Painting with such a broad brush is both unhelpful and, ultimately, displays the very thing Perg's post warns against. Undoubtedly, we must look inward first, constantly repenting and confessing. We are to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We are to purge ourselves of thoughts and deeds born of the flesh.
That does not mean that we are not to make observations, nor be unprepared for the questions that come up (of which I've already fielded several, from both within and outside of the body). One thing I've learned is that, to an unbelieving, scoffing world, what they think about one of "us" they think about all of us. Unbelievers don't say, "Well, if he had a more proper ecclesiology, that would have protected him". They don't split such hairs. Rather, they lump all professing Christ-followers together, and point and scoff at "our" hypocrisy, which, ultimately, is an attempt to soothe their consciences that are piqued by their law-breaking and rebellion against their Creator.
So we must be informed, and we must be willing and able to give a response, and make appropriate, humble observations. We must be willing and able to show that theology and doctrine truly do matter. But we must do so from hearts that are acutely aware of our own bent toward self-righteousness and pet-sin minimization.
