Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
We have to break the denominations down and abolish them. We cannot on the one hand say the denominationalism is wrong and on the other hand support to maintain their existence.
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Evangelical's first sentence reminds me of Marx vis-a-vis Capitalism, in which Marx pointed out the many flaws, and proposed his "everybody owns everything" alternative. One worker's paradise, coming right up.
Or Pol Pot replacing Prince Sihanouk, who was admittedly corrupt and a poor ruler. But the "new and improved" was actually a charnel house, a killing field.
And Witness Lee with his Great Leap Forward-esque New Moves every few years was more similar than you'd think, if you look at it. Glorious church life; just don't look too deeply, and whatever you do, don't ask any questions!
Quote:
Originally Posted by leastofthese
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Here's a quote by Piper that is salient:
"So, it seems to me that all of us who are Christians need to decide how we will do our part to minimize the lamentable divisions and not be paralyzed or utopian in our view of the inevitability of divisions until Jesus comes back. It seems to me that top-down efforts at global unity inevitably lay claim to powers that belong only to Jesus. And I think you can see that in the Roman Catholic Church."
I like how Piper says, "It seems to me. . " and "I think" versus presuming one final truth for all, based on his logic and a few verses.
And another reason for being in a "Baptist" church is that at least you know, more or less, what you're getting doctrinally. These "Oh, we're just Christians" folks will suck you in, and then you find out about the Deputy God, and all the hidden extras. If you go to the Baptist church you probably won't find someone saying, "The age of the word is over; it's now the age of the Spirit", as they explain away plain scripture, laying groundwork for the "Lord Changshou" and "Three Grades of Servant" and "Eastern Lightning" heresies. The Baptists and Lutherans, for all their lacks, at least have tried to stay (mostly) in the rudiments of the faith. How many cults have the Baptists spawned? Probably fewer than the LC.