Dis and Anti

Yesterday, for the first time in my life, the elders at church made a public announcement that someone was being disfellowshipped from our assembly. In reality, she did this herself (left her husband and family and made a new one in a different place w/ no communication or replies to the concern, inquiries and prayers from the elders) and the church just kind of followed suit. It was sad and shocking and done w/ love (I know that sounds odd, but it really was) all at the same time.

I'm not sure that this would have taken place before our gospel meeting in June. The man who was brought in for the meeting does the International Gospel Hour ~ I can't remember his name for the life of me (googled it, he's Winford Claiborne). Anyway, one of the parts of his discipline subject was on when a person should be disfellowshipped publicly. At the time I thought, "This is going to stir the pot a good bit." And it did, but it was in discussions and questions, not "Lets go get so-and-so, put a red A on their chest and let the entire world know that we follow the Good Book's rules on telling people where they went wrong and turning away from those who have turned from God." (Obviously, there are some who would do that and think it's the right thing to do, but that wasn't what happened, Thank God!)

It's sad that things like this happen. I'm so glad that I am not in a elder's position and have to make decisions like these. When the announcement was made, the congregation was asked to pray for the family affected and to especially pray for the wife and to tell her, if she was seen, that she is loved and wanted and prayed for.

Now for the "anti" deal. I have a friend who has an interest who is an anti (a.k.a. non-institutional). Now, I hadn't ever heard of the anti movement until a couple of years ago and what I understood of it was "Oh, yeah, they don't have kitchens or social functions at the church building." (Brandon and I visited one such congregation where two Amish men had just been baptized and in turn disfellowshipped from their families ~ it was an interesting experience to say the least.) Ok, what-ever floats their boat, at least they aren't doing the one cup deal! No biggy, just a different perspective. My friend, however, had heard other things that were much more negative from a person who has a very poor attitude about everything that goes against what he feels is right. Naturally, she was a bit hesitant about diving more into the "interest" b/c of the negative spin on all of this. She called me for advice about all of this and we googled the anti deal and were both quite surprised at how NOT hell, fire, damnation it all sounded.

So much religious stuff going on in my head. So many brain cells being asked to function. Odd I guess. Tell me your insights to these matters if you wish. I hope that what I wrote doesn't sound negative or legalistic or anti anti, but just my view of such matters from my own perspective. Does that make sense?

I'm going to take a break and then hit the books some more. Only one more month of classes and then I'm taking off until January. I am looking VERY forward to that break time and to spending lots of time w/ our daughter... just 36 more days! :)

I've got a pretty busy week ahead. Visiting friends on Short Mountain, in Lawrenceburg, a doc's visit in Spring Hill and a couple of days in Huntsville; plus 3 classes, a paper, a pedicure and a baby shower. What are the chances of those classes and paper getting done?!?!???!!