The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." John 7:45–52 (RSV)
'Cancel Culture' is a current term to describe the practice of using social media to silence people with whom you disagree. It can range from hostile reactions to a Facebook post to getting people fired for holding the 'wrong' opinions. It is a childish, school-yard bully tactic to avoid considering the thoughts of others. Sadly, it works.
It is nothing new as human beings have always found ways to silence those who hold ideas contrary to the ones they espouse. We are fearful that what we think and believe may not be accurate or even true. Rather than stop to consider the ideas of others, we want to shut them up.
Nicodemus had gone to Jesus to understand who Jesus is and what He was teaching. It was not easy for Nicodemus as Jesus challenged his thinking about God. Nicodemus learned from Jesus, growing in his understanding of God's will and purpose to his credit.
Not long after, the Pharisees and chief priests were upbraiding the soldiers they had sent to arrest Jesus. Instead, they were struck by the power of Jesus' words. The Pharisees immediately 'canceled' the soldiers for not having the 'correct' thoughts about Jesus.
Nicodemus broke in with a just and sensible suggestion; 'Why not listen to Jesus, hear what He has to say before we condemn Him?' The Pharisees and chief priests canceled Nicodemus on the spot. They knew that God only acts the way they had decided God would work. There was no room for any other opinion or idea about Jesus.
We are called to guard the faith as delivered to us by the Apostles. We should take care, so the witness of the Gospel is correctly proclaimed. It does not mean that we automatically reject any different thoughts about Jesus. We are to test them, comparing them to the witness of the Saints and Apostles.
God sent Luther to renew the Church, and though many in authority in the Church of his day sought to 'cancel' Luther, God opens hearts and minds to the Word. We are to continue to seek after the Truth about our Lord. Thankfully, we receive new insights into God's will and purpose. We are correcting those whose ideas have strayed from the faith, doing so in gentleness.
Our goal is to continue to point to the Risen Lord. If a fresh insight can help us to do this, then we will welcome it. If an insight does not preach Christ, then out of love, we correct and admonish, so the brother or sister is restored.
Our God gave His Son to redeem the whole of creation, not to cancel sinners.