Church threatens women with public humilation

I think this is outrageous and, since I'm in Florida, I'd like to know where this church is. Did you read this online somewhere? I think a few (hundred) phone calls to the church are in order since they have crossed the line and have no right to involve themselves in people's personal business like this.

That's the strange thing about churches. They're different. They're not businesses or anything. So they can pretty much do whatever they want as long as it has something to do with their teachings. It's nearly impossible to sue them. They have a lot of control over a lot of people. I think there should be more lines drawn when it comes to what they can and can't make their members do. This is ridiculous.

Our Church when they find someone who is breaking one of the Ten Commandments such as the one on adultery, will send a couple of elders to talk to them. Then they will give other warnings in the presence of two or three witnesses. After that, the minister will tell the congregation that two of the members are guilty of breaking the Seventh Commandments and without naming names, say that unless they repent, will not be able to partake in the Lord's Supper and will be excommunicated. They are given three chances and at the last chance they name the ones hoping that they will repent. Most of the time it does not go that far. Yes if the Church is following the Ten Commandments it has the right to tell that woman to either quit having s*x with her boyfriend, or make it right by getting married to him. She brought it on herself. If she said, "this man is bothering me," but she was brazen in her sin. So according to you, the Church should let people go ahead and break the most serious of the Ten Commandments and not say anything. That does not seem right.

Its things like this that give Church a bad name and why people are always saying stuff about Christianity. Not all churches are like this, mine isn't, in fact if something like this happened at my church, nobody would say anything, we would just stay out of it, it would be between the people who are involved and God, he's the one we have to answer to for the things we do, not other people. I don't think this church has a right to do this, they just need to say a prayer for those people.

A church is nothing but it's members. Like any group, organization, gang or church people come together that are like minded. As in the case of the church, the bodies belief in the same theology is what binds them together. Those who find difference with the group will leave. Seems only right. But if you persist to go against the grain, violate the tenets of the body then you open yourself up to adverse conditions. Under these conditions I can only conclude that the church will react to preserve itself whether it prudent in the eyes of society at large or not. But does the church HAVE the right to do this....yes. Just as much as fraternal organizations can include and exclude who they want as members. I think woman needs to find another church that is less stringent in their beliefs if she still finds her religion important. Or is she one of those that go to church just because of social expectations.

exactly why i dont believe in organized religion.

H[i]i lilwonders, Wow..I am against of what the church is doing! Each one us has the right of our own lives and the church is out of it...If the priest or leader of the church want to give their advice, it is okay but not to the point of announcing and threatening them... [/i]

The church does not have the right to do so. If you don't get your way doesn't mean you should start making threats. Religion should be used for good not for evil.

What a messed up thing to do!! Who the Heck do they think they are? What pisses me off is that her children grown or not are going to be damaged by this. Where the heck did the pastor go to school, and why the heck would he allow such a thing. This kind of thing "in the name of religion" just pisses me off!!

I think this is very harsh of that church. I left my Church 20 years ago when I fell pregnant with my daughter as they would not baptise/christen her because I was not married and I have not went to church since. I really would take my children out of that Church. She can go to plenty of other ones. No one has the right to do this to another person. If they have strong beliefs at that Church then they can warn her or ask her to leave but they should not humiliate her like this.

I don't think that the church has the right to demand anything of her, they are there for guidance. There are guidelines that most churches follow for the path to "correct" a church member's sinful behavior, the final step being excommunication - but public humiliation and blackmail is not part of the guidelines. I forget all of the guidelines but I think it's something like... first, two fellow church members consult the person, offers counseling and tries to get them to repent, then the pastor/priest talks to the person to get them to repent and offers counseling... if neither of that works than the church can put that person on a "break" from the church, in which they are still being counseled, but not allowed to go to any church services or fellowship gatherings... if THAT doesn't get them to repent, they are excommunicated from the church. No where is public humiliation a part of the guidelines.

I think it is time for people to actually follow their religion. A church is a community. Anything she does reflects poorly on the community. People want to do whatever they want but still be saved. Hey, it doesn't work like that. I'm not even Christian and I can respect what they are doing here. Besides what do they think happens in the Christian after life? You reveal all your sins and then your judged.