When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!
- 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
6 comments:
Since one of the causes of action is for conversion (i.e., theft), there are some other bible verses you should consider before you hide behind this one:
You shall not steal. Ex. 20:15
You shall not steal.... Lev. 19:11
Neither shall you steal. Deut 5:19
Will you steal ....? Jer. 7:9
There is ... stealing .... Hos 4:2
And Jesus said ... You shall not steal .... Matt 19:18
You know the commandments ... Do not steal Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20
While you preach against stealing, do you steal? Rom 2:21
You shall not steal. Rom 13:9
Let the thief no longer steal.... Eph 4:28
Good luck to Bishop Schofield and company in the battle ahead.
It is difficult to imagine how it could be said that the clergy and delegates of the Diocese of San Joaquin stole their churches from The Episcopal Church last December, when it was decided by an overwhelming majority vote of nearly 90% to relate to the Anglican Communion through a different province, and there is nothing in the Constitution and Canons of TEC to prohibit such an action.
However, if it is being suggested that churches should be reunited with their historical antecedents, that has some merit: Bp Schofield could turn over the churches of San Joaquin to TEC, the PB should return the American churches to Canterbury, and Rowan Williams could give the Anglican Church back to Rome. If the Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, etc. also follow this line of thought and return their churches to the Vatican, then we could end these fruitless debates and be truly united.
Sorry Van, your above comment doesn't fly and you know it.
My comment is logical, accurate, historically relevant and I stand by it. You are free to disagree with me but to suggest that I don't believe what I wrote above is presumptuous, at best. I truly cannot imagine what sort of mental gymnastics it would take to come to the conclusion that our delegates stole their own churches. Nor can I imagine the level of intellectual dishonesty - or ignorance of Church history - that would be required in order to propose that the Church of England was free to leave Rome and The Episcopal Church was free to establish itself without permission from the Church of England, but TEC presumes not to allow anyone else to follow their same historical precedent. Now that TEC is the one with money and power, they have adopted the same oligarchical disregard for dissidents as did Rome in the 16th century and Canterbury in the 18th century.
Tis an interesting idea, accusing the people, congregations, priests and bishop of a violation of the sixth commandment. (as a lutheran I hold to the traditional numbering)
Unfortunately, there are a few commandments one must read, before getting there. If the leaders of the TEC actually were as concerned with the first, second, third, and the seventh through tenth commandments, you might not have concern yourself with vainly claiming the people gathered in His name, stole the place where He promises the forgiveness of sins through word and sacrament.
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