Hi SH,
A few comments:
Money: That's really sick. The weird thing about it is that this is *exactly* the thing Meade and the original ministers condemned (vehemently) in the old days. That the rank-and-file can sit there every week, knowing that all the rules changed and that no one ever explained... well, it makes them guilty to some degree. I wonder how many of them have any self-honesty left.
And then, what happens when they have nothing left to give? Are they condemned as "weak" and tossed aside?
One of the sickest things that has happened (and I saw the beginnings of it) is a class system. Either you're in the A group or the B group, or in the balcony. A less Christ-like structure is hard to imagine.
Also, you wrote:
Quote
If the congregation practiced what it preached, all people would be taken care of equally. But, then again, that is also a characteristic of Marxism -- from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.
Not really. The "Christian" way of doing it is voluntarily. The Marxist way of doing it is by force. Huge difference.
I'll PM you on specific folks. Don't want to embarrass anyone.
Not being scared: Yeah, I hear that some of them act like bullies, and bullies need to be faced. Please be careful not to create trouble, or to go beyond reasonable levels in anything, but I think you are right to tell them where to get off. They can play their stupid games on their own property, but not on anyone else's.
Best regards