How to avoid the church hug

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Depleted

Guest
Dont have issues with kids or down's etc. The worst are the big bear hugs
from those who practically lift you out of your boots and sqiuish your boobs. Lol

I don't suppose men have that problem though. Lol


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15 cm. and and 83 kilos. 50/50 on who is lifting whom up for me. lol (If I hugged or could lift someone.)

Aren't you proud I converted? (I just hope I got it right, since it means nothing to me.)
 
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Depleted

Guest
Brutha Willaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! View attachment 145360
Of course Dude has a point. ;) We all have a point and we’re all entitled to our own understanding. But what about spiritual understanding?

In the mind of Christ we are to be above reproach... self-controlled… respectable… gentle… temperate… tolerant... patient… using restraint… not laying hands on any man suddenly… considering others… I think we can conclude that we should refrain from enforcing our rights onto others. Our flesh needs to be set aside for the spiritual truth. Doesn't it?

I’m not so concerned with asserting my own right to my private space as I am in reiterating the truth that we should consider those folks who are cautious about random hug-a-thons (of whom I am chief) :p. And let’s face it, not everybody who hugs you in a church building has pure thoughts. There’s plenty of hanky-panky in churches. It’s gotta start somewhere. I’m sure it starts with physical contact. We gotta be prudent and wise, ya know? Use our spiritual noodle. Hugging everyone without discretion invites trouble fo sho.

My 11 siblings and I are not only huggers, but kissers and arm-touchers. We are a physical contact bunch. LOL!
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My sons, my daughter & all of their friends literally hung on each other like the disciple John hung on Jesus. My family is not shy about loving one another and loving others. And the words “I love you” are included in any form of communication between us, written or audible.

By the same token, all of us are very respectful of other people’s personal space. If you were friends with any of my family members on Facebook, you’d see that 90% of their posts are regarding considering the rights of others (the unborn and abused animals included).

I think the problem here is the assumption that all the people on this thread are members of a particular religious establishment and have regular physical fellowship with that congregation. My son is on the worship team of the church where he attends and I visit there sometimes. However, I am not a regular member of any specific denomination or organized religion. For the past 10 or so years, I have been discipled by a godly leader who has been like Apostle Paul to countless others and me. We don’t all meet in a building. We talk on the phone, we write letters to one another, we visit each other whenever we can, and he faithfully teaches us online.

I walk by faith, not by sight. I have spiritual intimacy with my brothers & sisters on this site in Jesus Christ. I was drawn to love the Spirit of Jesus Christ in Melita before we ever met in person. I knew in my heart my son would love her, too. She's genuinely beautiful inside and out!

Who doesn’t appreciate hugs, kisses, touches, “I love you’s”? After all, God created us to give and receive love. But my right to be hugged or not isn’t as important as “not looking to our own interests but each of us to the interests of the others,” like it reads in Philippians, ya know?
You write letters? Like need envelopes and stamps?

Wow! We have a hold-out among us. (I haven't written a personal letter for the mail since the 1990's. lol)
 
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Miri

Guest
15 cm. and and 83 kilos. 50/50 on who is lifting whom up for me. lol (If I hugged or could lift someone.)

Aren't you proud I converted? (I just hope I got it right, since it means nothing to me.)
15cm is a mini midget. You would have to get down on bended ankle ;)
 
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Depleted

Guest
Yeah, a sneak up behind you and hug you kind of thing would be pretty weird.... especially for a woman...

Heck ..... even for ME. I'd probably jump away and be like Will Ferrill..... "hey man, I almost NUM CHUCKED you...."
Hubby and I both stopped in a convenience store at the same time. I was getting a soda out of the frig section, when he patted my bottom.

And that's when I learned how quick his reflexes were. I immediately swung my elbow back as hard and fast as I could and missed him. lol
 
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Depleted

Guest
Oh must tell this.

We had a bit of a fund raising event at work two years ago. A man on our team
said that if people would donate £20 he would eat an entire raw garlic bulb.

Anyway people gave left right and centre so he ate the garlic, nearly choked
himself in the process and gagged a lot.

Trouble is no one would go near his desk for a week he stank of garlic and also
every time he caughed, belched or even breathed in the direction of the man
next to him, his colleague almost passed out!

The office must have gone through a tin of air fresher a day. Goodness knows
what his poor wife thought when he got home, I bet he did not get any hugs!

So funny though - now we know why vampires don't like garlic!

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Whatever his wife thought, she thought it at the other end of their home. lol
 
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Depleted

Guest
15cm is a mini midget. You would have to get down on bended ankle ;)
Whoops. Missed the 7 in the middle.

175!


(I told you it meant nothing to me. I didn't even notice I missed. lol)
 
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AuntieAnt

Guest
You write letters? Like need envelopes and stamps?

Wow! We have a hold-out among us. (I haven't written a personal letter for the mail since the 1990's. lol)
ROFL!! No, we email letters to one another. But I sure do miss the hand-written kind on pretty stationery, don't you? :eek:
 

kodiak

Senior Member
Mar 8, 2015
4,995
290
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really...its a hug...it aint that serious
just seems kinda petty to freak out over simple thing as a hug...unless you have OCD
I really didn't want to have to bring this up, but you do realize there are medical conditions where people are not allowed to hug, right? A simple hug or handshake is enough to kill people with low/no immune system. So to some, yeah it is serious.
 
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AuntieAnt

Guest
I really didn't want to have to bring this up, but you do realize there are medical conditions where people are not allowed to hug, right? A simple hug or handshake is enough to kill people with low/no immune system. So to some, yeah it is serious.
Kodiak, I have a very dear Christian friend who was abused so badly in the past that she can't even wear a wristwatch or bracelets because it feels too restricting and triggers her PTSD. I tried to warn another friend who kept hugging her against her will. One day she literally boxed him in the face with both her fists and he finally got the message. Sad but true story.
 
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jennymae

Guest
And then there is them old guys hugging you a bit longer than necessary while saying "I shoulda been 30 years younger";p
 

sharkwhales

Senior Member
Jan 31, 2016
280
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to be fair, it'd be great if I knew everyone at church and had a strong enough relationship to where a hug made sense. Ideally you would feel a connection to all the people and express it some way. I bet it's like that in heaven. But we aren't there yet, it takes time and can't be forced.
 

melita916

Senior Member
Aug 12, 2011
10,464
2,692
113
years ago, a guy started going to our church. he hugged everybody. seriously. everybody! so it didn't surprised me when he would hug me cuz that's just who he is. i expected it so i was prepared lol.

but it was a problem for someone else. a dude told guy to not hug dude's girlfriend. of course, guy respected and didn't hug her again. idk if it was a jealousy thing. maybe not.
 

Dude653

Senior Member
Mar 19, 2011
12,668
1,098
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You thought something of it, or you wouldn't remember it.
Dont try that with me. Apparently youre the one with a dirty mind. Dont disrespect me or my pastors wife. Depleted is a fitting name for you as apparently you are depleted of class.
 
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ember

Guest
[video=youtube;j9kKvNYNo6Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9kKvNYNo6Q&ebc=ANyPxKoL7ch1EaQs10TPjPuJ_V v0OywgNHxfN_i2TzeFUskWP[/video]
well I really like that song...but I am having a disconnect re the hugs....:confused:

besides Brian is Canadian !
 
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AuntieAnt

Guest
Dont try that with me. Apparently youre the one with a dirty mind. Dont disrespect me or my pastors wife. Depleted is a fitting name for you as apparently you are depleted of class.
Dude, nobody said anything about it being dirty or even wrong. You thought something of it meaning it wasn't a simple hug. And though it was not a big deal to you, you noted it. That's all I believe Depleted was saying. Please don't cut her down like that.
 
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Depleted

Guest
ROFL!! No, we email letters to one another. But I sure do miss the hand-written kind on pretty stationery, don't you? :eek:
Whew! And yeah, although toward the end I did family newsletters on DTP programs. (It's been so long ago, I can't even do that anymore.)
 
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coby

Guest
Dude, nobody said anything about it being dirty or even wrong. You thought something of it meaning it wasn't a simple hug. And though it was not a big deal to you, you noted it. That's all I believe Depleted was saying. Please don't cut her down like that.
Yes, it's like I remember that a man hugged me. It was a once in a lifetime experience, that's why I remember. Can't remember everyone I kissed though, that's so totally normal.