[mrnoodle]

Originally Posted by Pangloss62

“I strip off the identity of the world, and this morning I clothe myself with Christ, with his lifestyle. That’s what I want to be known for.” [/color]

Aside from the fact that the term "lifestyle" was not around during the time of the alleged Jesus, how is having ersatz "progressive" rock bands and selling "cool" Christian t-shirts a rejection of secular culture? It kinda seems like cheating to me. If these kids are supposed to have the "lifestyle" of Jesus, wouldn't they have to walk around in woolen robes and leather sandals? Wouldn't they be hangin with, and giving comfort to, the AIDS-infected crackheads down in the hood?

You're awfully picky when it comes to Christian kids, but you wouldn't have any problem at all with someone who decided to become Buddhist, yet didn't don a robe and sandals. That's the hard thing for those kids, and what makes their choice poignant -- they want to make themselves like Christ in spirit even though it sets them up to look like idiots to their friends --

Originally Posted by Galatians 5:16-26

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and evying each other.

That makes them idiots to the rest of the world:

Originally Posted by 1 Cor. 2 and 3, cherry picked verses

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taugh by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned...

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight.

So, to answer your question, yes: we should be down by the crackhouse, giving comfort to the AIDS victim. But we should also reflect the Spirit in everyday life, because when you become a follower of Christ, you get a new set of desires. There's not room for two opposing spirits in your heart -- you can't serve two masters.

The kids at this rally or whatever it was were ritually and symbolically destroying their old carnal natures (this had already happened within them, they were just making it known publicly) and announcing their new life. The whole "born-again" thing that seems like such idiocy to everyone.