Not offending

[Sam]

So, how do we resolve the "Offenses"?

Should all men quit wearing neckties or should all men wear them?
Should we all use grape juice in communion or should we all use fermented wine?
Should we all quit wearing colorful clothes and just wear black or should we all wear colorful clothes?
Should we all give up computers or should we all get computers?
Should we all give up tv or should we all get a tv?
Should we all give up wrist watches or should we all wear wrist watches?
Should we all drive just black American brand cars or should we avoid black cars with the logo of the big three automakers?
Should all clergy wear robes or should no clergy wear robes?
Should all clergy wear clerical collars or should no clergy wear clerical collars?
Should we all stop observing holidays like Christmas, Easter, etc. or should we all observe them?
Should we all stop observing our birthdays or should we all observe them?
Should we all be UPC? or PAW? or CoJC? or should none of us be licensed/ordained by human organizations?
Should we all hold services on Sunday or on the Sabbath (Saturday)?
Should we all wear jewelry or should none of us wear jewelry?
Should we all eat pork or should none of us eat pork?
Should we all become vegetarian or should we all eat meat?
Should we all avoid golf, softball, and all sports or should we all play?
Should all ministers wear white shirts buttoned at the wrist or should we all wear colored shirts with sleeves above the wrist?
Should we all have electronically amplified instruments in our churches or should they all be non amplified? How about microphones? sound systems? Should we have any musical instruments inside our churches?
Should women be allowed on the platform?
Are movies OK at home but not in a theater?
Etc. etc. etc.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Sam

Quite a few years ago I quit wearing my wedding ring because I was afraid of "offending" people. I don't know if anyone noticed or not. Several months later I put it back on again. Actually, one person was offended by my taking off the ring. My wife was offended. Now my fingers are too swollen from arthritis to wear a ring.

LOL

So do you offend HER or offend someone else? And by "not offending", someone who would truly be caused to stumble as a result of wearing it, NOT someone who wishes dictate how one lives their life.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen

How do we understand Paul's words that tell us that we should be careful not to offend our brethren in Christ?

Should meat offend one of you, and we were out to lunch, I would get a salad...

Should I live in a way that offends some here, let's say I had an earring and long hair or something else like that- which I don't, but let's just imagine... it can be fun sometimes... I would not post it here, because I know the sight of a brother in Christ with long hair and an earring (which I believe both to be wrong on a brother) would offend some here...

So... my question is this, would some of us think that seeing someone else in shorts or sleeveless shirts or excessive jewelry (some here are 100% anti-jewelry as some of us know) could be offensive to some brethren?

Worldly example: I went to an event called VegFest in Boston last October, and there were vegetarians, vegans and some people who were just organic food people (like I try to be, but who are not necessarily vegetarians, they might eat organic meat). Anyways, you know what the "standard", if you will, was at the VegFest? Vegan. We all went to the lowest common denominator as to not to offend anyone, and all the 100+ booths had no animal by products whatsoever.

Thoughts?

-Bro. Alex

I think MOSTLY the context Paul was speaking of are Jewish brothers that kept the law or were used to doing so and being with a Gentile brother that did not and never did and has no phobias over what they can or can not eat, including food offered to idols.

Vegitarians I know don't care if I eat meat. It does not bother them that I eat meat in front of them.....

And if they did I'd probably tell them to leave that poor defenseless carrot alone!