tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768695610888201656.post6023340438235211034..comments2023-04-01T08:26:38.516-04:00Comments on westjourn: Church - Part IAbout Garyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09912995482134665033noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768695610888201656.post-18315025285924634202009-06-05T10:50:00.941-04:002009-06-05T10:50:00.941-04:00Good point Doug. Don’t forget the “free ride” and ...Good point Doug. Don’t forget the “free ride” and boost that Constantine provided in the 4th Century. The infrastructure and platform for Christianity survived also to a large degree from the merger. As our esteemed professor West and you carefully point out, we have to be mindful of the motives behind some of the doctrines and pillars of the faith. Perhaps some of these motives only serve to perpetuate ends that the historical Jesus would have found perplexing.Bryan Starrettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08140507927504913123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768695610888201656.post-83130055889945715202009-05-31T15:18:05.708-04:002009-05-31T15:18:05.708-04:00Part 2....I believe the "church" has a place in th...Part 2....I believe the "church" has a place in the world. Church just needs to be redefined. Maybe church would be the place folks could go to be helped with their spiritual journey....Not a place to be told how to believe....A congregation of folks who love each other and pass that love on the the stranger....It seems the day of religious organizations with billions of dollars of assets, while millions of people suffer from the lack of basic needs, has come and gone.....Or has been exposed at least.Doug Hendrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09567440829073489064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768695610888201656.post-54671600273094331892009-05-31T15:01:46.786-04:002009-05-31T15:01:46.786-04:00I agree Gary. It seems to me that Jesus wasn't ena...I agree Gary. It seems to me that Jesus wasn't enamored with the religious system of his day....I can't believe that he would be any more excited about the instituition bearing his name. I don't think the "church" would have survived without the virgin birth, sacrificial death, resurection, eternal life and the promise of heaven eternally for those saved few.Doug Hendrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09567440829073489064noreply@blogger.com