All who profess faith in Christ alone are part of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is an organism not an organization. The Catholic Church position that it alone is the body of Christ or even the true "church" is an fallacy.
>>It's as if we were just inert elements of despicable flesh floating around out here, not needing each other and not in constant and vital contact with each other and with Our good Lord.<<
You will not find one true follower of Christ to ascribe to that statement. True followers of Christ alone not only need each other but are drawn by the Holy Spirit to fellowship with each other and do that. The Catholic concept of what that is contradicts the very words of scripture.
>>It is inexplicable to me, this failure to discern His Body.<<
Amen to that. We constantly are amazed at the carnal understanding of the Catholic. They have been misled into believing that body is the Catholic Church a view totally unsupported by scripture. No religion incorporating pagan beliefs, rituals, symbols, and vestments could possibly be considered the body of Christ per scripture.
>>It is a loss, since I would rather keep some semblance of friendship with you.<<
As would it with you. I am advised in scripture however to avoid those who practice paganism. I can only continue to point out the errors of Catholicism.
This is the advice if we want to inherit Messiah's kingdom, which one will not do by hating His Catholic brethren, or his nonCatholic brethren ? Profession of faith in Christ is not sufficient. Do you concur ? Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.