Hate Your Mom and Dad!

[Jeffrey]

A friend of mine shared something disturbing from a sermon he heard at a conservative meeting recently. The preacher exhorted the congregation to "have nothing to do" with any family member that has "left the truth." His text? Luke 14.

Thought I'd share the irony. As with most things I'm noticing, there is indeed great irony. For example, when it came to "expelling people" and "having nothing to do with them" the example of Paul and the Judaizers is used. The irony? Those who placed addendums to the simple Gospel were the perpetrators (and of course were physically coming into the community stirring up dissension).

But Luke 14 is even more ironic. Loyalty is a huge value among Pentecostal congregations. Loyalty to the pastor is even preached about. I'd say a Western value would include family (but not as great a value as it was in Jesus' time in the East). So in v25 when Jesus makes His call for discipleship, he is saying that "no matter the cost" (thinking Deitrich Boehnhoffer here) we should follow him. Even if it means ticking off your family, and them hating you for it -- even disowning you! Jesus comes first!

Missing in this exhortation is any instruction for believers to "reject" unbelieving family members. Once again, Biblical literalist, and agenda-happy cultists hijack the word for their own pleasure.

[KWSS1976]

Know what ya mean...lol...

[Digging4Truth]

Yep. The same "point missing" goes on in many other scriptures. One of the faves is Malachi 3:8

[MomOfADramaQn]

I don't know what church you are talking about but that same thing did happen in my home church in Mississippi. Thankfully most of my family has found another church in the area.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

A friend of mine shared something disturbing from a sermon he heard at a conservative meeting recently. The preacher exhorted the congregation to "have nothing to do" with any family member that has "left the truth." His text? Luke 14.

Thought I'd share the irony. As with most things I'm noticing, there is indeed great irony. For example, when it came to "expelling people" and "having nothing to do with them" the example of Paul and the Judaizers is used. The irony? Those who placed addendums to the simple Gospel were the perpetrators (and of course were physically coming into the community stirring up dissension).

But Luke 14 is even more ironic. Loyalty is a huge value among Pentecostal congregations. Loyalty to the pastor is even preached about. I'd say a Western value would include family (but not as great a value as it was in Jesus' time in the East). So in v25 when Jesus makes His call for discipleship, he is saying that "no matter the cost" (thinking Deitrich Boehnhoffer here) we should follow him. Even if it means ticking off your family, and them hating you for it -- even disowning you! Jesus comes first!

Missing in this exhortation is any instruction for believers to "reject" unbelieving family members. Once again, Biblical literalist, and agenda-happy cultists hijack the word for their own pleasure.

Excuse me but this has nothing to do with being a literalist. It has more to not understanding the bible and or misusing the bible for your own agenda

To begin with the part about hating mother or father is simply a hyperbole. People need to realize we do have forms of speech, literary devices and who gave us some of these? The greek culture I believe probably influenced some of this. Judaism was not just in the midst of a greek/roman culture but probably influenced. From what I understand greek was the language of commerce...the common tongue that united them all.

Jews in the diaspora no doubt used the language much more but even in Judea they probably spoke some greek and perhaps were influenced a little by the culture just as they did by the Chaldeans.....MO

The admonition by Paul was the church excommunicating someone that claimed to be a brother but was living in gross sin. In otherwords it was an act of booting him OUT of the local church

[Praxeas]

BTW I believe the hyperbole was intended to mean, your love for God should be much more than love for family

[Jeffrey]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

BTW I believe the hyperbole was intended to mean, your love for God should be much more than love for family

I agree, Prax.

The threat of being dis-owned and facing familial rejection was part of the obstacle for some of these early believers. Jesus warned them of making an idol out of the family.

[drummerboy_dave]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

BTW I believe the hyperbole was intended to mean, your love for God should be much more than love for family

Indeed. If need be, more than a pastor, a particular church or even, organization. <gasp!>

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by drummerboy_dave

Indeed. If need be, more than a pastor, a particular church or even, organization. <gasp!>

But amazingly, many Pastors are taking this text and adding:

"Since you have a new family in Jesus, divorce from your old family, reject them (especially those who have left the truth) and wash your hands of them." Appalling. Shocking.

[drummerboy_dave]

Originally Posted by Socialite

But amazingly, many Pastors are taking this text and adding:

"Since you have a new family in Jesus, divorce from your old family, reject them (especially those who have left the truth) and wash your hands of them." Appalling. Shocking.

Wierd. I'm not willing to confirm or deny the claim you are making that "many pastors" are making the type of error you speak of; but if <-----(that's a very big if) that were the case, the very text used would clearly illustrate that a person's devotion to God must be greater than his or her devotion to their (new) family and therefore defeat the purpose of the lesson.

The type of connection you're asserting reminds me of the blind person leading the blind person. I'd hate to think people couldn't see through such a shallow objective.