Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
I like your analogy. But it's important again to realize by ducks we mean "churches" not "Christians." All churches are part of the city church. None has a higher status nor standing.
There is another part of the analogy. Those are the ducks that call themselves ducks and claim to be be the only true ducks (let's call them "uber-ducks"), and claim because the other ducks don't call themselves ducks they are not really ducks. These uber-ducks also do not really recognize any other ducks even if they just call themselves ducks until those ducks agree to follow the uber-duck leader and agree to read and publish only the uber-duck leader's quacks. These uber-ducks also insist that all ducks who are truly ducks only quack a certain way. Any ducks who do not conform are declared to be false ducks. Uber-ducks also never cooperate or meet with with other ducks unless it serves some ulterior motive.
Obviously, in this analogy, the uber-ducks are LCM churches.
Recall again in this analogy that "ducks" are churches, not believers.
|
I like the duck analogy. Thanks for introducing it. Evangelicals' characterization applies to churches/groups even better than it does to individuals.
I have not encountered the "claim because the other ducks don't call themselves ducks they are not really ducks". Rather, it is one of the basic tenets of the local churches that ALL christians in a city are really members of the one church in that city. That is emphasized over and over. All are ducks essentially even if they call themselves chickens or turkeys.
Many and perhaps most of the ducks who call themselves ducks once thought they were chickens and turkeys. But then one day they chanced upon a pond with ducks who were apparently enjoying themselves thoroughly eating tasty plants, drinking fresh clear spring water, and living in a lush green garden. Then they realized that the chicken coop was no longer the place for them so they decided to take up residence in the duck pond. So pleased were they with their good fortune that they started to declare "Praise the Lord, we are ducks! We're so happy in this lovely place!"
That ruffled some feathers.