LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

Purity, holiness, or righteousness can never be attained by by some standard of dcotrinal purity. In fact, the more dogmatic the environment, the more strict doctrinal adherence that’s demanded, and the more sure and certain any one religious group is, the more toxic the culture! We are not accepted in the Beloved because of our doctrine!

Doctrinal purity has been at the root cause of Crusades, Inquisitions, and killings- in the name of God. One must protect God, but in so doing one kills the image of God (Gen. 9:6). Tell me how that works? God is not a puppeteer, but the church is!

Since the Catholic church has had a history four times as long as the Protestant movement, it’s much easier to see and find the doctrinal intolerance in those quarters. I have found some of the most theologically sound and loving men to be thsoe that the Catholic church has removed from any teaching authority. Hans Kung and Matthew Fox being two that come to my memory. Both men were removed because DISSENT is not allowed.

Seem a bit harsh?

In 1990 the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith that was approved by the Pope, entitled ” The Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian, says, “To succumb to the temptation of dissent….is to allow the leaven of infeidelity to the Holy Spirit to start to work.” In case you have forgotten the Pope in infallible in his moral judgments which carries over into a lot of other areas. It’s not that one disagrees (dissent with a right heart), but that one even raises a question! We need to subordinate our intellectual delusions to the Spirit that knows all.

No questioning headship!

Doctrinal intolerance is not limited to any one religious body. In fact as someone has said, “Religion is the Devil’s #1 creative weapon against God”. Amazing concept once you ponder it a bit more deeply. When you cut to the core of most churches there is an OPEN and almost always a HIDDEN CENSORSHIP both to the thinking, questioning, and publications that are acceptable. Let’s simply call this the “Gospel of Conditional Love”.

Agree with headship or you’re not accepted and in fact, you are invited to leave- quickly!

And this is Jesus?

You know it’s not!