'Sadly, nonconformity is no longer regarded as a virtue. living by the divine contrariness of Jesus has been eliminated from our religious vocabulary. Instead, we have become domesticated to obey religious leaders who cannot cope with healthy diversity.' Charles Ringma

and yet...

...the vision I find in the New Testamant is that people are freed from sin and social expectations so that they can live boldly in the world.

...one of the powers that both Jesus and Paul sought to overcome was religious legalism.

...a the life of a disciple is surely about becoming more aware, more free, more capable of judging for ourselves and ultimately, of getting out of the crowd.