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Tango,
Yeah, for ME, this is a struggle - personally and as a part of a congregation. I WISH I had a simple, universal "answer" but I don't. I gave, by far, the strongest personal/congregational example for me above.
But .... if I may be frank (and please know, no offense is intended).... I think there is a lot of hypocrisy in all this (to use too strong a word). I think there are far more rebukes of gluttony sin the Bible than homosexuality. And we know that gluttony is more harming to health (the #1 preventable cause of death in America, having displaced smoking). Yet..... I recall a Baptist pastor who must have weighed close to 300 pounds (Yes, I know that overweight does not equal over-eating). And where I grew up, there was a Hometown Buffet - one of those all you can eat places - that was stuffed with "after church" folks on Sunday mornings; people in suits PILING their plates with probably 2000 calories, only to soon return to the buffet and pile on another 2000 calories and then return for 3 or 4 desserts. Was any of these excommunicated from their congregation? And I recall this man (very nice, btw) at the church I grew up in and the potlucks we had. This guy (who was very overweight) would be the first in line, the first to return, and the one to clean up everything..... he must have consumed 4000 calories at a potluck. Was anyone concerned about this - morally or physically? Nope.... he was winked at, sometimes made fun of ("Let's get in line before Fred, haha") Was he excommunicated? No, he was one of the lay leaders of the church, in a position of influence. And I remember when a single girl in the church choir got pregnant (everyone knew she lived with her bf)..... YES, she could well have proclaimed repentance before the pastor or whatever, I don't know, but the membership knew nothing of that. There was a baby shower and lots of help and support for her. She wasn't "put out of fellowship." And we had more than one "couple" living together outside of marriage.... again, not excommunicated. And Tango, I agree with you that for some reason, homosexuality has been singled out (while perhaps at least equal things are winked at)..... why? I too wonder if it's EASY to pick on that one because WE don't struggle with that. But you don't hear TOO many rants about porn or tax evasion or withholding forgiveness or a host of other sins - perhaps because such would hit home, disturb some paying customers (maybe even the preacher)? It would be EASY for me to rebuke smokers because I don't...... or above because they are overweight (because I'm not).... but I have my problems, and I don't seem to mention that. I think I'm not all alone in this.
I'm NOT defending any of that. Maybe they SHOULD be excommunicated - that may very well be the case. Maybe one of the problems with contemporary Christianity is that we ARE neglecting the Law. On the other hand, I recall Jesus' comment, "He who is without sin cast the first stone." I remember Jesus' log/speck point. And perhaps the proper application of the Law suggests that others are unaware, that others only see the love/gospel part.
I'm not sure how - exactly - all this should be handled. And I realize that this too could be a reason for Christianity's numerical decline, for the "bleeding" we witness. I think sometimes things seem simple in theory..... supremely difficult in practice?
Sorry.
Pax Soli Christi
- Josiah