Woman Says Church Threatening To Make Sins Public.

[Johnboy60]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A divorced Jacksonville woman said her former church has threatened to "go public with her sins" and tell the congregation about her sexual relationship with her new boyfriend.

Rebecca Hancock said harassment from Grace Community Church in Mandarin over her sex life caused her to leave, but she said that didn't put an end to the problem. She said she received a letter from the church's elders telling her the church plans to make her personal life very public.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/18286355/detail.html

 

[Washington]

Ah, Christian love and forgiveness. Always got some kind of unexpected entertainment up their sleeves.

 

[Sylvanspirits]

Sad that a church would do that.

This parable comes to mind...

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. - Luke 18:9-14

 

[ephesus32]

why would that church do that?? the elders are doing this together??

 

[Dracil]

It's actually interesting more churches aren't against divorce the way they are against same sex marriages.

 

[flicka]

Christians LOVE to gossip about sex and what other people are doing. They really get ... something from it.

 

[Flibbertigibbet]

That is really twisting the scripture, since the woman is no longer a member of the church. She has effectively moved them to the next step, which is to treat her as a "heathen or tax collector." It makes absolutely no sense to "tell it to the church" she no longer belongs to. And there is absolutely no biblical basis to make it publicly known outside the community of believers, although she has effectively taken care of that herself.

Both sides, her and them, seem rather ridiculous. Them, for reasons stated above. Her, for making it REALLY public. I'm sure it's much more palatable for her kids to read about it in the newspaper. <sarcasm>

 

[Yusuf Evans]

That's the irony isn't it. The Church was threatining, and she made it public enough for all the world to know.

 

[HollandScotts]

She should sue them for harrasment, lible, slander, defamation of charactor, and whatever else she can.

If that doesn't work, lead pipes on tender knees will probably get the job done. I'ld make the bastards wish that Satan had drug them to hell if they pulled that crap on me.

 

[Billnew]

Kind of destroys evangilism doesn't it?

COme to our church, we love to hear how human you are, and then we'll spread it around if you fail to improve.

 

[craigerNY]

I hope it backfires on the pastor. The membership can either validate his game or set him straight. It will be up to them not us.

 

[BlackAndy]

Casting stones....

 

[Douger]

I'm not sure why this church would even consider this woman to be sinning.

The no sex outside of marriage rule is very hard to back up with scripture.

It could of course be a church rule, but certainly no one should be treated like this over such a rule.

 

[kermit]

My wife's friend's husband was driven from his church by it's elders. Basically, he rejected the sexual advances of a very active and very married church member. She went to the elders claiming that he was sexually harassing her and they made this known to the congregation.

 

[BlackAndy]

I'm not sure why this church would even consider this woman to be sinning.

The no sex outside of marriage rule is very hard to back up with scripture.

It could of course be a church rule, but certainly no one should be treated like this over such a rule.

The weight of Scriptural evidence shows that premarital sex is a sin, even if the Bible doesn't specifically use the words "premarital sex." Sexual immorality of any kind is harshly condemned in the New Testament.

Example:
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (1 Corinthians 7:1-2, KJV)

Fornication = sexual immorality = sin.

 

[Polycarp1]

The weight of Scriptural evidence shows that premarital sex is a sin, even if the Bible doesn't specifically use the words "premarital sex." Sexual immorality of any kind is harshly condemned in the New Testament.

Example:
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (1 Corinthians 7:1-2, KJV)

Fornication = sexual immorality = sin.

Only problem with this is that the Latin fornicatio in the Vulgate and the English "fornication" derived from it translate Greek inappropriate contenteia, which, to keep it relatively clean, means, outside Paul's writings, "having recourse to harlots." Churches have interpreted it that all sex outside marriage is fornication, and I'm certainly not suggesting it's a good thing, but the fact of the matter is that we cannot be sure Paul meant that.

The other half of the picture here, however, is that this church is threatening her by suggesting they will reveal something damaging to her reputation if she does not comply with their wishes. That is called blackmail, and is a criminal offense most places, and an actionable tort everywhere. She should talk to a lawyer and, based on his advice, consider whether to sue them and/or ask the D.A. to prosecute them, corporately and individually.

 

[Flibbertigibbet]

I was very tired last night when I posted - and I woke up this morning thinking about this crazy story.

Upon further consideration, the church should not even be addressing the situation in this manner even if the woman were still a member of the congregation. Matthew 18:15-17 is instruction for what to do when a "brother has sinned against you." Were she married and carrying on an affair and her husband had implemented this process, that is one thing. But an individual's sin is NOT a sin against the church, the pastor or the elders.

This is just biblically wrong.

 

[jcook922]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A divorced Jacksonville woman said her former church has threatened to "go public with her sins" and tell the congregation about her sexual relationship with her new boyfriend.

Rebecca Hancock said harassment from Grace Community Church in Mandarin over her sex life caused her to leave, but she said that didn't put an end to the problem. She said she received a letter from the church's elders telling her the church plans to make her personal life very public.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/18286355/detail.html

"Elder" is a Mormon title I believe, is this a Mormon church?

 

[Avatar]

That's the irony isn't it. The Church was threatining, and she made it public enough for all the world to know.

Not really ironic. She reacted much as I would. Someone attempts to blackmail me and I go public both with what they had on me and that they attempted to use it against me. I'm going down? You're going down too. You might even crash harder.

 

[Flibbertigibbet]

"Elder" is a Mormon title I believe, is this a Mormon church?

I don't think it is exclusively a Mormon title. Many churches refer to their deacons as church elders.