“......and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
And thank you that I’m not a legalist, as one of those who read their Bible and sincerely attempt to apply to their life.”
Oh, you couldn’t be more wrong (or judgmental) if you tried. We’re simply freed from the un-Biblical concepts of sola scriptura and private interpretation, and have chosen not to see bogeymen where they don’t exist.
By legalism, I mean the evangelical tendency to add extra-Biblical proscriptions against harmless activities.
Visit my parish just one Sunday. Nearly every Sunday, we hear sermons on living in accordance with the will of Christ, including: instruction on chastity, generosity/serving the less fortunate, the incompatibility of abortion and ESCR with Christianity, how to care for our families in the manner described in the Bible, how to focus our attention on worship every moment of every day, the importance of accepting Christ as our personal Lord and savior, how to stand up for Christian values regardless of the values pushed by secular culture, repentance and turning away from evil, humility (and you’re accusing me of the opposite, even though I’ve not exalted myself in any way in this thread), the need for prayer before action (and not as a last resort), and so on.
And you know what? I heard the same sermons for nearly a decade as an evangelical. So you’re a bit off-base in your analysis.