By Thy Words

[Signtist]

No plucking eyebrows for the girls. An entire sermon of a Sunday evening. Such are wanton women.

[appleman2006]

You may be right Josh but if you think more and more rules often dreamed up by a small minority with very little input from the rest is going to do anything to change hearts you are sadly mistaken. History speaks pretty loudly on that one I am afraid.

[ABC 123]

but I've never been around any kind of group that would teach against going to see Christmas lights, from the pulpit. Going to the movies - maybe that would get spoken against.

You're blessed, then. No beaches, no movies, no sunroof (except if you're related to the preacher), no volleyball on Sunday, no blue jeans to youth get together, no white socks, no shoes that show the toe because you don't wanna know what that makes worldly men think, running shoes must be black, no CB radios, òh good grief. We could go on unmercifully for some time if you care to listen.

Is "no movies" somehow a bad thing? Is Christian life enhanced by attendance at worldly movies?

I mean, I get that things can be a bit heavy-handed, but my current observation looking around is that "more worldliness" is generally not what christendom is in need of. In my experience over the last seven years, the single biggest cancer has been the world creeping in and corrupting the saints.

When does it end?

You zero'd in on *one* of the things on his/her list and questioned why they'd have a problem with a prohibition against *that* and ignored that s/he just listed many other micromanaged details.

I have had the same problem sorting out my past experience. You realized you have been controlled and try to voice it only to be shut down while you're speaking by someone saying, "So, that doesn't sound horrible. You probably just want worldly things."

[RZehr]

but I've never been around any kind of group that would teach against going to see Christmas lights, from the pulpit. Going to the movies - maybe that would get spoken against.

You're blessed, then. No beaches, no movies, no sunroof (except if you're related to the preacher), no volleyball on Sunday, no blue jeans to youth get together, no white socks, no shoes that show the toe because you don't wanna know what that makes worldly men think, running shoes must be black, no CB radios, òh good grief. We could go on unmercifully for some time if you care to listen.

We briefly had some of these things surface in my growing up years. It gained a little traction, but soon spun out. It was being imported from the east. We don’t permit movies. Beaches weren’t a problem because the Oregon Coast is cold and populated with clothed people.
Blue jeans weren’t a problem in my memory.
I remember a very short time when white socks and shoes were in real danger of losing their kosher status in favor of dark colors. For about one year, our family wore dark footwear. CB radios were briefly suspect.

[Signtist]

Why do I feel all this was wrong? If there would be a way to have these requirements, writings, and teachings while modelling what a relationship with Jesus and each other should look like, many would be better off.

[Signtist]

You may be right Josh but if you think more and more rules often dreamed up by a small minority with very little input from the rest is going to do anything to change hearts you are sadly mistaken. History speaks pretty loudly on that one I am afraid.

A well know, now deceased, Eastern bishop decreed that if people would only do all these things, their hearts would become clean. Dad challenged him, and told him that biically he is wrong and that would in fact be backwards "Then we'll have church backwards," was the reply. Does this tell me everything? No. Does it tell me something, tho?

[Signtist]

Also, youth going to cities to distribute gospel literature in the evenings is wrong. Cities are not a place to be at or near dark.

[Signtist]

Sleeve length, top buttons, shirt colours, dress length, ladies must wear socks at all times!!!!!!!, car colour, no SUVs ( unless you're related to the preacher), hair styles, covering size, covering shape, covering pleats, dress necklines, hosiery colour and weight...

[Josh]

You may be right Josh but if you think more and more rules often dreamed up by a small minority with very little input from the rest is going to do anything to change hearts you are sadly mistaken. History speaks pretty loudly on that one I am afraid.

Of course not.

But watching movies doesn't lead a group of Christians closer to God, nor does it lead to a better witness to the lost.

[Josh]

You zero'd in on *one* of the things on his/her list and questioned why they'd have a problem with a prohibition against *that* and ignored that s/he just listed many other micromanaged details.

I have had the same problem sorting out my past experience. You realized you have been controlled and try to voice it only to be shut down while you're speaking by someone saying, "So, that doesn't sound horrible. You probably just want worldly things."

Well, let's ask where it ended: do you regularly watch movies?