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Does it matter a hoot what name is on the sign stuck out in the lawn?
Thank you Alan. You just showed me that you cannot say anything positive about members of the COC. I'm sure others who read this notice it too.
No, it doesn't matter what name is on the sign stuck in the lawn. I think I made that clear. What matters is you can only spout negative things about the COC.
Thank you Alan. You just showed me that you cannot say anything positive about members of the COC. I'm sure others who read this notice it too.
see?
right there,,,
the tone...
Your tone..
.thats what I remember...thats what I remember the most.
I did not like what their teachings had done to the members who were my friends.
While i disagreed with just two little teachings, (The name and no music) the thing that had me pack up and ship out was the tone I found wide spread there.
.thats what I remember...thats what I remember the most.
I did not like what their teachings had done to the members who were my friends.
While i disagreed with just two little teachings, (The name and no music) the thing that had me pack up and ship out was the tone I found wide spread there.
I did not want to end up like them
LOL...I have a tone because I call you out? Do you wear your feelings on your sleeve?
LOL...I have a tone because I call you out? Do you wear your feelings on your sleeve?
I wear my watch there...
However Im a nice guy who tries to get along...
If you were to go back in the history of this topic you would see that while I attended the COC for a while and made good friends, I had a small problem with only 2 teachings.
But it was not the teachings that caused me to walk out...
It was what the teachings seemed to be doing to my friends.
It turned them in ways I did not want to go.
I have advice I follow myself about the subject of defending one's own church.
Now I don't hand out advice to others all that much...(Like someone really asks)
But I should tell you this thing I have learned that I follow in my own life and perhaps you may get something out of it..
It goes like this:
You should NEVER defend your church from being criticized.
If the criticism is in error, then it will fade away.
But if the criticism is justified, then you need to hear it.
If you were to go back in the history of this topic you would see that while I attended the COC for a while and made good friends, I had a small problem with only 2 teachings.
But it was not the teachings that caused me to walk out...
It was what the teachings seemed to be doing to my friends.
It turned them in ways I did not want to go.
Yes, I've read this whole thread. I know that's how you feel. I just pointed out that there are members that do not care about the name on the building, and asked you to admit that as well. Which you could not do. I figure if you can say "many" members care too much about the name, you should also be able to say "many" members couldn't care less. Simple. At least I thought it was.
"I am a member of the COC and I couldn't care less what name any church has on its building, I only care about what is being taught inside the church."
Now you know at least one member who feels that way.
I have advice I follow myself about the subject of defending one's own church.
Now I don't hand out advice to others all that much...(Like someone really asks)
But I should tell you this thing I have learned that I follow in my own life and perhaps you may get something out of it..
It goes like this:
You should NEVER defend your church from being criticized.
If the criticism is in error, then it will fade away.
But if the criticism is justified, then you need to hear it.
Alan, have you even listened to anything I've been saying? I'm not defending any members of the COC that are hung up on the name on the building. I'm telling you I agree with you.
Friends, no one is going to win any argument simply on words alone.
If one has friends in religious organizations we disagree with, then let our works, our lives show a differences.
On this forum are beliefs of various types of which each of them are making the effort to win an argument.
Because our works can not be seen, we must rely on our words.
So, placing our works in the form of words, then it must be what we say, our words, matters.
If in our words are found an inkling of any isolationist views, then we can discern the works of that individual.
Now, the COC is just an institution like all others who hold certain truths as their gospel truths.
The best way to convince anyone of a better view is to present it with compassion, understanding and long-suffering.
To be like that, one is definitely alone amongst the many denominations because there is no affiliation with any of them.
Yet, standing alone, yet demonstration of compassion, understanding and long-suffering is a sign of spiritual maturity amongst all the varying beliefs.
So, rather than contend one with another, let us present a better view and let the chips fall where they may.
I for one will not discriminate against any belief that practices the love of God, but for those who espouse violence in the name of their beliefs; those I will contend with in rejecting their practices.
We have in the USA and all around the world killings in the name of a religious belief, mind you, the radicals, not the good folk in the same beliefs, that we are to be contending with.
Though we battle daily against evil, there will come a time where we must stand united, against evil in radicals of any beliefs.
It is our responsibility to contend with evil deeds, or else, we deserve what consequences come if we slack off.
Let us therefore unite under a common cause, that being the love of God in all of us rather than the trivial differences we all hold.
Show the love of God in your words, for after all, is He not the God of us all?
A father of children is honored in various ways, not all the same way.
Some more so than others, yet, they are all siblings of the same father.
If love for the father is what we care for, than we must also care for our brothers and sisters.
Is that not what Jesus said? Ref: Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Lets substitute the words "father or mother" for belief or no belief, and " son or daughter" for works or actions, and we will find ourselves unworthy of Him.
You see, we become so stuck on our views that we miss the Son, who is our representative of God.
OP (FEAR AND LOATHING IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST) It all goes back to the actions and attitudes of COC Members.
I have always maintained and practiced that here in America, Thank the Diety-of-your-choice, we have the rights and freedoms to learn, explore and arrive at our conclusions about life and faith. We can use resources without censorship or fear of imprisonment. We can use our intellect to learn what we see as true, and what works best for us.
We can believe that the Bible is the Word oF GOD or we can believe that there is NO GOD. We can believe that a comet is taking us away, that the world will end in 2012, that Brigham Young was a saint. We can believe anything we want, and we can also respect the rights of others to believe in what they want AS LONG AS it does not interfere with our rights and our lives. (IF someone starts exploding bombs at the Olympics in Atlanta in the Name of Christ or flying Airplanes into buildings in the name of ALLAH, then we have a PROBLEM !!!)
SO in regards to the Church of Christ, they have been implicated repeatedly as an abusive religion. The deeds speak louder than the words.
Certainly I have had some very negative experiences with them and some of their offshoots. (I was married to someone for a short time who was involved with them and it was, Hell on earth)
I did along the way, meet a few, very few, honest, down to earth people. I wonder why they were THERE inspead of Elsewhere, but by far and away, I have seen everything from right wing militarism, to restrictive fundamentalism at work in these churches. I think many people have documented and reported how they have been known as elitists, how they mistreat and abuse followers, how they use fear and intimidation to maintain a flock and how they deceptively recruit members. All the things that if done by the Unification Church of the Church of Scientology, would make people like myself scream "HEY THAT IS WRONG!"
SO why would we allow it here, under a different name?
Again, it is not so much what they teach (Although Ido not agree with any of that either) But what they PRACTICE that makes me want people to avoid them, lest they too become victims.
I think many people have documented and reported how they have been known as elitists, how they mistreat and abuse followers, how they use fear and intimidation to maintain a flock and how they deceptively recruit members. All the things that if done by the Unification Church of the Church of Scientology, would make people like myself scream "HEY THAT IS WRONG!"
Doesn't matter what "church" does this... it is wrong. There are COC's who have probably done this. Just as there are other churches that have probably done this. People are not perfect. If you find yourself in any situation as mentioned above, get out.
I, being a member of the COC for over 15 years do not agree with the above assessment. If I did, I would not be a member, obviously.
I would like to read the documents that say they were mistreated and abused, used fear and intimidation, and how they were deceptively recruited, from a mainstream COC. Thanks!
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