Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

Some recent conversations have me thinking on the COC (and some evangelical) attitude of how since they don't seem to understand something, it's somehow wrong. I belong to a liturgical church and we follow the church calendar. A COC acquaintance says he just "never got Lent. A COC family says "what's the point in all that?!" Then there are COC folks I've heard ask what's the point of other things. What's the point in choirs, music, images, anything they ask. It's not in the New Testament they say.

But then again, what's the point of cyc, lads to leaders, Lectureships, all the different kinds of unscriptural "ministers", multimillion dollar buildings that they say aren't sacred, "brotherhood" schools, and so on.

What's. The. Point.

50heaven wrote:Some recent conversations have me thinking on the COC (and some evangelical) attitude of how since they don't seem to understand something, it's somehow wrong. I belong to a liturgical church and we follow the church calendar. A COC acquaintance says he just "never got Lent. A COC family says "what's the point in all that?!" Then there are COC folks I've heard ask what's the point of other things. What's the point in choirs, music, images, anything they ask. It's not in the New Testament they say.

But then again, what's the point of cyc, lads to leaders, Lectureships, all the different kinds of unscriptural "ministers", multimillion dollar buildings that they say aren't sacred, "brotherhood" schools, and so on.

What's. The. Point.

The point might be that it's generally pointless to engage them in a conversation. After all, they alone are the true church established in the first century ... just ask them. Their belief system is a conglomeration of twisted, chopped-up and out-of-context Biblical passages they have pasted together to suit their whims. Simply put, they are always right, you are always wrong!

I remember years ago an old COC friend of mine was complaining about people who observe Lent. He said "It's not in the New Testament so we're not authorized to do that!" I asked him why it bothers him so much that people observe Lent since it personally has no effect on him whatsoever. He never really had an answer. I guess it's just like Christmas and Easter. Having special services for it is wrong since we're not commanded in the bible to celebrate it, as if God is looking down, shaking his fists in anger that people would dare come together to worship him on a day/night other than a Sunday or Wednesday. But that's the COC for you...they're too worried about what everyone else is doing and trying to correct their errors while ignoring their own personal issues.

50heaven wrote:What's. The. Point.

50, there's no point to anything unless THEY thought of it first.

IMO, there are two reasons that the CofC mind would be so down on things like Lent.

The main reason IMO (even if not realized) of being against all this stuff is to be "distinct" or "different". I sometime think of this as Brand Separation. But in a sense, what is the point of being a different "brand" if in fact you are doing the same things as the other "brands". I used to think Lent was stupid but now I see value and beauty to it even if it was not written in the Epistles. Somehow we knew and referred to Roms 14 but didn't really use it.

The other main reason I think is the perceived piety level. The other things showed a devotion and concern for things related to God and glorification of God. And any CofC worth his salt knew they were the best sort of children of God being in the one true church. How dare these uppity Calvinists and Papists demonstrate they are somehow holy or sanctified. They must be put in their place so that Cofcers can be recognized as the Real People of The Book.

KLP, you are so right about the whole idea the CoC has of being 'distinct' and 'different'. As I have heard said before, if the Baptists enter through the front door the CoC is going to go around to the back and climb in through a window just to show that they are 'different'.

MusicMan826 wrote:I remember years ago an old COC friend of mine was complaining about people who observe Lent. He said "It's not in the New Testament so we're not authorized to do that!" I asked him why it bothers him so much that people observe Lent since it personally has no effect on him whatsoever. He never really had an answer. I guess it's just like Christmas and Easter. Having special services for it is wrong since we're not commanded in the bible to celebrate it, as if God is looking down, shaking his fists in anger that people would dare come together to worship him on a day/night other than a Sunday or Wednesday. But that's the COC for you...they're too worried about what everyone else is doing and trying to correct their errors while ignoring their own personal issues.

Denominational church members are generally regarded as unenlightened reprobates by the hardline CoC tribes. They are quick to condemn any practice that doesn't fit snuggly into their warped belief system. These hardline church members proudly wear blinders to protect their indoctrinated minds from accepting anything that might allow change to their ultra conservative values. If it's joyful, uplifting, praiseworthy or a mind boggling revelation, you can be assured it will be rejected.

They don't grasp that Christians follow Jesus because they WANT to do so. It's always, "we're COMMANDED." They don't get it.