Hi Chazz Good post. My uninformed opinion is When one honestly seeks the truth it eventually find them. I've seen two completely honest learned people look at the same messages, verses, proverbs or what have you and come up with differening conclusions. We say we come to the table with no preconditions but we all are a mass of preconditions.
Now in Christianity the leaders are held to a higher standard than the sheep. Speaking of which it seems to push the idea of being sheep and manipulating that message to total acceptance thus the wolves make easy pickins. The areas you speak of are not unique. I was advised by a PD friend there are three types Sheep Sheepdogs and Wolves
The sheep hate the sheepdogs until they see wolves. The bible says the sheep will inherit the Earth and I personally believe they already have a very long time ago. Just see the entitlement programs.
Every time I put my trust and faith in someone who publicly proclaimed their Christianity outwardly I have burned. The only exception are some preachers, priests, very few lay people, and most missionaries. Thus when someone tells me to lay my guard down the antennas go up like the turning ones on a warship at general quarters.
I would suggest Mere Christianity by CS Lewis and the Problem with Pain but the same author after his wife passed away. CS Lewis held himself to a rigid standard until he met Joy his wife who was a divorcee and his later writings tended to relax his standards and he seemed to pursue truth as in the manner of which you spoke.
Since I am somewhat of a different mindset of those around me I do not do well in the weekly gathering. I've heard more stupid lectures on false promises than I care to repeat so I just don't go.
One stat on Marriage did strike me from Promise Keepers People married 50% divorce rate Christians married 50% divorce rate People of any faith that prayed together as a couple more than 3 X weekly .4% divorce rate.
Even if those figures were skewed they sure got a huge amount of skewing to make the 50% figure. I did not pray with X 3 times weekly and I'm on the wrong side of those stats thus I hold fast to the opinion my D was preventable to a certain point and my behavior (though I do not defend my X) was to a level where I reaped what I sowed. The harvest was bitter for you in this area Spring has come.
Mine has also but not in the same form as you. To thine own self be true. Shakespere
"All I want is a weeks pay for a day's work" Steve Martin
