Simple Religion question

[daveleau]

I don't think these versus are focused on what you wear but more on why they are worn. What I mean is, you cover your hair because hair is one part of the woman's visage that draws people to her for courtship (hair is a major attractant of men to women). The same goes for the jewelry and expensive clothes. I think it means, just don't go to church to try to lure men into relationships or racy thoughts.

Our church in Greenville (more than 5 years ago) had to ask teenage girls to stop wearing shorts because they were wearing them so short they were distracting other members. I think it is not as much a way to depress the woman's stature but a way to keep everyone's mind on God and not on hooking up.

I think these verses and the pork references are related. These are not as much decrees by God because he wants it that way They are more practical decrees. Pigs are FILTHY animals (ever been to a pig farm in the US...just think of what they were like 2000 years ago in the arab world!). He told us to refrain from them because in third world nations (not the US) they are a harbringer of disease (even here when we do not cook the meat completely). This is more a way to keep people safe and on the right track than anything else.

[moon]

Should you wear a burka or a veil? No way! This isn't the dark ages

It might not be the Dark Ages for us but it certainly is for a large percentage of the world's peoples. While you discuss the niceties of which parts of the anatomy women should, or should not, be allowed to show, millions of them world-wide live in terror.
They are stoned to death for misdemenour, executed for adultery, executed for giving birth to a rape-child. On a daily basis, the genitals of women and young girls are mutilated by so-called Men of God. And worse yet, these fundamentalists would like to kill us all because we do not share their faith.
The very next time an explosion rips the head from some poor bystander perhaps you might reflect on what you've written here.

[caddmannq]

Moon:

I was writing to Geekgrl. She lives in Kentucky. I was born there and I can tell you they do not live in the dark ages.

Where do you get the idea that I have anything to do with the situations you've described?

[moon]

No personal rebuke nor disrespect. A text to make a point; no more.

[caddmannq]

OK. But this part

The very next time an explosion rips the head from some poor bystander perhaps you might reflect on what you've written here.

certainly seemed like a stern admonition!

[moon]

And so it was. My anger at the beast in Man was not, however, shown for you alone. Forgive me for the poor subjective.

[moon]

A dearth of posts !!
God's niceties evaporate when someone tries to kill you, do they not ?

[daveleau]

I'm not sure I get what you are talking about. Sure there are those out to kill us. I will not live in fear and I will not hate them. I will condemn their actions and hope they see the right way.

BTW, I have not said anything here that I would recant the next time a terrorist attacks.

This is a thread about religious debate, not about terrorism. If you want to talk about that, go to the other threads that talk about it instead of trying to turn this nice discussion into something else.

We have come to an unfortunate part of this wonderful debate when we start to mix the depravities of the human condition with thoughts about religions and God.

God has never instructed men to make women subservient, AFAIK. No in the bible, not elsewhere I have ever heard of. Men did that. They took some writings from those who attempted to explain how God intends us to live together and twisted them for their own sakes. I have no problem with anyone wanting to live a life which is modest and respectful (eg wearing a veil), but I am saddened when people abuse their positions of influence and cast judgement upon others in the name of "religion". The Taliban and the KKK spring to mind as vivid examples.

Is it any wonder people get defensive or confused about God? We get so many mixed messages from others. That is not to say they are all wrong, but as Paul points out in the Bible, we need to check them all with our view of God as he has revealed Himself to us, and let the spirit of discernment he palces within us decide. This includes what I preach or hear preached from the pulpit at my church (not that I ever preach at my own church LOL).

God doesn't disappear in the face of human depravity; in fact I believe He is always there to help us sort things out. We only need to be open and willing to allow Him to do this. IMO, for as I said, that's what I believe.

Cheers
Mick

[caddmannq]

God's niceties evaporate when someone tries to kill you, do they not ?

Not so; or at least not for Christians. Christ did not curse God, nor his enemies, even as he was executed. Why? Because that is the example we are meant to follow.

If you don't think so, consider the extreme restraint that we've shown in dealing with the WTC attack. We could have easily disposed with any nation or nations in the Mid-East in retribution. But though retribution was our urge, we didn't make it our goal. Why? Because "God's niceties" (as you say) do not evaporate.