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From: colonel@gloria.UUCP (George Sicherman)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: drunkard in the congregation
Message-ID: <675@gloria.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 11-Nov-84 11:04:59 EST
Article-I.D.: gloria.675
Posted: Sun Nov 11 11:04:59 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Nov-84 07:57:59 EST
References: <177@u1100s.UUCP>
Organization: SUNY-Buffalo Confuser Science
Lines: 28

["Anything is possible if you force it." --God]

> Let's assume that a church is very strongly opposed to drinking, and
> yet a member is a drunkard.  It is the church's responsibility to attempt
> to help this man.  If all efforts fail, then it is in the best
> interests of both parties to "exclude him from fellowship."
> Even if the man only occasionally drinks, but does so in a way that
> reduces the church's credibility (such as, oh no, drinking in public!),
> he should be rebuked, and if he does not repent, the church should kick
> him out.

This is a poor example, because:

1. Many drunkards are also "very strongly opposed" to drunkenness.  One
	reason that they drink is to obliterate the sense of guilt they
	feel at getting drunk so much.

2. When the church "tries to help this man," it plays right into his hand.
	He will tend to get drunk more often, for the sake of the support
	and comfort the church gives him afterwards.

3. When the church "excludes him from fellowship," it will make him feel
	guiltier than ever, so he drinks more.

Your method may work occasionally, but usually it fails spectacularly.
-- 
Col. G. L. Sicherman
...seismo!rochester!rocksanne!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel