[markomalley]

Sure am glad I don’t go to either of your churches. I screw up once and *BOOM* — instant shunning.

I prefer God’s mercy, thanks.

[ResponseAbility]

****Sure am glad I don’t go to either of your churches. I screw up once and *BOOM* — instant shunning.****

Do you affirm to them that you screwed up and that you do not endorse the sin? If so you are repentant and do not need to be shunned. Perhaps counseled and/or exhorted if you involved other congregants.

[dasboot]

No, there is no shunning. The church confronts the errant member. If he/she is unrepentant, or unreliably reformed after time, as demonstrated by evidence, it is the duty of the church to tell that person they gotta go...for the spiritual health of the rest, and the soundness of the church.

And there is much wisdom in this...similar to a man who is rotten to his wife for 28 years, fools around, says 'sorry' to the wife, and demands to come back home. It behooves the wife to let him be lonely for a long while: he'll either repent, strengthen through suffering, and learn the value of what is lost...or end up in the gutter where he was headed anyway. If she let's him come home without the 'cleansing' and new, real commitment, it is bad for both...and the kids, too. Change takes time and lonliness. Desperate loneliness. And an ability to part with selfishness, pride and impatience that gets a guy to that place to begin with; and a giving-up of the self-directed life....acknowledging that there is One who knows better. And breaking is the only way to start back to sanity in-earnest.

Like that. That's what to do. Tough love.

A church is an extended family, bound by spirit, not flesh. Like-dynamics apply to both, I reckon.

Not at all what you're trying to twist things into, by whatever motivates you.

[guitarplayer1953]

I think tiller screwed up around 60,000 time not just once or twice.