Wellll, I'm one who likes the Amplified and the . . . and the . . . and the . . . and the . . . and the . . . versions.
I think God's Word is so robust that the different flavors ad depth and breadth to His Truths therein--as does studying it in a different language.
And, as you may observe, my biases are decidedly against what comes across to me as a narrow, prissy, rigid, starchy, lifeless, intellectualized vs real, etc. etc. "Christian"/perspective. I have the bias that such a perspective most outraged Jesus, too. That's how I read The Gospels. And, given the huge amount of shrill noises of such on the rel forum . . . I can be more than a little trigger happy to try and shoot holes in anything that remotely reminds me of such.
You appear to have a set of biases and trigger finger on the opposite end of such issues. I don't have any trouble seeing you as a dear brother. But I think we both have fiercely strong convictions about these matters. And, we both likely feel that our convictions are fiercely Biblical and fiercely reality based.
Of course, my biases are 100% right and yours are 100% wrong. /sar
I think that's a separate issue. I've attended churches of many different styles. Some friends of mine and I used to do it just for the education factor. Really, starchy and rigid is more of a style than an obstacle, unless it distorts the gospel. But loose and "free" can also be a means to distort the gospel, or it can be just about style. I've seen both. Style shouldn't be an obstacle to us. I think Christians are called to love one another and we shouldn't pick at stupid things. At the same time, TD is right, we need to be VERY wary of false teachings. The trick is to understand what is and is not essential.
We need to be mindful that there is a spiritual BATTLE going on. We get over confident in ourselves (not God) and forget that we need "the full armor of God." That's the key. We'd better take the battle seriously because we CAN be deceived.