and they are really quite lovely! Her head was covered with a long scarf- (they had lived in an Amish community at one time) - dad also dresses very conservative (although this time in his priestly clothes) anyways- I remember asking about how they feel standing out like that (as there are none in their area that dress like that) and his reply to me was touching- he said, well seeing the way we dress (i.e. when shopping at WalMart) may have been the only time people seeing them thought about God that day-
No matter what, seeing people dress this modestly does get people thinking about why- and why it means something to them to do so- I remember putting a lot of thought into it when moving to OH and seeing Amish & Mennonites for the first time-(besides on a vacation) it caused me to consider a lot- and put my thoughts in a 'good' direction about people that are willing to do this, and why-
0 x
Sudsy
Posts: 5858
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Sudsy »

MaxPC wrote:
However, Paul also said he became all things to all men that some should be saved.
I've always felt we need to be careful of this quote from Paul because those who wish to sow sinful abominations in church communities also use it. For example those who want to force a church community to accept homosexual behaviors will often use this quote even though Paul made it clear homosexuality is an abomination. Paul never said he would become all things including homosexual in order to save some. There are lines that should never be crossed because it may lead to the loss of faith. Human interaction yields a very powerful influence on us whether we acknowledge that fact or not. It's much easier to go down that slippery slope than anyone wants to admit. The long view history of many churches proves that point admirably.
Agree that people have used this verse but they seem to ignore the following verse - "When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ."

I think we can also be so fearful of slippery slopes that we don't move forward at all which also is the case and history of many churches.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
Sudsy
Posts: 5858
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:32 pm
Affiliation: .

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Sudsy »

Hats Off wrote:
Sudsy wrote:
Basically if we asked ourselves does my deeds and what I wear attract attention to myself or does it attract people to Christ ? How far am I willing to 'fit in', (be in the world) to reach those who need salvation ? [/color]
Obviously, I am not willing to go as far to fit in (be in the world) as you are. We do feel that some colours are immodest; some because they are too flashy, and some because they are too immodest. You will ask what colour is immodest - and I will tell you of the sixteen year old minister's daughter who wore a long modest pattern yellow dress with black tights on under neath. How do I know she wore black tights? You could see the black through the yellow, not very modest in my opinion.

We have often seen where our clothes do attract people for the right reason - when they see us they automatically have ideas about what to expect from us. And I think I will leave it at this - I do not think I need to justify our dress patterns or standards.
Yes, we do draw our lines about being in the world but not of the world. Our Anabapist church wouldn't even equate wearing black tights under a dress to be immodest. You would likely be very uncomfortable with women leading worship in slacks, short sleeves and men in shorts, short sleeves and sandals. Those we don't regard as immodest. But there is a line when someone dresses provocative and in our church, imo, the leaders take a blind eye to this. Most always it is a younger person seeking the attention. I think so many churches are losing their youth, they likely don't want to say something to lose those few that dress provocatively, I don't know. You probably think we all dress provocatively. :)

I think we also are heavily influenced by our church backgrounds when it comes to things like this. I grew up in a conservative evangelical church where the focus was primarily on reaching the lost. The Anabaptist churches in our area, which are many, don't have this evangelistic focus in a preaching sense, except for a couple, our's being one of them. Their growth is almost entirely of churched people, mostly within their community, not the unchurched. They are almost 100% white. Seems their evangelism concept is one of being obviously non-conforming and if outsiders want to know more, they know where to find us. I doubt I will ever stray from an evangelical Anabaptist focus and it will keep popping up in my posts.

Meanwhile I'm curious why other Anabaptists believe what they do on orthopraxy. I agree no one has to justify their practise or standards. I appreciate you sharing that different clothes affect outsiders as 'automatically have ideas about what to expect from us' even though I wonder if this is resulting in leading others to Christ. I wonder how many of us here came to Christ out of inquiring of people wearing certain clothes. Not that it can't happen but I just haven't heard any testimonies of that happening.
0 x
Pursuing a Kingdom life in the Spirit
User avatar
steve-in-kville
Posts: 9515
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:36 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Affiliation: Hippie Anabaptist

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by steve-in-kville »

Sudsy wrote:Their growth is almost entirely of churched people, mostly within their community, not the unchurched. They are almost 100% white.
This was one of the bigger reasons my wife and I were turned off from the Mennonites: They demand you fit their mold:

Born into a Mennonite home.
Attend a Mennonite church.
Go to a Mennonite school.
Marry another Mennonite.
Believe whatever you're told and don't question the Mennonite "code."

Outside of that, you're toast.
0 x
I self-identify as a conspiracy theorist. My pronouns are told/you/so.

Owner/admin at https://milepost81.com/
For parents, railfans, and much more!
Valerie
Posts: 5309
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:59 am
Location: Medina OH
Affiliation: non-denominational

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Valerie »

steve-in-kville wrote:
Sudsy wrote:Their growth is almost entirely of churched people, mostly within their community, not the unchurched. They are almost 100% white.
This was one of the bigger reasons my wife and I were turned off from the Mennonites: They demand you fit their mold:

Born into a Mennonite home.
Attend a Mennonite church.
Go to a Mennonite school.
Marry another Mennonite.
Believe whatever you're told and don't question the Mennonite "code."

Outside of that, you're toast.
Have heard this many times, and I remember feeling concerned about taking further drastic steps towards it- there was a poster here, who passed away of cancer, and her family became Mennonite but she never felt she fit in- and she finally left and became an Orthodox Christian- and felt 'home' which is kind of strange since they are cultural to their own countries as well, but I am not sure how this can be overcome- LJones was another example and he took some very drastic steps to become Mennonite with his family & recently posted that he was baptized recently into the Orthodox Church- I don't know it is a strange coincidence to me that we were seekers to Anabaptism but the more I read things like this, I felt others have make it seem too hard in ways it shouldn't be- 'acceptance' (Wade used to post here to with discouragement-admiration for, but discouraged by) - these things should not be! Dan Z and family were converts though and seems like it has worked out well for them-
Lucy, who was a poster here has been extremely hurt to the point of threatening her life, over trying to become Mennonite- I don't understand where the problem lies- I think this is where the Charity Affiliation hoped to bridge a gap somewhat better?
0 x
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23825
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by Josh »

I've know plenty of Orthodox girls and have yet to know any who dress in a way I would consider modest. The wear the exact same clothes everybody else does.

A key difference in the plain Anabaptist world is that people who are a members of a plain church actually do have to live up to what is preached from the pulpit.
0 x
User avatar
steve-in-kville
Posts: 9515
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:36 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Affiliation: Hippie Anabaptist

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by steve-in-kville »

Valerie wrote: I think this is where the Charity Affiliation hoped to bridge a gap somewhat better?
If I know my history, Charity didn't intend to do that at first, but its kinda what they became. In our area (Lebanon/Lancaster County), the Charity people I know would consider themselves almost "better" than the area Mennonite groups. At least that's the impression I get in most of my affairs with them.
0 x
I self-identify as a conspiracy theorist. My pronouns are told/you/so.

Owner/admin at https://milepost81.com/
For parents, railfans, and much more!
User avatar
JimFoxvog
Posts: 2891
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:56 pm
Location: Northern Illinois
Affiliation: MCUSA

Re: Okay ladies, your turn!

Post by JimFoxvog »

Josh wrote:I've know plenty of Orthodox girls and have yet to know any who dress in a way I would consider modest. The wear the exact same clothes everybody else does.
As I understand modesty, you are describing it well -- not calling attention to oneself by one's clothing by wearing what everybody else does.
0 x
Post Reply