[sweet_diane]

Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?

[Blessed]

>Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?<

The separation occured because he failed to accept church discipline and then held the church up to ridicule by announcing to the world he was withholding his tithe and no longer attending.

[polymuser]

He stopped his donations to the church...

Sounds like he knew full well the disagreement his church had with his choice(s), and tried using his offering$ as leverage. I believe Southern Baptists are hard against public education, too. They're definitely living in tension with the worldly.

[blaquebyrd]

"Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?"

The BTK killer wasn't even kicked out of his church. This doesn't seem like the Christian thing to do.

[Busywhiskers]

"Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?"

You know...I was wondering the same thing. Church discipline shouldn't be about getting rid of troublesome people but rather about pressuring people to do what they should and restoring them to fellowship.

[churchillbuff]

Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways?

Yup - - they ran a number of articles in the church newspaper that reminded him - and others - that killing handicaped people is not the Christian way. It's pre-christian, pagan. Apparently he didn't agree. Fine, then he shouldn't shame their congregation by darkening the door.

[Zavien Doombringer]

In defence of the church, it is evident that Greer has had many chances to repent, from the bench, and refuses to do what is right. He has a body of witnesses to testify to this effect. It is best the Church do what it has done.

[mother22wife21]

At first I was thinking the same thing, but, often the church elders will go to the individual in private and make those requests and have fellowship and counsel time. Perhaps he had remained unrepentant and refused their counsel. At which point, the public letter is no suprise.

Also, the article indicated there were problems between Greer and his church. We do not know if they related to this issue, their attempts at church discipline over it or if he was requiring discipline for some other action.