Quote:
Originally Posted by byHismercy
Ohio, this was my experience also. Not with Lee or Anaheim against the midwest LCs, but just personally, our families' trust in the LC saints was deeply violated through their shunning of us. Personal relationships broken. Then the actual events were turned around and I was accused of breaking with them, etc. Which thought never entered my heart. But as Aron pointed out, Jesus paid their penalty, too. But I believe in our part....confession and repentance. So the guilty party would need to climb down off of their high horse of 'we are right' and acknowledge their pasha.
|
byHismercy, those who "shunned" you are also victims of sorts. Abuse begets abuse, just as love begets love.
When John taught (I Jn 2.27) that we have received an abiding anointing, which is true and not a lie, which teaches us all things, that we need no one else to teach us, it was in the context of love. Truth be told, "God is love" is proven by loving others.
Shunning, however, violates both the teaching anointing and the truth. Shunning weaponizes heresy to hold members in fear in order keep them in bondage. Here the LC church is no different from the local Amish or the Pharisees in Jesus' day. The leaders bear the most responsibility, but those who shun others must violate the love of God within their own hearts.
Jesus taught us to love our enemies. LC leaders may teach that ex-members are "enemies," but their rotten traditions should not supersede the word of God.