Grace wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:41 am
I agree. When a minister seems to be focused on women's dress and that they aren't modest enough, for me the red flags go up. We sat under a minister years ago, that seemed to preach alot about women's dyed hair. I wasn't sure where that came from.
The one in particular... no matter what the sermon title was... no matter the background scripture.... it always came around to challenging the wives to keep their husbands "satisfied" or else they stray.
That’s... odd. I have yet to hear that one ever preached from the pulpit.
After mulling this over all weekend, I decided to make a thread/poll out of this. I will be adding to the thread in the days to follow. That said, here is my train of thought: I think that preaching about sexual sin can be overdone. There have been situations where a minister has a strange hang-up on the topic (such as the above quote), to the point you have to wonder. Same congregation would appear to have a high rate of sexual sin, at least in my opinion.
So, does the over-preaching of such topics cause the higher than normal sin within that congregation? Or is over-preaching a result of the high rate of sin? Or, is it simply that particular congregation is more open about individual sin than average?
To that end, should certain subjects (relating to sex) be reserved for just the adults? For the youth?
In the pulpit:
We have two Sundays a year specifically devoted to avoiding websites and materials that lead to sinful lust. I admire the pastor who said that he won't even mention the website names because that activates curiosity and he does not want people to go there. We are surrounded by a digital Sodom and Gomorrah. Ideas are given for parents to implement internet filters and how to keep their children focused upon healthy activities.
In other homilies, topics also include maintaining our discipleship through avoiding the occasions of sin; seeking out good and holy expressions of our discipleship; and healthy and holy activities for adults.
Some pastors are very good at doing this and showing how the all of these things are related.
In Adult Sunday School and study groups we can approach the topic a bit more candidly but still with an awareness that just because an adult may be in a class, it does not mean they are a mature adult who will not become curious.
Overdone, and botched? Evidently, yes. Altho i’ve not personally experienced it. in non-Anabaptist churches.
Underdone, and ignored? Yes. My experience.
Cause+effect? hmm. hmm.
Target audience? hmm.
Speaking in generalities to all ages is ok, maybe desireable. For general awareness.
The more in-depth, the smaller, more targeted the group should be. imho.
In non-Anabaptist churches, i’d like to see RETURN of dialogue and guidance about conservative/modest dress, from a scriptural perspective. frankly, i’m pretty sure there are many today who have ZERO idea there is any reference in scriptures.
“ditches on both sides of the road.”
regardless of choices, it’s BASIC Bible ed to be aware scriptures are not silent on dress. i see ignoring this as a failure.
i also think scriptures are GENIUS to not attempt to micromanage dress.
after all, globally, people have varied climates, resources and geography to contend with. scriptures wisely leave doors open about INTENT of dress/attitude so that followers can align in ways that work, no matter location.
having said that, i do not object to churches adopting plain dress and/or other dress standards. scriptures do not go this far.
i think this is wise. i don’t think scriptures say there should or should not be church rules/standards for dress. i would respect my church’s rules. at least i would try. and apologize if i failed.
is there corruption/failure? YES. as in every human endeavor.
the baby should not be thrown out with his bathwater.
The one in particular... no matter what the sermon title was... no matter the background scripture.... it always came around to challenging the wives to keep their husbands "satisfied" or else they stray.
That’s... odd. I have yet to hear that one ever preached from the pulpit.
After mulling this over all weekend, I decided to make a thread/poll out of this. I will be adding to the thread in the days to follow. That said, here is my train of thought: I think that preaching about sexual sin can be overdone. There have been situations where a minister has a strange hang-up on the topic (such as the above quote), to the point you have to wonder. Same congregation would appear to have a high rate of sexual sin, at least in my opinion.
So, does the over-preaching of such topics cause the higher than normal sin within that congregation? Or is over-preaching a result of the high rate of sin? Or, is it simply that particular congregation is more open about individual sin than average?
To that end, should certain subjects (relating to sex) be reserved for just the adults? For the youth?
You know the drill, vote and discuss.
One red flag for me would be a minister who focused more on issues related to women's morality rather than men. Died hair? Keeping your husbands satisfied? Immodest dress? etc. etc. Nothing in my life's experience suggests to me that women are bigger sinners then men. To the contrary. Yet you wouldn't know that listening to some ministers.
0 x
A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
MaxPC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:57 am
I admire the pastor who said that he won't even mention the website names because that activates curiosity and he does not want people to go there.
A few years ago a family we knew had a son get himself in some trouble. It was about all anyone talked about for a while and there was a strong social media & web coverage of the issue, obviously everyone weighing in on it.
The family's home church, over the pulpit, admonished people not to believe what they read on the web regarding it. What's the first thing most did when they got home? Looked it up
steve-in-kville wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:49 pm
What's the first thing most did when they got home? Looked it up
That what I would've done.
That's a well known psychological phenomenon. "Don't think of an Elephant" is a famous psychological experiment which always has the opposite effect. Also related is the "Streisand Effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
The term alludes to Barbra Streisand, who in 2003 had sued photographer Kenneth Adelman and Pictopia.com for violation of privacy. The US$50 million lawsuit endeavored to remove an aerial photograph of Streisand's mansion from the publicly available collection of 12,000 California coastline photographs. Adelman photographed the beachfront property to document coastal erosion as part of the California Coastal Records Project, which was intended to influence government policymakers. Before Streisand filed her lawsuit, "Image 3850" had been downloaded from Adelman's website only six times; two of those downloads were by Streisand's attorneys. As a result of the case, public knowledge of the picture increased greatly; more than 420,000 people visited the site over the following month. The lawsuit was dismissed and Streisand was ordered to pay Adelman's legal fees, which amounted to $155,567.
Oops...
0 x
A fool can throw out more questions than a wise man can answer. -RZehr
steve-in-kville wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:49 pm
What's the first thing most did when they got home? Looked it up
That what I would've done.
That's a well known psychological phenomenon. "Don't think of an Elephant" is a famous psychological experiment which always has the opposite effect. Also related is the "Streisand Effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
The term alludes to Barbra Streisand, who in 2003 had sued photographer Kenneth Adelman and Pictopia.com for violation of privacy. The US$50 million lawsuit endeavored to remove an aerial photograph of Streisand's mansion from the publicly available collection of 12,000 California coastline photographs. Adelman photographed the beachfront property to document coastal erosion as part of the California Coastal Records Project, which was intended to influence government policymakers. Before Streisand filed her lawsuit, "Image 3850" had been downloaded from Adelman's website only six times; two of those downloads were by Streisand's attorneys. As a result of the case, public knowledge of the picture increased greatly; more than 420,000 people visited the site over the following month. The lawsuit was dismissed and Streisand was ordered to pay Adelman's legal fees, which amounted to $155,567.
Oops...
Sooo... was she sunbathing or something when the photo was taken? Not sure I follow what the big deal was...
MaxPC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:57 am
I admire the pastor who said that he won't even mention the website names because that activates curiosity and he does not want people to go there.
A few years ago a family we knew had a son get himself in some trouble. It was about all anyone talked about for a while and there was a strong social media & web coverage of the issue, obviously everyone weighing in on it.
The family's home church, over the pulpit, admonished people not to believe what they read on the web regarding it. What's the first thing most did when they got home? Looked it up
Several years back a Conservative Mennonite Bishop's son committed a horrible crime against a little girl here in Lancaster County. The church people were told on uncertain terms, they are not to read the newspapers articles on the matter, not to look at articles on the web, social media, and most importantly not to talk about the crime. Later one of the head bishop's threatened that if he heard that anyone talked about the crime committed against the little girl, those people would be forced to make a public confession. Needless to say from what I understand, the threats didn't work.
Last edited by Grace on Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Grace wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:34 am
Later one of the head bishop's threatened that if he heard that anyone talked about the crime committed against the little girl, those people would be forced to make a public confession. Needless to say from what I understand, It didn't work.
I think I would have sang that long and loud just to see what would happen!
