I've watched a lot of different TED talks and have really enjoyed many of them. I really enjoy the ones that make you sit back and rethink a subject or learn something new.
TED talks cover a lot of subject maters beyond just technology. I've really enjoyed some of the cultural ones too.
I agree with the other responses here. Wearing pants is a mater of personal conviction.
If you feel guilty wearing pants to church, is it because the church itself condemns it? Or you just feel you should dress up for church?
I would caution being different than who you are on Sunday. It calls into question integrity. Come as you are. Personally, you should dress like everyday is Sunday as it is every day we represent our faith to the world.
Sunday is the christian day of rest. It being a day of rest, I think it should be acceptable to show up to church in PJs ;) ( so long as they are modest ) and not have to stress about getting your war paint on right (makeup) and worrying about your hair. Going to church and getting ready for church should not be stressful but rather an escape from the pressures of every other day. ( sorry about the rant but that is how I feel )
The principals are as previously stated: be modest and not a stumbling block to others.
I would also add to this, don't try to confuse your gender. If you are a woman, dress like a woman. If you are a man, dress like a man. A woman shouldn't dress like a man and a man should dress like a woman.
Some say, this means women should wear dresses but I'm sorry... I can tell the difference between women's pants and men's pants. They have different designs and fits. I don't have a problem with a women wearing pants so long as she isn't trying to disguise the fact that she is a woman.
Sometimes a good friendship is enough...even if just online. While romantic relationships may not be possible due to respective locations, I don't think there is any harm is reaching out to someone you find interesting or compatible with to be friends with.
"In my experience the church is the last place to go for support or recovery groups."
The is a sad unfortunate truth. While is it always Gods will to reconcile a marriage, both parties involved have to be willing to reconcile GODS way, not get the other to conform. Churches often will pressure the one more willing to bend to just conform for the sake of the marriage. While this pressure isn't always deliberate, it definitely feels that way sometimes and is disheartening.
I do not advocate divorce. Let man not separate what God has joined.
However, the Bible tells us that we are also not bound to unbelievers. Most people I've met, even doped up junkies, claim to be christian in one form or another (there have been exceptions). You cannot take people at their word. You will know them by their fruits. Churches often overlook this and simply say if both claim to be christian, then divorce is not permissible. CLAIM being the key word there. Anybody can CLAIM, that doesn't make it so. I've heard of cases where one spouse will use that claim as a means of controlling the other reminding them that they can't leave because divorce is forbidden in their case.
Regarding married people on this site? Is that really a major concern? I think it a benefit especially if they are successfully married or were single and became married. They can give advice, pointers, and encouragement to others. For those that are separated, this is a place they can come for encouragement and fellowship with other believers.
In my opinion, christian dating doesn't necessarily mean courtship or searching for a mate. That isn't the life we are called to lead ( I wish I understood that better when I was a kid). Our focus should be on God and if a courting relationship forms with somebody from among those we are sharing our lives with, great! if not, fine, the lords will be done.
I'm going to make some general comments on this. When people of opposite sex are alone together, they are providing opportunity to give in to the flesh (Galatians 5). The bible warns against this. Even if one believes they are able to handle it, you may be causing the other to stumble ( Romans 14, 1 Corenth 10, etc ).
We should avoid putting ourselves in such situations. If it is the girl who wants to be sure to have a 3rd party present, you should honor that as she is simply trying to protect her purity as the bible instructs us to do.
Regarding your comments on love, English is an unfortunate language when it comes to the word "love" as it has several meanings. Most other languages have different words for the different types of love. It is possible that you are reading more into it than is intended.
I have heard is said, run the good race and live right. When you notice that there is someone of the opposite sex running beside you, that is the one to marry. Focus on living for God and if it is His will for you to partner with somebody, He will guide the two of you together. Focusing on getting or having a relationship distracts us from living for God.
Read 1 Cor 7. There are a lot of references to how good it can be to be single as you are free from worldly concerns.
Please keep in mind not all of us here on every day and I at least don't always go to all the forums. This is the first I've seen of your post. This is a free site and sponsored by ads that accept and display very questionable content. Somebody has to pay for the site and ads are as good as any other source but I wish they used a more appropriate source.
It is entirely possible and likely that this site is also run in the owners spare time and can be a week or two to go through all the abuse reports before they come to yours. You should not be so quick to judge "others on this site" because you didn't see an immediate response.
Regarding the since of humor you are referring to, I agree, its not very christian of them. Rather than attacking them though, you should politely point out, preferable with a scripture reference about crude and coarse jesting... Eph 5:4 is a good one for this: "Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God."
I have a web filter and I never see the ads on this sight because they come from a source that advertises stuff I don't want my kids to see. So all I ever see in the banner is "Web Site Blocked"
I don't block all add providers because I know somebody has got to pay for the web sites I frequent but when I see an ad like what you mention, I add it to my blocked list.
I've been partially deaf my whole life and really get what you say about it being a social block. My friends often forget that they have to be looking at me when they speak or I can't hear or understand them.
Sometimes God's answer isn't so much what we want but what in the long run is best for us. Jacob in the Old Testament wrestled with an angel that put out his hip (Gen 32). It never healed physically his whole life and I'm sure since Jacob was human, he struggled with it at times but he kept his faith.
We read in the various letter from Paul to the various churches in the New Testament that he had an affliction and had poor eye sight ( remember God struck him blind for a time in Acts ).
Sometime physical healing is not what we need but to accept "Your will be done".
It is difficult to give any advise or suggestions regarding your inner healing as you didn't say much about it. God can use you as you are and sometime inner healing comes from accepting our current situation and focusing on our relationship with Him.
God wants a relationship with us. He doesn't show his power though the use of force or constant miracles. When Jesus was asked to show them a sign, he simply responded, you have Moses and the profits and all God has already done for you, if that is not enough, another sign won't make any difference (paraphrased). God isn't about giving us what we want but doing what is right and what is best for us even if we don't understand what he is doing at the time.
I have to say I don't believe dogmatic church attendance all the time (and twice on Sunday) indicates anything regarding your faith.
I can honestly say, it was those in church leadership that actually ruined my marriage. They constantly belittled my wife for not wanting to be more than mom and told her that her wanting to be a stay at home mom was a result of my abusing her. So she left home and went to live her own life as the church encouraged.
Faithfully attending the wrong church can be worse than not attending at all. While I don't regularly attend, I do believe in gathering together with other believers... but they have to be the right believers. Iron sharpens iron and bad company corrupts good morals.
I would be careful of any church, even traditional ones, that believe and teach that their way is the only way; that their translation is the only one that counts... etc. etc.
Far to many people have never read the Bible but believe that because they have gone to church for 20 years that they know what it says. I think many many people would be shocked and surprised at what it really says on a lot of things.
I believe in what the Bible teaches, not what I'm told to believe by the church. The only way to know if your church is teaching what the Bible really says is to sit down and read it, then pay attention during church.
Keep in mind, the Bible was not written by scalars for scalars, it was written by Gods elite ( the profits ) for lay people. There are no hidden meanings or coded messages in any given passage. Remember, God thinks of us as children and sheep...( and we often live up to that )... Do you teach a small child out of college text books? neither does God teach us beyond our ability to understand. Find a translation that uses a level of English (or your native language) that is easy for you to read... then read it. Then see if the church you are attending teaches what the Bible says or what they want you to think it says.
