There is more to being a Goth than being part of a youth sub-culture!
Why are marginalised, troubled or shy kids attracted to this culture?
Why would a Christian want to dress in dark clothes and listen to angry, chaotic music?
In a previous church there were several goths. These eventually ended up on wider leadership as worship leaders and on the finance committee. This was a huge worry.
One associate of these goths who was apparantly a 'new believer' even came to church with bat wings, a wizard stick and a plaited wizard beard.
Obviously it is better for him to be in church and be exposed to the truth than not to hear at all, but if he was supposed to be a Christian and had been coming for at least a year, why did he still feel it was ok to look like that?
I would enjoy opening this up for discussion.
Let me know what you think.
goths
The problem I see here is these people are not willing to put off the old man and put on the new as Jesus said we should all do.Its a bit like Lots wife who still had a desire for Sodom and then paid the ultimate price for it.If they say they have accepted Jesus into their hearts but then hold on to an image that shouts paganism then we have to make a judgement of whether their conversion is true. Frank
Umm
Even your image of goth is just a stereotype...
You don't have to dress modern western conservative to be "holy" either.
And I think God wants us to come to Him as who we are, not who we're pretending to be.
'nuff said for now.
re:goths etc.
it comes down to obedience.
and trying not to offend our brother/ sisters in christ.
the question is what would jesus do? (in all situations contrary to the beliefs of jesus christ our lord).
Yes this is critical. People
Yes this is critical. People outside the church doesn't even sometimes see diffrence between clubs and Churches. When I read some stuffs about Clement of alexandria, or Polycarp Justin Martyr and all others to C.H. Spurgeon and his contemporaries: I see wonderful God reverence teachings; too offensive for sinners. I happened to see some photos of Aimee Semple McPherson and Kathyrn Kuhlman. They were very nice clothing. Just check here to see satanic connection of modern clothing;
mtangoojr.blogspot.com
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Tit 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sober
I'd rather see some Goth
I'd rather see some Goth than a particular girl at my church, whose mom and dad need a talking to. This young lady is about 15 and wears the shortest shorts I've ever seen worn on a "decent girl". I'd hate to inform mom and dad of the message she sends, in of all places a church!
Seductive and lewd dressing in church meetings
I believe it is the role of the pastor's wife to get along side these girls and tell them to dress decently. If the pastor's wife won't do it, the pastors should.
But many are pastors afraid to offend people and possibly lose them. They hide behind cliches of being loving and accepting, and just ignore what the Word of God teaches about modest dressing.
People don't seem to mind if God is offended by what we tolerate in our meetings. Some churches look and feel more like night clubs than dwelling places for a Holy God.
If God is offended and His blessing leaves, everything we do is in vain. It doesn't matter how many programs we have, and how big the budget is. We must please God. We should seek for the will of God to be done on earth as in heaven. God could have those angels around his throne crying out anything He chooses - you know what they are crying? "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God Almighty".
I have heard of men leaving churches because they found it too difficult to keep their eyes in the right places. The blame for this is actually with the pastors. I mean, if someone loudly started rebuking this sin of indecent dressing in the church meetings, I am sure the pastors would be courageous enough to boot the protester out the door for disrupting order. So why not take a stand against lust and lewdness as well? Could it have something to do with MONEY?
If someone causes a brother to sin, especially a new believer, there are pretty serious WOES to such a person - like "It would have been better for such a one never to have been born".
More Questions About Goths
Hanging around with other Goths could be dangerous to
1 Cor 15:33
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
As to the music - is the lyrical content.....
Good, noble, lovely, pure, excellent, praiseworthy? Philippians 4:8
If you are a Christian and have been 'called out of darkness and into His marvellous light' why would you want to enter back in to dark things?
Avoiding the appearance of evil
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
The word "appearance" in Greek is "eidos" which Strong's dictionary says means "a view, a form, appearance, fashion, shape and sight".
When you think about it, probably the best modern English rendering of this would be "image".
This then is a clear biblical injunction not to cultivate an evil looking "image".
Folks, "Christian Goths" can protest all they want, but the whole thing with strange black clothes and white makeup and creepy jewelery definitely creates an image of evil. These people make themselves look like Count Dracula or someone out of the Adam's Family. It LOOKS spooky and weird. It doesn't look like the Kingdom of Light to me.
Our identity has to be IN CHRIST and not in our "image", especially an image that LOOKS unholy.
If someone argues "Well it is your problem, it is not spooky or weird to me" my question would be: "How can you tell if something has the 'appearance' 'fashion' or 'form' of evil?' If its totally subjective and in the mind of the beholder only, then why would such a thing be in the Word of God as we have just read? How could it possibly apply to anyone who likes his or her way of dressing?
I don't buy for a minute that I have to look like a hippy to preach to hippies, or that I have to look like a punk rocker to witness to punkers, that I have to look like a vampire to witness to Goths, or that I have to look like a prostitute to witness to prostitutes. It is not our conformity to the fashions of this world that is important, it is our conformity to Christ's image.
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