Cease to exist Quote by J. Gresham Machen
““Involuntary organizations ought to be tolerant, but voluntary organizations, so far as the fundamental purpose of their existence is concerned, must be intolerant or else cease to exist.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Christian View of the Church, 1935
Voluntary groups must be exclusive to preserve core purpose; involuntary groups can be tolerant.
In simple terms: Voluntary groups need strict focus.
Key Takeaway
Maintain clear mission boundaries.
Themes
religion
organization
identity
exclusivity
Mood
serious
thoughtful
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- church leadership
- faith communities
- membership criteria
Key Concepts
theology
group dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What core values define your group?
- How can you balance openness with purpose?
A Different Perspective
Exclusivity can alienate potential allies.
![“Tags [distinctive agent features observable by other agents] almost always define the network by delimiting the critical interactions, the major connections. Tags acquire this role because the adaptive processes that modify cas [complex adaptive systems] select for tags that mediate useful…” quote by John H. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/416/john-h-holland-96591_cease-to-exist_tags-distinctive-agent-features-observab_167994.jpg)
