[xzins]

Theologian Leander S. Harding says, "The quintessential American Religion is the quest for the true and original self. Finding the true self requires absolute and complete freedom of choice unconstrained by any sources of authority outside the self. … When the self determining self finds 'the real me' salvation is achieved and the ultimate self has achieved contact with the ultimate reality."

Human theology leads to this perversity.

Scripture leads to truth and unity among believers.

[GirlShortstop]

We now see its flowering in the Christian gay culture, in which gays feel they will "wither and die" (as one homoerotic bishop recently put it) if they cannot express their sexuality.

Looks as though the homoerotic bishop and others are having a tough time with Scripture comprehension.

1 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. 2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." 5 But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, `God made them male and female.' 7 `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Jesus sets the high ideal of the married state before those who are willing to accept his commands. Jesus, likewise sets the high ideal for those who freely renounce marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 19:12). Both marriage and celibacy are calls from God to live a consecrated life, that is to live as married couples or as singles who belong not to themselves but to God. Our lives are not our own, but they belong to God. He gives the grace and power to those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life.    Mark 10 - commentary and meditation

[megatherium]

It seems the division between the liberal wing and conservative (traditional theology) wing of each of the mainline churches is greater than the divisions between the mainline churches. I can imagine traditionalists banding together in one organization, and the liberals of the various churches banding together in their own organization.

Clearly, traditional lines of authority have fallen to pieces; no church (except perhaps the Roman Catholic Church) has an intact, functioning mechanism for preserving traditional beliefs and teachings. Homosexuality is a touchstone issue (conservatives understand what liberals do not: encouraging homosexuality is the opposite of being compassionate). But deeper issues divide the churches -- the authority of the Scriptures and the reality of the Resurrection.

[Unam Sanctam]

Religious truth is more important than corporate unity.

[P-Marlowe]

I don't think its a good idea. Once the apostates take over 1/2 of the church property, they will infiltrate the ranks of the conservative churches and then seek to steal the other half as well. These apostates are picking off the lukewarm churches one at a time and creating new lukewarm churches while chasing away conservatives and true believers.

If these denominations are to survive, they have to fight to cleanse the whole church of the apostates, not surrender half the property to them. Compromise is the earmark of the Laodedean Church.

[William Terrell]

One's true self can under no circumstances be homosexuality, which contradicts the entire physical paradigm of mamalian life on Earth.

[JockoManning]

read later.

[chesley]

That's why I'm a Baptist. We have no trouble at all in "going our separate ways". But, and this is the important question, will the liberals let the conservative go? Because they don't just want to run their own lives, but yours, too. and they truly hate it when the bodies and the money goes away.