Wow. What a GREAT post! thanks.
Here we are at page 12 and finally someone gets it.
(apologies to anyone I am overlooking at the moment)
With respect to the actual meaning of heresy. A heretic is one who chooses for himself what he may believe.
Right. That's where I was going with this.
I was seeing the word "heretic" being thrown around like thinking for yourself was some sort of pariah.
Seemed Jesus fit the definition in his day in regard to the "ruling" religion of his time and place.
He certainly wasn't there to cheer them on and support them in their evil.
This is regardless of whether or not it is truth.
Truth is a slippery thing.
At one time in history a flat earth was truth.
Then a globe was truth. Now flat earth theories are returning.
Even presented as biblical truth.
Maybe Pontius Pilate was right to ask, "What is truth?"
I think however God would prefer heretics, to those who surrender their thinking powers to another.
Agree.
Although we know God loves everyone regardless.
It would be interesting to do a personality profile of the people God uses most powerfully.
Were they independent thinkers, or followers? (or both?)
At least God can talk and convince a heretic. It is more difficult when a non heretic had surrendered his will toa another, for example the church, because that offers the church ina position of authority higher than God.
I have actually used this to my advantage when talking to agnostics. By definition they are OPEN to divergent ideas.
And oftentimes we agree with them, except for their conclusions.
And that my friends is the essential mindset of the Papacy. It considers itself a higher authority than God Himself, by claiming the sole right to interpret scripture, and the right to punish those who "think for themselves"... Heretics... Because they refused to let the church think for them.
Yes, oftentimes the church has placed itself firmly BETWEEN their parishioners and God as a sort of shield.
And for the most part, those who choose to stay behind that shield have a (false?) sense of security.
They can delegate their thinking to the religious institution instead of taking personal responsibility.
And Protestants are not immune from this mental/spiritual disease.