Intelligent quote of the day
"What sort of philosophy one chooes depends on what sort of person one is."
---Johann Gottlied Fichte
The same is true of religion. The religion one chooses depends on the sort of person he is. Few critical thinkers choose being Baptist or Pentecostal. It's not who they are and they would be miserable around such types.Those are reserved for emotional literalists who simply must believe the right thing, do the right thing in the right place, much like those in the COG's. Those given to their emotions tend towards the more evangelical denominations and are more personally needy and self centered. They think God is better contacted by handwaving and tears. These churches tend to resemble a glorified Sunday School class in their publications, as we see now in the new WCG. Mike Feazell, WCG writer, embodies this "poor sinful pilgim" mentality over and over in his writings. Smultsy Religion comes to mind. It's a personal need projected on others as something they need as well, even if they don't. Controlling personalities seem to be drawn to the Evangelical mindset and the worst combine their religion with their politics and produce the foolishness we see today in American politics. They hunt you down to join them so that you don't go to hell and can give the money needed to keep the organizaiton going. It's their job. Evolution is of the Devil. All gays closeted and everyone in denial. Repression is great.Critical thinkers, those who see the obvious problems of the Bible, and may not hold it to be inerrant or historically correct in places, survive nicely as Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Lutherans. Most don't care about the problems of scripture. They see that humans have made progress in the last 2000 years in Biblical understanding, find a place for those realities which Evangelicals condemn them for, and keep moving. They like it when you join them, but are not known for overt evangelism. Evolution is ok. The Pastor might be Gay but better not say. Don't ask don't tell. Repression and denial is not as greatThose who seek a more personal spirituality and can be considered truly "Non-Comdemnational" make great Unitarians or Unity type Christians. These are the "like herding cats" of Christianity. They have little need to convince others of what they intuitively "know." We are all hairless apes that have become conscious and it's astounding and we'll probably be back a few times learning as we go. Pastor may or may not be gay, tis ok, tolerant congregations of all types for most part. Repression...Denial? Generalizations to be sure, but Fichte was right. Religions and denominations tend to draw those whose personality matches the mentality of the teachings. People join the church they need to join to explain their the world and the world. That is why I went to WCG at 14 in the 60's and also why I outgrew it in the 90's not needing any longer to be controlled by charismatic Bible readers and their reckless and foolish replacements. I now feel more authentic and informed being a cat. I don't have to be right, and I can't say my position offers the kind of peace blind faith provides, but I don't wish to be herded and be expected to follow someone elses vision of the world and what life is. Don't wish to be told what day of the week God is in town and why I need to be there and that God needs my limited resources to speak through others who live nicely off the proceeds.What sort of Church one chooses, does depend finally on the kind of person one is and what one needs.
---former WCG Pastor Dennis Diehl on Gavin Rumney's Ambassador Watch giving his perspective that certain Christian denominations attract a certain kind of people
