Old Time Pentecostal Holiness Standards

[Justin]

There was a thread floating around somewhere, I've searched but couldn't find it, it stated that "Old Time Pentecostal Holiness Standards" excluded the use of:

Radio
Glasses
Reading the newspaper...

There were a bunch more. I think Sam spoke about this. Where can I find this information regarding "Old Time Pentecostal Holiness Standards"?

[rgcraig]

Here's one:

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com/showthread.php?t=12797&highlight=Time+Pentecostal+Standards

[*AQuietPlace*]

I just did a search on the word 'hairspray' trying to find the famous 'hairspray thread'. It brought up all sorts of interesting threads. :D

Here's one: http://apostolicfriendsforum.com/showthread.php?t=8418&highlight=hairspray


It's a Thad thread. ;)

[CC1]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.

[*AQuietPlace*]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.

We don't????


Oops.

[Sister Alvear]

Jesus NEVER rode an airplane during his earthly stay...

[TJJJ]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.

Say Huh!

You want to see a picture of my Bay "quad" runner! She is a mare out of "Dash for Cash" one of the original "quad runners". She won first place in Pocatello downs before I bought her.

Besides, in prophetic language, Jesus is riding a white horse! Maybe Jesus wasn't a Pentecostal.

[CC1]

Say Huh!

You want to see a picture of my Bay "quad" runner! She is a mare out of "Dash for Cash" one of the original "quad runners". She won first place in Pocatello downs before I bought her.

Besides, in prophetic language, Jesus is riding a white horse! Maybe Jesus wasn't a Pentecostal.

Owning or riding horses is wrong. If Pentecostals can't use dice in board games or play with playing cards because people gamble with them then they certainly cannot have anything to do with horses as gambling on horse races is big time gambling.

[TJJJ]

Owning or riding horses is wrong. If Pentecostals can't use dice in board games or play with playing cards because people gamble with them then they certainly cannot have anything to do with horses as gambling on horse races is big time gambling.

You joking, CC1, or serious?

What does riding horses have to do with gambling? The bay mare I have is now used for a pleasure horse. Riding a horse for pleasure is no different than fishing for pleasure or riding a bike for pleasure.

Now, are you really serious or joking?

Tjjj

[CC1]

You joking, CC1, or serious?

What does riding horses have to do with gambling? The bay mare I have is now used for a pleasure horse. Riding a horse for pleasure is no different than fishing for pleasure or riding a bike for pleasure.

Now, are you really serious or joking?

Tjjj

What does using dice when playing monopoly or sorry have to do with gambling? What does playing hearts or rummey have to do with gambling? They have as much to do with gambling as owning or riding horses has to do with horse racing. If you are serious about your standards you will want to be consistent.

[TJJJ]

What does using dice when playing monopoly or sorry have to do with gambling? What does playing hearts or rummey have to do with gambling? They have as much to do with gambling as owning or riding horses has to do with horse racing. If you are serious about your standards you will want to be consistent.

So I take it that you are just pushing a point, not that you really believe that it is wrong!

Thanks

[CC1]

So I take it that you are just pushing a point, not that you really believe that it is wrong!

Thanks


I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?

[*AQuietPlace*]

Owning or riding horses is wrong. If Pentecostals can't use dice in board games or play with playing cards because people gamble with them then they certainly cannot have anything to do with horses as gambling on horse races is big time gambling.


Is it okay if we own a really sloooooooow horse??????

What about miniature horses? Small sin?


I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?


And Hot Sticks, hot rollers. Making straight hair curly.



(sounds like your 'kid' brain and my 'kid' brain would have had some interesting discussions. :lol My brain was always pondering these inconsistencies, too)

[RandyWayne]

I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?

Hey I spent my teens in a very conservative church as well and could never reconcile all the "reasons" against make-up while seeing these same "reasons" thrown out the window when I saw all the ladies at camp use a whole can of hairspray for a single service.

I believe UPC camps are single handily responsible for the ozone hole above the Arctic circle during the 80's!

[jaxfam6]

You joking, CC1, or serious?

What does riding horses have to do with gambling? The bay mare I have is now used for a pleasure horse. Riding a horse for pleasure is no different than fishing for pleasure or riding a bike for pleasure.

Now, are you really serious or joking?

Tjjj

PLEASURE??????????

I did not think we were allowed to have any pleasure in life either? I am shocked!!!!!!



=)

[crakjak]

Hey I spent my teens in a very conservative church as well and could never reconcile all the "reasons" against make-up while seeing these same "reasons" thrown out the window when I saw all the ladies at camp use a whole can of hairspray for a single service.

I believe UPC camps are single handily responsible for the ozone hole above the Arctic circle during the 80's!

Hey, in the 70's the guys were using it too!!

[TJJJ]

I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?

I had always heard that the reason for the difference in the hair issue vs something like deoderant, was that anything to do with w woman's hair was messing with her "glory". Don't know if underarm deoderant would be messing with her hair/glory, unless she was from Europe! :ursofunny

I do agree that there was and is a lot of inconsistencies in the conservative ranks of Pentecost.

One I personally always laughed at was the white shirt vs "colored" shirt on men issue! The cons would say "No colored shirts"! The question begged to be asked, "When did white quit being a color?" That is just my pet peeve!

[CC1]

PLEASURE??????????

I did not think we were allowed to have any pleasure in life either? I am shocked!!!!!!



=)


A Puritan woman mentioned to someone that at her home she ate dinner sitting in her husbands lap. When the shocked person asked why the Puritan stated "Because we only have one chair. Two chairs would be an extravagence!"

[RandyWayne]

A Puritan woman mentioned to someone that at her home she ate dinner sitting in her husbands lap. When the shocked person asked why the Puritan stated "Because we only have one chair. Two charis would be an extravagence!"

I see images of the "Smiling Bob" commercials where he is dressed as Santa and all the office women are waiting in line to sit in his lap.

[jaxfam6]

A Puritan woman mentioned to someone that at her home she ate dinner sitting in her husbands lap. When the shocked person asked why the Puritan stated "Because we only have one chair. Two chairs would be an extravagence!"

HMMMMMM wonder how my wife would feel if I got rid of all but one chair?

I see images of the "Smiling Bob" commercials where he is dressed as Santa and all the office women are waiting in line to sit in his lap.

I know you did not just go there. :ursofunny:ursofunny

[Godsdrummer]

I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?

Im behind you on this of course I just gave up on the inconsistencys and thru all of them out the door now I can center all my attention on God. I even got rid of my suits. Years ago I grew a beard when I went to a district function one of the other ministers came up to me and ask what that was on my face. I look him in the eye and said I had been praying and ask God what these black things were that grew out my face every day. And while I was at it I ask why I had to get up every morn. and put some store bought stuff on my face and then take a scraper to my face so I decided to stop torturing myself and a beard is what I got. Needless to say he did not laugh I still grow abeard or goatee every year am I going to hell?

[CC1]

is it okay if we own a really sloooooooow horse??????

What about miniature horses? Small sin?


(sounds like your 'kid' brain and my 'kid' brain would have had some interesting discussions. :lol my brain was always pondering these inconsistencies, too)

roflmbo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pelathais]

I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?
I remember that all of the board games in the student lounge at Bible school had the dice removed and everyone had to use a spinner.

Also, Druids are said to have used human knuckles as dice. You don't want to be like the Druids, do you? Next, you be letting your kids go out on Halloween to collect candy and worshiping Satan. What's next, Christmas trees? (Jeremiah 10:1-5).

[Sherri]

We were Pentecostal and were always allowed to play dice games. Yahtzee was my favorite! But our Baptist friends in Wyoming couldn't use dice; they had to get spinners for their games. I never understood the difference.

[Sept5SavedTeen]

We were Pentecostal and were always allowed to play dice games. Yahtzee was my favorite! But our Baptist friends in Wyoming couldn't use dice; they had to get spinners for their games. I never understood the difference.

My Orthodox Jewish friends can only use dreidels... jk :lol

-Bro. Alex

[Jeffrey]

Where are the photos of Ethel Goss with short hair and pearls (that we've heard about). Anyone have a copy of the photo? Was it in her book Winds of God?

[HeavenlyOne]

I had always heard that the reason for the difference in the hair issue vs something like deoderant, was that anything to do with w woman's hair was messing with her "glory". Don't know if underarm deoderant would be messing with her hair/glory, unless she was from Europe! :ursofunny

I do agree that there was and is a lot of inconsistencies in the conservative ranks of Pentecost.

One I personally always laughed at was the white shirt vs "colored" shirt on men issue! The cons would say "No colored shirts"! The question begged to be asked, "When did white quit being a color?" That is just my pet peeve!

White, nor black, is a color. They are the result of the absence of color. LOL!

[Timmy]

White, nor black, is a color. They are the result of the absence of color. LOL!

Yeah they are. Kinda like "out of shape" is a shape! :ursofunny

[Jeffrey]

Where are the photos of Ethel Goss with short hair and pearls (that we've heard about). Anyone have a copy of the photo? Was it in her book Winds of God?

BUMP

[KWSS1976]

Here's one...LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TXsxEyFGsE

[StillStanding]

You joking, CC1, or serious?

What does riding horses have to do with gambling? The bay mare I have is now used for a pleasure horse. Riding a horse for pleasure is no different than fishing for pleasure or riding a bike for pleasure.

Now, are you really serious or joking?

Tjjj
How about attending a football game for pleasure? Watching TV for pleasure? Playing golf for pleasure?

[*AQuietPlace*]

Where are the photos of Ethel Goss with short hair and pearls (that we've heard about). Anyone have a copy of the photo? Was it in her book Winds of God?
I couldn't find it with a search, but I think either Sam or Pel posted it.

[StillStanding]

I remember that all of the board games in the student lounge at Bible school had the dice removed and everyone had to use a spinner.

Also, Druids are said to have used human knuckles as dice. You don't want to be like the Druids, do you? Next, you be letting your kids go out on Halloween to collect candy and worshiping Satan. What's next, Christmas trees? (Jeremiah 10:1-5).
I'll never forget being at my pastor's home after I became the music director of a church right out of bible school. The pastor's son and I got out a board game and started playing using the dice. The son had a worried look on his face when the pastor drove up in the driveway. I didn't think anything of it and continued.

When the pastor walked in and saw what we were doing, he came over to the table and grabbed the dice out of my hand! "You should be using a spinner!"

I made the mistake of asking him why! :ursofunny

He told me that there are a few families in the city that the church is trying to reach and that they have gambling problems. If they were to peek in the front window and see us throwing dice, the demons of gambling would overtake them and they might start a killing spree or something! (Note: I over exaggerated! :))

My smartelic response was "If I see someone peeking in the window, I'm calling the police!"

The pastor's son laughed and got in trouble along with me! :ursofunny

[Timmy]

I'll never forget being at my pastor's home after I became the music director of a church right out of bible school. The pastor's son and I got out a board game and started playing using the dice. The son had a worried look on his face when the pastor drove up in the driveway. I didn't think anything of it and continued.

When the pastor walked in and saw what we were doing, he came over to the table and grabbed the dice out of my hand! "You should be using a spinner!"

I made the mistake of asking him why! :ursofunny

He told me that there are a few families in the city that the church is trying to reach and that they have gambling problems. If they were to peek in the front window and see us throwing dice, the demons of gambling would overtake them and they might start a killing spree or something! (Note: I over exaggerated! :))

My smartelic response was "If I see someone peeking in the window, I'm calling the police!"

The pastor's son laughed and got in trouble along with me! :ursofunny

Just be glad they weren't reaching people with eating disorders! :heeheehee

[HeavenlyOne]

Just be glad they weren't reaching people with eating disorders! :heeheehee

This is the funniest post I've read in a long time!!!

:ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny

[Margies3]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.

Don't tell Cindy that! She's already unhappy that her hubby bought a HORSE and not a pony. LOL

[RandyWayne]

I've heard the "what if someone sees me through the window" many times over the years and thought the same thing, that there are bigger problems then what I am doing if they are spying on me.

[freeatlast]

We were Pentecostal and were always allowed to play dice games. Yahtzee was my favorite! But our Baptist friends in Wyoming couldn't use dice; they had to get spinners for their games. I never understood the difference.

We were not allowed to use dice or playing cards or shoot pool or go bowling or roller skating.

We could however go ice skating, as long as the girls would wear a dress OVER the pants they wore to keep from freezing.

My thought, if you really believe pants on a women is an abomination as we were told HOW does putting a dress OVER them UNABOMINATE them???

ALL holiness standards have so many inconsistency's in their applications it's just ridiculous.

One of my early pastors told me that the bible said a man must be clean shaven. I just don't get it, how some preachers will lie about scripture to try and prove what they think it ought to say.

[RandyWayne]

We were not allowed to use dice or playing cards or shoot pool or go bowling or roller skating.

We could however go ice skating, as long as the girls would wear a dress OVER the pants they wore to keep from freezing.

My thought, if you really believe pants on a women is an abomination as we were told HOW does putting a dress OVER them UNABOMINATE them???

ALL holiness standards have so many inconsistency's in their applications it's just ridiculous.

One of my early pastors told me that the bible said a man must be clean shaven. I just don't get it, how some preachers will lie about scripture to try and prove what they think it ought to say.

We used to go downhill skiing and the girls had good old blue denim over their snow pants.

[freeatlast]

We used to go downhill skiing and the girls had good old blue denim over their snow pants.

you di mean blue denim SKIRTS, don't you?

[RandyWayne]

Well, of course.

[HeavenlyOne]

We were not allowed to use dice or playing cards or shoot pool or go bowling or roller skating.

We could however go ice skating, as long as the girls would wear a dress OVER the pants they wore to keep from freezing.

My thought, if you really believe pants on a women is an abomination as we were told HOW does putting a dress OVER them UNABOMINATE them???

ALL holiness standards have so many inconsistency's in their applications it's just ridiculous.

One of my early pastors told me that the bible said a man must be clean shaven. I just don't get it, how some preachers will lie about scripture to try and prove what they think it ought to say.

I remember as a child asking my mom how they plucked Jesus' beard if men didn't have beards back then.

With a straight face and total honesty, she told me they plucked it with tweezers.

I kid you not. I remember KNOWING she was lying to me. :ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny

[Hoovie]

I remember as a child asking my mom how they plucked Jesus' beard if men didn't have beards back then.

With a straight face and total honesty, she told me they plucked it with tweezers.

I kid you not. I remember KNOWING she was lying to me. :ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny

LOL! I have heard those stories too. "Well he was arrested a few days earlier and they would not let Him shave in prison...."

[*AQuietPlace*]

I remember as a child asking my mom how they plucked Jesus' beard if men didn't have beards back then.



I asked that same question.

This is the answer I was given:


LOL! I have heard those stories too. "Well he was arrested a few days earlier and they would not let Him shave in prison...."

[The Mrs]

We were not allowed to use dice or playing cards or shoot pool or go bowling or roller skating.

We could however go ice skating, as long as the girls would wear a dress OVER the pants they wore to keep from freezing.

My thought, if you really believe pants on a women is an abomination as we were told HOW does putting a dress OVER them UNABOMINATE them???

ALL holiness standards have so many inconsistency's in their applications it's just ridiculous.

One of my early pastors told me that the bible said a man must be clean shaven. I just don't get it, how some preachers will lie about scripture to try and prove what they think it ought to say.

My friend and I made ski skirts out of water-resistant material for some of the girls in our school to ski in.

We also took ski pants, cut them off at the top of the legs and made leg-warmers out of them. All so that the girls wouldn't 'feel' like they were wearing pants. :thumbsup

[Elizabeth]

I remember as a child asking my mom how they plucked Jesus' beard if men didn't have beards back then.

With a straight face and total honesty, she told me they plucked it with tweezers.

I kid you not. I remember KNOWING she was lying to me. :ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny

That is too funny HO! I got such a word picture out this-oh my word-hilarous!

[Elizabeth]

My friend and I made ski skirts out of water-resistant material for some of the girls in our school to ski in.

We also took ski pants, cut them off at the top of the legs and made leg-warmers out of them. All so that the girls wouldn't 'feel' like they were wearing pants. :thumbsup

Simply gorgeous! :D

[Scott Hutchinson]

One preacher in MS. preached agains't playing marbles cause he said the bible said to marble not.

[RandyWayne]

I'm still waiting for the prohibition against women looking out windows because Jezebel did. The reasoning behind that is as strong as that against "painting the face". Oh! That was a phrase I forgot to include in another thread of the UPC lexicon.

[HeavenlyOne]

LOL! I have heard those stories too. "Well he was arrested a few days earlier and they would not let Him shave in prison...."

I should have added that the reason why it was funny to me and that I knew she was lying is because my mom plucks chin hairs all the time! She never had a beard, and I just imagined the Jews crowding around Jesus trying to pluck his chin hairs with tweezers!

[freeatlast]

My friend and I made ski skirts out of water-resistant material for some of the girls in our school to ski in.

We also took ski pants, cut them off at the top of the legs and made leg-warmers out of them. All so that the girls wouldn't 'feel' like they were wearing pants. :thumbsup

Looking back, I find it embarrasing to think we were so scared of the ministry and/or just so blindly willing to follow what was told us, that we did such things.

It just seems so ridiculous today, that we thought we were impressing God with this ignorance

[Justin]

I just did a search on the word 'hairspray' trying to find the famous 'hairspray thread'. It brought up all sorts of interesting threads. :D

Here's one: http://apostolicfriendsforum.com/showthread.php?t=8418&highlight=hairspray


It's a Thad thread. ;)

What ever happened to Thad?

[commonsense]

Here I go again...........

First of all, I grew up in a UPC church/home. My parents had already been saved many years. That being said ....I did NOT experience these oddities.

We played board games and were not told to remove the dice. We had OLD Maid cards, Go Fish etc. My mother didn't want us to use actual playing cards. I don't remember the details-- but she said the King,Queen etc represented things that were bad.

Went ice skating daily after school and changed into slacks to do so. Remember===in the 50's ALL girls wore dresses to school.

My dad trimmed bangs for my sister and I.

My mother lived in Chicago from 1937 to 1946. First of all for the most part--no UPC:ursofunny; she attended oneness Apostolic churches as well as AOG. She didn't drive and probably would not have been able to afford a car anyway. She took the streetcar to church. She was always faithful.

She told us that she had to walk part of the way after her streetcar stop and would cross to other side of street so she didn't walk past an amusement park (since those were wrong).

She said they preached against radio programs also.

When she first lived in ---- after marrying my father she commented that the ladies wore "beads", (her term) and eventually she bought some also.
She said it was preached against in Chicago; and many time the churches she attended were AOG! Since Chicago was a large city :announce - many times location was main factor in going to church.

My parents were not rebels and the church was their life. If it was wrong they would not have done it. :preach

(Maybe I should add that my parents were not blind followers and possessed lots of "commonsense":thumbsup. )

[Arphaxad]

I was raised in a very conservative UPC church and that was some of the lack of consistency and logic in standards I noticed as a child.

Here's some more food for thought. If we can't dye our hair because it is "changing" something natural God gave us then why are we allowed to wear deoderant to change the smell God gave us? Are we questioning God?

baby born with deformity. plastic surgery can fix it. can't have operation cause "changing how God made him?":foottap


:doggyrun

[commonsense]

Family in church I grew up in, more ultracon than the majority,did not go to doctors or hospitals----
The oldest daughter had crossed eyes (bad)....nothing done for her. As an adult, left home, married preacher, even went to mission field----in early marriage hubby took her to a doctor and eye problem corrected with minor surgery. :heart

Last daughter born at home when the mother was older and it was a difficult birth. She had birth injury and by todays' vernacular was a special needs child. Chances are a hospital delivery could have prevented this.

[missourimary]

Family in church I grew up in, more ultracon than the majority,did not go to doctors or hospitals----
The oldest daughter had crossed eyes (bad)....nothing done for her. As an adult, left home, married preacher, even went to mission field----in early marriage hubby took her to a doctor and eye problem corrected with minor surgery. :heart

Last daughter born at home when the mother was older and it was a difficult birth. She had birth injury and by todays' vernacular was a special needs child. Chances are a hospital delivery could have prevented this.


When we do things like this, are we "sacrificing" ourselves and/or our families to God in order to trust Him, or are we rejecting the blessings He's given us in the form of doctors, science, and medicine?

At what point does refusing to go to a doctor and therefore letting illness or injury hinder our work for God become defiling His temple?

[Neck]

There was a thread floating around somewhere, I've searched but couldn't find it, it stated that "Old Time Pentecostal Holiness Standards" excluded the use of:

Radio
Glasses
Reading the newspaper...

There were a bunch more. I think Sam spoke about this. Where can I find this information regarding "Old Time Pentecostal Holiness Standards"?

Having Life insurance
wearing pantyhose
comic books
sporing events
playing any kind of organized sports
wearing jeans to church
country music
rock music
worldly music
not going to church even when on vacation

[RandyWayne]

Having Life insurance
wearing pantyhose
comic books
sporing events
playing any kind of organized sports
wearing jeans to church
country music
rock music
worldly music
not going to church even when on vacation

I thought these were still taboo at most church's.

[dizzyde]

I thought these were still taboo at most church's.

I don't know, I've been going to "sporing" event my whole life... :ursofunny

[Praxeas]

what about stuff like condoms?

[pelathais]

what about stuff like condoms?
I knew a guy who preached against birth control - until his daughters grew up and got married. After a while he settled down about that.

[Sam]

I knew a guy who preached against birth control - until his daughters grew up and got married. After a while he settled down about that.

Strange how "standards" can change when it comes close to home.

Some years ago, maxi coats were a style.
A local UPC pastor preached against them until his daughter got one.

[commonsense]

I don't know, I've been going to "sporing" event my whole life... :ursofunny

Sporting events as in hockey? both of the pastor's sons played high school hockey in the 50's...no one questioned it to my knowledge.

What's my point? There were "normal" UPC churches in the 50's without lots of manmade "stuff". Notice I didn't say no manmade rules.....but it wasn't the focus.

Alot of what we heard or later "inherited" were standards based on legalism from other pastors,churches, saints that moved there....but our pastor was not a puppet.

He was born in Persia and raised in Canada; a very good man.

[commonsense]

Through the years I heard most of those.

My mom did mention hearing teaching against fiction and comic books.

TV +++ our pastor didn't own one but nearly all the church folks did.

Our church did take a stand on no movies and of course there was no home version then :ursofunny

[Scott Hutchinson]

I heard Marvin Hicks one time talking about an evangelist,that taught agains't reading newspapers and such,this fellow taught that the bible was the only book that should be read.

[pelathais]

I heard Marvin Hicks one time talking about an evangelist,that taught agains't reading newspapers and such,this fellow taught that the bible was the only book that should be read.
I sat under a preacher once who confessed that reading a newspaper had left him feeling convicted... so he quit reading newspapers for a year. No TV, no radio and no newspapers - no Internet even available yet.

He wanted all of us to join together with him in this "fast."

[commonsense]

The perfect format to be uninformed.

[RandyWayne]

I sat under a preacher once who confessed that reading a newspaper had left him feeling convicted... so he quit reading newspapers for a year. No TV, no radio and no newspapers - no Internet even available yet.

He wanted all of us to join together with him in this "fast."

And a year later all the men's wives have left them and are now part of his inner circle because "Despite my protests, GOD told me to take them as a sign of their commitment to Him".

Soon after, National Geographic will be filming a documentary on the new "village" and the exulted leader.

[timlan2057]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.

Actually CC1, some of these "Ole Time" preachers' and peoples' attitude toward you is a shining example of how irrelevant and out of touch "ole time pentecost" is.

I've read over the last six years going back to AFF where you've been called a liberal and one who would let anything go, probably even down to orgies because of course, if you don't toe the line like they do, you're liable to let ANYTHING go on in your life.

And heck, as far as political views, you're a true-blue right-wing reactionary.

[John Atkinson]

True Pentecostals do not believe in owning or riding horses.Ah Hah, but they will read louis L'Amour, thus taking pleasure in those who ride horses and are therefore guilty of the same.

[TruthBuyer]

I once sat under a UP preacher who expected those who sat under him to treat Sunday as if it were the OT sabbath. For example, being 'caught' merely throwing a ball back and forth on that day warranted a severe reprimand.
---Maxis were out of the question, but there would often be women on the platform with skirts above the knees. I often observed them tugging at their hems trying to stretch it over their knees..but then there were times they didn't...never understood that as a young lad.
---Facial hair was out of the question for men in the church, but there were sometimes visiting missionaries who were invited to the platform with their beards.
---One time when my girlfriend (not from UPC) and I showed up at the local rink, which our church had rented for skating, we were told that if she wanted to skate, she would have to put a skirt on. This, though her long coat, which almost completely covered her pants, was more modest than the skirts the other females were wearing. It took her quite some time to get over that, btw.
---A mirror wasn't allowed in the mens bathroom.

And that's only a few things I can think of.
However, in spite of those things, I have no doubt that that pastor was a good man who cared about us. Shortly before he himself died, he held me and wept like a baby at the grave site of my brother, who had been killed a few days earlier.

That said, I will never again pay heed to such things. If the elder (bishop, pastor, overseer, whatever you prefer to call him) is trespassing on the territory (liberty, authority) God has given me, I will go to him and attempt to show him in scripture where he is wrong. (Mat. 18:15; Luke 17:3) If he refuses to acknowledge the truth, and submit meekly to it, it is he, not I, who is in disobedience to Hebrews 13:17...