Posted by Harry Coin Groups who are able to distribute authority to all those capable of making good decisions thrive and not just survive because more good decisions are translated into decisions and events. Concentrating all important authority causes the whole group to die back to the limits of the vision of the leader of the day. We bump up against 'other groups similarly formed' and disagree with them -- 100% counter to the teaching - and wrongly feel the only way to resolve the matter is to win the turf battle like animals fighting over who controls hunting ground. If we continue down that road -- people here watching will not be impressed and won't join as such things are not the stuff of inspiration outlined in the Gospel. As the leadership uses its legalistic power to reemphasizes and consolidate its power: the people lose the organic sense of having a relationship with the whole community. If we dwindle here as our current course demonstrates, those in Turkey will be worse off.
on 4/7/2009, 10:19 am, in reply to "Pan Orthodox Sermon - Met Jonah "If we wanted a Pope we'd be under the real one.""
Message modified by user Harry Coin 4/7/2009, 10:59 am
Those who really work at their faith include some look at the history -- even the inconvenient bits -- and so notice Orthodoxy does not feature a leadership with an authoritative single person at the top of the heap. We see 'follow the strongman' idea lived out on 'The Animal Network' shows and dictatorships, and complained of in the Gospel.
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