Why such arrogance about your particular expression of Christ’s Church?
The idea of one sort of Platonic "ideal form" of Christ's Church with many, equally valid particular expressions is not a slam-dunk. And it is not an idea we agree with.
Presumably people get into this or that 'denomination' because of doctrine, at least sometimes. Are all doctrines equally good? Does doctrine not matter? Or do some doctrines matter while others do not? Who gets to say which ones are important?
If one church says abortion is okay, while another says it is a very grave sin, does that simply not matter? Is all salved over by our Lord's forgiveness? Or can a life of objective evil (if there is any such thing -- I think there is) have serious consequences for the perpetrator?
The answers, I think, cannot be equally good. Either we Catholics have the lives of mothers who had their unwanted babies on our hands,or those who disagree with us have the lives of the dead babies on their hands.
The existence of different bodies, all claiming to be valid "instances" of Christ's body is a very grave matter. If it is of no importance,why don't you, in the interests of peace become a Catholic?
I won’t become a Roman Catholic because some of the doctrines I cannot in good, biblically-informed conscience accept. Some of the doctrines about Mary, for example (the Immaculate Conception, the assumption of Mary, her perpetual virginity, her distinct ability to influence Jesus) are unacceptable.
That said, I do appreciate your concern over sound doctrine, and agree with you that not all doctrines are equally good. Abortion matters, a life characterized by evil fruit matters, the Lord’s forgiveness matters.
If you’re a follower of Christ, if you’ve repented and now He is Lord of your life, if you’ve been adopted into His family, then you’re a member of His church — just like a hand or foot or tongue or ear are members of the same body. We may have different senior pastors, each of whom has ultimately received his ordination from Jesus’ commission, but we are members of the same body of Christ.
Excellent future copy and paste material. Thanks. Will save me time.