Quote:
Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah
This is the conclusion I came to long ago, our experiences in the LC were not that strange or unique. Based on the book of James and other NT references WL is not unique, you can see this same error repeatedly throughout church history. WL and WN were false Christ's, they made this the case when they began teaching about MOTA.
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Oh! but boy there's more brother, that's not new under the sun, that we LCers can relate to.
Pope Clement was riling about Valentinus, a Gnostic at the turn of the century. Valentinus had no problem agreeing with orthodox teachings and doctrines. He just applied them to the God that is/was higher than the creator law-giver God.
But that's not my point. Clement was pushing the authority of God on the earth, represented by a hierarchy of pope, bishops, priests, and deacons.
This, around the turn of the century, when Revelation was written, was the first known demarcation between the clergy and the laity. Ring a bell?
But there's more. The orthodox only allowed the above to officiate meetings. While the churches of Valentinus had no such officials. Cuz each of them were considered gifted with the Spirit, and gnosis, any one of them could officiate. At each meeting, they drew lots. They were criticized for that practice. But the Gnostics believed that God was in control of everything, and so was also in control of the lots. Lots were cast to select the replacement of Judas, btw.
What I think should be familiar to us LCer's is that, there were no clergy in the LC -- so taught, and bragged about -- just like Valentinus.
Was Lee a Gnostic?