Quote:
Originally Posted by UtahDan
I'm all for the big tent, but you are talking about behaviors here, not exclusions based on race. It is hard to imagine the tent ever being large enough to embrace drunks and whores. Of couse these people are welcome in the fold, as are all people. But they cannot have the full benefits of membership nor can they expect that the behavior will be approved of.
Jesus tolerated their presence, where the scribes and pharisees would not, because he viewed them as "sick" and in need of a "physician." He never said that they weren't sick after all. You obviously have an agenda behind your remarks. Why don't you just share it with us so we can discuss it?
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Whoah. Hold up. Did Jesus ever say anyone WASN'T sick or need of a physician? He "tolerated their presence"? That's a liberal interpretation. You could just as easily say he preferred their presence. You can make a logical case that drunks and whores will never enjoy the same benefits of membership as "non-sinners" using other sources but not using the Jesus/New Testament examples.