A Confessional Church

IN RESPONSE:

Being a “confessional” church means that those who adhere to that denomination have taken an oath of allegiance (baptism, confirmation, etc.) to “certain” interpretations – confessions – of scripture. These confessions define their beliefs and are absolute – without blemish or error – despite what later research uncovers or science reveals. They hold on to their beliefs because without a community of believers, there would be no church and no salvation. They don't care about research and scholarship--just the preverted stuff of their denomination.

It's kinda like what Bush said the other day when he was told that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. He said, "Who cares."

My interpretation of confessional churches is that most members are uneducated, don’t want to be educated, and are easily led by dogma and dogmatic ministers. This affects every organization, not just churches, but the patterns are the same.

The one dogma that separates Roman Catholics, Missouri Lutherans, and the Episcopalians from other Protestant groups is the confession that the “juice” and “ho-cake” served at communion is really – I mean really – the “blood” and “body” of Christ. Thus, they call communion a “sacrament,” which makes it a sacred and untouchable formality and a key indicator that a member is superstitious enough to be a “real” believing (but unthinking) member. Watch closely as the last crumbs and droppings are consumed by the "annointed one." Are we so stupid to think that God calls some and not all; that because I wear a fancy gown and have a high collar that I'm more special to God than you pew dwellers; that Jesus touched Peter and Peter touched the first Pope; and from such touching special magical powers are transmitted down through the ages? Do people really believe this stuff?

The odd thing about this is that these groups don’t share communion with each other and consider Christians who are not members of their “in-group” just short of being infidels. The rules and regulations of the church, like the country club, are designed to keep people out, not in.

Another important superstition they “confess” is the belief in the Trinity; although the Trinity is a post-Biblical doctrine or theological expression. Check out my Trinity essay on the blog, "Speaking Freely."

I spoke to a Missouri Lutheran not long ago (might as well have been a Baptist) about these matters and he said to me that if a person doesn’t believe in the Trinity, then they are not Christian and will go to hell – wherever that is. I pointed out that the “trinity” is not mentioned as such in the New Testament, but he pointed to Genesis 1:1 where God said “Let us make man in our own image.” The plural reference he said was evidence that God was talking to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But I questioned, if the trinity is three in one and one in three, wasn’t God just talking to him- or maybe herself since “spirit” in the Greek is always used in the feminine voice? He had no response.

The reality of the 1st century is that many of the early Christians were Gnostics (Coptic in Egypt). Gnostics believed that the God of Hebrew Scripture was evil because he created matter and was not the God of the NT who is a God of love. Is it any wonder why the Catholics ordered all Gnostic Gospels burned (thank god some survived) and created all those faux dogmas and creeds we still “confess” in our churches?

The joke is that all who belong to a “confessional” church keep the faith by ignoring history and scientific research; close their minds to truth; and usually vote Republican! Their confessions are based on a great hoax that began in the 4th century CE and they continue to perpetuate those myths through the narrow lenses of “church” truth.

For me, the church is little more than a country club and membership has its rules and regulations. We can dress our ministers in elaborate robes and gowns, wave flags, burn candles, and carry crosses. We can genuflex and cross ourselves or chant and sing, but the fact remains: it’s a hoax, an elaborate myth that has lasted for centuries because we are all scare of the unknown – death.