Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

16
A Crown of Thorns
1981
Despite our attempts at bridge-building, we encountered
growing opposition from some quarters. When the Christian
magazine, Buzz, visited the community in the autumn of 1980
they found us ‘hospitable, welcoming, and helpful’, but came
away with ‘a distinct unease’. ‘Over-modest women seemed
to hover in the background. They wear long dresses, no
makeup, no jewellery, nothing that can possibly be seen as
allowing a woman to make the best of herself.’ 65
Buzz disliked our caution about over-familiarity between
men and women, and criticized Noel’s authority. ‘The result
of his teaching’, they complained, ‘is that the whole community
acts as one.’
Unity was bad enough, but we also took the biblical command,
‘Love not the world’ too seriously. ‘So there is no TV,
radio or pop music. Nor are there the basic social pleasures
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