Lancenglory.org
Lance. I had opened one of your emails and was about to respond when my computer decided to close out on AOL. Lost the post. I don't remember the exact wording but I do remember my response. So, here it is -- hopefully you will remember your wording.
And the response is: Brotherhood, whether with Blaine or with you or Bill or Izzy or whoever, is not a declaration on anyone's part regarding the issue of salvation. If we are truly family members, we will act and treat each other in a certain way. God makes the eschatological decisions. I am no pie in the sky novice Christian. Neither is Blaine. Each of us has our theological system. Blaine's declaration may mean nothing more than "hey, we are all humans, right, and hence brothers" when he says that we both worship the same Christ and are, therefore, brothers. He does not know, at this point, just how sincere I am about the concept of brotherhood, what it includes and excludes. Nor I him. I do know this: one will accept critically important counsel from a family member more readily than from an enemy who "really cares." I know that I never challenge one's claim to brotherhood out of hand. If, in fact, Blaine and I are in the same family, that will manifest itself in time.
I have a studied opinion about Mormonism and am not a Mormon. But I am not a Baptist either, or a Presbyterian. I hasten to add, that none of this post should be taken to say that my concept of brotherhood is not real or vital. It just means that I am not the judge.
John
