“…a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).
Anyone can criticize the church. It’s the most vulnerable institution in the world, the most victimized, and the most vilified.
Criticizing the church is like clubbing baby seals. It has no way of fighting back, but just lays there and takes what you dish out. The difference is that, after the beating, the church stands to her feet and goes on about her business, while you the critic walk away beaming as though you have done something heroic.
You haven’t. You have picked on the easiest target in the world.
In this morning’s newspaper, some (ahem) rocket scientist wrote a letter to the editor taking on the church for the Spanish Inquisition of the Middle Ages and before that the Crusades. I assume he just discovered these.
No institution on earth has been so targeted for villainy as has the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
–Satan and his legions persecute it and when that doesn’t work, they imitate it in order to make people think the wickedness they’re perpetrating is actually done by the people of God.