[Cal]

In the first place, we have to make some assumptions about what church is, since the Bible doesn't tell us everything. So of course I've made some. I could not do otherwise.

Second, the balance of being under authority and personal choice is always going to be a dynamic in human life. It's not going to go away or be solved because we've taken these questions to their conclusion, because there is no conclusion.

Some people are going to run with what their leadership says, whether it's protesting a movie or giving money. Some people are going to withhold compliance to such directives. Who is right and who isn't is not so easy to say. Which is why we have to respect other people's choices. The LC made these things a matter of life and death. They aren't.

A person who is truly submitted to God doesn't have a big problem with authority because he doesn't fear men yet still has a heart to cooperate with other Christians for God's interests. He takes his cues from God. Sometimes God says obey and sometimes he says don't worry about it. That's my experience anyway.

We are not going to come up with an ultimate answer here for how authority and personal choice are supposed to be balanced in the church. What we can know is they are to in some way balance. There is some authority and there is some choice. How that plays out is a living dynamic on a case by case basis, not a formula.

But I would say that in the church I attend it doesn't present itself as a problem, and if it did I would just find another place to attend.

JMHO.