I'm trying to figure out if I should even answer you, Beth, if there's any way to say anything that won't continue this as just another bicker-fest but might actually shed some light on the situation. It may not be possible but I'll try.

I'm sure the ladies' long hair is quite attractive and admirable. I'm not arguing with their wearing it as long as it will get, I think that's great, and especially since it is done in obedience to husband and God. No problem. The scripture says it is given by nature as a glory, I am not arguing with any of that. And it's certainly a Christian thing to do to contribute part of it to people who have no hair.

But it came up in the context of people's telling me I'm at fault somehow or other for my view of what Paul really meant about the head covering. (No, George, not what I or anyone else say he means, what his actual words mean).

And it seemed to come up in a rather unfriendly spirit, a spirit of correcting me, even with some sarcasm, upbraiding and even some accusatory references to some of my own revelations of my own experiences and even confessions of my sins before I was saved.

The posts to me were all about how much at fault I am, and how I should be doing things differently, which their own practices seemed to be given to iillustrate: us good Christians, you bad. That's how I read it then and how I still read it. When they then come along and tell me how they have also been through hard times, well, I feel for them, but that doesn't change the basic atmosphere of them good, me bad, in fact now they're even gooder and me badder.

Now, in all this I'm just trying to be clear. I'm not upset, I'm not angry at anyone, I'm sure they are as exemplary Christians as they claim to be, and I'm content being a total sinner and wrong about all these things if only I knew what they are for sure, I just think I'm telling it like it is about this way they dealt with me. Although some attempt at softening the tone finally came from the other side, there hasn't been any recognition of this attitude of displaying their good points and my bad points. This is why I kept saying examination of the heart is in order. Haven't seen it yet. I hold nothing against anyone, but I am a single woman here saying some apparently very unpopular things, and they've done little but pick at me in a personal way, a whole family carrying on like this against me, and there's something a bit unChristian about it, that's all.

I would like to consider this topic ended if you don't mind.