Mike, your whole purpose in posting was to defend an exclusive position. That’s why you have posted a series of scriptural verses. You know as well as I do that those are used to do that. That’s why you now say “what I have tried to do is put put forward the scriptural position on these matters, not defend Christadelphians, not justify what happens.” Please understand I am not condemning Ch
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Mike. I can understand you not wishing to repost again, because we an elastic quality to your words which is deliberately misleading. That has been a constant feature of Christadelphians on this thread who do not seem to want to be upfront about how things really work. If we go back it was clearly you who first referred to our facebook conversations as anyone who reads back can see. My
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Mike, Let’s remain the context of this forum here. The question here is whether the exclusive nature of the Christadelphian community fits them into the context of being a destructive church.. It isn’t primarily about our private discussions about my facebook group that you decided to bring into the discussions. It seems your defense of exclusivism is basically that that is simply co
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Mike, Yes, you are right. A simple comparison of church authority to the rules of a club is a poor analogy because of the divine claims inherent in claiming any form of religious or spiritual authority over others. Disfellowshipping cannot be compared with a club position. The difficulty of course with very exclusive churches is that they do not equip people to easily live outside them a
Forum: Destructive Churches

In answer to Mike Butler's question comparing an exclusive church to being like a club with rules and asking what's wrong with that, here's a link, on my site considering sone of the differences and why the club-church analogy isn't a reasonable comparison. When Mike says "I do not agree with everything that all Christadelphians teach or do, but the general teachings
Forum: Destructive Churches

Christadelphians largely believe it isn't our job to change the world. They therefore tend to fit into the status quo, except where it conflicts with their beliefs. They won't fight in wars or vote and some won't sit on juries either. Their emphasis is on Jesus returning to set up a physical kingdom on the earth. They spend huge effort in looking at world events to see the pat
Forum: Destructive Churches

I'm writing this in sections so I don't lose information after writing a bit. I agree with Hope it is difficult to grasp the Christadelphian way of thinking for an outsider. The basis is that the Bible is the source of all truth and you have to study it real hard. It is therefore very intellectual in nature. Other churches are held to twist scripture and are suggested to have taken
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi. I'm an ex-Christadelphian having been brought up as one and I can associate with many of the things Hope says. The first point I would make is that I don't really think the term cult is a very meaningful one for any group. Control is very much dependant upon perspective and the principles of control of behaviour, information, thought and emotion apply in everyday life. The wor
Forum: Destructive Churches