I’m not offended. Let’s be friends.

A body of people brining about love and goodness to this world.

I love that quote. I definitely believe this body that you speak of is God’s church, in the truest sense of the word. I believe we can be like that and in our greatest moments have been and are that.

This world doesn’t need presentations and regurgitations. It needs selflessness and giving

Again, amen! In an ideal world, I would probably go to church to worship God. Worshipping God may be singing spiritual songs to Christ with my brothers and sisters, participating in the sacraments, and learning through others, but it may also be praying for others, giving to the poor, and ministering to the downtrodden and burnout.

Okay, this universal consensus makes no sense to me

What I am basically saying is that I am open to what the whole church universally believes. I don’t have to have it all figured out, the universal church (you, my wife, my priest, my coworker) teach me. And I find that this universal church offers a great deal of flexibility and individuality.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read and respond. I want to say this gracefully but I also just feel that when my words are picked apart, it makes me want to get back into my shell and cease discussion.

Leslie, thank you for taking time to respond to my comments. I was hoping that you all don’t feel like I am trying to give a blow-by-blow, tit-for-tat defense against what you are saying. I honestly don’t feel like writing is the best medium for expressing conversation (even the emergent conversation). I am so sorry if you felt like I was picking your words apart. I like to believe this is the way I would have chatted with you if you had been conversing with me face-to-face. It seems like something or some way I wrote that conversation struck you the wrong way, and for that I am truly sorry.

thanks for responding and thanks for your inserts of approval.

Oh boy! I must have really come across like a jerk! Again “inserts of approval” was not exactly what I was trying to communicate. I am sorry. Please have mercy on me.

I have decided to not attend a organized staffed church. For, me I need small group discussion and connection that takes place outside of a “traditional” church.

Call it my evangelical roots, but I believe that the bible (and the historic church) chose to refer to the bride of Christ as one body (Romans 12:3-5; I Corinthians 10:16-17, 12; Ephesians 4; Colossians 3:14-16) for a reason. You quickly changed subjects after this. It would be nice to hear you develop this more and share more thoughts on this matter.

I am talking about a body of humanity. I don’t see the body that Paul described here as one that is happening or working. And I don’t see it as something that people want to work. People want different religions and different beliefs. I am talking about a body of charity. A body of people brining about love and goodness to this world. People that are working to do this is a body that I believe is feasible. It is a body that is made up of different parts but is working to one goal; a selfless love for all humankind. A body that I think God would be pleased with.

I don’t think it is a difference between generations. I think that would be an incorrect assessment. There will always be people who just don’t have their priorities straight, young or old. Lord have mercy on me!

I also am developing my thoughts on this as you can see. I wrote this may be a difference between young and old. That some not all might do this in a church.

So are you staying out because of the way you saw things being run in the backdrop? In an ideal world, why would you go to church?

In an ideal world I would be apart of a group of people that are not confined to walls. A place where people have open dialog and a place where more money time and generosity goes to facilitating the world. This takes priority over making sure there is a wow effect that gets people into the group to bring about more money, to bring about more wow effects, to bring about more money, more people…..and this devastating cycle that has nothing to do with Christ. It’s actually a simple idea and not so contrived. This world doesn’t need presentations and regurgitations. It needs selflessness and giving.

Where I could cuss and that would be okay.
Define okay.

Okay just means that I don’t feel like villain if I say a cuss word. Now, I want to have respect for the company that I am keeping, so if it would offend someone, I try to not insert any cuss words. If it happens, I don’t want to get shunned. But, again, I won’t pretend like I don’t. You just have to watch out for the people around you.

The ironic thing though is that I believe God reveals “it” in the form of the universal consensus of the church. I can believe that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all (St. Vincent of Lerins) and actually have a lot of room for flexibility, questions, and opinions.

Okay, this universal consensus makes no sense to me.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read and respond. I want to say this gracefully but I also just feel that when my words are picked apart, it makes me want to get back into my shell and cease discussion. But thanks for responding and thanks for your inserts of approval.