What is worldly

So,

Is it truly right to call them Christian if they are not wanting to be identified as a Christian in their actions, their lifestyles, their friendship with the world?

 

Quote from DHK:

"....the woman never worked. She stayed at home [and] raised the children....."

Any of you mothers out there willing to agree that raising the children is not work?

 

The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Anything that consists of any these is worldliness and at enmity with God.

If it attracts attention to the flesh.... guess what? It's worldly.

If it detracts and steers attention away from the Lord.... guess what? It's worldly.

 

So using only the Bible, define for me what is Christian action and lifestyle. You will find that dress, music styles, etc. have very little to do with it.

 

Preach it, Bro. Salamander!:thumbs:

 

[not serious] Nudists are definitely NOT conformed to this world or they's be wearing clothes! Does that mean nudists might be better Christians because they DON'T conform? [/not serious]

Sorry, that quote just caught me funny. :laugh:

 

Well, really the OP is about worldliness in general and somehow we got off on this track so I am going to just throw this out and leave off this line of discussion.

Who is suggesting that nudity is modest? Apples and oranges.

Modest is different things in different cultures-

Modest = burkha in Iraq

Modest = lioncloth in deepest Africa

Modest = dress in Mexico. There are still places here where a woman who wears pants is considered a 'loose woman'.

Modest = loose fitting pants on a woman in the USA (compared to a multitude of other things that are not modest.

I agree with your final comments. I agree that everyone who names the name of Christ should live as close to Him as possible- that should be a given. But just because one does not dress as I think he/she should, listen to the type of music that I prefer, got to the same type of church that I do, does not make them any less of a Christian, does it?

 

Those worldly hunger pangs!

 

You examples are skewed and biased. They don't paint a proper picture at all.
First, in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and in all those Islamic nations, not one of the Christians living in those nations wear burqas. You have just slandered the Christians living in Islamic nations. You have painted a distorted picture that is totally wrong and untrue. Those peoples wear very modest clothing, more modest then most Americans, but they do not wear the Islamic burqas. What you have said is akin to saying that Christian women in Islamic nations go to the mosques to pray. Get your facts straight before posting. It almost angers me (at least upsets me) to read such garbage that distorts the facts in such a way.
Likewise in Africa. Did you happen to read the thread on polygamy? When a missionary goes to a tribe in Africa where there is polygamy and a polygamist gets saved, what happens to his many wives? When a tribe of Africans are almost nude and they get saved do you not think that a change will take place. A loin cloth is not modest. A change will take place. Bare-breasted women will start covering their breasts as well in the same society. They will learn modesty. We do not bring ourselves down to their level, as missionaries. We bring the gospel to them. And we teach what the Bible says, and that includes what the Bible says about modesty. Modesty does not equal nudity in any culture whether you live in Africa or not.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself for skewing the real facts. Your picture was not the true picture at all.

 

I apologize for 'almost' angering you. I wasn't thinking of 'Christian' culture. I was speaking of culture in general. I guess I made a bad application there. I was under the impression that in the Islamic countries ALL women had to follow the laws in public. I met a woman working in a Muslim country once (somewhere in Africa- I don't recall where) and she told me she was required to do so.

I never said that nudity was modest. But a loincloth is comparatively speaking, far more 'modest' than nudity. That was the point I was trying to make, however poorly.

And with that I shall acquiese.

 

A loin cloth is close to nudity.
That aside, no Christian is ever forced to where a burkah, unless it is a forced conversion to Islam. Forced conversions, BTW, happen on both sides of the fence. We just don't admit to a forced conversion to Christianity as being "true Christianity." In some countries burqas are worn at the husband's request only. And even then in many cases it is worn willingly by the wife. It is a sign that the body of the woman is reserved for her husband alone and not for other men.
Certainly this custom has its abuses like any other custom can have. But that is the purpose of it. I have never seen a Christian or heard of one that has been forced to wear a burqa. I have heard of many who have gone to Islamic nations, not using their own common sense, dressing inappropriately, immodestly, causing unnecessary offence, and thus have been told to dress more modestly. That is only common sense. But it is doubtful that they were told to wear a religious dress reserved only for Muslims. All that they want from you, or other westerners is to dress modestly and not to unnecessarily offend their people. Is that too much to ask?

1 Corinthians 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.