acceptance vs Christianity

[gotgyne]

I went to the same Presbyterian church for 40 years. Then one day I woke up to how hypocritical so many were. This group is bad, that group is ok and ours is the best. These are Christians? Started going to a Unitarian Universalist church and never looked back. Acceptance for all. Come as you are, no one cares what you wear. No one has ever said a thing about my bra. A male member of the church wears skirts to church on warm summer days. Not a word is said. Such a relief from the judging that went on at my old church.

It is interesting but not astonishing that there are such differences. But does it depend solely on the members or are some churches more 'conservative' than others? I think that this is also a reason.
John

[TikTak]

People for some reason pay a great deal of attention to their clothing.

Among other things, this is why this forum functions, because wearing or not wearing a bra evokes emotions.

Christianity does not have any problems with clothing, the problem is only with people who consider themselves Christians.
These are the same ones who protested when women started wearing pants or put on a skirt shorter than ankle-length.

It is a waste of time to dispute with such people, and there is no point in bothering with their opinions.

[42CSurprise!]

I come back to this conversation after a few months and can't help but think about the circle of folks with their hands on different parts of the elephant describing what an elephant is.  There is no such thing as Christianity, rather there are hundreds if not thousands of disparate beliefs, often in conflict about what is Christian and what is not.  That, of course, is the reason conversations like this will never come to a resolution.  One size will never fit all and even it it existed, we would never know for certain we'd found it.  More often than not, true believers need their certainty simply because the whole journey is so frightening for them.  This, of course, is at the root of fundamentalism for whatever religious faith gives birth to the movement.  Whether its Christian fundamentalists who blow up building housing abortion clinics or Islamic fundamentalist who fly airplanes into skyscrapers we're talking about fundamental faith in the certainty of their views.  This is the reason so many people turn away from organized religion and rely on a personal relationship with the sacred... in whatever form that takes.  I have no need for any religion to tell me whether I wear a brassiere or not, nor do I need one to define for me my gender or my sexual orientation.  I'll work those things out for myself... with a little help from my friends.  Relax and enjoy the ride everyone.  

[blad]

There is only one god and only one true bible. But there are many various interpretations, likely due to the bible not being an easy read with complex illustrations that initially appear to contradict at times.

I will not address that there have been numerous distortions made to the original bible that mislead people into cults. 

[Moobzie]

42c surprise:
"This, of course, is at the root of fundamentalism for whatever religious faith gives birth to the movement.  Whether its Christian fundamentalists who blow up building housing abortion clinics or Islamic fundamentalist who fly airplanes into skyscrapers"

This thread's title has, of course, focused on "Christianity" - which is problematic because there are so many religions claiming theat title: Eg, Mormon, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, and those that follow the Nicene creed - they are all basically different.  The negative reactions mentioned are NOT exclusive to the various Bible using religions - Islam is far, far harsher.

42c mentioned only two examples, but ignored the 'fundamentalist' atheists who have vandalized and committed arson on hundreds of churches and birthright clinics just in the past year.

I eschew all the violence, but think that focusing on one religious / cultural expression is counterproductive for us in this forum because it runs the risk of alienating many who come here to learn, and to 'get' support for what we're experiencing.  And it also runs the risk of deteriorating our conversations down to the all too common blogosperic arguing that convinces no one and produces only rancor.

Better to continue sharing and supporting each other in the various ways each of us deals with our common facet: developed breasts.

[42CSurprise!]

I agree Moobzie.  You've been around long enough to know I've never initiated a thread on the topic of religions and their relationship with how best to attend to our hormonal stew and the changes we experience in our bodies.  That said, I know for many men committed to their faith this question comes up.  I simply want to encourage them to take a deep breath and consider the possibility that regardless of the faith they embrace there is likely more than one interpretation worthy of consideration.  The problem generally is fundamentalism and as I suggest, that is invariably rooted in fear.

And by the way... I'd love a link to evidence that "atheists... have vandalized and committed arson on HUNDREDS OF CHURCHES and birthright clinics in the past year."  I must have missed those stories.  Perhaps you could send the links in a private message so we don't distract from the subject at hand.  Thanks.

[gotgyne]

IMHO the origin for violence against people is not any religion or atheism, but the psychology of the crowd. Gustav Le Bon's book "The Crowd - A Study of the Polular Mind" (published in 1895) says it all.
He wrote: "By the mere fact that he (the individual) forms part of an organised crowd, a man descends several rungs in the ladder of civilisation. Isolated, he may be a cultivated individual; in a crowd, he is a barbarian — that is, a creature acting by instinct. He possesses the spontaneity, the violence, the ferocity, and also the enthusiasm and heroism of primitive beings" (Quotation from Wikipedia).
Any religion and non religious movement, like nazism or communism, which can gather many people to a crowd, has that destructive power. Dictators as Hitler, Stalin or Mao knew well how to play the keyboard of the crowd and how to create fanatics.
But to end my digression, before an action I ask myself "do I harm other people"? Wearing a bra as a man (with breasts or not!) obviously does no harm. How should it? And another argument: If God created us, then he created us with all positive and negative consequences of his creation. So if men can develop breasts, it is part of his creation. Why should he then mind if these men wear bras?
John

[42CSurprise!]

...And another argument: If God created us, then he created us with all positive and negative consequences of his creation. So if men can develop breasts, it is part of his creation. Why should he then mind if these men wear bras?
John

That is an enlightened perspective which is in alignment with those Christians who believe God is love and our primary goal should be to do unto others as we would have them do unto us... the "golden" rule.  We know that this attitude is often lost but it is worth remembering as we come to terms with the reality of our circumstances.  Our hormonal stew is not of our creation.  Caring for the body we've been given makes good sense.  Enjoying it makes sense as well.  Our bodies are libidinous... so be it.  

[Brdy64]

I am a devout Christian and see no problem with anyone, male or female, wearing a bra.  If it makes you more comfortable than go for it.  Like Aboywithgirls said some women choose to not wear bras, and I as a conservative Christian see nothing wrong with that.  If a guy wants to wear a bra for comfort it is not cross dressing in my mind. If my breasts grow more than I may start wearing one if my wife suggests it.  I only want her to wear one for comfort and I would only wear one for comfort.  If my wife chooses to stop wearing them she has my full emotional support.  So I said all of that to say that a guy wearing a bra for support is not a problem in my opinion; and should not be a problem in the mind of any conservative Christian.

I am a Conservative Jew, and I personally struggle with those bible verses. I do however feel the need to support my D cups with a bra for pure comfort. Going braless would be much worse in regards to appearance anyway. 
I find myself looking for the plainest looking, no frills or lace bras I can find. I also wear overalls instead of pants to hide my bra straps as well as some of my chest. 
I don't feel I am wearing "women's" clothes as I take great care in looking as masculine as possible with these huge mounds of flesh God decided to bestow upon me.