[mercy]

Actually I find about 90% of all organized religion to be the worst form of garbage. A child can look at massive evidence of corruption, lies, criminality and see the plain truth but a religionist will see the same thing and come up with a complex and detailed defense of the offenders. The Lord told us we must be as little children to enter His Kingdom. I don't think there is anything cryptic about that. This is a mystery and impossible to understand for a religionist while plain as day to a child of the Kingdom. Only His sheep hear his voice. Religionists hear something else.

[Indie]

The Lord told us we must be as little children to enter His Kingdom. I don't think there is anything cryptic about that. This is a mystery and impossible to understand for a religionist while plain as day to a child of the Kingdom. Only His sheep hear his voice. Religionists hear something else.

Amen to that.

[Qwinn]

Little children in the real world need strong authority figures that are actually present and can mete out punishment (even if just a scolding).

I see nothing contradictory with the verse you cite and the Catholic viewpoint that Jesus gave unto Peter the responsibility of founding his Church.

As for corruption, I'm surprised how you could have missed those big swaths of the Bible that point out that ALL men are sinners, and that if God intended there to be a Church, it should be a plain given that it would also bear sinners at every level of it's ranks. The question is, why would God want a Church if it contained men capable of sin in positions of authority? Rather simple, non-complex answer for you: Because the world would be far worse off without it than it is with it. I personally believe that to be entirely true.

Qwinn

[the invisib1e hand]

ok, well, then I stand by my first response.

best.