For 28 years, they have been falsely linked with Jonestown.

Those kooks drank Flavor Aid!!!

In the age of Wikipedia, you can learn anything, fast. For example, I just learned that the book Bush was reading on 9/11 was called "The Pet Goat", not "My Pet Goat".

Poco said: "I did not say that hierarchy in marriage is a law of nature. I said hierarchy is a law of nature, and that it is. If you do not want to follow the biblical model for marriage, don't.

"I am not "above" my wife. I am not "better" than my wife. I do not "rule" my wife, and we discuss everything of importance and always arrive at mutually agreed to decisions. However, "the buck stops here" is the responsibility that I carry."

Hierarchy is "1. any system of persons or things ranked one above another." You believe that hierarchy in marriage is a law of nature, placing man above woman. Therefore, you are above your wife, even if you hesitate to describe it that way because it doesn't sound nice.

Paul had some interesting ideas about marriage (and celibacy). But God gave me a brain that works pretty well, and I don't see a logical reason for the buck to stop with my husband simply because he's male. The buck stops when we both come to a decision, a compromise. Because we're two equally intelligent adults in a partnership. How would our marriage be improved if I took a backseat to my husband?

My particular denomination is based on three things: Scripture, tradition, and reason. It's a wonderful "three-legged stool" that helps protect us from any one person or group trumpeting that their interpretation of the Bible is the "only" or "right" one. And it helps us keep our perspective on what exactly the Bible is... and how to use it.

I appreciate Ivanveen's reflection on the cooptation of rockwear, 1966-2006 RIP indeed. There must be some way out of here. The preppy look, the faux-businessman look ... pajamas! It's such a fascinating process: We attach ourselves to movements and the movements crumple under the weight of our adoration, or our vestments. Like parasites, we kill our hosts. Do we know we're doing it? Is it the phenomenon of attachment itself that is so deadly? The cessation of the quest, the mistaken belief that we've finally arrived and can just stick with the black jeans, leather jacket and boots? Is it just too expensive to keep buying new clothes? Is plaid the new black? Is there anything you can wear that says nothing, that preserves the essential mystery of identity while still placing us in historical context as heirs to the Voltaire -- or to Rimbaud? (What did Rimbaud wear? That would be a start.) Oh, whoops, we're supposed to be talking about Mars Hill and Lauren's fine book. Well, OK. Back to the topic. Christian rockers indistinguishable from nihilist rockers is just such a fertile sight. (I'm going with studiedly frumpy and indistinguishable from the studiedly frumpy masses.)

It's so easy to condemn and complain. Hanson, Wayne Newton, God... whatever you label as "uncool" you (and by "you" I mean the typical, cynical Salon reader who worships him or herself only) are so quick to condemn...

Here's a church filled with happy, helpful, healthy people... people can come and go as they please... no locks, no contracts, no cultishness at all... just people wanting to worship God and enjoy each other's company...

But that's just WRONG! Right? These people should be- what- JAILED for having an opinion on bringing up kids or marriage that doesn't jive with yours?

Please.

You officially have the right to marry a chair and worship the yellow pages and eat live fish- okay? Go ahead! Do your thing! These people, just like you, vote, pay taxes, go to work, watch Dancing with the Idiots and whatever. They buy lotto tickets. They eat Fried Chicken...

They. Just. Are. Not. Clones. Of. You.

Get over it! There are a billion Muslims in the world, a few hundred million Bhuddists, about a billion Hindus- you going to bash them too? No? Why? Why is Open Hunting season on Christians all the time?

Do you feel persecuted here? Emigrate! Go to some land or commune where you can bask in the joy of whatever personal strangeness you have.

OR decide to Get Along with folks. Have coffee with a Christian. Say hello. Discuss your belief in Darwin or the Big Blat or whatever. You'll more than likely find that you both lack albums by Hanson and Barry Manilow. How about that? You might agree on the kind of cake you like, if you take cream in your cofee... and then, over time, that you might even come to an agreement about God.

It could happen. Happens all the time. Never say never...

Christians are being enslaved in Darfur... Christians are being tortured in China.. if a Christian wears a Cross in the "liberated" and "democratic" country of Afghanistan- he will be shot...

Christians are Target Number One in the world of religion. If that makes you happy, if you think that's what "they deserve" and that you'd like to see the same done for the loving community of Mars Hill... well, then I guess you and I just don't agree.

Me, I believe everyone should be free to worship as they choose, or not to.

For evangelicals, they certainly are radical-looking on the surface. Tattoos, bands, skating, whatever.

But how SAD it is that along with all of the "to each his own" attitude about lifestyle, the women are still being compelled to give up any life beyond "having as many babies as possible" (oh, and the consumer culture of your choice, of course).

Yes, it's GREAT that fathers are being enouraged to be responsible, etc, but why can't "their" women have a life as well? I find this inane and very very sad. These women will face the same old problem (remember "the problem that has no name"?), when the children are too old to need constant care. What a waste of half the brains among them.

They think they're so hip and post-modern, bending the rules, ignoring the regulations, but they are absolutely retro (like 1950s - NOT 0050s) in their approach to gender -- and that is so unnecessary to their goals as a church. I feel sorry for those moms ten years from now.