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To: ovrtaxt
But the obvious answer is so much simpler than he makes it. The true church is the corporate body of individual believers.

And that relieves his vocational quandry, how?

I've long maintained a simple answer, as often as not, shows a lack of understanding the question.

Jesus said something very simple- 'wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in their midst.'

Fine, you've established Jesus is in their midsts: and little else. If such passages were so simple, we'd be overrun with "two or three in agreement" lottery winners!

Here's my contention- if we gather together...etc.

The experience of several thousand denominations says you're wrong.

As for me and my family...etc.

That's all very nice, but if your gathetings were the spiritual equivalent of little girls playing "tea party," who or what has the authority to convince you of it?

And this type of ecclesia produces spiritual independence-

What make you sure that's a good thing?

we rely on Jesus Himself rather than some man or institution who presumes to insert himself between the Bridegroom and His bride.

This is what Sartre called "bad faith." You are playing an active role in the situation, yet denying it. You can't have it both ways and maintain credibility.

If this arrangemet sounds 'risky', as if we're going to go off the deep end (a common argument), ask yourself this-- do you really trust the Holy Spirit...

The Holy Spirit isn't at issue: you are. Nutty cults never start out being nutty.

71 posted on 03/25/2008 5:30:04 AM PDT by papertyger (changing words quickly metastasizes into changing facts -- Ann Coulter)
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To: papertyger

Right. Have fun with your religion.


75 posted on 03/25/2008 5:50:15 AM PDT by ovrtaxt (Member of the irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; wmfights; fortheDeclaration
Nutty cults never start out being nutty.

Perhaps often technically true.

But the RC edifice nutty cult sure turned that way rather rapidly . . . not long after rearing it's head in AD 300-400 in various lording it over other Christians of the era . . . and it's gotten worse and worse and nuttier and nuttier ever since.

86 posted on 03/25/2008 6:37:16 AM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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