Why does it seem that men are obsessed here.......

[chosenbyone]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

Mark, put your bifocals on. I said nothing about sexual manner in my posts.

But I stand by the notion that there are men obsessed with women's clothing on this forum. I think that's wrong.

Whether you can see it or not, there is something about a women who upholds the standard holiness look that is very appealling to men. The wholesome, natural beauty coupled with the Holy Ghost is something that many men would miss tremendously if one day our churches were void of such women. In addition, women with more liberal ideas of dress should take heart that there were just as many men who would be attracted them as well.

It boils down to our particular "type" which whether we admit to it or not we all have... We just need to be careful that our admiration and attraction doesn't cause us to stumble/sin or offend others.

Also, many men were probably more at ease about discussing undergarments and such because they have wives, daughters and a house full of female family members and it was just a part of their home lives. There isn't anything wrong with men commenting on those things as long as it is done with the right spirit.

[chosenbyone]

Originally Posted by KarenJo

Let me relate a story about a girl that was raised as an AOG. She was invited to a UPC church and although she already had the HG she didn't go by the standards. She saw her need to be baptized in Jesus Name and she did. She was in love with God, the church, and the people. She changed her standards because she saw how the level of anointing was different than what she had ever known before. After many years, the church she came into, started letting the standards go and it wasn't long until there was no visible aspect of the UPC left in that church. She said that things changed when the church started letting go of the standards, the anointing was different, everything was different. She didn’t condemn anyone but she did see and feel the changes…

I would have to admit that there was a lot of truth to the statements that KarenJo posted above. I have witnessed it in more than one church and I didn't have any prejudices going into those services because of the changes that were made to their outward standards.

Perhaps, someone could start a thread so that others could tell of their own experiences with this subject matter.

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by KarenJo

Let me relate a story about a girl that was raised as an AOG. She was invited to a UPC church and although she already had the HG she didn't go by the standards. She saw her need to be baptized in Jesus Name and she did. She was in love with God, the church, and the people. She changed her standards because she saw how the level of anointing was different than what she had ever known before. After many years, the church she came into, started letting the standards go and it wasn't long until there was no visible aspect of the UPC left in that church. She said that things changed when the church started letting go of the standards, the anointing was different, everything was different. She didn’t condemn anyone but she did see and feel the changes…

Originally Posted by chosenbyone

I would have to admit that there was a lot of truth to the statements that KarenJo posted above. I have witnessed it in more than one church and I didn't have any prejudices going into those services because of the changes that were made to their outward standards.

Perhaps, someone could start a thread so that others could tell of their own experiences with this subject matter.

I'm wondering if perhaps the reason for this is because people have been taught that the way they dress = holiness. I'm also wondering what would happen if they were taught that holiness comes from (or is signified by) wearing a green hat. If they decided that they no longer want to (or believed in) wearing a green hat, would the "annointing" be different? IOW, is it a heart issue, or a dress/"standards" issue? Also, would it be a sign or a symptom?

[chosenbyone]

Originally Posted by Subdued

I'm wondering if perhaps the reason for this is because people have been taught that the way they dress = holiness. I'm also wondering what would happen if they were taught that holiness comes from (or is signified by) wearing a green hat. If they decided that they no longer want to (or believed in) wearing a green hat, would the "anointing" be different? IOW, is it a heart issue, or a dress/"standards" issue? Also, would it be a sign or a symptom?

One church in particular went from the strictest dress standard to no standard at all literally overnight. I visited that church from the early 80's when the power of God was so strong it was life changing. I have visited that church off and on during the last 20 years and the last time was about a year and a half and I couldn't even identify it as adhering to any Apostolic doctrine. Once they did away with all standards, it appeared that worldliness crept into the church to where there was no real move of the Spirit of God.

In my opinion, the Lord does bless the sacrifices and the separation from the world which leads us to be less influenced by the deceiving spirits of this earth. Many churches have slowly eroded spiritually because the members have become lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. On the other side of the coin you have churches who have a man telling them who would go to heaven and what would keep them from heaven with little to no scriptural reference just a big ol pile of control and fear.

Church leaders should help those they serve develop a personal relationship with Christ so that he would influence them on matters of dress and modesty.

[Monkeyman]

Originally Posted by StMark

O whatever.to imply that men who discuss the dress rules are obsessed with them in a sexual manner is an insult

Naw, to comment on what my wife wears for frillys is creepy and would get you a punch in the nose on the street. So don't do it in church either

[Monkeyman]

I'm upc, probably always will be, the most powerful service I have ever been in was NOT in a UPC church

[TRFrance]

Some of the men obsessed with women's appearance might have some problems answering this simple question: "When was the last time you won a soul to the Lord?"

[Neck]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

......with women's clothing and what they wear and how they wear it and when they wear it and.........

I think some of you menfolk are quite strange.

I can't imagine being on a thread about men's dress and commenting about things I know nothing about as if I do.

Honestly, some of you have something wrong upstairs. I'm serious here. I think there are quite a few of you who need to pray and ask God to get your eyes off other women and what they are wearing and how they are wearing it. Some of you men notice more about women's clothing than the women do!

Anyone who has been around here knows that when it comes to women's clothing issues, there are more men commenting on those threads than women. Just look at the latest women's holiness thread!!

Some of you have a problem and need to seek God. Bad.

I know when I speak of the standards and the pain they cause woman.

I speak from the hours of conversation with my wife.

So my thoughts are simply from her point of view.

I have seen so many avenues of growth.

Yes spiritual growth since her walk with God and relationship to the church is not solely defined by her allegiance to a sectarian greed.

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

But why are more men than women commenting on the standards? That's what I don't understand. Why do the men even care??? LOL!

Men care about the salvation of women as well. Does it matter to you? How do you know that men care more about what someone else is wearing? Maybe men do have a problem with women who wear distracting clothes. Maybe some men realize their weakness and get frustrated at themselves because they can't ignore another woman. Why should a woman be allowed to be a stumbling block to men? I'm sure it goes both ways, but you are smart enough to know that men are visual by nature. So why get offended? Why get aggravated?

[nahkoe]

Originally Posted by KarenJo

Let me relate a story about a girl that was raised as an AOG. She was invited to a UPC church and although she already had the HG she didn't go by the standards. She saw her need to be baptized in Jesus Name and she did. She was in love with God, the church, and the people. She changed her standards because she saw how the level of anointing was different than what she had ever known before. After many years, the church she came into, started letting the standards go and it wasn't long until there was no visible aspect of the UPC left in that church. She said that things changed when the church started letting go of the standards, the anointing was different, everything was different. She didn’t condemn anyone but she did see and feel the changes…

The changes had nothing to do with what they were wearing and everything to do with their heart. I know, I shouldn't be so absolute about a church I haven't even visited. But I've seen it happen over and over and over again. It's not the clothes, it's not the outward, it's the inward that matters. For these people, the shift in outward was most likely something that followed a shift within. God doesn't care what people wear. You're not going to get one iota closer to God cuz you wear the right clothes than if you're naked. And you can stand afar off wearing everything right. It's not the clothes.