[jude24]

Perhaps you did not read the explicit text of the explanations - one who does not believe it, yet who partakes of the sacrament, is condemned to hell.

If you grant sacramentalism (I do not, though I confess it arose quite early in Christianity -- probably ~100-200 AD), and you take this text, well, what other conclusion can you come to?

If you believe that, when the priest stands and recites, "This is my body, which was broken for you," that it actually becomes the literal Body of Christ, well, of course it follows that someone like you or I, who do not believe that it is in essence the Body of Christ (but rather a memorial symbol, according to the Calvinist hermaneutic), then, if we partake of that Sacrament, not discerning the Lord's Body, then we do eat and drink judgment upon ourselves.

What they teach regarding the guarding of the Sacraments logically follows from what they believe about Transubstantiation. If you want to discuss transubstantiation, that's cool -- there's a fertile ground for debate there. But don't take personal offense at the teaching. They're just being consistant.

Furthermore, I don't think I could just waltz into certain Protestant churches and partake in Communion. I know of some denominations that require you to be cleared by their elders first, so as to "guard the Lord's Table."

[Kevin Curry]

I have long believed that the parable of the wheat and the tares offers insight into the dangers of ecumenicism. The Church fully formed after the ressurection of Christ was of a single Spirit, but the enemy soon sowed discord within it to try to destroy it. Over the centuries factions have spilt and yielded dozens of new factions, each with its limited vision as "peering through a glass darkly." None can see clearly or well enough to separate all error from truth.

So until the One comes to reign who can accomplish this separation perfectly, it is best for the believer to find and remain fully satisfied in his place, living as faithfully as limited vision permits.

Of a necessity that will mean resisting external pressures of ecumenicism. For ecumenicism undertaken or forced by men will NOT yield church of original purity, but a field of chaos, uncertainty, and mewling mediocrity.

[lugsoul]

No - your point relies on one interpretation of the passage from 11 Corinthians. First, it seems far from clear that "not discerning the body" means, and must only mean, "not believing in a physical transformation of bread and wine into Body and Blood." It could just as easily mean that one is taking the sacrament without belief in Christ or that the performance of the ritual in remembrance of him is a sacramental effort. Also, that is not the only translation of the phrase. I have also seen "not rightly judging the body" and "not honoring the Body of Christ" etc. These could easily mean something other than belief in transubstantiation.

BTW - if it is really physical presence, what does "Do this in remembrance of me" mean? Why is it in remembrance if He is physically present?

[lugsoul]

One more thing - as to your point about certain Protestant churches - I have already stated that I feel exactly the same way about those practices.