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[beforHim]

Since these are supposedly youth forums (that's the reason I come here), I'll ask a very practical, youth oriented question, and give some advice.  Hopefully others fllow up on this.

How can we be authentic Christians a school?

• First off, take a few minutes each morning and pray.  It's so simple.  "Lord, please help me at school.  It's so SCARY!", or "God, I have no idea what to do, but you do.  Thx for having my back", or "Man, school yesterday sucked hard-core!  I'm a total failure.  I just want to let you know, God."  or "Jesus, I really want others to see your love.  How? How!  Oh well, I know you'l get to kids somehow. . .maybe through me? . ."  Prayer is more like a rough draft of an english paper, not the paper itself; it's more like the part of PE were you just play whatever sport you want or sit in the stands and hang out, not like the sit-up and push-up test.
• Please, don't get all red-faced, aggresive, angry, condemning, etc. whenever people express their dislike of Jesus, Christians, God, etc.  This turns so many potential Christians (Jesus wants them too) away.
• You don't have to go around school preaching about Jesus (it'd be pretty sweet though).  But definitely, if the topic is brought up, and you're in the middle of it, please don't deny it; try not to walk away intentionally; don't say things like, "Yeah, I go to Church, but it's nothing"; or things like "The Bible?  I don't get it either!" or "Jesus?  You can believe what you want..." with no follow up.
• A few very practical follow ups for almost any situation:  "Truthfully, I have no idea.  I'll have to find out."; "I don't understand it, but it's been good for me and others."; "The truth is, it's all about forgivness and saving lives."
• You all have friends or know people, I'm guessing, who already are Christians, or who at least like to discuss religious stuff.  When you're with them, you can slip in some questions or remarks about CHristian (if they're specifically Christian friends) religious (if they're just those people who like to discuss religious stuff in general) stuff, and this way, you and everyone else will start feeling more comfortable in general about this stuff while at school.
• But most of all: please remember, it's not about being religious.  It's not about going to church, reading the Bible, knowing all the answers.  As you're at school, just remember that it's all about Jesus wanting those kids and teachers to see His love.  They don't have to know His name, or go to Church, or read the Bible...they just need someone to show them love, and it can always be done without ever even having to say any religious words.  Trust me- be overly nice and sympathetic to those who are hurting or who are your enemies, and the reason why you're doing it will come out eventually without it being weird

Hope this helps. 
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[RAVENOUS]

1.) (required -> commandment) Wear Tzitzit (people ask questions = opportunity to share faith).
2.) (optional) Wear a Kippah (that gets them asking questions which = opportunity to share faith).
3.) (required) Understand that it is NOT your duty to prove the existence of the Almighty creator and sustainer of existence. It is merely your duty to teach about his moral path, as well as be an example of one walking that moral path. Again, it is NOT our scripture bound duty to prove he exists, merely to teach about him. So many youth do not understand this and get into heated arguments with people over whether he exists or not and this closes many hearts as many youths end up doing more damage than their enthusiastic hearts realize. This leads into #4...
4.) (required) YOU'RE NOT A TEACHER. DON'T THINK OF YOURSELF AS ONE. Discuss your beliefs and what makes you believe the way you do. Scripture warns about people wanting to become teachers. Don't even consider it until you have at least 5 SERIOUS years under your belt. If not, you'll one day look back and feel very guilty about the falsehoods you unknowingly taught other people. Not only this, but it is a sin.
5.) (optional) Step into a light debate a fellow believer is in. Sometimes that believer might not convey something clearly enough for the other person to understand.
6.) (required) Don't nod your head at something you hear in a debate that's wrong, even if its a fellow believer. Your first loyalty is to the truth (as far as you know it), then to your fellow man. Don't deny your righteousness before the almighty merely because you don't want your friend or fellow believer to look bad. If you don't agree with them, don't nod, or try to delicately correct them. Never agree with falsehood.
7.) (optional -> recommended) Always take your time examining an argument and producing an answer. Even if this makes you look slow/retarded/whatever, you'll undoubtedly look better when you give a solid thought out answer instead of throwing anything and everything that breezes through your mind at someone with a question. There's been times when I've told the person, "that's a good argument/question, I'll have to think about it" and came back after thinking it all the way through for a week with a better answer than if I had just thrown one at them five seconds after the question was asked.
8.) (optional -> recommended) Never view a discussion as a debate, view it as a discussion. Number seven started my "What to do in a DISCUSSION" as you should ALWAYS initially see every opposition based conversation as a discussion of ideas. Even when you think they are trying to debate with you, still think of it as a discussion until you are ready to commit to a debate. There's a difference. You see in a discussion you are under no personal pressure to prove your stance and you are free to disengage from the conversation at any time you want. When you commit yourself to a debate you automatically go in with the mentality that you are going to prove their ideology wrong and yours right more often than not. Later in your mature life you will start to see debates as discussions in addition to discussions as discussions and this will lift a weight and stress off your shoulders. This is a ways off for many youth as debate is what puts fire into so many rebellious bodies at the moment. Be mature.
9.) (optional -> recommended) LISTEN TO WHAT THE OTHER PERSON HAS TO SAY. No don't pretend to, don't act like you are to keep them talking, DO IT! Even if you don't agree, listen to every single word. A good rule of thumb is to ask at least three questions that help make their statement/question more specific. Only after this, commit it to your mental processes to chew on. Don't try to figure out a vague question, specifics help both you and that person walk away with something concrete and educated. Acting like you're listening, or listening to keep them talking makes you look stupid and is dishonest. As a messenger of the light it is excusable to be the former, but the latter is fully inexcusable. The Almighty honours TRUTH.
10.) Walk the talk that tells you how to walk. Help old people, volunteer for things that makes other people's lives easier, etc.

If you don't do #10, I will kill you. Period.

Just off the top of my head.

Peace

[Dreamer]

Wat is a Tzitzit and a Kippah?

[Rebekia]

Wat is a Tzitzit and a Kippah?

tzit tzit are braided fringes. Yeshua wore tzittzit on his garment...I think its what people reached out to touch on him...it's like a covenant with God for all to see.  Predominantly worn by men, but some females feel okay wearing them too. Usually you'll see them hanging near someones shirt or on their belt.

It's Deut: 22:12 is the scripture you can find about wearing them on the four corners of the centre of your body. It's a nice parallel with spreading the gospel to the four corners >.< and keeping Christ centre in your life.

Kippah is the name for male head covering in prayer or in a temple...sometimes left on anytime outside of the home. Spoken about in the old testatment. When Yeshua came, the headship shifted and men fall under Yeshuas head covering. The wife under the husbands. (this is spoken of in Pauls writings).

For a female her hair acts as her covering until shes married and should be long in length. After marriage during prayer, her head should be covered to show respect for her new headship given over to her husband as he falls under Christ. Her link to Christ is thru her husband. Showing a submissive role out of respect so her husband can dominant for the two of them. Verses on this are discussed in the old and new testament for a female. I can rally them up if you want them

[RAVENOUS]

Pretty much what Kia (vroom vroom!) said.

Tzitzit - Its clear from scripture than men are to wear them, even Yeshua wore them. Its a tassel that has at least one blue thread in it which is symbolic for the commandments and our obedience to them. In the NT the Pharisees were criticized for making their blue thread extremely long which was them trying to tell people they obey and are obedient more than everyone else. I'll bet few on this site could remember the verse from memory, which is a shame. Many long time Christians on this site as well more than likely. I find in many Christian forums that many commandments in the bible are great mysteries.

Kippah - Not required but many Messianic Christians wear them as an outward sign that the good lord is above them, and it reminds them that the Almighty is constantly there watching over them. At work I've gotten looks and questions. Many Christians misunderstand a kippah with the Muslim traditional beanie type head covering, but no Muslim will mistake a Kippah. Isn't that sad? The religious enemy of Christendom often understands and can point out what symbols mean easier than Modern Christians. I've even worn both of these and a youth in a youth group was asking me about it, and a Muslim friend of mine spoke up about what it meant.

Most Christians who are in high school more than likely NEVER set up passovers with their classmates. Sure they do a non-biblical thing and go stand up by a pole and say some prayers, but do they ever set up a biblical practice like Passover or Hannukah? Feast of Tabernacles? Purim? Never.

Arg it infuriates me to no end. I'll go before I start threatening to kill people again lol.

Peace

[beforHim]

Watch the movie "To Save a Life".  Jake was a totally normal, nonreligious kid.  Even after
"becoming" a Christian, he was still totally normal and nonreligious.  This movie shows how we can be Christans at school without fear of being "out there".

I realize that, after RAVENOUS posts about keeping commandments, anyone who sees this movie and takes RAVENOUS' posts as "gospel truth" will have to disagree with me.  I hope we can somehow get beyond this, but who knows. . .

[RAVENOUS]

Watch the movie "To Save a Life".  Jake was a totally normal, nonreligious kid.  Even after
"becoming" a Christian, he was still totally normal and nonreligious.  This movie shows how we can be Christans at school without fear of being "out there".

I realize that, after RAVENOUS posts about keeping commandments, anyone who sees this movie and takes RAVENOUS' posts as "gospel truth" will have to disagree with me.  I hope we can somehow get beyond this, but who knows. . .

I assume by "non religious" you are pointing more towards showy (empty) ritualistic practices, and not:

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:26-27

"Religious practices" are found all throughout 100% of the Christian populace. From bowing the head and praying with eyes closed, to wearing a cross hanging around the neck, even to having choir members standing up in white robes singing hymns to the divine power in the heavens. There are many more religious practices that outright distinguish saints from sinners. Very few people misunderstand what's going on in a school cafeteria when a student sits down, bows their head and prays with their hands folded, blessing the food before it is eaten. I find it odd how this, an implied commandment (scripture says to bless the food before and after eating it) can be distinguished as less religious than wearing tassels attached to the shirt (commandment says to wear them). Is it really so much of a difference that one is labeled okay and the other "religious"?

A religious practice is: "Performing a symbolic or real action, active or passive, that has religious meaning or origin." Until this is understood, "religious practice" will still be seen as bad, for many people will associate the word or terminology of "religion" with "empty ritual that means nothing". This is patently false because it is too limited a definition for such a general term as "religion" which is defined by the natural language of scripture to be something good, something meaning "a good structure of faith".

I don't know why agreeing with me would place someone in disagreement with you as we both (even the boy) have many numerous religious practices in our lives. Just some are rooted in scripture, and some are passed down from ma and pa. If you're making reference to following commandments, I don't know why we would disagree on that. Doing what the Almighty commands us to isn't something we should be disagreeing about.

On a last note, "religious practice" is good until we forget what that religious practice is remembering through symbolic action. It is THEN that it becomes empty tradition for the memory of what is to be remembered is forgotten and passes, leaving meaningless practice in its wake.

Peace

[beforHim]

I assume by "non religious" you are pointing more towards showy (empty) ritualistic practices, and not:

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:26-27

Yes, that's exactly what I mean.  Pretty cool.

"Religious practices" are found all throughout 100% of the Christian populace. From bowing the head and praying with eyes closed, to wearing a cross hanging around the neck, even to having choir members standing up in white robes singing hymns to the divine power in the heavens.

Again, exactly.  These things don't have to be done, and the movie shows how one can follow and love Christ without having to go through these traditional (as you say, ma and pa) motions.

I don't know why agreeing with me would place someone in disagreement with you as we both (even the boy) have many numerous religious practices in our lives.

Because, like you say lower in your post, you think we are commanded to keep all those commandments- I think we are not.  Or own position seems obvious to us both and we both see each others as lacking something.  This said. . .

I really hope youth can still read this post and not see two God fearing people as disagreeing, but instead can take the advice given here and go to school a confident Christian.

[RAVENOUS]

Because, like you say lower in your post, you think we are commanded to keep all those commandments- I think we are not.  Or own position seems obvious to us both and we both see each others as lacking something.  This said. . .

I really hope youth can still read this post and not see two God fearing people as disagreeing, but instead can take the advice given here and go to school a confident Christian.

As always, different folks, different strokes. At least you're not calling me a Pharisee or someone who thinks works replaces grace and that I'm under some bad bondage because I believe we should obey the good moral commandments delivered by the Almighty in both the OT and the NT... which is usually how a discussion of my beliefs with most Christians go. I get railed on time and time again and yet I don't bring the antinomian title out much anymore. It gets tiresome getting into fickle debates with people over it, and it really does create a dividing line in assemblies. It's been a while since I've defined my belief system due to the fact that I generally stay away from most debates, having not the time nor energy to fully commit to them. I miss it sometimes as it helps weed out errors both in my own ideals and those who debate with me. I learn stuff that way as well as I constantly am pushed to dive into writings such as Josephus and other Judaic historians. As a side effect, other people who discuss and debate things with me learn as well.

You seem like a good person to debate with, seeming to have good intelligence and common sense as well as a general mood of order and not zealotry. I'd like to open some light debates and have you take part in them. Not formal debates of course, nothing is accomplished like that.

Peace

[beforHim]

You're definitely not a pharisee, sorry you get that.  And I think it. . .Hume? . .who said had a quote that goes something like "debate amongst friends is what gets us truth".

-  -  -

We had a youth Bible study over the movie "To Save a Life".  Challenge cards are issued.  After just the first week amazing results are happening.  So, a good way to help yourself be true to your Christian life at school:
-Tell your youth pastor about the challenge idea.  Make various challenges, such as "say hi to 5 people you'd normally walk past", or "carry a bible to schol, not in your pockets".  Sme others might be "Say thank you to a teacher for being kind, for being real, for setting a good example, whatever", or "organize a prayer group in your school".  You can think of tons, and if you see them as challenges and your whole youth group gets in on it and your youth pastor helps you out, it can really be an incentive and can really work.