I think the RC’s hereon are teaching me something I hadn’t realized quite clearly before . . .
a RELIGION founded by folks
rather full of themselves
convinced
that ITS PARTICULAR FETID PILE OF DOCTRINES OF MAN ARE ESSENTIALLY THE ONLY WAY
WILL NATURALLY TEND TO COLLECT, cultivate, train, embellish
SHEEPLE who are also
rather full of themselves.
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Did the RabidCalvnists and ForeSquare Ahoy! and Unitarian member’s hereon teach you something I hadn’t realized quite clearly before? . . .
a RELIGION founded by folks like Sister Aimee McPherson or G. Machen (OPC)
rather full of themselves
convinced
that ITS PARTICULAR FETID PILE OF DOCTRINES OF MAN (
WILL NATURALLY TEND TO COLLECT, cultivate, train, embellish
SHEEPLE who are also
rather full of themselves.
-
In the Bible, "tongues" always mean languages that really exist or existed. Only the apostles and some of those converted by their ministry spoke in tongues. Generally speaking, the sign-gifts are limited to the apostles (apart from the Lord, of course).In contrast, the strange noises made by various sham pent-e-coastl groups like oinks, gargling etc. are NOT languages of this world, most are made up, some sound demonic. How can you compare this sham "speaking in oinks" to true, Apostolic speaking in tongues?
Speaking in tongues is only described in the book of Acts, in the three times when new groups of believers were introduced into the Assembly (or Church) -- the Jews in ch. 2, the Gentiles in ch. 10, and the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19:6. The apostles spoke in different LANGUAGES (actual human, understandable languages), without asking for it
ACTS 2
4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Fantastic, Quix! But of COURSE, it only makes sense that in order to gather together people who would march step in step straight down the broad path and through the broad gate, singing and arms locked together in complete unison and blindness, an organization would have to believe without a doubt that they have obtained complete authority and control.
What better way than to blow these people full of self-importance and 'pious' acts of 'holiness' that only serve to appeal to the carnal, outer man. Appeal to the senses, make them feel special, and 'unlike the OTHERS' and you have a group that will not only go willingly, but without any TRUE knowledge of EXACTLY why. They don't know without a doubt WHAT they believe, WHY they believe it, or WHERE they are headed. And yet, they ignore the only way to double check their destiny before they arrive.
Want to check the map?
'NOPE, I'm on the right path. It FEELS right. And why should I? There are so many of us, we cannot be wrong... that's how we know we are right, dontcha know, our numbers. And we've always been around, from the beginning...poets, and artists, and the greatest minds that have ever lived are on this path..God will be so glad to us home from the great fight we have fought for Him...and her, and them, and the others..we're just so proud of our work on His behalf..oh, and our suffering, too, always our suffering.."
Here's a guy all full of himself:
A sermon of Pope St Gregory the Great
For the love of Christ I do not spare myself in preaching him
‘Son of man, I have appointed you as watchman to the house of Israel.’ Note that Ezekiel, whom the Lord sent to preach his word, is described as a watchman. Now a watchman always takes up his position on the heights so that he can see from a distance whatever approaches. Likewise whoever is appointed watchman to a people should live a life on the heights so that he can help them by taking a wide survey.
These words are hard to utter, for when I speak it is myself that I am reproaching. I do not preach as I should nor does my life follow the principles I preach so inadequately.
I do not deny that I am guilty, for I see my torpor and my negligence. Perhaps my very recognition of failure will win me pardon from a sympathetic judge. When I lived in a monastic community I was able to keep my tongue from idle topics and to devote my mind almost continually to the discipline of prayer. Since taking on my shoulders the burden of pastoral care, I have been unable to keep steadily recollected because my mind is distracted by many responsibilities.
I am forced to consider questions affecting churches and monasteries and often 1 must judge the lives and actions of individuals; at one moment I am forced to take part in certain civil affairs, next I must worry over the incursions of barbarians and fear the wolves who menace the flock entrusted to my care; now I must accept political responsibility in order to give support to those who preserve the rule of law; now I must bear patiently the villainies of brigands, and then I must confront them, yet in all charity.
My mind is sundered and torn to pieces by the many and serious things I have to think about. When I try to concentrate and gather all my intellectual resources for preaching, how can I do justice to the sacred ministry of the word? I am often compelled by the nature of my position to associate with men of the world and sometimes I relax the discipline of my speech. If I preserved the rigorously inflexible mode of utterance that my conscience dictates, I know that the weaker sort of men would recoil from me and that I could never attract them to the goal I desire for them. So I must frequently listen patiently to their aimless chatter. Because I am weak myself I am drawn gradually into idle talk and I find myself saying the kind of thing that I didn’t even care to listen to before. I enjoy lying back where I once was loath to stumble.
Who am I — what kind of watchman am I? I do not stand on the pinnacle of achievement, I languish rather in the depths of my weakness. And yet the creator and redeemer of mankind can give me, unworthy though I be, the grace to see life whole and power to speak effectively of it. It is for love of him that I do not spare myself in preaching him.