Christians, if a family member commits a crime, are they not still family?

Question

Then why are ->some<- of you so quick to dismiss others as "not real Christians" when they fail to live up to expectations or behave badly, yet you remind us "Christians are not perfect" when caught on your own transgressions? Or are you perfect?

I find there is incredible callousness in dismissing another's faith so easily.

Ladybyrd: yes, catholics would pick a name and picture like mine *rolls eyes*

batgirl2good: I've done no such thing. I laugh at [some] Christians for various reasons but never for being a human being.

MELicious: nope, that sounds perfectly reasonable. You obviously aren't one of those that "shoot their wounded" as one of the other answerers put it.

Answer 1

I had a friend who was arrested for committing a crime, I picked him up from the bus station after he was released, got in touch with his family so they could help him, let him stay at my place until he could get back into his. I helped as much as I knew how to. Months later he was still cop-bashing as if it was their fault he had gotten himself into that situation. When I pointed out to him that they treated him as a criminal because they can't treat drunken people who are involved in beating up someone (that someone DID beat back) he interpreted it as me saying that I too felt he was guilty. Not what I was saying at all. He said he disolved the friendship because of my faith. So my situation was opposite of what you're asking. He dismissed me. WHAT A RELIEF.

The thing is, when a person makes a mistake - even a criminal one - I am more than happy to forget it and move on - but if the person continues on the path that led them to their troubles in the first place - drinking too much, becoming involved with drugs and thugs and that whole lifestyle, I will not congratulate them and encourage them to continue ruining their life - that wouldn't be responsible of me as a friend. I refuse to enable addicts of any kind. If a person learns from their mistakes and tries to do better (and that doesn't mean start going to church - that means, DO BETTER, stop participating in criminal activities) I'm all for it and will do whatever I can to help. But because I want my life to be crime and criminal free, and because I have a young and impressionable child, I can't just have troubled people hanging out and hanging on. Make your mistakes people, that's fine, I definitely have made my fair share and will make more in the future, but for the Love of God (or the love of yourself at least) LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES and ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for your actions. That's all I'm sayin'.

Answer 2

There is a nuance here.
On the one hand, you are quite correct in saying that we have no right to dismiss someone as "not a real Christian" when he does something wrong or scandalous. Of course we cans say it is not true Christian behaviour, which even the detractors of Christianity seem to be the first to recognize.
All of us Christians are guilty of practicing behaviour that is not very Christian.
On the other hand, we need to ask ourselves the question: "Do we have to accept that everyone who calls himself a Christian is a Christian?" (If George Bush visits China and tells them he is a communist at heart, I really don't think they would feel obliged to believe him!!!)
If the person's behaviour shows a consistent flouting of Christian values in general, while it is not for me to judge his heart, or claim he was never a regenerate person, neither would I stand up and claim this person is a Christian.
On the other hand, the best defense of Christianity, when people point out the inconsistencies of Christians, is to show them that they themselves are judging on the basis of Christian values, so why do they attack Christianity? The "not a true Christian" argument is rarely convincing. And can be just too quickly said.

Answer 3

Uh, like I said before Pride is what made Lucifer the angle fall. Christians are hypocritical, and they do not even read their bible or they would have realized that Jesus is not the Messiah and know that the "Holy Bible" has had over 10,000 changes made to it... but hey who am I to say that. Oh wait, I was raised Christian and then I realized none of it added up, and realized the truth. I do not worry about people calling me a sinner, because I am and I acknowledge it, admit it, make right any wrongs, and then ask God for forgiveness. Life is great for me... so how is it being perfect and disowning anyone who falls short?

Answer 4

When a Christians tells you what the Bible has to say about a sin, you are involved in,,,it is not to condemn,,,,it is to remind you, and to help you turn around..the bible tells us, if we see a brother or sister sinning, we are to remind them what the Bible has to say, and try to help them.

Too, you’ll often hear someone respond with “judge not, lest ye be judged” when they’ve been called out on the carpet about something. In reality, that’s a misuse of the passage.

God’s given us the task of watching out for one another. When we see a brother involved in sin, we must help that individual, painful though it may be. And doing that is not judging. If God has told me that fornication is a sin, and I see a fellow Christian involved in it, then I am not judging by making that observation.

If you are deliberately sinning and won't take rebuke from your brotheres in Christ,,, then you may find yourself being shunned until you realize the seriousness of your sin. People who remind you that you are not acting like a Christian, are not being callous,,they love you and are just obeying the scripture that tells us to correct a brother who strays.

You dismissed your faith,,,,they didn't have anything to do with that.

Answer 5

Do you have a specific instance that you are referring to?

I do believe that some people who claim Christianity are not true Christians...but ultimately the only one who knows is God..for example Adolf Hitler...I do not believe that he was a Christian... He dabbled in other pagan religions, he had a history of mental illness (which there are mentally ill Christians I am not saying there aren't)...He was evil and when we are truly focused on God and wanting to be a 'good' Christian we strive to live for Him in His example....Obviously Hitler was totally opposite of what we believe in He was evil, crazy and most likely demon possessed...he was also abused as a child..so I think his perception was a little twisted...That's just one example.

Oh and I have family that has committed crime, a gay uncle, gay friends, and a family member that had an abortion..They are forgiven, God loves them and we aren't perfect..any Christian that says they are is a liar. We just try to live above the norm...we want to live pure lives and show people God through our actions..do we always do that..nope.

Answer 6

Hypo,
You are correct. Family are NOT excluded from their place for a mistake or several mistakes. They are sometimes avoided for causing problems within the "family" though. You are also correct that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD". This is scripture. It is difficult to imagine such a person as Hitler being thought of as a Christian when he never showed any of Christ's qualities. Have a good day.
Thanks,
Eds


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Answer 7

Yes they are still family but they have to pay for their crimes. I can relate this from personal experience, my step daughter was arrested for crimes that she had committed. Well she went to jail, and while there she hd the chance to turn her life around. Which she did not in fact she got worse. She is a family member but she is living a life of sin and crime, as such she has chosen her road. I pray for her that she repents in time.

Answer 8

IF they are real Christians then yes you are correct and Paul talks of how to deal with such situations.
The problem is too many claim to be family who are not. Much like the over zelous fans of the "rich and famous" who while knowing everything there is to be known about their star still can not claim to KNOW their star.

Answer 9

True, Christians are often too quick to "shoot their wounded". However...calling oneself a Christian does not make you a follower of Christ.

Were I to call myself a doctor, and began to perform the services permitted by achieving a medical degree, and you found out that I had not fulfilled the requirements to gain the title, would I still get to be a doctor?

I do not judge others' faith...I do however, object when someone who uses the title Christian as a license for doing as they please.

Answer 10

If a family member commits a crime, why would they not still be family? That makes no sense.

When a person claims to be a Christian and does what God teaches against, that person is reprimanded by their church, not the church building, and are persuaded to return to Christ's Love.

If a person commits a crime against a country's laws, then the law enforcement officials enforce the laws of that land and are the ones to penalize for said crime. If the laws of the land are not enforced, then the people of that land seek new law enforcement to protect their country.

What part of this is confusing you?