sojourner
Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
lunamoth said:I don't want to interupt the conversation between Victor and Sojourner, but there is another aspect of this that I'd like to bring out.
This conversation is naturally dove-tailing with carderos' thread on Who Claims Authority, which to me is about drawing lines in the sand and proclaiming who is out. This thread is about the Universal Church, which I think about as being a magnet that draws human hearts and minds in.
One snippet of Scripture that is often used as a bludgeon in these conversations is the wolf in sheep's clothing. Those who claim to know the truth but in fact really wish to lead sheep astray. I honestly think such wolves are very few and far between. It seems to me that a wolf would have to knowingly believe that the Church is Christ's Bride and then also believe that what they are doing is to intentionally go against that. Rather than wolves, I think what we typically have are sheep who nibble themselves astray and also 'black sheep' who for whatever reason are not ready to accept some aspect of doctrine, often a very small part of it at that. But we are all still sheep.
If the sheep dogs, those who feel it is their job to nip at the heels of the sheep and keep them in line, wrongly identify the black sheep as wolves, it is in effect their own doings that can drive those sheep away from the flock. Being humans, rather than animals, this is sadly often the case. Those black sheep can fend for themselves or start a new flock where they are accepted.
But Christ does not act like a sheep dog, nipping at our heels to keep us in. He provides for us, and leads us to green pastuers and fresh water, and when we do nibble ourselves astray He comes to look for us, whether we are black or white or rainbow colored. He holds the Church together by His love.
Sorry this metaphor is kind of hokey, but it illustrates somewhat how I view the Church, vs. religion.
2 c,
lunamoth
Great post! Wish I could frubal ya!