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When the Bible says: Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Why do we go on so about meat and drink? Especially when it is contrasted with righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Which are you most desiring?

Yes, it's like when Jesus told the Pharisees who tithed their mint and cumin. It's not that either is bad. It's just that they missed focusing on the weightier matters.

I ask this because so many times the subject is not about giving glory to God, but about focusing on something that the kingdom of God isn't. It becomes a matter for the food police and I suppose that it does because rules are something that humans can grasp easily. Telling people what to do is more natural than I'd like to admit myself.

This began I assume as a simple question of curiosity. As is very typical it didn't take long for it to go to "those others'. I am not going to lose a lot of sleep over those that eat something I personally don't or believe we are told not to. What does bother me is the almost immediate response of comments such as the this by those that are pretty consistent in their complaints of how they are treated or judged. I know plenty of SDAs that have no problem with an occasional cake(with sugar plus shortening icing) or pie or sweets at home or served at functions. Or Chips or Fries or ...gasp! Cheetos! All made with ingredients that compromise health. But no food that even touched a ham hock or a pepperoni. A HOLY THING! Part of the Sanctification Thing. No one should be shamed,shunned or treated in such a manner regardless of their lifestyle that they quit attending church. That also includes "those others' whose beliefs differ. Because I or others believe we are told to not do certain things somehow it is acceptable to make their beliefs suspect,hypocritical and self righteous. After all we do know even the "most righteous" among us has something. I have belonged to the same church since 1947 I am the last original member. In that time just about any issue you name has happened. Some serious and some just plain ridiculous. As many times as some self righteous person has caused a problem the same is true for those that yell the loudest about those awful christians that are so judgemental. By actual statements,snide comments or implication they are judged by the non judging crowd as judgemental and self righteous.. If someone were to ask me what I believe the bible says about pork products my response would not be based on those that I know that may have eaten chips. A few years ago I got blindsided by a triple whammy in church. All done by those that find the opinions of others to be unchristian judging. Our boys are all scattered and rarely do we have all of them together in our home church. One member that had not known my boys when younger noticed the four. It is obvious they are brothers .One member made it her mission out of the blue to approach me and ask me if all of my sons were members of the church. When I said yes,she actually told me how surprised she was that someone like me could successfully raise four sons that all remained in the church. Prior to that as I walked into the foyer a kind non judgemental lady reached over and attempted to pull the skirt of my dress lower.Letting me know I was a mother and about time I started dressing like one. My dress was no more than an inch above the knee,long sleeved and turtle neck. This was not one of the "stiff necked others" Downstairs getting ready for potluck a lady I had known since childhood commented to me that it was so nice to see all my boys together. Adding that she was amazed that she had never been able to hear anything bad about my boys. Why should she try I have no idea but she was very sensitive about anything concerning her children. Should any of that justify me responding to others in that manner? Or let them know they are not quite the christian they attempt to convince others they are. Does it make some feel better about their lifestyle whatever it may be to focus on "those others" rather than simply state their belief or opinion?

So will I; especially Acts 15:28-29; Romans 14:5-6; Acts 10:15; Romans 14:14; and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

A few years ago, I was attending Catholic Church with my mom. I was sitting along the aisle. The deaconess in charge asked me if I would bring the bread and wine up for the Offertory Prayer. I informed her that I was not a Catholic. She responded "So? are you a Christian?" I responded "Yes". She said "Then you are welcome to bring the gifts to the altar to be offered to your God". I was touched; and I did.

I know I said I was gonna stay out of this; but I wanted to comment on Rachel's statement. IMO, God doesn't withdraw His Spirit, we reject it. The Spirit is always there; but if we "practice" resisting it long enough, the result is the same - we are no longer influenced by the "magnet". This is where we differ from iron. Iron has no choice on whether or not to be magnetized. We do.

Samie says that God "forgave all sin" - past/present/future. Then He says God will NOT FORGIVE the failure to "overcome evil". Grief! That's like saying God will forgive all sin - except sin. Ridiculous.