Complicated

One of the best and worst things that has ever happened for me in dealing with scripture is being an English major. My major was more than books and grammar-- for me it was a chance to learn how to read critically. I have been making my way through the book of Romans. Today I arrived at chapter fourteen, especially verse fourteen and following:
"I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unlcean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit... Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." It is an interesting passage that I have used for several types of moral issues-- drinking, foul language, watching rated-R movies, and any of those fuzzy gray moral issues.
My question is this-- Isn't this passage just talking about the ceromonies that new Jewish Christians were still practicing, even though the new law of love did not require ceremonies and the abstaining from certain foods and meats? This seems to be talking about the differences between how Jewish Christian and Gentile Christians behaved differently. If so, this has nothing to do with different types of Church services, if someone wants to have a beer at a baseball game, if it is acceptable to use one of the Seven Bad Words, etc. The stumbling block (vs. 13) has to do with the left-overs of Jewish practices. It is a dangerous question, because it asks at what point is this just a commentary on the circumstances back then.
I am not sure, but at least we have a Guide to help us, and the fact that Romans is a difficult book to study.

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