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To: adiaireton8
Anti-institutionalism of the sort you are advancing is a form of Protestantism. It is the natural development of Protestantism, and can be found in the Anabaptist tradition of Protestantism (think of Quakers, Brethren, etc.). So, we don't need an additional category of the sort you suggest. It is covered by Protestantism.

AU CONTRAIRE!

I believe Romanism is much MORE the anti-institutional organization in the sense that it takes what GOD has ordained, what God has instituted--in terms of the operations of groups of believers--and kills it--murders it--tortures it to death; stifles it; smothers it; bloodies it; proscribes it; trashes it; . . .

Romanism takes I Cor 14 and essentially attempts to squeeze the life out of all such by demanding sometimes very strict kowtowing to a rigid set of man made rules and interpretations not unlike those of the RELIGIOUS rulers of Jesus' earthly days . . . and then sets about administering human, organizational punishments accordingly--quite independent of what God is or isn't doing with the individuals concerned.

Thankfully, there are small pockets here and there within the Roman institution which allow God's Spirit to flow reasonably unchecked AS HE WILL. Else there'd likely be no anointing or true witness of God within the whole organization.

1,426 posted on 10/25/2006 2:03:40 PM PDT by Quix (LET GOD ARISE AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED. LET ISRAEL CALL ON GOD AS THEIRS! & ISLAM FLUSH ITSELF)
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To: Quix
I believe Romanism is much MORE the anti-institutional organization in the sense that it takes what GOD has ordained, what God has instituted--in terms of the operations of groups of believers--and kills it--murders it--tortures it to death; stifles it; smothers it; bloodies it; proscribes it; trashes it; . . .

That's not my experience as a Catholic. I am deeply moved in my soul at every mass. I find it to be extremely enriching, edifying, and profoundly beautiful. I sit in the very front, and after I partake, I kneel in prayer and I keep hearing the priest say over and over, "the body of Christ", as each person receives the Eucharist. I hear Christ given to each person; I hear Christ giving Himself to each person; I hear the body of Christ all around me, every beautiful person of all races and ages, all joined together by that act on Calvary and in that act on Calvary, all united in our love for Christ and sharing in His act of self-giving. I have never experienced anything more spiritually edifying and upbuilding in my entire life. In the Eucharist, I experience the love of Christ, that love than which no love is greater, the love shown in His giving up of His very body and blood for my salvation. In the Eucharist I am made a fellow participant in the sufferings of Christ; as I receive His body and blood I am so brought into union with Him that I feel as though I am also encountering His sufferings, the sufferings for which and by which my sins are removed. In the Eucharist I am raised up with Christ to where He is; I am assured of the resurrection of my body and life everlasting joined mysteriously but truly to He who is Life Itself. In confession I am confronted with the gentleness and patience of Christ whose mercy is without limit. In Catholicism, particularly the mass and the sacraments, I encounter the living Christ, and am deeply and truly blessed and raised up in my faith and my love for God. The Catholicism you describe is not the Catholicism I have experienced.

-A8

1,435 posted on 10/25/2006 2:35:48 PM PDT by adiaireton8 ("There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse." - Plato, Phaedo 89d)
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