If I have grounded one of my children for breaking a house rule - and then with more thought, I realize that my house rule wasn't really a valid rule - what should I do? It seems to me that the only thing to do is to release them from the grounding - and perhaps even apologize to them for having an invalid or unfair rule in place that punished them unfairly.

Yes - you see where I'm going, I'm sure. I don't doubt the intelligence of anybody on this site for a moment! But seriously - what does the coG do when something was a sin for the last 15 years and now isn't (i.e. not asking permission to have the internet in their homes). And what if they were expelled for this? Obviously not for having the internet specifically - as that would be too obvious - but what if it was a 'rebellious spirit' or such? And what if they felt the rule was unfair and had never repented...or it was done just a week ago? Is their expelling lifted publically with the same congregation that ousted them - and apology made? I know many 'laws' have been lifted over the years - cowboy boots - white wall tires - wrong color pickup trucks - but what happens to the out-laws when the law goes out?

Oh Sophia when will you learn

NO PERSON has EVER been expelled for the things you mention. There has NEVER been policies regarding two tone trucks, cowboy boots or ANYTHING.

NO, they are expelled for the SPIRIT which causes them to want these things. Foreign spirit, Unteachable spirit, Fornication against the church, adhering to false doctrine, Questioning spirits, you name it and they will conjur it.

Thus endeth the lesson. If you don't believe this, I would need to speak with the staff about your unteachable, nay, unbending spirit.

lol - what - you doubt my ability to learn? You'll note that I DID call the true sin a 'rebellious spirit' - for not asking before getting the internet. And yes - I'm afraid I do know the answer. Felt a stirring (hehehe) to point out anyway that punishment meted out in the name of God is harsher than the punishment used to raise a child. Leave the punishment to God, peeps! Pretty sure he'll get any necessary punishment right. After all - he sure got LOVE right!