What do you think of shunning?

GingerBeer

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Some religions that call themselves christian shun ex-members. Shunning can go as far as cutting off family, friends, and every other associate. What do you think of that as a Christian response to someone leaving the faith or moving to another?
 

GingerBeer

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It's emotionally and mentally abusive, thus is characteristic of a cult rather than a loving faith like ours is supposed to be.
Amish folk do it. some Mennonite groups do it too. Jehovah's witnesses do it. Some Brethren groups do it.
 
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Dave-W

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Norbert L

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WHY do people keep mis-using the term "cult?"
I think it shows how powerful over simplified logic can become. Religious cults are bad therefore anything bad within religion is a cult. It makes an easy way of taking a complex issue, put it in a box and believe you have solved the problem.

When it comes to the question of shunning, I think it becomes interesting when adding 1 Timothy 5:8 into the equation. It's where the religious world meets the Good Samaritan. There should be some effort made in making sure that while shunning a person, they are still able to maintain a roof over their head and are able to take care of themselves. Especially when family is concerned.
 
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grasping the after wind

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Some religions that call themselves christian shun ex-members. Shunning can go as far as cutting off family, friends, and every other associate. What do you think of that as a Christian response to someone leaving the faith or moving to another?

I'm against it. I think it is an overreaction. Certainly any relationship one has with someone is changed dramatically if the basic belief system of one of the members in that relationship is changed dramatically. However, that doesn't preclude having a non confrontational acquaintance with someone you may have previously been very close friends or companions with. To shun, in the sense that one acts as if that person no longer exists, does not seem to me to be a measured reasonable response to someone who has made what I would consider to be a mistake. Leave the lines of communication open even though the basic relationship cannot be exactly as it was in the past due to the fact that a Christian's life is centered completely around Christ and a non Christian's life disregards Christ completely in everything.
 
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Dave-W

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I think it shows how powerful over simplified logic can become. Religious cults are bad therefore anything bad within religion is a cult. It makes an easy way of taking a complex issue, put it in a box and believe you have solved the problem.
There's a verse for that:

Hosea 4:6a
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
 
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GingerBeer

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I'm against it. I think it is an overreaction. Certainly any relationship one has with someone is changed dramatically if the basic belief system of one of the members in that relationship is changed dramatically. However, that doesn't preclude having a non confrontational acquaintance with someone you may have previously been very close friends or companions with. To shun, in the sense that one acts as if that person no longer exists, does not seem to me to be a measured reasonable response to someone who has made what I would consider to be a mistake. Leave the lines of communication open even though the basic relationship cannot be exactly as it was in the past due to the fact that a Christian's life is centered completely around Christ and a non Christian's life disregards Christ completely in everything.
What about shunning family, spouse, children and so forth?
 
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Anthony2019

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I think shunning is a great idea. It means more and more people will be able to get away from the stupidity, arrogance and narrow-mindedness of those who think they are "holier than thou".

They might even find a church which welcomes sinners.
 
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Grip Docility

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Some religions that call themselves christian shun ex-members. Shunning can go as far as cutting off family, friends, and every other associate. What do you think of that as a Christian response to someone leaving the faith or moving to another?

It takes hard work on Satan’s part to brain wash people that God is a hateful monster of wrath.

Anyone that challenges that premise within his flock has to be ousted... or 1 drop of Gospel water would dilute the hate he works so hard to propagate.
 
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TheSeabass

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1 Cor 5:10.13 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat"..."But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."


2 Thess 3:14-15 "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
 
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_Dave_

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I believe a lot of confusion comes in when people equate shunning with church discipline. As mentioned in the previous comment by TheSeabass, there is Scripture that speaks about not having someone living in persistent, unrepentant sin be a part of a fellowship of the body of Christ -- that's church discipline.

The purpose of church discipline, however, is not to shun out of the whole community, but to witness to the sinner outside of the fellowship by loving brothers and sisters for an eventual return to the church.
 
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Grip Docility

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I believe a lot of confusion comes in when people equate shunning with church discipline. As mentioned in the previous comment by TheSeabass, there is Scripture that speaks about not having someone living in persistent, unrepentant sin be a part of a fellowship of the body of Christ -- that's church discipline.

The purpose of church discipline, however, is not to shun out of the whole community, but to witness to the sinner outside of the fellowship by loving brothers and sisters for an eventual return to the church.

This is closer to the mark.

Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians with a case where a man is ousted for “being with his father’s wife” <~ yikes!

But, he follows through in 2 Corinthians with Forgiveness to the man and a warning that Satan can use people’s lack of forgiveness against them.
 
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RDKirk

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1 Cor 5:10.13 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat"..."But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."


2 Thess 3:14-15 "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

I believe a lot of confusion comes in when people equate shunning with church discipline. As mentioned in the previous comment by TheSeabass, there is Scripture that speaks about not having someone living in persistent, unrepentant sin be a part of a fellowship of the body of Christ -- that's church discipline.

The purpose of church discipline, however, is not to shun out of the whole community, but to witness to the sinner outside of the fellowship by loving brothers and sisters for an eventual return to the church.

We attended a congregation back in the early 90s that had a very strong anti-abuse message. At one time, a particular husband was identified as someone who was beating his wife. The police weren't handling the issue, but that didn't really matter for the congregation.

The attitude of the men of the congregation was, essentially, "No, you can't practice beating your wife and then come among us in our gatherings as if everything was copacetic. We don't want your company until you repent and cease that behavior."
 
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Grip Docility

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1 Cor 5:10.13 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat"..."But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."


2 Thess 3:14-15 "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."



We attended a congregation back in the early 90s that had a very strong anti-abuse message. At one time, a particular husband was identified as someone who was beating his wife. The police weren't handling the issue, but that didn't really matter for the congregation.

The attitude of the men of the congregation was, essentially, "No, you can't practice beating your wife and then come among us in our gatherings as if everything was copacetic. We don't want your company until you repent and cease that behavior."

That was more merciful than how it could have been handled.

:D
 
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nonaeroterraqueous

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The verses mentioned were great. We might turn people off to the faith by shunning them, but we probably do them a greater disservice by letting them think they are okay and remain in our numbers. Too many, way too many people have turned away from the faith because of the creeps that the church allows into its membership in the name of being non-judgmental. That is by far the greater problem.
 
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GingerBeer

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I think shunning is a great idea. It means more and more people will be able to get away from the stupidity, arrogance and narrow-mindedness of those who think they are "holier than thou".

They might even find a church which welcomes sinners.
That may be so if only the religiously narrow and superior (in their own eyes) did the shunning but they urge it upon mothers and father, sisters and brothers, children and and spouses in some cases and with threats that failure to shun means that the ones who fail will be expelled and shunned too. That is cruel and very hard to bear for the ones shunned by their loved ones.
 
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