There was actually a couple of kids in our youth group in a Christian screamo band - one was the son of the worship leader! They practiced at church sometimes, but only in the fellowship hall and only after 10 p.m. when people were all gone on a random week night. They did wear all black though...

hm. Are the Pauline epistles - nearly half of the new testament and considered part of the canonized Bible, not applicable?

Maybe the death of one person doesn't seem to equal the "sins of the world" - but what about the death of the one and only God? if his power is more infinate than any "measly" or "horrifying" sins we can think up and committ, then maybe his death is "big enough to obliterate all sin from all time.

I agree with Jon. The word religion scares me a bit at times because of the society-added connotations, as does the word and sometimes practice of "tradition." But if you sit down and really study the history of some (not all) traditions, even though they seem meaningless, empty and just used for repetition out of comfort, they stemmed from an area of deep relationship. We forget that so often! The same with religion - We look at what people define it as - a list of rules, a box you can never redefine or step outside of, a collection of mindless actions, but in reality, as a post said above, religion is about what you stand for, how you act, and what you are committed to.

This is a marvelous visual for how Jesus interacts with us.

I think that YES, the church and our living life together communities need to be more open, specific and comfortable with talking about sex.

But I think the biggest impact on a person's future view of sex is their parents. If you grew up in a home where "sex" was a dirty word, then your attitude will morph to that either in agreement (chastity) or reaction (poor sexual habits), and both will affect you adversely and your possible future spouse.

However, I grew up in a home where my parents were pretty touchy-feely, joked about sex, were clear that it is one of the things they enjoy most about marriage and prioritize, so for me, there was no stigma. They communicated through their own bad past choices that they wish tehy'd have waited until marraige and how that affected their relationship negatively for awhile, and that sex often takes practice and is not a fairy tale moment on your wedding night. So my perspective held neither stigma nor fantasy upon losing my virginity on my wedding night.

So parents: it's all you.

Hm. I like the thought, but I'm not sure I agree. I don't know that it says anywhere in the Bible that worship should be simple. Worship should be our acknowledgement of Christ's power - and for me, that might mean offering up a Paramore-like rock song during a church service. For another, it might be composing a ballad on the organ. For another, a full brass band might be how they are most moved and pouring out their love for Christ. Does it matter that some churches/people worship with choreographed lighting and base louder than the human eardrum should be subjected to, and that others only include an organ with sometimes an oboe accompanyment? no. it matters that we worship.

I've got one - and I went there a half-dozen times, so I totally followed the right steps. We went to a church of the same denomination of that we had moved from in another state. Upon enterign for the first time, I was accosted by a grand total of 8 ladies, all who gave me a complete bear hug. All ladies were over the age of 72. all of them smelled like hwatever it is that old ladies smell like. I figured, no problem - even though I haven't hugged anyone other than immediate family members....ever. Went back a second time. same exact routine. Maybe they're just excited to get a repeat visitor under the age of 72, I thought.

Four more times. a total of 48 hugs. A lifetime of cringing. aaaaaaand we changed churches :)

(sorry, lengthy comment. My passion is writing :)

I think instead it's like a puzzle piece. There's only one piece that fits in that spot. And when you find that spot, no matter how hard it was to get there or how intense, draining, complicated and confusing it is to stay in that spot, you're there. You made it. God wants you there. You feel this sort of....lightening. Even when it sucks and circumstances are all against you and you can't remember why you're there -- you still feel like its right. Like spending three days digging holes, getting blisters, sweating your butt off, and maybe even having to fix mistakes is worth it. Because it feels so precisely right. Like in a marriage, when you have to work really hard to solve an issue or approach a change - it's nasty hard, but underneath, you know without a shadow of a doubt that it's right. That's why the burden is light. Not because you never take your dancing shoes off, but because God never lets go of your hand.

Thanks for describing something so hard to fit into words perfectly Jon.

I think what's so confusing is often, perhaps because of our society of consumerism or something, I don't know, we're bred to not only try to find our passions, but believe that in finding them we need to have this 'happy happy joy joy' feeling.

But I'm not sure that's what you meant, or what I've experienced. It's not a barometer, as one commenter said, that if we're happy, we must be doing God's work.