Excommunication Thread, eyewitnesses

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[AgathaL'Orange]

I've been shocked with the knowledge that excommunications are still happening?  Have you seen any recently?!?

Thank you!  I'm just interested to see if there is a trend that has been ongoing or if it is growing or lessening.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

Agatha, I think this is a really good idea.  I have two situations I could post about, but the shunnings/excommunications didn't happen to me.  So, I am not sure how to include documents that don't also affect the shunned.  They had terrible things written about them.

[Digital Lynch Mob]

Shouldn't one square their view on this with the Bible? Their seems to be Biblical support for excommunications. Old and New.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.

Leviticus 18:29
Verse Concepts
'For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

Digital Lynch Mob, I have written elsewhere that I do believe in grounds for excommunication.  Not for gossiping about a pastor (with acknowledgement that the person was not saying untrue things, just that they were saying anything at all) or failing to control your wife.  I would not hesitate to exclude someone from a church community for things like being an unrepentant pedophile, violent toward their family, a human trafficker, or exploiter other people.  I would exclude the people Jesus said it would be better to have a millstone tied around their neck ("If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." Matt 18:6)

You quote Leviticus, and a huge theme in OT law is justice, which includes not abusing power or oppressing people, and righting wrongs when they occur.  Lev 18 contains the prohibition of sexually exploiting others by having relations with people one is not supposed to have relations with (as you can see the long list of examples).  Child sacrifice and some purity things are thrown in there.  But, I don't think you can use this verse in Leviticus to support "cutting people off from among their people" for gossiping about a pastor, with gossip defined by GCC.  I'm anticipating you will disagree with me, but if that is your standard I really hope you are going to line people up in your church for their "sin" and have a big old group shunning.  As for myself, I will focus on keeping my church safe by watching those who unrepentantly exploit or harm the less powerful brother/sister.  Although those people will usually leave any system that confronts their evil doings and does not provide cover for their sin.  

Excessive discipline is a part of GCC's history, as written about in the Errors and Weaknesses paper.  The degree of changes instituted after that paper is questionable in some of its local churches.  So please don't assume we are being unbiblical by bringing to light unnecessary shunnings.

[AgathaL'Orange]

Digital Lynch Mob.

Of course there is a place for asking people to leave.  My current church has that plan too.  Many many churches do.  

I was under the assumption that GC didn’t really do it anymore. But lately I'd heard differently.

I'd been on my merry way, but then heard of recent ones which surprised me.

[Digital Lynch Mob]

No offense, but by your 1,000 posts here it doesn't exactly look like you've "gone on your merry way." That'd probably be healthier.

[AgathaL'Orange]

Thank you, Dr. Phil. 

[Digital Lynch Mob]

Least I could do...

[AgathaL'Orange]

No offense, but by your 1,000 posts here it doesn't exactly look like you've "gone on your merry way." That'd probably be healthier.

Here's some math.  

Total Agatha posts / number of years this forum has been here / 365= about .25 posts per day.  

Your average is 26 per day.  

But yes, I often joke that my obsession with aberrant groups, new faiths, and cults is a strange little quirk I have, probably signifying a deeper and more sinister problem.  Some people like true crime, tv shows, support groups, and knitting.  Others like to connect with people over shared history.  I don't know what to tell you.  You're a little insulting though.  

[Digital Lynch Mob]

I was a little grumpy earlier. And yes you got me. One day 26+ posts 

[Rebel in a Good Way]

Agatha, I would like to engage in this thread with you when things are calmer.