Excommunication

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I don't have compassion for those persons, but I wager God does.

Does mercy rob justice? Does there need to be justice first before mercy can be extended?

I have no doubt that God has more compassion for heinous sinners than the rest of us do, but I'm not sure how that fact causes him to not require formal sanctions against those within the church that have greviously sinned.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Does mercy rob justice? Does there need to be justice first before mercy can be extended?

I have no doubt that God has more compassion for heinous sinners than the rest of us do, but I'm not sure how that fact causes him to not require formal sanctions against those within the church that have greviously sinned.

I am familiar with traditional, orthodox, Mormon expositions on the subject, and perhaps things are as black and white as such argument portray the eternities, but in reality I would not be the least surprised if there aren't a few surprises in store for us.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I am familiar with traditional, orthodox, Mormon expositions on the subject, and perhaps things are as black and white as such argument portray the eternities, but in reality I would not be the least surprised if there aren't a few surprises in store for us.

If we have been keeping accounts in order to see if we are surprised, I suspect we will be even more surprised than we expected.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Does mercy rob justice? Does there need to be justice first before mercy can be extended?

I have no doubt that God has more compassion for heinous sinners than the rest of us do, but I'm not sure how that fact causes him to not require formal sanctions against those within the church that have greviously sinned.

If Joseph Smith received a revelation saying that serious sinners had to run around the block naked in a snowstorm three times to receive forgiveness from the church, then we would now be arguing over that instead of excommunication. Tex would be making the same argument that because it is God's policy, it is the only way. Excommunication is arbitrary. There is nothing inherently vital about it, other than it's an official church policy. Heinous sinners will not escape justice or the serious consequences for their sins, no matter if they are excommunicated or not.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by jay santos

If Joseph Smith received a revelation saying that serious sinners had to run around the block naked in a snowstorm three times to receive forgiveness from the church, then we would now be arguing over that instead of excommunication. Tex would be making the same argument that because it is God's policy, it is the only way. Excommunication is arbitrary. There is nothing inherently vital about it, other than it's an official church policy.

Wrong. I view it as neither arbitrary nor perfunctory.

Originally Posted by jay santos

Heinous sinners will not escape justice or the serious consequences for their sins, no matter if they are excommunicated or not.

Which is why discipline is not about exacting justice.