In college, I took a denominations and Sects class, and was required to go to a nonLutheran service, observe, and write a paper on it. Having been new to Pentecostalism, and missing Assembly of God services, I chose a pentecostal church, knowing something about it, and would be able to observe and speak in tongues during the service. Kind of an easy A.
The congregation was different, however. I noticed every woman and girl had long hair, and wore dresses or skirts. The men all had short hair, no beards, and suits. On the altar was a painting of The Last Supper, but the disciples and Jesus had no beards, and looked like they went to Great Clips to get short, preppy haircuts. After the service, I asked about it. I was quoted Deuteronomy:
A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.
Therefore, they believed it a sin for women to wear pants. "The bible is very clear on this."
The bible says a number of things, like stoning disobedient children and not being in the same tent (or bedroom) during one's wife's cycle.
What left me questioning their obedience to this verse is the importance they placed upon it, to the point of doctoring The Last Supper to look like a Gap ad, which I highly doubt was accurate, given the tine the gospels were written.
My paper asked the question: Dies the Father really care about women wearing pants, or business suits? Women's bodies are different, so while the clothes may be similar, as Michael shows in The Office, where he buys a suit on sale, not understanding it is a woman's suit, didn't have the cut of a man's so was too tight in the seat, the crotch and shoulders, and are not the same. But there are unisex clothing. Is this really an issue for God?
Or is God far more concerned in forgiveness shown to others, like when we pray "Forgive us our sins as we forgive others who sin against us," or the parable of the Master who forgives a man of a great debt, but when the man refuses to forgive a servant of a small debt, the master is angered, and reinstates the debt. Is God not more concerned that when asked to walk a mile, we walk 3, when asked for our shirt , offer our coat as well, when we see another who is hungry, we feed them, and live a life of actively loving others.
From their point of view, the verse says what it says, and all who disobey are willfully sinning.
As with the Good Samritan, whike the Levite and priest followed the law in terms of cleanliness, that they did not have the love to feel empathy and understand a greater commandment, to love their neighbor, was not followed, they actually sinned, failing what they were called to do, and the Samaritan followed the love for his neighbor by showing mercy, and helping the stranger, asking nothing in return.
The congregation was different, however. I noticed every woman and girl had long hair, and wore dresses or skirts. The men all had short hair, no beards, and suits. On the altar was a painting of The Last Supper, but the disciples and Jesus had no beards, and looked like they went to Great Clips to get short, preppy haircuts. After the service, I asked about it. I was quoted Deuteronomy:
A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.
Therefore, they believed it a sin for women to wear pants. "The bible is very clear on this."
The bible says a number of things, like stoning disobedient children and not being in the same tent (or bedroom) during one's wife's cycle.
What left me questioning their obedience to this verse is the importance they placed upon it, to the point of doctoring The Last Supper to look like a Gap ad, which I highly doubt was accurate, given the tine the gospels were written.
My paper asked the question: Dies the Father really care about women wearing pants, or business suits? Women's bodies are different, so while the clothes may be similar, as Michael shows in The Office, where he buys a suit on sale, not understanding it is a woman's suit, didn't have the cut of a man's so was too tight in the seat, the crotch and shoulders, and are not the same. But there are unisex clothing. Is this really an issue for God?
Or is God far more concerned in forgiveness shown to others, like when we pray "Forgive us our sins as we forgive others who sin against us," or the parable of the Master who forgives a man of a great debt, but when the man refuses to forgive a servant of a small debt, the master is angered, and reinstates the debt. Is God not more concerned that when asked to walk a mile, we walk 3, when asked for our shirt , offer our coat as well, when we see another who is hungry, we feed them, and live a life of actively loving others.
From their point of view, the verse says what it says, and all who disobey are willfully sinning.
As with the Good Samritan, whike the Levite and priest followed the law in terms of cleanliness, that they did not have the love to feel empathy and understand a greater commandment, to love their neighbor, was not followed, they actually sinned, failing what they were called to do, and the Samaritan followed the love for his neighbor by showing mercy, and helping the stranger, asking nothing in return.
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