I am not totally sure it is that easy to draw exact lines. I hesitate to do this but I think to make my point I will. If anything our congregation is more urban or at least small town urban than most in the area. And I would not describe our people as poor. I am guessing that average income would be right up there with any congregation in the area. We have a mixture of farmers, professionals, trades, and a few businessmen. Maybe less business people but more professionals than the average congregation in our area.RZehr wrote:Thank you. Would it be more fair to see this less as a liberal/conservative issue and more of a rural/isolation issue or rich/poor issue?
Here is the interesting thing though. While we do not have anymore rules or I think, teaching, regarding materialism than any other moderate congregation in the area, I can honestly say that material things do not rate as a high priority among most or any of our members. Their homes and vehicles are modest
almost to a fault.
No one has decreed it has to be this way. It just seems that we attract people with that kind of mindset. In fact couples that have come from ultra conservative settings have commented that that was one of the first things they noticed. That in many ways we were not nearly as conservative but when it came to material things we were much more so even than some of the ultra conservative settings they came from. But not because it was legislated that way. It is why I am somewhat resistant to trying to put groups in boxes.