Perhaps one of you could explain........

Why does that bother you? Personally, I don't see any problem. Punks are usually modest, isn't that what the Bible commands?

As for rings and such...Didn't Rebekah wear a nose ring? Why are earrings on boys bad? Who decided? Who said we couldn't have purple hair? Tattoos I can personally agree with you, because I believe tattoing is self-mutilation. However, if someone else believed differently then I, I would be fine with that. In fact I really like some of the tattoos I've seen(The lead singer for the Supertones has a couple of really sweet ones).

I'm just asking what your reference is for disliking this stuff.

God Bless,
`JD

 

Being able to remember my youth... I can say that self expression and individuality is only commonly allowable in society for a very short period of time. So I say... express yourself while you can...because when you go out to get a job...that will more than likely not be possible anymore...unless of course you go into something artistic...or you are rich.

Tatoos last forever. You can't change your mind on a tatoo...and removal leaves a pretty gastly scar...keep that in mind. Picture yourself at 80 with a tatoo...and it might not be as appealing...but to each their own.

Piercing is a fad...anyone who is truly looking for their own individuality wouldn't do something so common.

Colored hair...believe it or not grows...and only the young can carry off green, purple or pink hair... blue on the other hand is a fashion statement for elderly woman.

[ March 21, 2003, 02:33 PM: Message edited by: Wisdom Seeker ]

 

Where I lived in high school boys got beat up for wearing an earring. LOL
It doesn't bother me much, the colored hair is cute, and the weird cuts just plain funny, but the clothes do bother me. The only thing that really gets me is my girls look at the teens and want to be like them, and half the teens look like they walked off the corner of prospect with either short skirts or skin tight jeans and sleeveless or tight shirts.
For the most part I admire the teens in our church, but there's some I just wanna throw a blanket over.
Gina

 

because they know that while man may look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.

 

I've got to agree with Bill. Were I go to school, I some days feel like I'm in what my grandmother calls "A den of iniguity." At our church, the youth are expected to dress modestly. The young ladies wear dresses of skirts. And I mean the kind that actualy covers the rear-end! The young men have clean hair cuts, and wear nice dress clothes to church. I'm a member of the youth, and I completely agree to these standards. It's funny how I fit right in at church, yet, every one stares at school just because I dress like a young lady should. I don't force my convictions on anyone, but I'm hard put to hold my tounge when the puncks want to be rude. If only parents would take a stand! If you look like a punk, dress like one, talk like one, and run with one, you just might be one. Sorry, but that's what it looks like. I know I'll walk down the hall at school sometimes, and a whole gang will come walking down the other hall. Scares me to death! I start walking fast, and praying! I'd feel awful funny if I visited a church and felt the same reaction.
I don't agree with the "He/she needs to spread their wild oats" thing. I've seen to many people I go to school with die from their wild oats. I just visited a family last Saturday, who's son died a few days before. The boy was 15. FIFTEEN! My soul, what has happened!? WHY!? I beg my friends every friday "Please, please don't get drunk at those parties! Please don't do drugs there!" And they laugh, and tell their "grandma" not to worry. I came home crying a few weeks ago, begging God to please protect them.
And people in our churches are looking just like that crowd.
WHEN YOU GET SAVED THERE WILL BE A DIFFRENCE! If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Behold all things are passed away, behold all things have become new. {Don't have my commentary running tonigh, so I don't know if I quoted that right. It's from the KJV, and if I didn't post it correctly, someone tell me.}
My pastor just preached a a sermon on this Sunday night. Straght to the youth. And I wish with all my heart those kids from my school would have came.
Our youth, our tommorrow, truely worry me.
HOw many are willing to take a stand!? How many will declair, that they will serve God at all costs? Who's willing to make a diffrence? What is to become of this generation?
You may think I'm coming off rude, and hot headed, but I'm sittign here weeping. Thinking of friends who have died because of their punkish behavior that lead to a life of sin, and the one's who so burdon my soul now, who if aren't reached with the gospel will die in their sins! Oh, dear Lord, please help our youth!
~Abby

 

Abby, we're not talking about the condoning of "punkish" behaviour.
We're talking about clothes you wear to church.

Going to church without a shirt & tie does not mean you are a drug crazed, sexually immoral, violent teen.

Although you seem to be judging people and making assumptions on their behaviour based upon their clothes.

I would agree with blush, and the bible on this one.

 

Not everyone can do that though. I don't know about where you live, but there are many hundreds and thousands of homeless people where I live, and there are some that come to my church. They are usually quite dirty, often don't smell good, don't know the "right" way to behave... Should we turn them away because they don't look right? God forbid! Read the first part of James 2 and really take it to heart.

But what is there to be scared of? I know that the way people dress does say something about them, but it doesn't completely dictate what that person is like. I know people can be intimidating, but that person is made in the image of God. If one of those people came to church like that, wouldn't you rejoice that he or she wanted to learn more about God? Let the clothing issue take care of itself, let people come to Christ as they are.... and if changes are going to happen, THAT is when you'll see them.

No, neither do I. Too many young people have done themselves too much harm that way. But does the way you dress really have that much of an impact? I think I look pretty average, but if I go out and shave my head into a mohawk and start wearing ripped fishnet stockings and combat boots with a plaid skirt and striped shirt, does that change who I am? Does it make me want to go out and party like it's 1999? Not at all. But maybe, just maybe, I could make friends with some people who do, earn their trust, and let my testimony speak for me. Paul became all things to all people so that he might save some. Are we any different?

Please, don't take this the wrong way, because I know you have such a sincere heart for people... but if I were one of those kids, I would not have come either, because I know I wouldn't have been welcome. Not because of the person I am, but because of my clothes, and that hurts. There's not a chance I'd choose to go somewhere that people would have contempt for me because of what I wear.

I really hope that makes sense... I am not trying to be rude at all, I really admire how much you care about people, but if I can help you understand how some of these people think, maybe that would help you know how you can serve them better. I hope you understand.

 

What part of my earlier post didn't you understand?</font>[/QUOTE]
I didn't understand what standard your judging dress on to say that punk's clothing is ungodly. Are you saying that when someone is saved they must change their attire in order to look "new?" What if someone's old attire is a suit and tie? What if it's a monk's robe? What if they had no tattoos, should they now get some so they look "new?" Ridiculous sounding maybe, but I'm simply following this "new" logic.

I do not call body piercing, spiked hair, and boys wearing earrings, modest. I consider such mode of dress ungodly in our culture.</font>[/QUOTE]WHY?? WHY are body piercing's ungodly? Didn't Rebekah wear a nose ring???? Didn't Job's friends bring him earrings as presents in Job 42??? What BIBLICAL basis do you have to say that body piercings are wrong and earrings are wrong for boys? If your basing this on cultural, then I'm sorry, but you'll have to let this go. Our culture is different from your culture. So who's are we going by, yours or mine? Well since it's my generation that we're talking about, I would argue that it is by my culture's standards that they are judged. In mine, it's perfectly acceptable for a guy to where an earring.

Because there's nothing wrong with it! You have yet to prove there is.

 

That is not what this discussion is about.

Bill C. </font>[/QUOTE]hmmmmnnn, i would tend to think that it is a matter of the heart. If the teen is taught well and was growing in Christ, it will be reflected in the way he/she dresses. Changing the outward dress without the inward change will produce nothing. They will just dress whatever way they see fit outside of church and that;s not much of a testimony either!

 

What did I miss? I thought Ms. Blush's answer
was exactly about the question.

When my daughter was leaving our old church,
she told me that she was allowing her daughter
to get her ears pierced. I had a mild, gentle tiff
with her about that, telling her that the Scriptures
say not to cut or pierce. Her response was, "Mom,
you're te studier; I'm not. Would you mind
researching that for me?"

I did.

I recanted.

 

So says your culture. Think of it this way, would you go into an African church and force your culture on them? A Asian church? A latin church? The why would you force your culture onto a youth "church." (Church of course meaning a Christian body of believers, which is all a youth group is)

 

I agree with Bill. There is no such thing as a Youth Church, Gentile Church, Jewish Church, Asian Church, Black Church etc....A youth group is part of a local church and that is all.

Kids do many silly things. How silly do those fellas who got POISOIN Tattoos or those girls who got NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Tattoos back in the late 80's early 90's Not very cool now!Believe me, the way you dress will effect you at a Job interview.

 

I was using the term loosely to mean "a group of believers" in order to make my point easily understood.

No use writing a big reply, we simply disagree and nothing is gonna change that. I believe that teens DO have a specific culture that is quite evident just from walking through the high school, and I disagree that earring and such are unbecoming.
I also would argue that I am quite "with it." You're not talking to some air-head teenager who's out of touch with reality.
God bless,
~JD

 

ok... let me just say that I'm one of those that you wouldn't need to chew out... HOWEVER since when did Jesus command a dress code for church??? You wear your BEST am I correct? So that means that if I wear pants I can even though I am a girl... I hate skirts/dresses with a passion as I just don't look right in them and they are so uncomfy... Am I going to Hell for showing up at church with a nice top and some khaki pants? Not to my knowledge.... but if I'm wrong do tell me how I can better myself to get into Heaven


and while we're on the subject do you know where I can find the appropriate color for church carpet in the Bible... I hear that can get you in a mess of trouble as well