[Cal]

If I can borrow an analogy of something near and dear to the heart of Ohio, consider the Cleveland Browns. One of the most storied franchises in the NFL, a couple of decades ago the Brown left Cleveland, moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. Three years later the NFL created a new team in Cleveland, called them the Browns, gave them all the team's records and history, and basically did their best to recreate the Browns for the sake of the many fans who could never think of them as the Ravens.

But who really are the Browns? Is it the organization owned by Art Modell? If so, that is in Baltimore. Is it the team with the ugly brown and orange uniforms? Is it the team that plays in Cleveland? Is it whatever you think it is?

Now the Browns are just an idea that fans identify with. It's all for fun. But when you hold the idea that there is a special part of the Church, just where is that and what constitutes it? The people? The leaders? The teachings? Whatever got the blessing of the founder? Just what is it? Does it really exist and did it ever really exist?

My belief is it never really existed as a thing in itself. It was just a mental construct to which people ascribed various opinions of value or lack thereof. The LCM was and is just a way we categorize history and experiences. But it is not a real entity in the same way the Church is. So trying to go back to the LCM is like trying to figure out who is really the Browns. You can be content with your assessment. It may work for you. But it really holds no absolute meaning.

That's why sports fans are crazy, especially Browns fans.