To eyeline or not to eyeline, that is the question.

[BlueGothKitten]

Okay...
I really don't think this is a discussion anybody can "win"...but...
I do consider myself "goth"...and it isn't that huge of a thing. I mean, I wear black lipstick, plish, liner, the works...and other people wear big flowery skirts and shirts that advertise states and fictional products. If you ask me, that's really wierd. Most of my friends are non-goth. It's more important to ACT like a christian, rather than conform to some standard taht it only going to change in the next few years, anyway. "Goth" doesn't mean you're depressed, EVIL, or suicidal. Goths may think about things that other people usually don't-like death or dying (as in the article) but that doesn't make them any worse than other people! And most goths I've ever talked to have been actually pretty nice people, if you try to get to know them. Everyone has their own style, and goth is just another style of dress. I've actually had some trouble with "christians" (yeah, i don't know if they are or not..they might be, but they don't act like it...that's not for me to say, though) who have given me a really hard time about how I dress. I don't understand why it's such a big deal. I like my clothes...they aren't scanty, etc...and I'll let other people wear what they want to...being a Christian is not based on how you look
Look at John the baptist- camel hair clothing...come on! That wasn't quite the norm...christians tend to be wierd people, anyway...listen to the song "Jesus Freak" by DC Talk. Many Christian bands dress strangely and have a great witness- e.g. skillet!

[Bunny]

Yes. By dressing goth you will hurt your witness with some people, but you will open doors with others. Goth kids need to meet Christ as well, perhaps more so with some of them, and they are resistant to the kind of Christian the folks you mentioned are demanding you emulate. Take the message to all who will listen to you. Leave the rest to someone else. That sounds harsh, but you can not lead everyone to Christ. It won't happen.

I meant to comment on this a bit earlier. It seems I have a bad habit of thinking my responses instead of saying them. You've had some great advice but if I may elaborate on the quote a bit:

For whatever reason, God seems to lead me to the loners and the hurting. In my Spanish class last year, I found myself permenantly seated next to a guy that could easily fit in the "gothic" category. It was a well-known fact that he was a Wiccan as well as a druggie and although he knew I was a Christian, he would talk to me about his experiences in both areas. At first, I think he just wanted to shock me into condemning him but after awhile he understood that I never would. Towards the end of the semester he really started to open up to me and tell me about his family life because he knew I had compassion for him. I remember another one of my friends coming up to me one day and telling me how strange he thought it was that I actually talked to him and that he talked back.

Stereotyping can be one of the largest enemies to effective witnessing but compassion breaks image barriers. If Christ wants to communicate with someone through you, He will and no standard can stop that.

[Danyasaur]

Stereotyping can be one of the largest enemies to effective witnessing but compassion breaks image barriers.

I echo that.

Anyways, I'm not good with telling storys that well so bear with e here, but, I have a friend that likes to dress dark, the whole black makeup and piercings everywhere, dark hair, dark everything pretty much. At first glance you'd probly say "what a weirdo goth". BUT, that girl has to be the most, loving, caring, on fire for Jesus girl I've ever met. She's a girl affter my own heart, she's so on fire for Christ man that the first time she talked to me, all the critiscism on her clothes, the way she looks, everything, it was gone dude. She's one of the greatest examples for me of what the christian walk should be like.

So what I'm trying to get to is, God doesn't witness to people through your clothes dude, He witnesses through YOU. He witnesses through your heart, through the example you set, through your life style. through YOU.

anyways, it isn't much, but that's my two cents.