Orthodoxy has strengths. That’s worth conceding.
But “diversity without division” is adorable yet false.
Orthodoxy has broken communions, rival patriarchates, ethnic turf wars, calendar schisms, overlapping bishops, and the Moscow–Constantinople split over Ukraine. RIGHT NOW.
tribalism relabeled as “local variation” while calling Protestant fractures “schism.”
That’s the same factional spirit Paul rebuked. “I follow the true Church” becomes tribal chest-thumping as easily as “I follow Paul” or “Apollos” when it replaces humility before Christ crucified.
Orthodox divisions don’t count because we’re the “true Church” is a statement in need of self reflection.
I did not omit “I follow Christ” because it hurts my point. It strengthens it.
Paul is rebuking all factional slogans, even the pious one. His point is not, you cannot schism from the Apostolic Church. His point is, Stop turning names into tribal banners.
there was no division?! Really? Paul literally says there were divisions among them. The fact that they had not yet built separate buildings and websites does not make it less real. The apostolic Church had factionalism while apostles were alive.
I understand the Orthodox point, but “if Scripture were enough, there would be no denominations” is not Paul’s argument. If hierarchy were enough, there would be no schisms.
The apostolic church already had “I follow Paul / Apollos / Cephas” factionalism while the apostles were still alive. So division does not prove the authority is insufficient. It proves sinners divide.
@innercoding@derekbalsley@Jevsoliktfuvh Exactly but the Robber Council and iconoclasm expose the issue. councils can claim authority and later be overturned.
Scripture is the only inerrant, infallible final authority. Councils can witness to it. They cannot outrank it.
@ApexSeeker_ Yes.
I don’t watch anime. Teppanyaki, NPB, cherry blossoms, samurai history, safe cities, clean streets, great trains, and the respectful, orderly vibe? Absolutely.
Plenty of Americans admire Japan for reasons that have nothing to do with cartoons.
@MikeWingerii Sweet Lord… that’s almost verbatim the second half of every question every Wednesday.
“What does this mean?”
“How does this make you feel?”
“How can we apply this to our lives?”
Somewhere, exegesis quietly leaves the room.
That “perhaps” is doing Olympic-level heavy lifting. lol.
Courts can be wrong. So can bishops. That’s why the final court of appeal is Scripture, not who claims the biggest chair.
If “interpretive chaos” disproves Protestantism, then rival communions, rival bishops, disputed councils, East vs Rome, Oriental vs Chalcedonian, and centuries of internal disagreement create the same problem for hierarchy.
@BreitbartNews After 200+ years of self-rule, at some point policy failure, corruption, civil conflict, weak institutions, and bad governance have to enter the chat.
Excuse me, Beau. You’ll need at least room-temperature IQ to enter the chat.
“Americans” aren’t a race, and “built the bomb” means the U.S. had the science, industry, logistics, and political will to end the war. Not even kinda sorry.
But I get it. “America bad” is easier than thinking.
haha. okay then. It means America exhausted the “let’s stay British” option, got rejected, and then built something better. Lol.
Washington was asked by one officer, not America to be king. And Washington treated the idea like a lit powder keg. The man who could have become king walked away from power. That’s what gets our Bald Eagles screeching and our machine guns rat-a-tatting! 🦅
Enjoy your day, good sir. 🇺🇸
@Brummel14Beau@UnBearAbull@kobeni_negs@Moorsey1892@CrankyFed “A little introspection would do you good,” says the guy dodging every actual point with “Murican 9 year old dick head.”
Try introspecting on the speech laws, the grooming-gang coverups, and why you have so many people dying from heat stroke out there you weak wanker
Nobody said America entered WWII out of pure altruism, you twat. Adults understand nations act from interest. Your entire argument is basically someone on the dole complaining about the soup.
You were broke, burning, and on the edge of becoming either Nazi property or Soviet property. American industry, weapons, and money helped make sure your side of Europe still had something left besides rubble, ration cards, and Russian landlords. Though, at the rate you lot are going, you may still end up with the Russian landlords anyway.
So take your pork and beans, your fake moral superiority, and your little “America bad” tantrum and shove them up your arse while I blast my A/C directly on my sack