Comments on: I’m That Amish Girl Who Loves You

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:56:56 +0000

Funny, coming across this now, right after I mentioned the Amish in post of my own. I think, as you mentioned in some comments, that it’s important to strike a balance. You don’t want to isolate yourself from the world (be in it, not of it), because otherwise how will you reach people with Christ’s love? And neither do you want to isolate yourself from believers who, as you say, don’t think you and your husband are crazy. It can certainly be frustrating to be “the only ones” in your circle of influence to have convictions like the ones you mentioned (and that I myself hold to for the most part). Perhaps that’s what my “Amish Rant” post (which did not actually rant about the Amish by any means) stemmed from… frustration in seeming so alone with all the world attacking. All that ramble to say, THANK YOU for your well-time words, even though you actually wrote this forever ago, haha.

By: Great-Granny Grandma

Great-Granny Grandma — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:40:36 +0000

What a great post. I’m so glad I stopped by, and will be back to read some more.

By: Mrs. Parunak

Mrs. Parunak — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:37:56 +0000

Ladies,

Thank you everyone for the lively discussion!

Mrs. Tumbas,

No need to apologize for saying what you think! That’s exactly the point I was trying to make. We should all be free to talk about our deepest convictions. You ask:

Your were so zealous in your previous posts regarding birth control, headcoverings etc and what of it now?

Answer: I’m just as zealous as I ever was! And I have every intention of continuing to call ‘em like I see ‘em. But a lot of people seem to take it personally when I write about things that they genuinely (and even prayerfully) disagree with. I wanted to make it explicit that I’m not setting myself up as “The Standard.” God is the standard, and we should all be seeking His truth and helping each other along the way. Loving people does not mean that we stop saying what we believe, only that we’re humble and gracious with those who truly don’t see things our way.

SJ,

I never meant to imply that the Amish are not loving. I’m sorry if I gave that impression because nothing could be further from the truth! I wasn’t trying to say anything about Amish people. I only brought them up as a description of how conservative I am. I’m sorry that I wasn’t more clear.

My heart goes out to you in your difficult situation with your family friend who has changed her convictions so much. Since you asked, here is what I would do if I were in your shoes (or sandals ). Ephesians 4:3 tells us to endeavor “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” I believe the Bible is very clear about what we are to break fellowship over. Anything that is outside of that list I think falls into the category of something we are to work through. I would certainly discuss with my children why I feel that this lady is doing the wrong thing, point out the specific verses that I felt she was disobeying, and then say something like this: “We need to love her and try to help her see where she is not following the Lord, and we also need to pray for ourselves that God would not let us sin without realizing it ourselves, because if she does not know that she is disobeying, then there could be things in our lives that we are getting wrong, too.” Yes, I believe that a woman who is not covering her head is disobeying the Lord. However, I disobeyed the Lord today when I got angry at one of my children for being too rough with the baby. If everyone who ever sinned were cut off from fellowship, then there would be no one in fellowship at all, and then there would be no one to help us work through our daily battles with our flesh.

By: L.

L. — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:53:45 +0000

NP, I am not a religious person, overall. I do believe God sent me my husband, who doesn’t happen to be a Christian. I understand others would not have made the same choice I did, and I know that some people are certainly “not okay” with that choice — or with many of my choices in life. I understand this, and I accept this.

I was being tongue-in-cheek when I called him an “idolator” — it’s all a matter of definition. Since he and I were never had our union blessed in any kind of Christian marriage ceremony, I guess some people might consider us fornicators ourselves! I accept this, too.

One of the reasons I enjoy this blog is that it reminds me of a Christian women’s group I joined in Los Angeles, more than 10 years ago. We had moved there because of my husband’s job, and I had no job and no family there, and struggled to make friends. My husband traveled a lot and I was at home with an infant a toddler. I was so lonely that I finally overcame my fears and joined a Christian mothers’ group that was open to everyone. I was met with kindness, openness and Christian love, despite the fact that I did not share all of their beliefs. I have never forgotten the experience. Many of the commenters here, as well as Mrs. Parunak herself, remind me of those women.

By: NP

NP — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:35:29 +0000

I’ve been following this blog for a long time and even though I’m not a Christian i find we share a lot of values. I had tried in the past to comment but failed since i was using a blackberry.
This goes to L.
How is it possible that you don’t keep fellowship (with fornicators, or people who covet or rail too much, or drink too much and won’t admit they have a problem, and certainly not with extortioners!)as you said in your comment. But you keep fellowship with idolaters thus betraying the very same being (God almighty) who warns you from keeping company with the above mentioned?
Just from my point of view… picking and choosing from one’s religion doesn’t bring anything but the distortion of it’s teachings.

By: L.

L. — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:08:54 +0000

Unrelated observation — even from a strictly non-religious point of view, 1 Corinthians 5:11 makes perfect sense.

I personally don’t want to keep fellowship with fornicators, or people who covet or rail too much, or drink too much and won’t admit they have a problem, and certainly not with extortioners! I’m perfectly okay with idolaters since my husband is Japanese, but I try to keep the rest of the bunch away from my kids.

By: L.

L. — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:11 +0000

Mrs. Tumbas, I see no personal attack at all in your words — you are clearly a woman of great conviction, and even though I don’t know you, I believe you mean well and want everyone to be closer to God. (As for what my own pastor says, let’s just say I am confident you would never count me among true believers!) I only know you from these comments here, and I admit I do see lots of judging in your words. People looking for God’s light might misinterpret harsh, judgemental language as a sign of darkness. That’s all I’m saying — I’m not arguing with WHAT you’re saying, just commenting on HOW you’re saying it. And as you describe, you have your own particular reasons for approaching God’s message in that way, so…..it is what it is. I don’t mean my observations as a personal attack on you, either, and I wish you well.

By: Mrs Tumbas

Mrs Tumbas — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:40:41 +0000

L, I am sorry you take the defensive so quickly. I would like to ask, please do not think me accusing or trying to really prove myself, however What do your pastors teach about the end times? Do they explain the baptism of fire? Do you understand that when the Anti-christ comes and christians are commanded to not take his marking, that you will be persecuted? That you will be crying out to God to help your family, that your children are starving, other christians you know have died from hunger, The Lord will provide but in spiritual ways more than the physical.
In our church we suffered severe persecution in Europe from those even who claimed to be christians, our brothers, fathers, men refused to take arms during the war and even in the communist regime. This was still happening in Hungary until the 80’s. Many people told them to take a gun and not use it, they claimed themselves to be christians. They were called stubborn and selfish to not think of their families.
Do you think it is a wonder why many conservative christian prefer to stick together in groups? The amish were severly persecuted that is why they prefer isolation and separation.
When I was younger I sought other churches and found them to be dead, reputations of being alive, but dead! In our churches we have had many young people mixing with outsiders and thus strayed far from the anabaptist and Nazarene faith, they try to bring in little things at a time and thus the church becomes defiled in the end they forget the trials their brothers faced and prefer the new-age where the preach about Love and Jesus accepts all, women ministers, same-sex marriage, drunkeness, multiple baptisms, even a headcovering is offensive.
You cannot pick and choose what you want in christianity and the bible. God never changes. Christianity has become satans grocery store, where you enter the cereal isle and all the shelves are filled with high calorie, sugery, unwholesome grains, these are these new age faiths. In a small section down in the corner is the bran, untasteful, the healthiest and wholesome. This is what true christianity should be.
Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

This is not a personal attack sorry L, I got a little carried away, but I would like to explain why some conservative christians act in ways which may be thought of proud or judging.

By: Sj

Sj — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:19:19 +0000

Jesus says, “”But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” Did Jesus love, yes? But who are we to say what commandments can be tossed aside. Scripture does teach that a woman should cover her head. That we are to love our enemies stands in contradiction to believers actually taking up arms in war. Whoever divorces and remarrys is in adultry, Scripture does teach us ladies to be keepers at home, modest… in our culture today some of us are terrified to take a Biblical stand at all. I used to be embarrassed. I so wanted to show what I thought was love that I condoned sin. Now before you missunderstand I DO agree that we conservative homeschooler types have a tendancy to write off others by adding to Scripture and we are warned from this. For example, today I was clearly judged not for not covering my head but for wearing the wrong covering. Another lady not knowing that I just returned from another country looked at my open sandals instead of my lace up black shoes which she felt proper and tossed me a look of disdain but then I have the job of also showing her love when I am thought of wrongly. If you have read all of this I do have a question. I have no problem loving and embracing and bringing into my home the sinner on the street but how do we handle a beleiver who has changed convictions that radically differ from the way we have been parenting. For example, we beleive the Bible does teach women to cover and wear ladies clothing and be modest. Recently our friend has removed the covering and dresses etc… she was close with us and is a great influence on our daughters. Do we keep fellowshipping and confise our daughters or cut off fellowship? This is a difficult thing.

By: lisa

lisa — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:37:55 +0000

Good thoughts here. We live a life similar to yours in conviction a traditional Catholics, and I’ve often felt that same “censure” from others who assume I condemn their way of life because of the way I live my own… You express so well that balance of feeling convicted in my own belief and feeling mercy on those who don’t share it. It’s not the charity that I’ve found hard, though, so much as reconciling others’ misconceptions about me — or what i worry are their misconceptions… &:o) The key word I found in this post is God’s “time.” He’s working on all of us, whether we know it or will accept it. That’s where I find the bridge between all of us.