Your reason is not for reinterpreting black and white statements into something more to your liking. Jesus didn't say 'take what I said or make it up as you go - all the same thing..' It is God's word - not that of Jesus or of the Apostles but God's. It is HIS message that was delivered to us. And none of us has the authority to change what he has said nor the wisdom to second guess Him. That is your error - you think you have some right to change what his word says if you so choose. You think it's just some fancy club apparently where the rules don't really matter - it's the company. That isn't Christianity. It may be Catholicism; but, it's plain obvious which of us is following what. You reject and contest the Apostles time after time and pretend that you keep to their words because you have some creed that says you do. How pathetic is that. I really wish you could wake up to it, Dave. You're far too intelligent not to understand the errors you espouse. Perhaps too smart for you're own good. Maybe you should stop playing in philosophy and try trusting God's word instead. But the scripture is prophetic in saying that for those who come to knowledge and are led astray it is better that they had never learned at all.
SD