I have a feeling that people who come into the church and are comfortable enough there to be NECKING during the service aren’t “new believers.” People who have had kids in the church and let them run around screaming are not new. This thread started with a poster complaining about a man who let one of his kids stand with her feet on the back of the pew and talked through the whole service. That’s not a new believer who needs gentle instruction; anybody knows you don’t talk during important moments, much less during an entire service. No, the guy is a jerk.
Justice. Come on. You’re just arguing. I’m not talking about folks who go to church in jeans; you know that. I’m talking about people raised in the church who are running around with half their boobs hanging out, or people who, all theology aside, are being slobs in their behavior and exhibitionistic in their dress. Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with their attitude, because you don’t have to be an old hand at faith to know this is not okay anywhere. That’s not theology and there is no house of worship where this is OK.
I initially only mentioned clothes. I didn’t mention behavior. And then I said that I wasn’t even talking about preventable behavior. All those things you described are perfect examples of something that should be addressed. I’m not arguing with that. All I mentioned was someone wearing a different style dress (not provactative) should not be looked down upon. That was in response to the title of the thread.
But again. I agree 100% with you. I was referring to dress.