What's on your mind?

[DragonFox91]

It's not so much preaching about it, as I also haven't heard that very often. But the way it gets discussed amongst Christians can at times be with language that almost vilifies someone who has had sex with someone they weren't married to. More often that not it seems to be directed at women, but I have seen the same sort of rhetoric applied to men as well.

I don't see that, no. That sounds like something a pagan would say, to be honest. "God says it should be reserved for marriage, the church is constantly villifying me."

 

[Citanul]

Be patient. Hang in there. After 10 years I finally found a good church group of people in their 20s & 30s. There's some marrieds, but a lot of singles too. Maybe your group's leader would like to see more marrieds integrated into the group rather than strictly singles? I'm starting to think singles-only groups are bad (b/c single or married isn't a mark of how far you are in life) & singles & marrieds both are needed in a healthy group.

At the church I used to go to we didn't have a singles group but rather a "young adults" group aimed at people in their 20s and 30s, regardless of marital status and you stayed part of the group for as long as you felt it met your needs. While it was mostly single people, we also at times had dating couples, married couples, and dating couples who became married couples while they were part of the group.

Having had experience of that sort of group, I'd agree with you that it seems to be the better way to go. There's no reason why single and married people can't fellowship successfully, and people of a similar age are going to have similar sorts of needs. Yes, there will be some differences but I don't think there are enough for it to be necessary to separate people based on marital status. And this would probably avoid the "meat market" problem as well as potentially not making singles feel excluded.

 

[Citanul]

I don't see that, no. That sounds like something a pagan would say, to be honest. "God says it should be reserved for marriage, the church is constantly villifying me."

I'm paraphrasing here as I don't have any direct quotes to hand, but I have definitely seen sentiments expressed online along of the lines of women who have had sex before marriage being "damaged goods" or having loose morals. Granted, what's posted online isn't necessarily a representative view, but even taking away the more extreme rhetoric I still get a sense of the disapproval elevating it above other things.

 

[DragonFox91]

There's a lot of believers here on CF who don't show the joy they're called to have.........
They'd rather stew their bitterness in selfishness & harden their hearts.
Things must be really really really bad for them!
Sometimes it is hard!

 

[ReesePiece23]

There's a lot of believers here on CF who don't show the joy they're called to have.........
They'd rather stew their bitterness in selfishness & harden their hearts.
Things must be really really really bad for them!
Sometimes it is hard!

I'm afraid for a lot of people, a simple pep talk and a word of affirmation has long stopped being effective. For some, it's going to take intensive therapy from a skilled psychologist, over a significant amount of time to put right the damage they've done to themselves.

 

[LoveDivine]

There's a lot of believers here on CF who don't show the joy they're called to have.........
They'd rather stew their bitterness in selfishness & harden their hearts.
Things must be really really really bad for them!
Sometimes it is hard!

I think lack of joy and contentment has a very simple root cause : it's a focus on this life and not on Christ and the world to come. You can't have real joy without that focus on Christ.

 

[Tranquil Bondservant]

Magpie season coming up soon so no more walks . Everyone talks about our deadly wildlife but nobody will ever tell you about the sheer terror of being swooped by a magpie.

This is the only video I've seen that encapsulates what it feels like haha

 

[SarahsKnight]

@Multifavs and @GodJesusAndChocolate in particular ->

She had been stuck in a box for eight years since that time I had to move to Houston, long enough for me to forget she existed until I unpacked the box containing her after bringing it home today from Mama Knight's house in Houston. I cannot remember how old I was when she was first given to me (I just know my memory of her goes back at least as far as seven years old), or by whom, but I am glad I found her again. For some reason, when I was little, I called her Hannah.

So I guess, that's still her name. Here's Hannah. ^-^

 

[GodDoesListen55]

Yay! I am so excited!! I achieved my step goal today!

 

[Tranquil Bondservant]

Hey everyone,
I've been struggling with some thoughts recently and given that you're all single like myself I kinda need advice or correction from people who don't sound like my inner monologue. I was going to write it here but it's rather long so I put it in another thread and thought I would just link it here. If you read it at all I thank you for taking time out of your day. I'm trying to cut down on writing full blown essays but I can't help it I'm sorry lol. God bless .

Why do God put desire to get married in people who cant get married?

So I take it that being a 23 year old male, that's graduated college, part-time employed (until he finds full time)still living with his parents and saving up his money....is not desriable to a woman of the same age, living with HER parents? Nobody here can say what is attractive to OTHER...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Multifavs]

@Multifavs and @GodJesusAndChocolate in particular ->

She had been stuck in a box for eight years since that time I had to move to Houston, long enough for me to forget she existed until I unpacked the box containing her after bringing it home today from Mama Knight's house in Houston. I cannot remember how old I was when she was first given to me (I just know my memory of her goes back at least as far as seven years old), or by whom, but I am glad I found her again. For some reason, when I was little, I called her Hannah.

So I guess, that's still her name. Here's Hannah. ^-^

View attachment 334645

Cute teddy bear! I like the yellow color.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I'm annoyed.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Cute teddy bear! I like the yellow color.

I just wish I could remember who it was in my family (it must have been family, anyway) who gave her or passed her down to me when I was little, though.

 

[GodDoesListen55]

I love helping people, and I am so grateful that people trust and believe in me again; however, I still need help sometimes, too.

 

[GodDoesListen55]

What is the point of having thoughts and feelings if you cannot express them freely?!

 

[RileyG]

I love helping people, and I am so grateful that people trust and believe in me again; however, I still need help sometimes, too.

same

 

[RileyG]

What is the point of having thoughts and feelings if you cannot express them freely?!

Some people simply aren't understanding *shrug*

 

[RileyG]

Good evening all

 

[Plenipotent]

Good evening all

Good evening, Riley!

 

[GodDoesListen55]

same

You've got this!