Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Careful now, you're being too realistic.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Yup. By Victorian or Puritan standards I have a feeling the author of this thread's women folks would be considered scandalously immodest. I have a feeling they probably wear skirts and dresses that expose their ankles! A part of the body that at one time was thought to cause wanton lust in men if exposed.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Lets talk about Landmarks of the Fathers, I posted this some time back.

Have you ever been curious how the First Church regarded standards, holiness and living in a pagan culture?

Well this is a testimony by a Disciple of Polycarp named Mathetes, who most likely wrote this between 100-140AD.

I think to be an eye opener and will likely change your perspective on how the early church related to and lived in a pagan world. I highlighted some parts that I thought would be of interest to our diverse forum.

It was titled "The Manner of Christians"

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking [281] method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. [282] They have a common table, but not a common bed. [283] They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. [284] They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. [285] They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. [286] They are poor, yet make many rich; [287] they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; [288] they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

:ursofunny don't think they've seen my ankles......they'd never have had that problemo :ursofunny

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Are we talking "cankles"?:gotcha

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

If you read my post I said something very important....

I was just sharing my thoughts. Please don't be so defensive. If a testimony is true, it will stand regardless of my thoughts or questions.

Here's my testimony... we attended a church that believed in uncut hair having anointing and my wife didn't cut her hair for 12 years. After much study and prayer she began to feel like it was dangerously close to witchcraft and like was distracting her from placing her faith in Christ. She became increasingly disturbed because of this and it was like she was wearing her religion on her sleeve. Not to mention most just viewed her as being part of a cult and it broke her heart how every witness she shared would suddenly move from discussing Jesus to discussing her "standards". It was a difficult realization for her.

Just sharing a personal testimony from my family.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Give us some time before you draw your conclusions.
Some of us have been hit so many times in the same place that we are very sore there and any sudden movement our way causes us to wince involuntarily and throw up our guard before we see just where you are reaching.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Whatever reason he or anyone has for coming here, I think we should welcome newcomers. If anyone gets too offensive or abrasive, then let the admins deal with that person.

That song has helped me a lot. ...If someone starts showing me what some might term a "bad (judgmental) spirit," I like to sing it to myself!!

I'll tell you the kind of people who post here....Most likely people just like the ones who post on Everyone's Apostolic. Everyone's in need of Jesus Christ and Nothing without Him. The older I get, the more I realize it's more about Him and less about me.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

All of us here have convictions and "standards" by which we live.
We do not all have the same convictions and "standards."
We have no right to judge you by our "standards" and we have no right to try to impose our "standards" upon you.
Neither do you have any right to judge us by your "standards" nor to impose your "standards" upon us.

Re: I refuse to remove the landmarks
 

Whats wrong making some friends first?

How about a few cheerful "hellos!"?