Offended by the World

[Baron1710]

When we come in contact with our culture we have a couple of options:

1. We can be offended by our culture and withdraw from it.

2. We can delighted and become assimilated into our culture and look just like it.

3. We can distressed by our culture and engage it and become relevant.

What is the state of Apostolics today? Which category do you fall in?

[Timmy]

4. All of the above. Depending.

[acerrak]

thats hard, cause we are cultural and some isnt bad , There is always a tendancy or natural effect to try and some what blend in, but here is a better way to explain it.

I go to work, at work people curse, (a second language) they cut up dirty jokes, and look at nudity on there phones. I withdraw from that. But i dont want to leave my work.

to a certain point i have tolerated it, and to a certain point i have lashed out at the cursing. I declared that there mouths need to be washed with soap. My feelings on the nudity and jokes have been expressed as well.

But non the less i need to work. so there are parts of culture i would like to with draw from, but at the same time have to be tolerate to keep my Job.

so i guess number 4 would be me to a certain point

[deadeye]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

When we come in contact with our culture we have a couple of options:

1. We can be offended by our culture and withdraw from it.

2. We can delighted and become assimilated into our culture and look just like it.

3. We can distressed by our culture and engage it and become relevant.

What is the state of Apostolics today? Which category do you fall in?

None of the above.

We are offended and vexed by the sin around us...however we work with our culture as much as is possible, avoiding that which is wrong.

We dont have to be relevant all the time....sometimes we need to stand out as a protest of the garbage that is going on.

There are a lot of areas that a Christian can comfortably and uncompromisingly (is that a word) involve themselves in....but there must be a line that we will never cross.

We dont have to talk, dress, act, attend the same functions as the world to win them.


At the same time we dont have to totally disassociate ourselves from our surroundings.

If we stay with Biblical principles to guide us we should be alright.

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by deadeye

None of the above.

We are offended and vexed by the sin around us...however we work with our culture as much as is possible, avoiding that which is wrong.

We dont have to be relevant all the time....sometimes we need to stand out as a protest of the garbage that is going on.

There are a lot of areas that a Christian can comfortably and uncompromisingly (is that a word) involve themselves in....but there must be a line that we will never cross.

We dont have to talk, dress, act, attend the same functions as the world to win them.


At the same time we dont have to totally disassociate ourselves from our surroundings.

If we stay with Biblical principles to guide us we should be alright.

What you have said in essence is you withdraw from culture. You want to live in your own little made up world that has its own culture separate and apart from everything else.

Many Apostolics define their response to culture based on their view of holiness. It is hard to relevant when you spend all your time trying to avoid the culture of the world.

The teaching on holiness causes many to withdraw from culture. They force their women to dress an look differently from the rest of culture and call it holiness.

[deadeye]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

What you have said in essence is you withdraw from culture. You want to live in your own little made up world that has its own culture separate and apart from everything else.

Many Apostolics define their response to culture based on their view of holiness. It is hard to relevant when you spend all your time trying to avoid the culture of the world.

The teaching on holiness causes many to withdraw from culture. They force their women to dress an look differently from the rest of culture and call it holiness.

Not even close...there are aspects of our culture that I will have nothing to do with....but there are many areas that are beneficial.....this is where discernment comes in.

I would imagine that you would think my lovely daughters should dress like streetwalkers like so many do to be relevant...

Sorry...not going to happen....my daughters can can be fashionable and dress well without compromising their values.

[Baron1710]

Originally Posted by deadeye

Not even close...there are aspects of our culture that I will have nothing to do with....but there are many areas that are beneficial.....this is where discernment comes in.

I would imagine that you would think my lovely daughters should dress like streetwalkers like so many do to be relevant...

Sorry...not going to happen....my daughters can can be fashionable and dress well without compromising their values.

This isn't the first time you have mentioned dressing your daughters as streetwalker....I think that may be unique to your mindset and culture because no one I know wants their daughters dressed like streetwalkers.

[deadeye]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

This isn't the first time you have mentioned dressing your daughters as streetwalker....I think that may be unique to your mindset and culture because no one I know wants their daughters dressed like streetwalkers.

I am glad you are paying attention.....and you are right...no one wants their daughters dressing that way....but that seems to be the fashion now a days....very lowcut blouses, revealing clothes, heavy makeup...etc....looking like ladies of the night.
You see them from nearly toddlers on up.

It is a shame....but if I extrapolate on your view I would begin think that to reach the world they would have to dress that way to "relate"....and that is what is happening already amongst the charismatic, emergent, and liberal OP's....think Todd Bentley....look at so many of the "Christian" bands....they have taken on the extreme...sometimes almost demonic affectations of their secular counterparts.

Is this really reaching the world for Christ?

Yes Jesus ate with sinners and publicans...but he did not share in their sin.
He showed mercy to adulterers and thieves...but He never condoned their actions.

So many today in their desire to become relevant have so weakened and devalued their Christian testimony that it is almost non existent.

I am sure you think I am talking about all the "clothesline" standards that you so enjoy demeaning....but that is a small part of the equation....real Christians do not partake in the filth of this world.
You can justify all kinds of things....but the filthiness of the flesh is still the filthiness of the flesh.

[johnny44]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

This isn't the first time you have mentioned dressing your daughters as streetwalker....I think that may be unique to your mindset and culture because no one I know wants their daughters dressed like streetwalkers.

Have you been to a high school lately.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by deadeye

Not even close...there are aspects of our culture that I will have nothing to do with....but there are many areas that are beneficial.....this is where discernment comes in.

I would imagine that you would think my lovely daughters should dress like streetwalkers like so many do to be relevant...

Sorry...not going to happen....my daughters can can be fashionable and dress well without compromising their values.

See, this is where I just have to pause and wonder.......why the extreme?

And you aren't going to like this at all, but I've heard comments from non-apostolics saying that some of our girls look like street walkers (what a term).

Matter of fact, I learned something a couple weeks ago that surprised me. There are UPC girls that order their outrageous shoes online from a stripper site. HUH???? They showed me the site and I was in shock. They saw absolutely nothing wrong with it.

So, put those shoes on with a long tight skirt and long curly flowing hair.....maybe the world doesn't see the difference.