Plastic Flowers.

[williamray123]

the CoC claims to need necessary inference for anything not specifically commanded in the bible and they condemn other groups for kitchens, fellowship halls, church buses, whatever (I never understood how they could preach autonomy, but then condemn anything other "autonomous" groups did in good conscience, but that is another story).

But invariably, the large display of plastic flowers appeared from time to time to decorate the front of the church (building). At least kitchens and fellowship halls help with fellowship, and the church bus will help transport folks to the door. What do plastic flowers do? They are completely un-needed, un-inferred, and uncommanded. Where does the CoC get off complaining about every little line item on the baptist budget, but then does things like decorate with plastic flowers and other "unscriptural" things?

You may say it is insignificant, and indeed it is, but CoC constantly rails against the other "denominations" and they are actually highly inconsistent themselves. At least an organ helps you keep pitch, and could be considered inference by some, the plastic flowers don't do anything of value and are completely unauthorized.

[KLP]

Every place I was at (NI), the flower decorations were not provided out of the treasury, but from individuals. Just like the anointment with perfume of Jesus...some might think the money better spent but Jesus did not think so and said to the person alone who was trying to spruce things up. And changing out the plastic flowers for Easter lilies or poinsettias would really irk "certain" people. Because it ain't just a flower but a specific flower with a connotation. Also, after funerals there might be some extra flowers around, but no funeral in the building of course...least not at a true church.

I am sure some liberal places that had fellowship halls and supported them orphans probably had no problem buying decorations...but no place I was placing membership.

[agricola]

We would get REAL flowers. And yes, it was indeed a topic of prior discussion before it was allowed, and even then, the presence of poinsettia in December was controversial.

You are right, though - major inconsistency there about congregational autonomy in 'unnecessary things'. The trouble is, eventually - without an actual authority to rule on stuff - EVERYTHING became 'necessary'. The Campbells and Barton Stone would be rolling over in their graves.

You guys mind if I shift this over to Coc Doctrine? That's really where it belongs.
Darn - sorry: How has the Coc impacted your life?
I'll remember eventually.

This sort of thing, however, certainly 'impacted (my) life' because this sort of thinking left me totally confused about what was and wasn't 'settled', so to speak. I couldn't prioritize topics well - this carried over to 'real life' at school and at work, too. When everything is equally a 'salvation critical topic', then nothing is pre-eminent, everything is on a flat plane of equal importance.

[KLP]

Wait...we have a CofC Doctrine?

[faithfyl]

I haven't seen plastic flowers in years. They are kind of tacky, in my opinion.

[agricola]

Wait...we have a CofC Doctrine?

Beats me. All I know is, if we did, it isn't written DOWN anywhere, because then people might think we had a CREED, right?

[Opie]

Any organization has certain things they believe in, which then becomes their creed. So, yes, the CoC does indeed have a creed, it's just that they refuse to write it down. And an unwritten creed is the most dangerous kind!

[Ivy]

They were actually plastic and silk. They were unscriptural - an innovation - with no purpose
other than to delight the eyes.

[KLP]

The CoC Doctrine comment is in regards that for years on this site there existed a CoC Doctrine Discussion forum. The Agri comment about Creed was merely to gloss over her memory lapse regarding that forum name being deprecated. So really we can't discuss a Creed either. But we can discuss the band in the coffee shoppe.

[agricola]

We actually used to have TWO coc doctrine discussion forums - one to vent and complain and make fun of it, and the other to actually talk about doctrine somewhat seriously. Then the board crashed (again) and we came back to one. Then....well, it seemed like a good idea to change several forum names to better reflect what they were actually being used for, and the 'coc doctrine' forum was mostly used to talk about how the coc impacted people's lives. Now that can and does INCLUDE talking about coc doctrines.

Mostly, though, people complain about them. The coc doctrines, that is. Assuming we know what they are, exactly. Which we all do, even though nobody ever seems to have actually written them down.