Quote:
Originally Posted by Parkview_Pirate
It took me a long time to realize that I needed to separate a person's actions from their proclaimed faith, as it was illogical to toss Christianity to the curb for the transgressions of a few bad apples. Slick Willy Clinton, a despicable human being six days a week, got a free "reset" at his local Baptist church on Sundays, but that hardly means all Baptists are like him. But I freely admit I used the hypocrisy of some to denounce organized religion across the board - which I know longer do (or at least try not to).
I have read the Bible several times, though the translated versions might not meet every scholar's approval (King James, Good News). While I did not get the impression that Jesus or the Apostles were "forcing" believers to follow them, certainly the framework of what was required to obtain salvation was clearly laid out - and therefore vulnerable to "controllers" and zealots machinations, and then used for their purposes.
But let's keep in mind other religious figures, like Lao Tzu, Confucius and others also promoted their views on faith in a very humble manner. Others have not been so humble, and were/are definitely self-serving. How a faith is "practiced" is not necessarily the same as a person's belief system, and that applies to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, the Eastern faiths, and even - atheism.
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This is why the bible teaches that the Church has only ONE head -- Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Shepherd. Pastors and elders of a local congregation are
under-shepherds. First and foremost, Christians are to submit themselves to Christ's authority and then to the authority of his under-shepherds only as their teaching and instruction is in agreement with the Chief Shepherd's. Does a ship have many captains? An aircraft, many pilots? An army, many generals? Likewise, Christ's church has only one Captain -- and his marching orders are in scripture for all to see!
