Had a friend recently remark to me, "So didn't see an actual comment on your blog about Phelps resigning..."
Yep, she's right. It's a distraction technique that has changed nothing of substance. I don't find it even worth commenting on.
I don't begrudge those who are celebrating, because it's provoking Conversations. And that is important. But no one, from Mr. Phelps to anyone on the BJU Board has admitted wrong or repented of wrong. Absolutely nothing has changed except a name on a list.
And that just continues to perpetuate the injustice.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Haters Gonna Hate
In a bit of serendipity, I ran across this article recently (http://contendforthefaith.ca/2011/09/02/the-sad-saga-of-abwe-association-of-baptists-for-world-evangelism/).
Some of it is uncannily familiar, isn't it? The perpetrator is retained while the victims are sent away. The authorities call it "falling away" and "adultery" instead of honestly naming the sins of pedophilia and rape; "forgiving and forgetting" is demanded instead of integrity.
The writer asks the same questions many in the Chuck Phelps/Tina Anderson issue are asking. Where is the repentance? Where is the justice? Why is a Good Ol' Boy's club covering up for each other? Why did this take so long to be dealt with correctly?
Yet he is by no means a "hater". His pedigree is as Independent Baptist as they come. And he probably gets away with his strong statements because 1) he is male and 2) ABWE was already considered a "compromising" instution due to "slipping standards". Other Fundamentalists are happy to throw them to the wolves; few Fundamentalists still have loyalty ties to this institution. But let it be a venerated Fundamentalist Church or University and watch the spin begin.
The stories are essentially the same every time. The similarity speaks to deep-seated corruption and unholiness. I'm pleasantly surprised that at least one Fundamentalist out there actually has an unseared conscience. Hats off to you, Dr. Bennett.
Some of it is uncannily familiar, isn't it? The perpetrator is retained while the victims are sent away. The authorities call it "falling away" and "adultery" instead of honestly naming the sins of pedophilia and rape; "forgiving and forgetting" is demanded instead of integrity.
The writer asks the same questions many in the Chuck Phelps/Tina Anderson issue are asking. Where is the repentance? Where is the justice? Why is a Good Ol' Boy's club covering up for each other? Why did this take so long to be dealt with correctly?
Yet he is by no means a "hater". His pedigree is as Independent Baptist as they come. And he probably gets away with his strong statements because 1) he is male and 2) ABWE was already considered a "compromising" instution due to "slipping standards". Other Fundamentalists are happy to throw them to the wolves; few Fundamentalists still have loyalty ties to this institution. But let it be a venerated Fundamentalist Church or University and watch the spin begin.
The stories are essentially the same every time. The similarity speaks to deep-seated corruption and unholiness. I'm pleasantly surprised that at least one Fundamentalist out there actually has an unseared conscience. Hats off to you, Dr. Bennett.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Invictus
When you start to talk about specifics, things start to get nasty. And it starts to get tiring.
More than once in this exodus from Fundamentalism, I've wondered if it was really worth blogging through it. I don't have scintillating daily content; I don't have a big following. I am but one small voice in the growing disillusioned chorus clamoring for God and Christ instead of man-centered abuse. It's probably more therapy for me than really helping anyone else (and no, I'm not fishing for compliments there).
So why do it? People say to me and others like me, "Why can't you just walk away? Why do you have to stir up trouble/open your fat mouth? Why can't you just leave us alone - you left, didn't you?"
There are days that I agree. Fundamentalism is so morally corrupt, so breathtakingly distorted, there's no human hope for it. Removing certain board members or changing certain policies are just rearranging deck chairs while the ship sinks from the massive weight of sin and failure to repent.
And yet... there are good people in Fundamentalism. People who don't realize how abusive the party line is when they mouth it. They should be able to see it, but they don't. Not yet. That was me. I see people responding the way I would have before. And that goads me to keep talking.
Because the good news is that when you start the conversation, the responses reveal corrupt practical theology - and therein lies opportunity. Opportunity to expose the heresy and confront with orthodoxy. Opportunity to snatch some from the flames (Jude 23). Opportunity to gently instruct those who oppose the truth in the hope that God will change their hearts; that they will come to their senses and escape the devil's trap (2 Tim 2:25-26).
So there is value in having the conversations. Even deck chair conversations. That's why one of the cardinal rules in Fundamentalism is "don't talk". Just look at the average Fundamentalist response to Chuck Phelps: "forgive and forget", "people shouldn't be talking about this.", "Don't do x/y/z, it's unchristian." It's all a desperate attempt to maintain control and stop the conversations. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they realize the danger to their system when the conversation starts.
No, Fundamentalism no longer runs my life. I am free to serve God again. But my conscience doesn't allow me to walk away from those who are still enslaved. I will continue speaking out. I will name names and get as specific as I have to. Because Truth is more important than Institution or Tradition.
I can't help but speak. And God is triumphing over evil. Aleluia.
More than once in this exodus from Fundamentalism, I've wondered if it was really worth blogging through it. I don't have scintillating daily content; I don't have a big following. I am but one small voice in the growing disillusioned chorus clamoring for God and Christ instead of man-centered abuse. It's probably more therapy for me than really helping anyone else (and no, I'm not fishing for compliments there).
So why do it? People say to me and others like me, "Why can't you just walk away? Why do you have to stir up trouble/open your fat mouth? Why can't you just leave us alone - you left, didn't you?"
There are days that I agree. Fundamentalism is so morally corrupt, so breathtakingly distorted, there's no human hope for it. Removing certain board members or changing certain policies are just rearranging deck chairs while the ship sinks from the massive weight of sin and failure to repent.
And yet... there are good people in Fundamentalism. People who don't realize how abusive the party line is when they mouth it. They should be able to see it, but they don't. Not yet. That was me. I see people responding the way I would have before. And that goads me to keep talking.
Because the good news is that when you start the conversation, the responses reveal corrupt practical theology - and therein lies opportunity. Opportunity to expose the heresy and confront with orthodoxy. Opportunity to snatch some from the flames (Jude 23). Opportunity to gently instruct those who oppose the truth in the hope that God will change their hearts; that they will come to their senses and escape the devil's trap (2 Tim 2:25-26).
So there is value in having the conversations. Even deck chair conversations. That's why one of the cardinal rules in Fundamentalism is "don't talk". Just look at the average Fundamentalist response to Chuck Phelps: "forgive and forget", "people shouldn't be talking about this.", "Don't do x/y/z, it's unchristian." It's all a desperate attempt to maintain control and stop the conversations. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they realize the danger to their system when the conversation starts.
No, Fundamentalism no longer runs my life. I am free to serve God again. But my conscience doesn't allow me to walk away from those who are still enslaved. I will continue speaking out. I will name names and get as specific as I have to. Because Truth is more important than Institution or Tradition.
I can't help but speak. And God is triumphing over evil. Aleluia.
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