Quote:
Originally Posted by bkstokes
Mark
Another reason why I think a change is coming is because I see people living 2 different ways. I still have contact with many people in the UPC church where I received the HG. I look at their Facebook pictures and I see them dressing totally different outside of church. I think sooner or later they will not want to keep this up.
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25 years ago when we left the UPC we still had many friends and close family in it (still do). The first few years my wife ran herself ragged trying to reconform to UPC expectations in her dress and appearance anytime we were visiting relatives and went to a UPC church.
She had good intentions as she did not want to offend but after awhile it got to the point where it was being doubleminded (or at least acting doubleminded) more than anything.
The last time she did it was visiting her home church for a Sunday night service while we were in town visiting relatives. She had taken her fingernail polish off, had minimal makeup on, and had taken off her earrings and all of her jewelry except for her wedding ring. She even put her cut hair up in her old UPC swoop / bun thing.
Things were find until we were standing during the altar call and I looked down to see she was wearing open toed shows and had forgotten she had red toenail polish on.
Then the feces really hit the fan when a lady there that she had known a long time came up to her and tried to get her to go to the altar, telling her that she was not going to let her "go the ways of the devil".
This woman had not seen my wife but once or twice in years and had no clue as to her spiritual condition. She just knew we were going to an exUPC "liberal" church.
My wife calmly but firmly told this lady he spiritual condition was just fine. That she had a great church, great pastor, and great wak with God.
After that service I told my wife that she had to live and dress by her convictions and understanding of God's word and that it should not change drastically just because she was going to be visiting a UPC church.
She is sensitive to major no-no's in UPC churches like wearing pants, sleeveless dresses, etc but she does not change her makeup, hairstyle, or jewelry just to try and cross some legalistic man made hurdle.