*Every* human institution will have its own particular ways of valuing something over the instrinsic worth of the humans who (want to)/ belong to it... The institution will value a doctrine/belief, attitude, ritual, tradition, lifestyle, sexual orientation... you name it, and if the individual doesn't conform, the institution will apply 'sanctions'...

Which is what Baptists do when they say 'If you don't want water/baptism, you can belong somewhere else.' Jesus encourages us to value humans over any/every system...

Try this somewhat controversial discussion-question at a Baptist pastors'/leaders' conference: 'Just about every Baptist Church has young people who are full members, and are fornicators... But if General Eva Burrows applies for membership (so far as I know this world leader of the S/Army has not been baptized with water) she is barred from most Baptist churches - or is relegated to 'second class/ associate' status... Isn't there something pharisaical in that?' The dozen times I've tossed that one into a Baptist Pastors' conference, the discussion has gone on well into the night!

As sociologist Robert Merton used to say: 'The evil in institutions is greater than the sum of the evil of the individuals within them'...

It's called the 'prophet's thesis'... (which of course is why prophets are not really at home in institutions)...

Rowland Croucher

December 2006