Teaching openly or privately?

[welltan]

I wonder if it is easier to be labelled a "sympathizer" as we do not currently feel led to take another wife. Have folks been ostracized for simply speaking of such things,

~Mark

Most people you will see posting here or meet at retreats do not have/want/ or are not yet plural, same as you. I fall into the same group as you. However, several are plural. Your Christian search for truth is enough to be accepted here. And yes, just accepting/expressing truth can cause difficulty. Sharing Christ is always foremost and wisdom is required in sharing all other doctrine and truth.

 

[sola scriptura]

We were excommunicated from the Reformed Church because we were practicing polygyny, but would have been excommunicated for heresy just for having the belief that polygyny is biblical.

I have found no easy or tactful way to bring up the subject. We tried starting with marriage overall, but as soon as people started seeing where the conversation was going, they recoiled like we were lepers!

Katie

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if folks could share stories (or links to stories previously posted) as to how they went about sharing the truth of polygyny.

I only recently shared my beliefs with my own pastor. By "sharing", I mean simply telling him I believed polygyny was not prohibited, as I have never seen a single Biblical text forbidding the practice. My pastor quickly countered with the "first mention" principle and also the verse which states "the two become one flesh". At that point, he seemed dismayed with me and he hasn't brought the topic up since. I have not been asked to leave the church but I suspect that I would be if I became more vocal about it. I am single (but in a courtship) so I am not practicing yet.

I also decided to send out emails to other pastors in my town,explaining briefly my belief in polygyny, asking them if I would be welcome in their churches. Only two pastors bothered to respond. I posted one of the responses in this thread, "Pastor Matt"

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=3030&hilit=+pastor+matt

 

[CecilW]

Hi ChrisM,

Has anyone made you welcome yet? Welcome! Glad you are here. We look forward to getting acquainted with you and your family.

I was excommunicated from the SdA church sometime in the distant past over trying to lead my family to accept PM, maintaining a website that taught/advocated it, and a third related reason which I no longer remember. I have, however, continued to fellowship in that denomination with mixed responses from the pastors there. Everything from, "I think it inadvisable to practice but have to agree it is moral, and can you be our church's pianist?" to "You may worship here, but cannot minister in any way, and I'm informing my board of elders of your beliefs." *shrug*

My own opinion is that by being as open as possible, I've taken some lumps from some folks BUT have also gained friends and respect from others. Oddly enough, the latter group have proven to be those whom I would prefer as friends anyway. And there is, at least, no opportunity for fear of discovery or accusation of deceit to gain any foothold.

 

[ylop]

Hi Mark. Welcome to Biblical Families. I am a non-practising believer. My thoughts on sharing are: selectively, cautiously and slowly. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. ylop