Hi Met,
Nice post as usual.
The July 15, 2006 has an interesting question from readers.
The question asks: Can a person be disfellowshipped from the christian congreation for engaging in uncleanness as he can be for fornication or loose conduct?
I found thes two par. in the article interesting:
Some Christians have become involved in the viewing of porn. This is offensive to God, and the elders may be shocked that a fellow believer had done this.
But not all viewing of pornography calls for a hearing before a judicial committee. For example, suppose a brother viewed soc0lled soft-core porn. on several occasions. He is ashamed, confesses to an elder, and is determined not to repoat this sin. The elder might well conclude that the borthers' conduct did not escalate to the point that he engaged in uncleanness with greediness. Nor did he display a brazen attitude, indicating loose conduct.
Although no judicial action would be warranted, this type of uncleanness would call for strong Scriptural counsel and perhaps follow -up help from the elders.
However, suppose a Christian has secretly viewed abhorrent, sexually degrading pornography for years and had done everything possible to conceal this sin. Such pornography might feature gang rape, bondage, sadistic torture, the brutalizing of women, or evern child porhography. When others become aware of his conduct, he is deeply ashamed. He has not been brazen, but the elders may determine that he has gven himself over to this filthy habit, and has practiced uncleanness with greediness, that is gross uncleanness.
A judicial committe would be formed because gross uncleanness is involved. The wrongdoer would be disfellowshipped if he did not display godly repentance and the determination never to view porngraphy again.
So I wonder if he says "I repent and I wont do it again", they wont disfellowship either.
Are they relaxing a bit here? Comments?
Another thing what is this doing things with "greediness".
I think they got it wrong its "neediness" not "greediness"
wanna