LudVanB objects to the idea that atheists should be expelled from Christian organizations:
“Not all Christians are required to be dicks, Vox”
To which Myrddin responded:
Actually, if we behave the way Christ and his apostles behaved:
- To honest seekers: Be gentle.
- To scoffers in private: Avoid them.
- To scoffers in public: Humiliate them.
- To people who claim to be part of the church, but are willfully and proudly disobeying: Kick them out.
- To false teachers: Silence them and/or kick them out.
- To those who repent: Welcome them back.
Notice under churchian definitions, in four of those six situations, Christians are required to be dicks.
Let’s see if we can find Scriptural justification for Myrddin’s claims. I’ll start with the two that are relevant to yesterday’s discussion, numbers (4) and (5).
(4) 2 Thessalonians 3:6: “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.”
1 Corinthians 5: 11-13 “I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.””
(5) James 3:1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
2 Peter 2:1: “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
The lesson, as always, is this: never listen to an atheist attempting to lecture you on theological matters. They literally do not know what they are talking about.