Shunned!

[Tellyontellyon]

Some Christian sects practice shunning in some degree..
Do you agree with this practice?

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?
Are they getting it wrong, and why?

 

[Micmac]

Some Christian sects practice shunning in some degree..
Do you agree with this practice?

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?
Are they getting it wrong, and why?

JW'S and SDA'S are big time shunners and their tactics are similar to those used by diehard trinitarians.

Let me give you an example.

It's more about their reputation than the doctrine itself. They're in too deep. The number of books and articles written, taught and preached on Trinity is in the millions!

Trinity has become a cult within Christianity. Diehard Trinitarians have been in damage control since the doctrine's development. That's why they, "Close the Crash Doors" and shame and shun people. I just now realized that I don't belong here... See you all on the other side. Goodbye. God bless.

The rules have driven me away. I'm a Christian. You guys suck at it.

"Faith groups and individuals that deny the full, eternal deity of Jesus Christ or His incarnation whereby He, as God, took on human flesh (becoming fully God and fully man in one person), are considered non-Christians at CF. Posts that deny the full, eternal deity of Jesus Christ or His incarnation are considered non-Christian theology and are not allowed in "Christians Only" forums. Discussions in all "Christians Only" forums must be in alignment with Trinitarian beliefs.

 

[Ceallaigh]

I've known of people asked to leave a church. Usually because of behavior issues that were too disruptive. Either that or they were told about the problems they were causing and left on their own.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Some Christian sects practice shunning in some degree..
Do you agree with this practice?

Yes, but it should be only done when, after a long period of time, an "issue" with a fellow Christian has been clearly, succinctly, exactly, graciously, and compassionately addressed. Not only this, but it has to come about that the problematic individual has refused to concede to a moral problem that everyone knows beyond the shadow of the doubt that he is continually perpetuating and, by which, he is on some level causing an uncomfortable moral tension or disturbance within the congregation.

Usually, however, whatever "shunning" we find takes place does so simply because------oh, god!----someone dared to disagree about some political or obscure debate among those who, on either side, really don't have an answer for in absolute terms. But it's always easier to feel self justified by dismissing out of hand another person who disagrees with us on some politically charged issue.

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?
Are they getting it wrong, and why?

Usually, it's based on what St. Paul told the Corinthian Church in regard to a certain man in their congregation who was schlepping with someone he shouldn't be schlepping with ..............

 

[ViaCrucis]

Some Christian sects practice shunning in some degree..
Do you agree with this practice?

No. At least not in the way I often hear of shunning being practiced in some religious contexts.

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?
Are they getting it wrong, and why?

A couple places in Scripture indicate that in certain, and rather extreme, circumstances it is important to separate someone from the congregation--they aren't welcome to the Eucharist, they aren't welcome to come and join us for worship.

The purpose of which isn't to shun, but rather to protect the congregation, and ideally, to show that certain things can't be tolerated. Abuse isn't something that should be tolerated, whether it is physical violence, sexual violence, emotional, or even spiritual. If things are so bad that we can't allow someone into our sacred space, then it's pretty severe. Because the Church is supposed to be a hospital for sinners, and we're all sinners. So to reach a point where someone is doing something to warrant their removal means it is very serious.

I'll provide an example that's close to home for me. Years ago my grandfather was forced to leave his church. Now, the pastor of the church was my uncle, my grandfather's son. And, to make it more complicated, my grandfather was living with him.

So what happened? My grandfather was going to church rot-stinking drunk every Sunday and harassing women at church. He would deny he did anything wrong, he wouldn't even acknowledge that he was making people very uncomfortable and making a lot of young women at the church feel unsafe. Telling him he couldn't come back wasn't the first thing the church did, they tried to reason with him, tried to explain to him what he did and why it wasn't okay--he denied it, got angry, got stubborn, and kept doing it. So, that's when he was told he couldn't come back unless he radically and drastically changed his behavior. Sadly, he didn't. My grandpa died, having emotionally alienated most of the family--not that we stopped loving him. But he was a narcissist and a drunk who was verbally abusive and tried to gaslight everyone around him.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[linux.poet]

AMBASSADOR HAT​

Please do not openly complain about Christian Forums on the open forums, as that is a disruptive behavior violation. If you have an issue with this site or its rules, please file a support ticket to address your complaints to the staff. Further, if you need to leave an online community, it is best courtesy to simply just leave without making public complaints, as that reflects negatively on your reputation when you are banned. Further, you may wish to regain access to this community at a later time and regret your decision.

Also, please keep in mind that attacking faith groups over their shunning or excommunication practices is not allowed:

Do not personally attack (insult, belittle, mock, ridicule) other members or groups of members on CF, or use nicknames to do so.

This includes all of the site's recognized faith groups. Everyone is permitted to discuss the practices of faith groups and state agreement or disagreement, but please be careful to avoid slamming entire groups for their practices. Thanks!

AMBASSADOR HAT OFF​

 

[linux.poet]

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?

The Scriptural justification would be Matthew 18:15-19:

15 “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them [v]by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

In verse 17, "being as a Gentile and a tax collector", was the equivalent of being an outcast from your faith community, not being allowed to worship with the Jewish people. This is not a negative remark on tax collectors, for Matthew was, in fact, a tax collector.

More clarity can be provided in 1 Corinthians 5:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to turn such a person over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let’s celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or a greedy person, or an idolater, or is verbally abusive, or habitually drunk, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the evil person from among yourselves.

The idea is very simple: those who claim faith in Christ need to be following the commandments of Christ. Those who claim to be followers of Christ but aren't following the Lord's commands are to be removed, because they are lying about their commitment to follow Him.

 

[Neogaia777]

Some Christian sects practice shunning in some degree..
Do you agree with this practice?

What is the scriptural justification (or refutation) for this?
Are they getting it wrong, and why?

The only time you should stay away from another sinner, is only when you yourself are struggling too much with your own temptations to sin or misbehave because of them.

God Bless.