Casting Mental Stones?

This little chameleon thinks he's blending in.

We shouldn't be surprised when unbelievers hate us - even our own parents, sister or brother. The best thing is to keep on praying for them. Though, when Christian brothers and sisters give "cold shoulders" and snub us, we are saddened, because we expect more. Right. More often than not my first reaction is to get all, WELL, HOW COULD THEY? And, think about snubbing right back. But, we are told to "love one another" and I usually do remember in time or eventually.

Believers today seem just as prone as those of another age to "nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition." And, Jesus is still telling us, "they worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Matthew 15:6b & 9
"Do not handle! Do not taste... human commands and teachings." Colossians 2:21-23

I had a few pounds of jaboticabas a friend left after a gathering recently, as well as bananas in the freezer, so the answer to the excess was, yes - banana-jaboticaba wine (bubbling away at the moment). This might offend some, but wouldn't that be putting a denominational ruling or tradition before scripture? My divorced friend is also looked at with disfavor, by some sorts of Christians, despite the fact it was because of marital infidelity and abuse. And, many of those same tradition-bound believers will cave in to the latest "scientific" ruling on the age of the earth, six day creation, the flood, or various psychiatric findings, regardless of what God's Word says. So, isn't it just as bad to try and blend in with a denomination as with the world at large? Ah... the inconsistency of man. I need to keep my Christian coloration, no matter the background. You knew there would be a connection with the lizard on the banana tree, right?