en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/1431106 Comments by hollypwhite http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/listening-to-devil-music/#IDComment107973772 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... Fri, 5 Nov 2010 11:53:14 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/listening-to-devil-music/#IDComment107973772 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/having-2-gods/#IDComment107645984 hm. Are the Pauline epistles - nearly half of the new testament and considered part of the canonized Bible, not applicable? Wed, 3 Nov 2010 19:45:02 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/having-2-gods/#IDComment107645984 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/having-2-gods/#IDComment107641113 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. Wed, 3 Nov 2010 19:16:31 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/having-2-gods/#IDComment107641113 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/3865/#IDComment105285359 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. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:29:34 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/10/3865/#IDComment105285359 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/the-question-we-all-ask/#IDComment96438321 This is a marvelous visual for how Jesus interacts with us. Wed, 1 Sep 2010 17:26:03 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/09/the-question-we-all-ask/#IDComment96438321 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3578/#IDComment96002021 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. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:07:36 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3578/#IDComment96002021 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3563/#IDComment95328508 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. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:59:46 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/3563/#IDComment95328508 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92745101 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 :) Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:01:05 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/trying-to-find-a-new-church/#IDComment92745101 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/building-benches-instead-of-frisbees/#IDComment92309008 (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. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:37:10 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/building-benches-instead-of-frisbees/#IDComment92309008 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/building-benches-instead-of-frisbees/#IDComment92308974 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. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:36:56 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/building-benches-instead-of-frisbees/#IDComment92308974 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/not-knowing-whether-to-sprint-or-be-still/#IDComment90822884 I used to jump on my parent's water bed when I was little. Not that I was allowed. It was like the one stolen pleasure I could gleefully enjoy when they left and the babysitter was in the bathroom. Needless to say, they got rid of it pretty quickly after having three small children in five years. Wed, 4 Aug 2010 17:34:38 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/not-knowing-whether-to-sprint-or-be-still/#IDComment90822884 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/not-knowing-whether-to-sprint-or-be-still/#IDComment90822524 A guidance counselor at a college told me this when I was makig the rounds to a dozen college campuses and having a really hard time picking which one I wanted to go to. He said: "God will bless you in your decision. He's not waiting for you to pick the ONE right choice (though that is often very much the case), but in this instance, offering you great opportunities and adventure in multiple directions. Pick the adventure, and God will continue to guide you and hold you through it. I wouldn't trade my college experience for the world - or the mountain of debt I'm now in. Shout out to my alma mater, Houghton College. And I think the guidance counselor was right. Wed, 4 Aug 2010 17:32:14 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/08/not-knowing-whether-to-sprint-or-be-still/#IDComment90822524 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/3432/#IDComment89771944 My parents valiantly taught the 2/3 year old Sunday School class for a good five years at our hometown church. From the age of 11, I helped them regularly. Sufficient to say I have never worked with children since :) Junior highers, however, are for me. I'm not sure if it's because junior highers are similar to toddlers..... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:34:08 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/3432/#IDComment89771944 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/the-most-dangerous-vehicle-on-the-road/#IDComment88072892 Second story: once, driving back from a winter retreat, our van was barely chugging along, and we're pretty sure we won't make it home. The youth pastor tells us all to start praying like mad b/c we're still a couple of hours away and it's mad cold outside. So we all start praying, and he yells "Pray that we make it up this hill" because he was afraid we wouldn't be able to crest a particular hill and there was traffic behind us. We make it to the top of the hill. and the van's engine putters out. Ah well, sometimes when you pray specifically, God answers specifically and it reminds you of his awesome power and also to pray for precisely what you might need :) Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:06:05 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/the-most-dangerous-vehicle-on-the-road/#IDComment88072892 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/the-most-dangerous-vehicle-on-the-road/#IDComment88072882 I have two van stories: Once, while driving to Boston (about an hour away) to do some work at a homeless shelter, one of the juniors in the cool backseat got a nosebleed, which apparently happened pretty often for him. Rather than bleeding all over, he asked if anyone had any sort of containers. We scrounged and found a super-sized taco bell cup. Pe chucked the junk in it out the window, and he proceeded to deal with his bloddy nose. Only problem - about ten minutes later, the cup was filled with blood. and we had to scrounge another container. and somebody had to hold the cup while the poor kid held a different, I believe leftover wendy's frosty container in front of his face. When we finally arrived the lady at the desk just handed him a roll of paper towels. Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:06:00 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/the-most-dangerous-vehicle-on-the-road/#IDComment88072882 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/hating-harry-potter-giving-gandalf-a-free-pass/#IDComment86786749 I love them both, though my parents certainly jumped on teh bandwagon of "Harry Potter is bad, Magic is evil," etc. etc. Star Wars, I'm allowed to watch when I'm seven. a spiky-haired kid with glasses and a know-it-all friend? didn't read until I was in college. I am of the personal belief that as long as you know what your kids are reading, and you talk about it with them, books that contain things like the dark arts, like flying dragons and giants, can be a way to open up your child to the greatness of imagination, as well as the follies of wrong choices and the ability to be sucked into things you didn't think were wrong but Satan uses to ruin things. God used story, and has always used stories: enthralling, shocking, and intruiguing, to reveal the truth of His grace. And as C.S. Lewis believed, any story that is great, reveals the truth of Christ in it. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:02:09 +0000 http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/07/hating-harry-potter-giving-gandalf-a-free-pass/#IDComment86786749