Identifying, confronting and refuting error and false teaching within the Church is a Scriptural mandate for those gifted and called as shepherds with the task of leading, feeding and protecting the flock. However, this mandate must be both cautiously and humbly considered when addressing error taught in a context outside of the Church, by those outside the Church, who make no pretense of speaking to, or for, the Church.
You would never ridicule a man who was physically blind because you find his articulated description of the world around him to be imprecise, inaccurate, or just plain wrong. Further, you would certainly never consider the need to warn those around you, who are, themselves, sighted, against listening to and accepting this blind man’s words...fearing that they might be lead astray.
Why, then, would you ridicule a man who you believe to be spiritually blind because you find his articulated description of the spiritual realm to be imprecise, inaccurate, or even just plain wrong? More than that, why would you feel the need to warn those around you, who are, themselves, spiritually sighted, against listening to and potentially accepting this man’s articulation of spiritual reality...fearing that they might be lead astray?
This, especially, when you, yourself were once spiritually blind, until you were graciously, even miraculously, given the gift of new eyes to see clearly what was once hidden from your sight.
Should you not, rather, empathize with this man’s plight...reach out, if possible, to lend a guiding hand...and, most of all, desire with all your heart that he too, like you, might be graciously...miraculously...healed...given the gift of new eyes to see what he now struggles to understand.
Moreover, if you would listen carefully to the articulated description of this blind man, rather than simply dismissing it out of hand, you just might find yourself amazed at what he has been able to “see.” You might even learn something you, yourself, have missed, or forgotten.
