So when God Himself gave dietary laws and dress codes in His Torah, He was giving His people something weak and wicked?
God gave us rituals and cultural commandments not as a replacement for inner transformation, but as stepping stones for the young and spiritually immature and as a way to bring body, soul, and spirit together. This is why even Christians recognize the New Covenant sacraments of Baptism and Communion to be graces rather than "legalistic fillers," and why most Christians around the world have developed their own traditions and rituals--catechisms, confirmations, hymns, creeds, confessions, and ceremonies.
Now, I agree that any of these can become a substitute for a true, living, and transforming faith/faithfulness. On the other hand, so can "feel-good faith." The solution is not to avoid them like the plague, but rather to see them as what they are: tools, a means to an end, the end being the true and living Messiah (Rom. 10:4).
Shalom
I don’t want to get in an argument regarding a different religion. The dietary laws and dress codes (or customs) of observant Jews are not part of Christianity as generally understood..
The Torah isn’t Christianity. Christianity replaced the Law. God gave us no rituals or cultural commandments other than baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
But, back to the subject, liberalism is a mental disorder. It is doing the same thing over and over after seeing negative results; yet continuing to do the same thing expecting a positive outcome.
I don’t go to church to see a rock concert, watch dramatic theater, or handle snakes. I go to church to hear from the Lord through the preaching of his Word, the way He intended. All this other fluff: rock music, rap, drama, art, etc. is an attempt by churches to become more like the world in order to reach the world. Doesn’t work. Why would someone wanting to escape the clutches of the world go somewhere that is no different than what they’re trying to get away from?
People want truth. As harsh as that truth may be, ultimately (in most cases) when people are confronted by their sin-state, they appreciate the bold honesty. Too many people today (ie, Joel Olsteen) tickle the ears of people, only focus on the positive and include only enough truth to keep people’s attention—but not providing a real substantive change in people’s lives. Not to mention any preacher who gets rich using the Word of God is in his/her own eyes better than Jesus—the one they are supposed to be representing.