Church and believers are not to judge, God and Christ will judge.

[Clete]

I just reread most of the first 50 posts of this thread. It is a master class on the power of paradigm. Dave is completely blind to everything RightDivider was saying. Totally and completely blind to it. So much so that it feels intentional but I doubt that it is. Dave has a lifetime of teaching that has trained his mind to filter scripture through a particular lens. Luckily, its the near opposite lens to what someone like Idolater filters the scripture through. At least Dave reads the words of Jesus and finds a way to hear Paul's teaching (i.e. grace). Idolater reads Paul and hears Moses!

As Mid-Acts Dispensationalists, we can read Moses, Jesus, Paul and James and take them all to mean just what they seem to say without the need to interpret them to mean something else. That single fact effortlessly resolves so many biblical issues. Why that isn't persuasive, I don't know. But it isn't in all but the rarest of cases. Paradigm shifts are the hardest thing there is to achieve in others.

 

[Idolater]

I just reread most of the first 50 posts of this thread. It is a master class on the power of paradigm. Dave is completely blind to everything RightDivider was saying. Totally and completely blind to it. So much so that it feels intentional but I doubt that it is. Dave has a lifetime of teaching that has trained his mind to filter scripture through a particular lens. Luckily, its the near opposite lens to what someone like Idolater filters the scripture through. At least Dave reads the words of Jesus and finds a way to hear Paul's teaching (i.e. grace). Idolater reads Paul and hears Moses!

As Mid-Acts Dispensationalists, we can read Moses, Jesus, Paul and James and take them all to mean just what they seem to say without the need to interpret them to mean something else. That single fact effortlessly resolves so many biblical issues. Why that isn't persuasive, I don't know. But it isn't in all but the rarest of cases. Paradigm shifts are the hardest thing there is to achieve in others.

Idolater here. "I read Paul and hear Moses," what are you talking about?

 

[Right Divider]

I just reread most of the first 50 posts of this thread. It is a master class on the power of paradigm. Dave is completely blind to everything RightDivider was saying. Totally and completely blind to it. So much so that it feels intentional but I doubt that it is.

This is why you and I both start getting upset a bit. We repeatedly give Dave the facts and it continues to fall on deaf ears.

So many people cling to Churchianity and will not even consider anything else... paradigm lock-in at its finest.

I've been wanting to write an article itemizing the features of Churchianity and refuting them one by one.

 

[Nick M]

Why that isn't persuasive

I think many don’t want it to be true. Especially if they’re grounded in theology. Then their theological degree from seminary is wrong.

 

[Clete]

Idolater here. "I read Paul and hear Moses," what are you talking about?

Catholic dogma is up to it's eyeballs with legalism of every make model and color.

Do you or do you not believe that believers are obliged to follow the Ten Commandments?

 

[Clete]

I think many don’t want it to be true. Especially if they’re grounded in theology. Then their theological degree from seminary is wrong.

There is actually a term for this. It's called "entrenchment".

People make decisions based on a perceived cost/benefit analysis. There is no actual analysis done in the methodical sense of the word, but merely on an intuitive basis. Someone perceives an idea and a lightning calculation is done that instantly tells them (rightly or wrongly) that the cost of accepting such an idea is far too high. The more time, energy, money and effort has been invested into their current paradigm the harder it is to ever break them out of it. It simply costs too much. Imagine a pastor of a church, or anyone with a long standing ministry having to alter large swaths of the doctrine that they not only have spent years learning and teaching to others but that they also make their living from. Every friend they have probably exists within the orbit of that ministry. You couldn't hardly find anyone more deeply entrenched than that.

For this reason, paradigm shifts must be approached slowly, methodically and with extreme care. Each step that is taken on the path leading to the new paradigm has to be accepted fully all along the way and when the destination is arrived at, the whole path taken to get there has to be visible in the mind's eye such that it seems that no other path could have been taken. They have to feel like they arrived there under their own power and when the light bulb moment happens, they have to feel like they would have flipped the switch themselves had they known the switch existed. Otherwise, the new paradigm will definitely be rejected. It may be rejected anyway, but if there are plausible excuses to do so, the likelihood of the rejection is increased exponentially, especially for those who are deeply invested into that which they have to walk away from.

 

[Clete]

This is why you and I both start getting upset a bit. We repeatedly give Dave the facts and it continues to fall on deaf ears.

So many people cling to Churchianity and will not even consider anything else... paradigm lock-in at its finest.

I've been wanting to write an article itemizing the features of Churchianity and refuting them one by one.

You should write it!

That sounds like the beginnings of a book, actually.

I watched a YouTube video several months ago. The content creator was talking about 'writing to learn' and advised his viewership, instead of merely researching a topic that they're interested in, that they should set about to write about it and spent some time establishing the fact that it is one of, if not the most effective means of thoroughly learning a subject because it forces you to slow down and think through every single thought write.

It totally works for me! I set out to write on a subject that has occupied my thoughts since childhood. What began as a simple effort has become the first two chapters of a book that, as far as I can determine, offers the most methodical argument for the existence of God ever developed from first principles. It not only demonstrates that God exists, but systematically eliminates every competing conception of God in the history of religion, leaving only the God revealed in Scripture.

I strongly encourage you to write the essay and see where it takes you!