How We Exclude with Our Words - Agendas vs. Relationships

Have you ever been a part of an event, a meeting, an informal get-together in which the conversation not-so-discreetly revealed there was direct group opposition to a philosophy that is so much a part of your life it is a part of who you are?  Just because of the group dynamics, you know you are the odd man out.  The only thing to do is smile politely and wait for the group to disband.

I think many facets of Christianity are often guilty of this type of subtle exclusion.  We welcome people into our assembly and then not-so-subtly let them know we do not agree with them.  They are welcome, mind you.  But after that type of exclusion that causes them to want to hide in a corner, do they really want to be?
Generally, we exhibit this type of exclusion in the name of Jesus, which really makes it even worse.  We exclude in the name of trying to "guide, teach, or correct."  We exclude under the pretense of "offering assistance."  In reality, it is often just a way to try to show our rightness and their wrongness, our "maturity in spiritual matters."  We believe in our hearts that we are to be a leader for those who are blind, a teacher for those who are in ignorance.  In reality, if we really want to teach others, we have to be willing to learn from them as well.  Teaching and learning are two-way streets.  We do not have so much knowledge to impart that we do cannot learn from anyone put in our path.  We can learn things from those who have different philosophies if only we are open enough to hear their point of view.