Changing attitudes about "worldliness" in the LC.

[Awoken]

I notice that a lot of the posters here are from the earlier era of the LC, i.e. the 60's through the 80's. From what I have read the idea of "worldliness" back in those days was pretty closely tied to the use of material things and also with popular culture. It probably also had a lot to do with denominational practices and standards (that, at least, has not changed too much).

From my own experience of this group, today "worldly" has a different meaning when used in the context of LC meetings, although not entirely separate. At least from what I have witnessed, going out to movies, sharing memes from current popular culture (particularly via internet social media), and such was not particularly frowned upon. This is especially true amongst the younger generation, although in recent trainings I have heard about young saints engaging in worldly things during training breaks and coming back smelling of "garlic and onions". That does seem like a pretty big allusion to popular culture. On the other hand, one of the elders in the church where I regularly met even went to a location near here which celebrates Christmas very openly and took his kids to a Christmas-themed store. I am not sure if this means there are just growing "avante garde" attitudes or if it is possibly because I am located in the industrial belt and this area is considered more "fallen" or what. I think the idea of "worldliness" in the LC has become much more closely tied to the systems that distract from Christ - i.e., an obsession with worldly ventures and entertainment, religion without reality, et cetera. To me this actually seems pretty reasonable, although it may not match the thinking of those in the highest echelons of the LC. Of course, at least for me - I cannot judge for others - part of the problem is that the doctrine and mind-control aspects of the LC became part of my own "world" without me ever realizing it. Oops.

I guess the problem in either situation is a departure from simplicity and simple faith, but just taken to opposite extremes. If avoiding everything that contradicts doctrine becomes your faith - and not Jesus - your faith becomes avoidance, not seeking. Regardless, I wonder whether anyone else who was in the LC more recently than three decades ago noticed any such shift, or whether this is just my imagination and personal/subjective experience of things.