The Power of Fiction

Thanks to Wenatchee The Hatchet for bringing my attention to this post concerning C. S. Lewis.

As mentioned, there is a time for war and a time for peace. There is a time for frontal attack and a time for less warlike efforts. And there is room in the world and the body of Christ for what fiction can teach us.

Why C. S. Lewis Didn't Write for Christianity Today

Thanks WTH. I needed this.

Here are WTH's musings on the above article: Link

A Couple Links to Start Out the Week

First a blog post with pretty piano music with the title:

A Song for all Women

Next a look at:

Twilight and Evangelical Christianity's Eternal Girlhood

Radical Freedom

The Prodigal Prophet dropped in on my last post to say this:"Often the poor ladies suffer at the hands of authoritarian men who'd have a hard time with Yeshua's liberating view on women."

I appreciate his words and am going to link an old post in honor of him.

People of the Spirit Wind

There is so much freedom in Christ that we are denied by the commandments of men who falsely think they have the mind of Christ.

Another Response to a Negative Review of Rachel's Book

There are a lot of Biblical Womanhood people who have their bloomers in a twist over Rachel Held Evans book exploring the Bible and Womanhood. I mentioned one rebuttal to a negative review in a previous post. Here, my friend, Hannah is exploring and exposing the hypocrisy in another negative review.

So Why Is Mary Kassian Upset...?

Biblical Womanhood

There is lots of controversy over just exactly what Biblical Womanhood is. It seems there is no shortage of people who feel compelled to tell women what they are supposed to do and not supposed to do. And there is no shortage of people who want to tell women what they are supposed to be, what God's intention is for them and what creation order and natural order means concerning limitations and restrictions concerning women.

I have this memory of watching some informative show either on PBS or a National Geographic special or something. It was many years ago before there was satellite TV and over a hundred channels to choose from. This program was observing an African culture and in particular the marriage of a young woman. After the ceremony, the girl's uncles and other male family members were in her face lecturing her soundly concerning her duties as a woman. I couldn't understand their language, but the intensity of their speech could not be missed. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some shaming and chiding going on. The girl's head was bowed submissively and she nodded in agreement with them over whatever they were demanding of her.

The visual of that girl, head bowed, being berated by those grown and angry sounding men is the visual that I often get when I see certain preachers go on and on about "Biblical" Womanhood and how a woman is displeasing to God if she doesn't follow his interpretation of what it might be. And they all have their own version of it.

It's all so frustrating and confusing.

Now there is a lot of controversy over Rachel Held Evans's book, "A Year of Biblical Womanhood". This book is really rattling the cages of the powers that be who want to get into the faces of women and demand that they obey their version of Biblical Womanhood.

I've not read the book, nor do I plan to very soon due to time constraints. But this doesn't keep me from watching the controversy this book has stirred with a sad amusement as I remember that poor little African girl getting lectured within and inch of her life over her duty and position in the world by big, self-important men, standing over her on a mission to preserve their culture by keeping that girl in her place.

Kristen has read it and she recommends it in her thoughtful review: Book Recommendation

Also, someone new that I haven't met yet has written a rebuttal to a negative critique. He has written it in response to a supposedly kind and objective review from a "Biblical" womanhood pusher with a bee in her bonnet:
Biblical Womanhood:What Kathy Keller Missed

Doug Wilson Is a Misogynist, part II

As is evidence by how he describes evil. Men and masculine as he defines them, are good, right, true, Biblical etc. Those who disagree with him, male or female, are cast as worshiping the "bitch goddess of __________ (fill in the blank)". So now he is casting all that he believes to be evil as feminine.

Doug Wilson Almost Channels Eric Cartman

Those who missed part one can check it out here at Doug Wilson Is a Misogynist. Nothing hugely interesting. Just letting newbies know why/how I have a part II.

The Patriarchy Gospel

Many of my readers are already painfully aware of this damaging and person destroying movement in some Christian and homeschool circles.

For those who aren't, here's a look at it by Julie Anne

Fathers and Daughters: Who Owns a Daughter's Heart

Mom STILL Recovering from Misguided Pearl Teaching

Mike and Debi Pearl put out this terrible book "To Train Up a Child"  (TTUAC). Debi is the one who wrote the horrible "Created To Be His Doormat" book that I have mentioned before as I link other people's thoughts on its damaging and marraige destroying message. Both books have made the circuit where I live. I've read them both. I have family members who still think one or the other book (or both) is helpful.

Elizabeth Esther, who I've had in my blog list from nearly the beginning, is open and honest about her recent break down over what being a child brought up in a TTUAC home is like. And she is a full grown adult who left her cult home before she ever had children. Yet the result of the book has carried over into raising her children, something she had to confront and overcome.

Here is Elizabeth Esther's story:
Love Until It Hurts

More Analysis of Driscoll's Desperation

More Analysis from someone in the know.

Former Mars Hill member, WTH* spent time on Driscoll's plane and jumped off, hopefully making a soft landing, rather than being thrown off the bus or under the bus or shot or something else...

I'll let WTH explain these transportation metaphors and what they mean to him, a successful parachuter fleeing the doomed Mars Hill plane.

Mark Driscoll has shifted transportation metaphors

I always love a good metaphor. Even bad ones hold a certain amount of entertainment value if you can get past the automatic gag reflex.

* WTH is short for "Wenatchee the Hatchet", not "What the h*!!", something I've said more than once watching the Mars Hill machine lurch forward toward its doom. Speaking of machine, I've always thought of Mars Hill as being a train speeding down the track toward the gorge where the bridge is out. How many metaphors can we come up with in one short post?

Driscoll Is Beginning to Sound Desperate

Not one of my best titles, I agree. I wanted to go with "Driscoll Is Easily Deceived" as sort of a spin on his view of women as being easily deceived when really he's the one who is deceived concerning his own infallibility. But then you get into, "Is Driscoll deceived, or is he the deceiver?"

Yes, I know. Those sound like pretty strong accusations, so that's why I backed off of the "Deceived/r" way to look at things and went with Desperate instead.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, take a look at Dee's post at The Wartburg Watch:
Mark Driscoll: He Ain't No Captain Sully

Then, for more excellent analysis, check out this radio broadcast:
Driscoll Cult

Driscoll is either deceived, a deceiver, desperate, or going off his rocker.

"Ministry Should Have a Feminine Feel"

Sorry, John Piper, "Ministry should have a masculine feel" promoter. But you are dead wrong. And if men continue to push the masculine model of ministry, the men leading and pushing it will end up dead last in the Kingdom of God if I understand the words of Jesus properly. "The first shall be last and the last shall be first."

Here is a blog post by Jenny Rae Armstrong that discusses how she has done ministry both by the feminine model AND the masculine model and how they compare.

Women in Ministry Series: Why Ministry Should Have a Feminine Feel

Misogyny Can Be Blamed for Certain Things

But I have to admit, I never thought of this one until I read about it on Christine Marietta's blog:

I Blame My Back Pain on Misogyny

It will get you thinking, at least.

Patriarchy Is Not Supported by Scripture

This is something most of my readers already know.

But in case anyone new has come along and you have had 'biblical patriarchy' thoroughly and repeatedly shoved down your throat and you'd like to see arguments to the contrary, then take a trip over to Retha's blog, "Biblical Personhood" where she refutes the hierarchy that power hungry men claim exists in the Bible.

How often does the Bible say that men should be the heads of their households?

Shaking up the Patriarchs

The patriarchal empire builders have a serious threat on their hands.
Her name is Rachel Held Evans, if you are missing the hoopla. It's all over the Internet. Just Google her name and "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" and you'll get an idea.

Anyway, you can find info all over about it.
But I'd like to direct your attention to a comment may by Val over at TWW. I believe she nails it on the head why Piper, Driscoll, and The Gospel Coalition don't like her and why some even question her salvation etc.

Val's Comment on The Wartburg Watch

Read it and see if it doesn't make sense to you.

Christian Counselor Speaks about Role Burn Out

Okay, he doesn't call it that. He's just talking about counseling people who have drunk deeply of the role kool-aid and how they have suffered from it. This is from the comment section of Baptists for Equality blog.

Bob Edwards says: Link

Bob Edward's book can be found here: Link

I Love Homeschool, But I Hate What Patriarchy Has Done to It

When I homeschooled I never got involved with the patriarchy groups and that's a good thing. Because quite frankly, they have ruined it for nearly everyone.

Exhausted Moms

I'm so disgusted with what the patriarchy camp has done that often I just walk away rather than deal with it head on.

The Myth of "Creation Order"

Or "Natural Order", or "Created Order", or whatever label anyone wants to put on this myth.

That's right. I called it a myth because it absolutely cannot be proven using scripture without a great deal of twisting some verses and suppressing other verses that prove the contrary.

Like my friend, Marg, I have run into this when debating with comps. The assumptions they pull out of their...  er... ears to support this myth and their devotion to it, holding it up as undeniable proof of their pet (false) doctrine are like a brick wall of foolery against sound reason and honest Bible study..

I've tried to write on this in the past but due to serious time constrains I've been unable to pursue it the way I want. So, I'm glad my friend Marg has addressed this on her blog over at Newlife.

The Complementarian Concept of "Created Order"

An Abuse Survivor Addressed John Piper's Cold-heartedness

It is an open letter from a guy, actually. I know I focus a lot on the damage done to women by compism and hyper-Calvinism and their teachers. But it cuts both ways. Rigid legalism and bowing to the idol of marriage over person hurts both men and women. If you have time, please take a gander at:

An Open Letter to John Piper about His View on Divorce

Defining Rape, Defining Women

For those who are triggered by rape discussions, please skip this link.

For those who are able and willing to look at this, Sarah at "Sarah over the Moon" has this to say about (some) complementarians and (all) patriarchs and their narrow/oppressive view of rape:

Complementarianism's Ugly Relationship with Rape

Cold-hearted Patriarch Begets Cold-hearted Patriarch

In my job we often use the saying, "The nut doesn't fall very far from the tree." It's true in dysfunctional families and is also true in dysfunctional, religious dynasties.

Here is a post concerning the father of misogynist, Doug Wilson. Long before Doug Wilson began spewing his "sucks to be you" doctrine toward women, Jim Wilson was pushing his graceless, compassionless doctrine promoting the idolatry of marriage over person.

Abuse and the Wilsonian Theology: A Survivors Story

Spotlight on Kristen's Forgotten Women Series

The moment I knew that my long time (in internet years) friend Kristen was starting a blog, I made sure to put the link to it in my blog role. Kristen is knowledgeable, compassionate, and fair in her words and treatment of everyone, including those who oppose her and her understanding.

Since she has started her blog, she has quietly written about many things of interest and pertinent to the issues of gender and the church. Of particular blessing is her series on "Forgotten Women in Church History".

Today, I want to spotlight one of her posts in that series on a woman who lived in Mexico from 1651-1695. Sor [Sister] Juana Ines de la Cruz is credited with writing "the first feminist manifesto" and with being "The New World's first great woman."

Please take time to read Kristen's post on: Sor [Sister] Juana Ines de la Cruz

Who Is Jezebel?

Well, for starters there are two listed in the Bible.

I wrote a post sometime back concerning the one mentioned in Revelation:
Did You Hear the One about Jezebel?

But the blog post I'd really like to direct you to is the one by Libby Anne who is examining Debi Pearl's Created to Be His Helpmeet (CTBHH).

Libby does a good job of reigning Debi in on a few outlandish assumptions that she makes about the two Jezebels mentioned in scripture:
CTBHH: The Jezebel Type

Jezebel is another woman that is judged from the depravity of hierarchy rather than from a level place of logic, justice, and reason. Yes, both Jezebels are guilty of certain things. But what they are truly guilty of is completely lost because of church hierarchy agendas.

Depravity Promotes "Biblical" Hierarchy Teachings...

...like complementarianism and patriarchy.

Though I'm not a huge fan of the Calvinist TULIP teaching because they lose me at the "T" - Total Depravity, I must admit, I agree with Jenny Rae Armstrong that what really supports complementarianism and patriarchy in religion and culture is depravity.

I'll let Jenny explain:

Keeping Women in Their Place: Why Education Isn't the Answer to Gender Inequality

Promoters of TULIP and Total Depravity like Piper and Driscoll can put this in their pipes and smoke it.

Let My Women Go...

Okay, this seems to be book/youtube Saturday.

Bob Edwards has written a book called (actually) "Let My People Go: A Call to End the Oppression of Women in the Church" and he is on youtube talking about his research on this topic. I did watch this since it wasn't very long. Again, leave a comment if you have one.

What Jesus Taught about Women, Book

Actually, the book is called "Ten Things Jesus Taught About Women" and I wanted to link a place where you can hear it read out loud.

Edie Hicks Reads Dr.Susan Hyatt on Youtube links

I haven't gone there yet so I have no idea if it's any good but I can imagine that it would be interesting. Anyone who wants to comment, feel free.

Men Judging Women...

...from the depravity of their own minds.

Let me specify because I do not want to imply, in any way, that all men do this.
But there is one man in particular who believes that he has great spiritual insight into the sin and wickedness of women and feels called to reveal that to his congregation concerning a certain Bible hero, Esther.

Rachel Held Evans is doing a good job of revealing the mishandling of Esther by Mark Driscoll. It's so good that I can't improve upon it and I'll leave her to it here: Esther Actually:What happens in the harem

But I want to draw one thing out that she says and quote it here:

"He rejects the story as given and replaces it with a story he wishes it to be, a story that lines up with some of his assumptions regarding salvation, election, gender, sin, and relationships."

This goes along with the quote from Nick Bulbeck that I've written about here:

"Driscoll isn't a teacher, he's merely adept at using the Bible as a sock puppet that always agrees with him."

Driscoll truly believes that he is getting to the heart of this story and that his revelations are Spirit led. The problem is that what he is really doing is revealing the depravity of his own views of women.
His misogyny is so thick that he projects his prejudices against all women onto Scriptures thereby making him completely incompetent as a Bible teacher when it comes to anything having to do with women.

But the worst part about all this is not his own depraved view of women. It is the silence of other male Bible teachers who must share in this depraved view of women because they never call him on it.

Hot Search -- Grace Driscoll

You would not believe the hits I get from people searching for information on Grace Driscoll, Shock Jock preacher Mark Driscoll's wife. People come to my site looking for information about her more than any other reason. In fact, I get 8 times the amount of traffic looking for her than I do for Mark Driscoll, himself.

The people coming to my site are looking for three different things concerning her.

Most people come looking for information concerning her affair. I'm pretty sure that they mean the time when she and Mark first started dating and she had sex with someone else. Seriously, I don't know how they can determine that this could even be called an affair since, a far a I know, they weren't even engaged yet. But Mark makes such a big deal concerning it in his book, I guess people don't know what else to call it.  Or maybe people are hoping to find juicy info on a current affair because they love gossip or perhaps Mark's internet watchdogs are the ones coming here, making sure Grace really isn't having an affair today. It's hard to tell.

The next group of people come here looking for Grace Driscoll's blog. I guess they are very interested in whatever she has to say, being married to a celebrity preacher and prima donna attention seeker.

The third group with the biggest hits are the ones looking for Grace Driscoll abuse. I guess, because they, like me, cannot watch the rantings and ravings of her lunatic husband displaying his misogyny without wondering what kind of abuse Grace is experiencing at home. It's hard to believe that there isn't any going on.

Anyway, as a service to all the people coming here looking for something, anything, about Grace Driscoll I'm going to put a link here so you can see everything I have ever said about her, which isn't much. But at least you can find it all in one spot.

Everything that I have ever said about Grace Driscoll on this blog including the letter my friend Charis wrote to her.

There. Now you have it.

A Good Review of the Danvers

At least here is part one from Retha:

Smoke and Mirror part one

Esther--Bible Hero

That's what I said. She's a Bible hero like Moses and David. She's not a whore or somehow sexually immoral or any of the boxes that Mark Driscoll has made for her with his false teaching and misguided attack on her character. She will not fit into the cheap, modern stereotypes that he would like to flippantly dismiss her to.

Esther Actually

Driscoll, please. Your total lack of understanding of sound teaching is getting embarrassing.

Graffiti Artist Gets Driscoll

David Hayward, over at Naked Pastor, totally gets the way Driscoll thinks about women.

Woman = Whore

I've seen Driscoll whorify the Song of Solomon. Guess he's moving on to whorify the Book of Esther. Who will stop this misogynic steam roller who has the gall to call himself a teacher?

Spiritual Abuse Survivor from New Zealand

A New Zealander is presently visiting the United States and has encountered the Bible Belt. That's okay, except that this New Zealander, Grace Bridges, has been spiritually abused in the past and sometimes those who have not made room for even the possibility of spiritual abuse, they simply don't understand.

Here is her explanation to her Bible Belt internet friends as to why she behaves the way she does.

My Battered Faith Meets the Bible Belt

And if you follow her links, you will see a bit more of her story and a bit about her book that she wrote in response to the abuse. Grace writes Science Fiction.

Edited to add: Grace's spiritual abuse actually occurred in Germany rather than New Zealand, so I updated the title to reflect this.

Tolk-a-mentalists vs Fundamentalists.

Nick is back and commenting under the "Political Leaders Make Poor Teachers" post. I'm sure most are missing our lively conversation which is fine. There are bits and pieces that would probably only interest Nick and myself. But I did want to bring to the forefront and interesting parallel that he has pointed out.

"The thing about Tolkien die-hards not liking the films is an interesting one. You're right; inevitably, Jackson had to take certain liberties to make it work cinematically. Also, the characterisation and sub-plots are subject to interpretation. But people get stuck on their own interpretations of Tolkien, and hey presto: Tolkien fundamentalism. There are those who seem to forget that he only wrote it as a story, and Middle Earth is only pretend! I think Jackson did a decent job, personally. Essentially, he told us: this is what I think Tolkien's Middle Earth would be like to live in. There are differences, but he certainly produced an amazing spectacle. 

All of which kind of brings us back on topic. Tolkien is dead, and Tolk-a-mentalists are free to argue ad nauseum about who has the correct interpretation of his work. But the Holy Spirit is not dead."
Again, thanks Nick for tools and insights for helping us understand the things we deal with.

Another Good One from Wade

He introduces us to Mary who works with people to overcome sexual abuse.

Stop Cursing the Darkness and Start Turning on Lights

(There is a link to contact Mary and get information on a sex abuse suvivor workshop in the Texarkana area in September. I'm sure those wishing to host such a thing in their area could contact Mary and get info.)

Woman Preacher in the Bible

I just love it when Wade Burleson write a blog post on these issues.

It Honors Christ and Is Biblical for a Woman to Teach a Man

Thanks Retha

I love the little things you come up with. They really do expose the folly of CBMW.

Complementarians Have the Wrong Priorities

Princess or Priest

I stumbled upon this one when I was checking where the traffic for my site was coming from. No, this blog didn't link me. But rather someone else was searching something concerning John Eldredge and Ransomed Heart Ministries and I followed their google search to this place. I really like some of the things Laura Robinson has to say about the book "Captivating".

Choosing Priest Instead of Princess: The Pitfalls of Ransomed Heart Ministries

Some time back I did a series on Wild at Heart and John Eldredge. I have a love/hate relationship with his ministry.

Political Leaders Make Poor Teachers

Nick Bulbeck dropped in at FBWTS again recently. He left a nice long comment that I want to make others aware of. It is under:

Seattle Slavery Pushing

You can go there and read it in it's entirety. But here is a snippet to whet you whistle.

" I mean any one of numerous "teachers" who are nothing of the sort, but are gifted leaders and politicians who cultivate a reputation for being "biblical" merely by banging a drum for a selected handful of conservative doctrines. There are thousands of local pastors out there who think everyone but their own tribe needs to get "back to scripture", and who are just Mark Driscoll writ small. Historically, of course, there's the Papacy, which is Mark Driscoll writ large."

More understanding of the Driscoll phenomenon from over the pond.

Freedom and Courage

You need freedom to be happy.
You need courage to pursue freedom.
You can't have either without truth.

Linda Murphrey, Jack Hyles daughter, speaks of her life in her father's cult. And of her escape. And the ingredients of her escape. Courage, truth, and freedom.

Linda Murphrey

Take a Look at Marg's Latest on Femininity

Marg over at her blog New Life, has reposted a good article by a Stephanie Phillips Wilkins on defining femininity and comparing different views.

Two Definitions of Femininity

Female Preacher Alert...

Hide your wives, hide your kids, especially your teens, oh you great and mighty patriarchs!
This woman and her words might destroy the stranglehold you have on your personal little kingdom and set your slaves free to actually worship the God who loves them and died for them so that they could live beyond the bounds of selfish men.

Nadia Bolz-Weber

(no wonder comps and patris are afraid of women actually set free by the true gospel.)

Illustration of a Megalomaniac

Yes, we've all run into them, especially in Patriarchy circles beside Complementarian and other circles. They are everywhere. It's just that Patriarchy is particularly good at attracting them.

The Amazing Man

Pride Goes before a Fall

Pastor Jack " it would be a cold day in Hell before I get my theology from a woman" Schaap was taken down by a woman. Or a 16 year old girl, actually

Hammond Pastor Dismissed

And for the clip where Jack disses all women, for those who haven't seen it,

here it is

Sexist Preacher Jack Schaap

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling. (NAS)

A Good Reminder

This is very helpful to me.
Men like Piper, Driscoll, et al have made themselves so huge because of their internet presence that I need a reminder like this every now and again.

Gender, Race Pentecost: The World Has Moved On

Post on Male Headship

It's pretty good and brings some nice understanding to the table.

Does the Bible Teach Male Headship, pt 1

What Does "Role" Mean?

It's important to know what word means. Here is a blog post concerning this word.

The Misuse of the Word Role

Fidelity and Shades of Grey

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with b.s. -W.C. Fields.

Sin is very good at hiding within the boundaries of the church. Educated men using big words aid and abet sin in hiding so that it is able to become entrenched and cause great damage. Doug Wilson is such a man who aids and abets the sin of dominance and oppression within church and marriage.

The sorry, sad thing is that Doug Wilson has worked so hard to make the sin of the gentiles (lording over one another) applicable in the church, especially in marriage of men lording over women, that he has profoundly deceived himself into believing that what he teaches is actually the Bible. What is much sadder still is he has deceived other, supposed brilliant men, like John Piper, Mark Driscoll, and Jared Wilson. Which causes one to wonder. Are our internationally known leaders really that brilliant. Or do they just really like being baffled by b.s parading around as truth.


I could go into great length and explain. But why? When Wade Burleson has done a better job that I could.


The Only Thing Worse than a Church Full of Women Reading 50 Shades of Grey Is a Church Full of Men Reading Fidelity: What It Means To Be a One Woman Man



The above link seems to be broken. Here's another attempt (12/10/14):
Wayne's blog of Wilson and 50 Shades of Grey.

 Life is better lived when there are strong men who join in the fight with women against the oppressive teachings promoted by brilliant bafflers like Doug Wilson.

New Feature on FBWTS

Over a month ago I put up a post noting the top ten, all time, posts here at FBWTS just cause I can. And also because I wanted newer people here to see the best of.

But it's funny how things can change. So I decided to go ahead and put the popular posts up in my side bar for the sake of busy people who are just passing through who only wanted to read what was said here about Grace Driscoll's Affair, her blog, and her abuse. (Yes, I get all three of those hit very regularly.)
Plus, any of those busy people can check out the other things that other people thought were worth linking or visiting more than once.

Wilson Fell over the Cuckoo's Edge

Yep, Doug Wilson fell over the edge some time ago. This part is clear. What isn't clear is why people still support the man. Why does John Piper and Mark Driscoll support him? What is wrong with these and other men? And women? I could venture several guesses. But rather than do that, I'll just link a post up at The Wartburg Watch that lays things out for those who wonder at my alarm over this supposed representation of Christianity.

Doug Wilson: Fashionable Calvinista Has Disturbing Views on Slavery

John Piper thinks that Doug Wilson is brilliant and the people around him are dumb. Here's proof. Check it out starting around the one minute mark.

John Piper on Doug Wilson

(Driscoll and that other dweeb that fist bump behind Piper must think Wilson and Piper are brilliant and everyone who doesn't agree is dumb, too.)

Excellent Explanation of the Error of Infaliblity

Doubtful, whose comments I appreciate over at The Wartburg Watch, has a post up on his blog this month that I think really hits the nail on the head as to what is wrong with many pastors, especially celebrity pastors, like Mark Driscoll and John Piper.

Stand Over There...And I'll Throw Rocks over Your Head

Good points.

Pursue Love... Not Joy... Not Christian Hedonism

I have't picked on Piper for a while.
Apparently men still worship his words and defend his honor. You see this around the Blogsphere.
It gets tiring, to say the least.
Piper is off-balanced. He takes tertiary things and makes them main things. His view on women is one of these things saying such things that if people don't agree with his view on Manhood and Womanhood they may be saved, but they do violence to the gospel. Whatever.

Another thing he does is take joy from it's proper place and shove it up to the front of the line before love.
It amazes me that he can do this, seriously, yet claim to be a Bible scholar with a straight face.
Rather than go into this myself, there is an old article on this that I want to share.

Myth: To Reject Christian Hedonism is to Reject Joy

I don't know where Christians get this all or nothing thinking. But it's not healthy.

Ignoring the Best Bits from the Song of Solomon

I get the most amazing hits here.
The two biggest concern Grace Driscoll. One is "Grace Driscoll Affair" and the other is "Grace Driscoll Abuse". I also get hits concerning Baal Worship, Doug Wilson or Voddie Bauchman being Misogynists, stripping women, anal issues (gee. I wonder why.) etc.


Recently I finally got the hit "sex a study of the good bits from Song of Solomon".
That title has always bothered me. The contents of the message that goes by that title are so disturbing they have been the focus of many a blog including my own tiny blog and the great John MacArthur's blog.


Getting this hit has stirred up my ire, again, concerning this title. The good bits from the Song of Solomon? The good bits according to whom? A porn addict trying to clean up and make acceptable that which is sold in porn magazines? A sex crazed dog sniffing at the behind of his b----? (sorry b---- is the actual term used for female dogs in the breeding industry.)

You see, the good bits that Mark Driscoll picked out for his infamous message in Scotland, besides being blatantly misinterpreted, are all about pornographic sex and forcing wives into engaging in it. Every other message that Mark Driscoll teaches concerning the Song of Solomon ignores the over all theme of the book. Driscoll is so hyper-focused on getting as much pornographic sex out of Grace (and as much money from everybody else) as he can that he ignores what the book is actually about.

One of the great themes of the Song of Solomon is completely ignored by Driscoll. That theme is the progression of a woman from the state of being oppressed to the state of being empowered.

It is highly understandable that Driscoll would completely ignore the best part of the Song of Solomon if it is about empowering a woman, any woman, since Driscoll is all about raising men up and putting women down into the little boxes that he wants women to say in. (Bonus feature: Here's one of the little boxes that he wants the Song of Solomon to stay in.)

I have an old post that deals with the first and last of the Song of Solomon.
But to lay it out briefly, here are the first and last verses which show, in chapter one, her slave status and her oppression by her 'brothers' (kind of like the supposed 'brothers' in the church who do all they can to put women down) and chapter 8 where she is in charge of her own vineyard and is the boss over those who take care of it for her (plus, she is free to do with it's fruit as she pleases and she chooses to give a portion to her husband and lover who helped her in her progress from slave to queen.)


Song of Songs 1:5 I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon.

Vs 6 Do not stare at me because I am swarthy (dark), For the sun had burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me caretaker of the vineyard, But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

Song of Songs 8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he entrusted the vineyard to caretakers; Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

Vs 12 My very own vineyard is at my disposal; The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.

For more detail on these verses, read my commentary on these verses here: First and Last Overview, SoS

And here is a middle verse to add to this:

Song of Solomon 6

10 ‘Who is this that grows like the dawn,

As beautiful as the full moon,

As pure as the sun,

As awesome as an army with banners?’

¹¹ 11 “I went down to the orchard of nut trees

To see the blossoms of the valley,

To see whether the vine had budded

Or the pomegranates had bloomed.

¹² 12 “Before I was aware, my soul set me

Over the chariots of my noble people.”

Verse 10 are the words of the 'chorus' speaking about the beloved, the female in this love story. She is becoming strong and awesome. Verses 11 and 12 are the words of the beloved. Verse 12, specifically speaks of her surprise at how she has been strengthened in her inner man (soul) so that now she is set over chariots. This could be either figuratively and/or literally. Figuratively it would just imply that she has been strengthened. Literally, it would imply, due to her marriage to the King, she has authority that she is only now becoming aware of.

There are more verses like this in The Song of Solomon that point to this great theme. But anyone learning about "the good bits" according to Driscoll will never see them. The last thing he wants is for any woman to be in charge of her own vineyard. Driscoll wants to keep women in Songs 1:6, under the thumb of her brother/husband (and ultimately Driscoll, himself, another false brother) and unable to take care of her own gifts and callings.

So, yeah. Driscoll's study of the good bits of The Song of Solomon is really a study in how he can strip women of dignity and turn them into their husbands' personal sex slaves for Jesus. It is deplorable and perhaps even taking God's name in vain declaring that Jesus commands women to do things Jesus has never said or even thought to say.

Justice a Long Time Coming

Back in 2010 I wrote a post concerning the wounded healer. Those who have been with me since then will remember it. It was my number one post with the most hits for some time until Charis's "Dear Grace Driscoll" passed it up. It stirred up a bit of a debate and uncovered some misunderstanding concerning the concept of the wounded healer.
Here is a link to it for those who care to review it or read it for the first time:
The Wounded Healer

I briefly mentioned towards the end of that post, mostly in passing, a news piece concerning a man who visited a retired priest in a nursing home. This priest had sexually abused the man when he was a boy. The man went to confront the priest and when the priest refused to admit wrongdoing, the man hit him.
The case came to trial and the man was acquitted.
Alleged rape victim acquitted in priest assault

I believe that this course of events speaks loud and clear. Those who abuse with impunity in the church will not always get away with it. Sometimes justice does come. It may take a long time. It may wait until you are old, decrepit, and helpless in a nursing home. But sometimes justice does come with a vengeance and bites you when you least expect it.

Abusers beware. It's not as safe for you as you think it is.

Remembering Those Still in Bondage

Happy Independence day to all my U.S. friends!
Hope your festivities are going well.

I, for one, appreciate living in a country where I am free. Not everyone does, you know.

But what really bothers me is that there are people who live in this country who are not free. They are held in bondage by the commandments of deeply deceived men. They are not only held in this bondage, their very lives are at stake. They have been brainwashed by a misogynist and abusive religious system that has falsely stamped itself as "Christian". There is nothing Christian about this system that promotes abuse and dangerous situations for women.

Rather than continuing my rant and going on and on about how awful things are, let me direct you to an example of how bad things are.

Portrait of a Lady

See what I mean?

Worshiping the Idol of Family

Hi, I'm a wife and mother of four. I love being a mother. My children are the delight of my life and they keep me going like nothing else can.

However...

I know that there is far more to me than being a wife and mother. And, those extra little things that make me 'me', that make me an even better mom, including those things that are not deemed 'feminine' enough for patriarchal groups headed by the likes of Voddie Baucham, Doug Wilson, John Piper, or Mark Driscoll.

As much as I love my family and the idea of family and community, I understand that an inordinate affection for things, raising those things to the level of godhood, is wrong, approaching idolatrous.

This is what many groups are doing with family and manhood and womanhood and parenting.
The Wartburg Watch has an excellent piece concerning "Family Integrated Churches" that can be referred back to in order to see just how big and far reaching these ideas are and see the library of reading that is available to push their well-meaning yet somewhat-off version of the gospel:

Household of Faith Fellowship of Churches - An Overview

Complementarianism is Convoluted

It is convoluted, confusing, and contradicts itself.
It leaves the purity and simplicity of the Gospel far behind as it gallops ahead to regions of legalism and slavery.

The book that is supposed to make it all clear, "Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood" doesn't help, but makes things worse.

Rachel Held Evans talks about it a bit here:

Complementarianism Hierarchy Outside Home

Corruption of Translations

If there was one thing that I wish the guys at my church understood about the Bible, it would be this.

That even though the Bible, in it's original form, is the Word of God, there is just about no translation that doesn't have the fingerprints of the translators on it somewhere.
I see it in the ESV and the NLT.
It is also in the KJV. Here is what Geraldine has to say about that:
Bible Verses Corrupted by Misogynists

An Old Article from Christianity Today

I'll link it here for those who have not seen it yet.
I like this author's approach and brief history of the men's movement.
Jesus for Real Men

Results of Driscoll's Conquest

The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and violent men take it by force. (taken from Matthew 11:12)

I've wanted to use this phrase in reference to Mark Driscoll for a long time but have not had a real good opportunity.

Well, the perfect opportunity has come up.
Wenatchee the Hatchet has a piece about Driscoll and everyone he has run over and thrown away in his conquest of the Kingdom of Heaven.

some context for "a call for reconciliation", "there's a pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus"

May Mark Driscoll realize someday, hopefully sooner rather than later for his own sake, that those who live by the sword, die by the sword.

Driscoll's Bitter Waters Spewed out by Amy

Men like Driscoll have no clue how they have muddied the waters for women with their teachings. They have no idea that they have taken the sweet Living Water that Jesus gives us and turned it into bitter waters. These bitter waters need to be thrown out, rejected, spit out of women's mouths because they are toxic.

For those who haven't read this yet, here is Amy's story:
EXORCISM AT MARS HILL: One Woman's Story
This story shows the blatant disregard that Driscoll has for the hearts of women

Now a blast from the past.
I mention this disregard that Driscoll has for the hearts of women back in 2009. I noticed it in his teaching on the Song of Solomon.

Here's a quote from my July 30, 2009 blog post:

"Because SOS is not JUST about the male pov. Neither is it about the female pov that men approve of and want to see (more on this in a later post). It is also about the wounded female heart that many men don't want to see and gloss over as though such a thing doesn't exist. Or if it does, it is somehow the woman's own fault and she just needs to shape up, all the while serving the man with a sweet disposition.

"Yes, I've heard messages from preachers about bitter women. I've heard the rebukes and criticisms, and blaming that these senseless preachers freely pour out on already wounded hearts. I've heard about the merciless shaming of pastor's wives who "let themselves go". What do these men know about a woman's heart? Nothing.

"They know nothing because they do not care. The heart of a woman is of little value to them. They care about the outward rather than the inward. If the outward is not seemly enough, then let the ridicule fly. If the outward attitude is not sweet, then run her off and call her Jezebel since she is of no use to the man and not worth the trouble.

"Thank God, He knows everything about women. Thank God, He cares deeply about every wound. Thank God, He sees past the sometimes prickly self-defenses of a wounded woman and seeks after her heart. He poured Himself out generously to heal and comfort every woman cursed and spoken against by self-righteous preachers, supposed brothers, false shepherds who attack the ewes to garner favor with the rams."

Here's where I said this:
Manipulating Scripture for Personal Benefit

Quote Concerning Ancient Hebrew Culture

Someone on one of the forums I frequent brought this quote to our attention.
I wanted to share it here:

All modern day translations of the Bible are written from a very westernized perspective and have erased the original Hebraic, Eastern, perspective of the original words in the text. Once the Hebraicness of the text is restored, a common theme can be found throughout the Bible rising to the surface - our nomadic migration through the wilderness of life. 

The quote can be found in this article:

Introduction to Ancient Hebrew culture

A lot of what I see that is wrong with teachings from Driscoll and Piper and a miriade of other teachers is how narrow minded and small thinking they are. The arrogance of the Western mind that thinks all others think the way it does is overwhelming and frustrating.

True thinkers who can think beyond the tiny worlds they live in are more likely to think bigger and touch more of Who our Eternal God is.

Seattle Slavery Pushing

Okay, before I get into the meat of this I want to apologize to Nick Bulbeck and all others for any trouble they have on commenting on my blog. I could switch over to Wordpress, but unfortunately I'm a creature of habit and convenience due to the hectic nature of my off-line life.
I also apologize to Nick if the title above is too inflammatory and takes his observations a bit too far. In debating Driscollites (those who defend Driscoll) I have learned that they like inflammatory. That's why they like Driscoll. And in fact, they cannot even hear you if you do not speak as boldly and blatantly as their Idol. If you speak in a more gracious tone, they just think you are a ________ (insert degrading term in reference to the feminine that means you are not masculine enough for them to take seriously)

Anyone who has visited here very often knows that I have issues with a certain famous preacher in Seattle. Yes, I know that none of us are perfect and that none of us have full comprehension of all Truth. But the combination of perversion, popularity, and hypocrisy from Washington holds a special place of "WTH???!!!" [What The Heck, not Wenatchee the Hatchet ;) ] in my world. The Seattle Spin, that song and dance that confuses us and keeps us in a perpetual state of "WTH?!", is better understood, dissected and debunked from different perspectives.

Speaking of WTH (Wenatchee the Hatchet, this time) and different perspectives, I had a wonderful guess series by him concerning Driscoll and his teaching on the Song of Solomon back in October. WTH comes at Driscoll's SoS series from a unique perspective and clarity that I appreciate. Anyone who missed it will find the first installment here:
WTH on Driscoll's SoS, Intro and part 1

Well, through WTH I have become acquainted with Nick Bulbeck who has been quoted here twice and is about to be quoted a third time. Nick also comes at the Driscoll Spin Machine from a different perspective, one that I'm learning to appreciate more and more. Here is his most recent comment under "A Surprise Comment Made My Day":

"The frustration we share at the neo-calvinists, or whatever one cares to label them, may stem from something that runs very deep in us. Consider the truth that has become labelled as "Penal Substitutionary Atonement", or "PSA". Behind the academic label are some astounding implications: God almighty emptied himself, became as nothing, and faced death at the hands of his enemies in order to make them his sons and daughters. There's an old English hymn, My Song is Love Unknown, that puts it thus:
"... a murderer they save,
The Prince of Life they slay;
Yet, cheerful, He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free."

"If my understanding of this jaw-dropping truth moves me to worship; if it opens my mouth, but leaves me silent because I can't escape the realisation that I cannot possibly describe what I've just seen... then and only then have I truly understood it.

"But... if my adherence to "PSA" moves me to self-righteousness and pride, and I use it as an empty shibboleth to prove I'm more doctrinally sound than the next person, then I've understood nothing, but am deceived and blind. My "good doctrine" is, to paraphrase Proverbs 11:22, just a gold ring in a pig's snout.

"Proverbs 19:10 talks about a slave ruling over princes. The Seattle-based preacher under discussion here teaches legalism, rules, and justification by doctrine; that's slavery, but he has managed to get himself into a position of very high influence and authority. If he were just an immature high-school jock sounding off in the corner of a church somewhere because he'd only just become a believer and didn't know any better, that would be one thing. But it isn't so. He is judging and lecturing wiser believers - men and women - from whom he should be humbly learning. A slave ruling over princes; and it is not fitting."


I love Nick's the reference to Proverbs 19:10 in particular. That along with meditations in Galatians is a good defense against the slavery that Mark Driscoll pushes. Nick's input and perspective helps me to understand better, why I'm so distraught over what Driscoll teaches. Driscoll waves a carrot of "freedom" in front of young men, giving them permission to drink, cuss, get tattoos, and have limitless, pornographic sex with their wives, then clamps down on them with his real agenda motivated by his own need for popularity and worldly success.
Thanks, Nick, for sharing your thoughts. I feel I have a better grip on what is going on when we compare notes like this.

The Spiritual Abuse Survivors Network

Thanks to Joe at I.C. for the heads up on this one.

The Spiritual Abuse Survivors Network

Scottish Calvinist Takes a Swipe at NeoPatriarchs...

... who dare to call themselves Reformed. This Scottish Calvinist has a bone to pick with them. He (or she) doesn't appreciate these New Calvinists and Neo Patriarchs sullying the word "Reformed" with their aberrant doctrines. So listen up, you New (kids on the block) Calvinists (iow -- wet behind the ears and too immature to know how ignorant you really are concerning reformed doctrine midgets), this Scottish dude (or dudette) from the UK has a thing or two to teach you. And you better listen because he (or she) has more wisdom in one little post than anything and everything any one of you have ever written on the topic.

in the community

Top Ten FBWTS posts of all time.

These ten posts have received the most hits ever in the short history of this blog.

# 1 Dear Grace Driscoll...


# 2 Is it Grace Driscoll's Blog or Affair?


# 3 The New Calvinist and Neo Patriarch on Divorce


# 4 Mars Hill Calls for Reconciliation. Whatever.


# 5 Have You Heard the One about Deborah


# 6 The "Keep Sweet" Conspiracy


# 7 Mark Driscoll Is in Trouble Now


# 8 Doug Wilson is a Misogynist


# 9 Sex, Drugs, and Mark Driscoll, pt 1


# 10 Stolen Hearts and Stolen Voices




Some of these had help to get to the top ten by being linked by others, like The New Calvinist and Neo Patriarch on Divorce and The Keep Sweet Conspiracy. But both the posts on Grace Driscoll got there on their own and it doesn't bother me in the least that my # 1 post was actually a guest post. I like it when someone else can  express what I wish I could but can't or comes at a situation from a particularly enlightened and/or gracious point of view.

The Hostile Takeover of the SBC

I got in trouble teaching adult Sunday School one day last year.

I go to a conservative, loving and gracious, Spirit-filled, country church. The father-in-law of the pastor used to be a Southern Baptist preacher. And he remembers the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) of the good old days. I mentioned, in passing, the trouble that the SBC is going through. He was right there to defend his old SBC.

But what he was defending was the SBC that he knew, that noble institution that was actually worth a rip before the Fundamentalist Takeover, before Paige Patterson and others like him got their fleshly mitts onto the reigns of power.

My friend Hannah, of Emotional Abuse and Your Faith (in my blog list) linked a book over at Egalitarian Christian Alliance (in my link junction).
Hannah had this to say:

"My Uncle was a missionary for the SBC, and all my cousins were born in different countries.  He retired and returned to the states about the time all this junk started.

"I remember him telling us that if he was starting over now - he would have found a new church to work with.  He was appalled at all of it.  

"I knew how loyal he was, and it shocked me to hear about it.  We were not SBC, so where a bit removed at that point.  My parents grew up Southern Baptist, but once Dad got transferred to the north?  lol I remember the church telling us do NOT go to those 'northern' baptists!"

Here is the link to the book:
The Fundamentalist Takeover in the Southern Baptist Convention

I'm thinking of sending the link to my pastor's father-in-law. What do you think?

Freedom and Equality Seminar

Food for thought for those considering Egalitarianism.

Freedom and Equality Seminar

A Surprise Comment Made My Day

And rather than leave it and my response lost in the comment section, I thought I'd bring it forward.

In February, Wenatchee the Hatchet brought a quote to my attention and I made a post about it here:
"Driscoll uses the Bible as a Sock Puppet..."

Quite frankly, I'm surprised that Nick Bulbeck even found my little blog in the great cybernet wilderness. But I'm quite honored that he did. And he left a comment that I want to copy and paste in this post.

I could have just responded in the comment section but it was a long way back (in blog months) and both what he said and what I said would be lost and benefit no one. Plus, those who have interesting bits to add that we could have benefited from, well, we would have never known what they had to say.

Here is Nick's comment in full:

Mara - thankyou for your kind words, though the quote is not completely accurate - I wrote that Mark Driscoll isn't a teacher, but "is merely adept at using the Bible as a sock-puppet that always agrees with him".

May I clarify further? Namely, by saying that Driscoll is by no means unique in that respect. Ironically, many of the anonymous heresy spotters out there (who, perhaps, sit in their nan's basements blogging in their pyjamas, as the saying goes) do likewise. Not only that, but when I first properly discovered bible teaching 25 years ago, I was the same; I became a drooling and self-righteous fundamentalist, eager to "correct" the doctrine of my more gracious, patient and Christ-like christian friends.

As it happens, I'm only a couple of years older than Mark Driscoll and he and I both therefore discovered the bible at about the same time, though thousands of miles apart. And if I had been a strong personality with a clear leadership gift, then I too might have amassed a band of loyal followers and become a pastor before I ever learned to be a disciple.

Yes, I believe some of Driscoll's influence is unhealthy and must not go unchallenged. But I am not, in myself, better than he is; there, but for the grace of God, go I.

A couple of things first.
I totally agree that Driscoll is not unique in doing the sock puppet thing. He's just offended me more than most others for reasons I may or many not get into later.

I also greatly agree with the fact Nick pointed out that in order to be a good pastor, you must first learn to be a disciple. Driscoll skipped that stage to the hurt of himself and those he "pastors".

Another thing I would add is that if a person actually had the gifting of the office of a teacher, even with minimal training, that person would not make the blatant errors in teaching that Driscoll makes.

Now to the thing I really wanted to add. To me, this goes beyond even discovering proper Bible teaching, though that plays a prominent role in all of this. Because even the most 'proper' teaching of scriptures can go a muck. The best example I can give is the Pharisees in the day of Jesus. They knew the scriptures inside and out. But still, human error and tradition made them not recognize the Messiah when He came.

The point, even beyond proper Bible teaching is... Seeking God through prayer and the Scriptures. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Driscoll screws up major royale in thinking that God thinks the way that he does.

And as Nick pointed out about Bible teaching, Driscoll is "by no means unique in that respect". We all do it to a degree. We think that God thinks like us. The point, though, is to recognize this as one of our human failings. When we reach out to God and His Book we must keep this always before us. And along with this, we should reach out to each other and compare notes. There is no one person who totally gets all of Who God is and What He is all about.

Sometimes I use this illustration, but not often because it is borrowed from Eastern thought and therefore soundly rejected by many. But it is still the best picture I know.

It's the story of The Blind Men and the Elephant. Each of the blind men touched a different part of the elephant and came to different conclusions of what it was. This is how we are with God. And while I hold to the Christian view, I see this also happening within the Christian circles. Each person or group has some sort of revelation of Who God is. They have managed to touch some part of God, and rather than realizing that what they understand is only a small part of the whole, they build a temple on this one aspect of God and shun and criticize all others rather than compare notes.

One of the reasons that Driscoll has gotten on my bad side is this:
He has decided a certain aspect of God, or in particular, a certain interpretation of the Song of Solomon is the one and only way to view both God and the Songs. Instead of realizing that he has only touched on a small area of what the the Songs are about, he has criticized, insulted, and mocked everyone and everything that doesn't agree with his narrow view and has run head long into deep error by not being willing to consider that perhaps others also have an understanding that brings the picture of the Whole better into focus.

So yes, this is why the "Sock Puppet" quote struck such a chord with me. The way certain men put forth their puny opinion on Bible interpretation as God breathed, all encompassing fact and then holds people accountable to their narrow and misguided interpretations, well, this really gets my goat.

Thoughts?
Nick or anyone else?

True Woman or Unladylike?

The True Womanhood Manifesto has been around for a while and I have always had trouble with it.
It bothers Pam Hogeweide as well. So she came up with another Manifesto. I like it much better.

Unladylike Manifesto

Mars, Venus, and Uranus

I'm not even going to tell you how I got onto this train of thought. The story is too long and complicated and drags in some places.

I am going to give a disclaimer:
I have never read "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" nor "Women May Be from Venus, But Men Are Really from Uranus." So I can't comment on whether either book is worth anything.

I'm also going to state something else. In the past I never really thought about the name of Mars Hill being anything but taken from the Bible concerning Paul arguing for the faith on Mars Hill as mentioned in the Book of Acts. But part of me is really beginning to think that the name "Mars Hill" might be far more loaded in the minds and hearts of the men who came up with the name. Part of me is starting to believe that Mark Driscoll might have read John Gray's "Men are from Mars..." and might have taken it to heart so that it has became part of the psyche that is Mars Hill. Perhaps it is more Mars/Men/Mark Hill that what I originally thought.

This, I cannot really say. But part of me really wonders if they named it Mars Hill because they really are concerned about raising the Masculine over the Feminine, making Mars Hill a great place for men (the right kind of men, Mars type men, Mark type men). They have made it a great place for Mars Men at the hurt and expense of the women. I already know that Mars Hill is a place that hurts and puts down women in order to raise up and (fake) heal the souls of men. But I've never considered the name to be a part of the abuse and oppression of women. Now I'm wondering.

And the thing that got me wondering about it again this morning is reading a blog post by the women who wrote "Women May Be from Venus, But Men Are Really from Uranus." In this post Katherine Black lays out the top ten defenses of John Gray that she receives. I post them only because they sound strangely close to the defenses the are given against feminism, egalitarianism, and arguments against male privilege in the church.

Again, I can neither endorse nor defend anything concern the books by John Gray and Katherine Black. But I can appreciate this post on men defending the words and writings of another men by attacking a woman.

John Gray Is Soundly Defended

The New Jezebel

I wanted to make this post by Dr. Stephan R. Crosby available to those who haven't seen it yet:

The New Jezebel - "You're Just Wounded"

Sophia's Blog

My friend, Sophia, is blogging about her recovery from being a member of Mars Hill.
I've added her blog to my list.
Today's post is on parenting and how she wants her child to not be needlessly burdened with sin.
She blogs about it here:
Rethinking Parenting

And here is a video I want to dedicate to Sophia and her children:
God's Ways are not Our Ways

God Calls for Both Masculine and Feminine Leadership

Unfortunately, that should be a no-brainer. But it's not. There are men out there who are so enamored with their own masculinity and the masculinity of other men that there fall into deep deception and think more highly of themselves and their gender than they ought to. There are men who distrust and even hate the feminine so much that no amount of the feminine can exist in either God or the positions of authority. Though they work tirelessly to prove their bias and search the scriptures for proof texts that back them up, the truth of the matter is that you cannot read the Bible honestly and come to the conclusions that they have come to.

Here is my friend, Marg's, post on the matter:

Edited: Marg's site had been hacked so I have removed the link.
If and when I get the all clear from Marg, I'll put the link back in.

Edited further: I've got the all clear from Marg. Everything is cleaned up and ready to go. So again, here is her blog post:
Paul's Masculine and Feminine Leadership

Promise Keepers, the Shepherding Movement, and Sowing to the Wind

For those who are unaware of the Shepherding Movement here is a brief definition of it:

The Shepherding Movement


The article that I linked to in my previous post connects Promise Keepers, a 1990s organization, to the Shepherding Movement of the 70s and early 80s.

These principles and structure, which are similar to the shepherding/discipleship model of the Word of God, would take years to implement and introduce a highly disciplined group. Most men drawn to Promise Keepers have probably never heard of shepherding/discipleship (which, in 1995, was still not widely known even within the evangelical community) and may be deeply offended if they experience the degree of manipulation and control (to which they may be "submitting" themselves and their families) that has occurred in many shepherding/disciple situations.

Taken from this link:
Christian Soldiers for Theocracy under the heading "Something Like Punching You Lights Out".

And a Promise Keeper spokes person used similar language back in the 90s that Mark Driscoll uses today.
"All of our success here is contingent upon men taking part in small groups when they return home," Promise Keepers spokesman Steve Chavis told Christianity Today. Less elegantly, Dave Wardell, the national coordinator for local leaders, explains, "I can go home and maybe still be the same guy after a conference. But if I have another guy calling up, holding me accountable, asking, `How are you treating your wife? Are you still cheating on your income taxes? Are you looking at your secretaries with lust?' it makes a difference. I don't think a woman would get in my face, go toe to toe with a guy, whereas a guy could tell me, `I don't like it. And if you don't listen to me, I'll punch your lights out.' Something like that."
(Also taken from article linked above also under the heading "Something Like Punching Your Lights Out".)

And here is Mark Driscoll using that similar language which he thinks it brilliant:

"I Break Their Nose."

Folks, the Shepherding Movement is not dead. It just changed it's name, existed in Promise Keepers and is now alive and well in many places, including Mars Hill.

Promise Keepers Hurt My Marriage

When my husband had the opportunity to go to Promise Keepers over fifteen years ago, I sent him with my blessing not knowing what they were filling his head with.

I am a woman that likes men. I like fellowshipping with them. I want them to be encouraged and strengthened and to grow in confidence in who they are. And that is what I thought Promise Keepers was. I was wrong.

My husband and I got along fairly well before Promise Keepers. But after he came back, issues we never had before began to crop up. When we got into disagreements, all of the sudden he started playing the "You aren't being submissive" card. For a long time I had no clue of the connection between his trip to Promise Keepers and this new tactic in arguments.

Now, many years later, I'm seeing that connection. I'm sorry I ever sent him to Promise Keepers. Instead of being a place of blessing they pretended to be, it was a den of thieves. They stole the heart of my loving man and turned him into a "I'm the one that wears the pants in this family" kind of guy.

So what did they teach my man back in the 90s that set him backwards in his walk with the Lord? Lots of bad things.

Here's what Tony Evens told him:
“The first thing you do is sit down with your wife and say something like this: `Honey, I've made a terrible mistake. I've given you my role. I gave up leading this family, and I forced you to take my place. Now I must reclaim this role.' Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I'm not suggesting that you ask for your role back. I'm urging you to take it back.” He went on to say, “If you simply ask for it back, your wife is likely to refuse...Unfortunately, there can be no compromise here.” 


I wouldn't be surprised if the great comp leaders of today all went to Promise Keepers meetings. Leaders like Driscoll, Piper, Wilson, Baucham, Grudem Challis, etc.
I'm sure they went to those meetings or read those books. Because they are saying the same things and hurting countless other marriages.

Thanks for nothing, Promise Keepers.

For more on what was wrong with Promise Keepers, search the web or follow these links:
http://www.publiceye.org/eyes/promkeep.html

http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9609/promise.html

Mars Worship at Mars Hill and Elsewhere

I've mentioned Baal worship before which Lewis (at the Commandments of Men) calls the worship of the culture. Another has referred to this idolizing of manhood as the worship of Mars. And yet another has called this manning up/gladiator cancer, Jupiter worship, not unlike the Roman games at the Coliseum that where fought to honor Jupiter.

Well, I don't know which title is more accurate. All I know it that these men who claim to worship Christ have no idea who He is. They have built up an idol of what they want Him to be and part of that idol includes hyper masculinity.

For more information check out this:
Masculine Christianity - On Display in all its 'Glory'

Manhood worship, by whatever name you choose, is alive and well in the American church to day.

Always Remember the Victim

Abuse comes. As Christians, we cannot prevent it. But our response as Christians, can make all the difference in the world.

John Piper's response to tragedy is, in itself, tragic. All he can point to is that God rules and we drool. I can't argue with this fact. But his message is of no use to anyone. He could take a lesson from Wade Burleson who wrote a compassionate, open letter on his blog to a little girl who was sexually exploited by a man in Christian leadership.

Here is a link to what this letter has meant to the family of the abused little girl:
Tom White, Abuse, VOM, and the Power of the Internet

John Piper, if you are listening, and I'm sure you aren't but I have to say this anyway, please learn a lesson from Wade Burleson. You should be able to learn from him. He's a man and he's even a Calvinist. Please take note of what to do in crisis because you have shown so far that you have no clue.

Lynne Explains TULIP

Lynne from Australia left comments on The Wartburg Watch concerning Calvinism that I want to preserve here for myself and whatever posterity that is interested in it.
She starts off by responding to Jedidiah who asked about what reformed doctrine was:

"Jedidiah, like most code words, “Reformed Theology” has a special meaning. (Otherwise it would just be protestant theology, since all forms of Protestantism have their roots in the Reformation. No, Reformed in these circles refers specifically to Calvinism, and fairly “high” Calvinism at that, i.e. a form of Calvinism that puts a strong emphasis on God’s sovereignty as His most important attribute (as a non-Calvinist I would say it was His love). It is very important to them that nothing in any way should limit God’s absolute rule, so they believe strongly in predestination and that salvation is 100% of God and 0% of man’s free will. Hence the acronym TULIP commonly used to summarise this position:

T–total depravity (man in his wickedness cannot save himself
U — unconditional election (God chooses who He wants to save on a completely arbitrary basis)
L — limited atonement (Jesus only died for the ones that God has chosen to be saved)
I — irresistible grace (when God chooses to save you, you’re saved — you have no power to refuse
P — perseverance of the saints (you can’t be un-saved, once you’re in you’re in)

hope that helps, I’ve tried to be fair,"

Then later she talks about her history with Calvinism:

"I spent 20 years in a Calvinist church (Presbyterian Church of Australia) Mostly I encountered ‘soft’ Calvinists, who were very nuanced in their application of these principles. The internet Calvinistas tend to be a different breed — much fiercer and less nuanced, and much more likely to take the sovereignty of God all the way to a reductio ad absurdum (i.e. take the trajectory as far as they can push it, no matter how silly their end point is. Very sad.Soft Calvinists tend to be human and compassionate, hard Calvinists are very scary.

Having said all this, the point where I finally broke with Calvinism was when I went to the funeral of a new born baby, and the whole sermon was on the perfection of God’s ways, without a word of comfort for the grieving parents. That, for me, was the beginning of a massive rethink, and basically turning away from over-systematised theology."

I like her views and her insight. And I think that I'm also repelled by the "over-systematised" aspect of Calvinism theology.

BJU, Tina Anderson, and Glee, Oh My!

Bob Jones University used to have Tina Anderson's pastor was on its board of Trustees until a senior with a conscious and a strong sense of justice* took up the cause to get the man off the board. To read more and watch a video go to:

BJU Senior Expelled for Watching Glee

(*Christopher Peterman has a strong sense of justice. Bob Jones University seems to lack even a decent sense of justice. Mamas don't let your children grow up to go to Bob Jones!)

Put Away Childish Things

I Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; When I became a man, I did away with childish things.

The Toddler Property Rights that I posted on Monday display a childish, even infantile, mentality. Toddlers are going through the 'adolescence' between infancy and childhood. They are old enough to express their demanding, self-centered infantile mind but not quite mature enough to learn basic things like "sharing" and "empathy" and respecting another's "boundaries". It is a stage that children go through that is natural and expected.

But an adult behaving according to the Toddler Property Rights is not natural or expected. It is unacceptable and shows the adult to be childish and in no condition to have authority or responsibility.

The opposite of the Toddler Property Rights is found a few verses above I Corinthians 13:11.

Verses 4-7 goes like this: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it's own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

You just can't get more opposite of the Toddler Property Rights. Anyone wanting to obey the law of love and yet hold onto the toddler property rights mentality are sorry out of luck because "it does not seek it's own" pretty much does away with any idea that person has a right to take something away from another person.

Looking at it another way, thieves live by Toddler Property Rights law #3: "If I can take it away from you, it's mine." But God's law, even in the Old Testament states: "Thou shalt not steal." So what is a thief to do if he wants to grow up and stop being a toddler? He must put away childish things.

Ephesians 4:28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

In other words, rather than taking, consuming, and hurting others with his childish self in mind, a thief needs to learn to be a producer, giver, blesser. And in this way, the thief changes his way and no longer imitates the devil who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but begins to imitate God who is a Producer, Giver, and Blesser.

So, in essence, putting away childish things is rejecting selfish, hurtful, worldly, and satanic reasoning and taking on, or accepting giving, creating, blessing, and godly reasoning.

Simple to explain. Much harder to bring into practice. At least that's what I observe because I see a lot of Christians, including those in leadership, who still embrace the Toddler Property Rights mentality.

Doug Wilson Loves Esau and Hates Jacob

Alrighty then.

When someone else writes a better blog post on some issue that really bothers me, I don't get jealous. I really like it and want to make sure others are aware of it, if they aren't already.

"Esau" Christianity? Douglas Wilson Needs a Bible Study by Chaplin Mike is just such a blog post.

God bless thoughtful men who truly are secure in their manhood and feel no need to go around trying to marginalize the feminine in church, home, and society.

Result of Striping Women of Their Power

Women have many powers. One is (along side men) reproduction. Another is her sexuality.

Apparently men in churches fear these powers and try to control them. Some to a greater degree than others.

Personally, I have always felt in control of and in power over my own body and sexuality. Fortunately, I have always believed that if and when I had children, they would be just as much mine as my husband's.

But I'm seeing that my experience is not what all women have experienced. And I get shocked all over again whenever I see the damaging effects of striping women of their power, their boundaries, and of their very personhood in the name of God.

Bedroom Submission, Birth Control, and Tokophobia by Sierra is just such a shock to my system and reminds me again why I blog.

Some women are actually trapped in the name of God, by men who want to control and abuse. I get so tired of God being portrayed this way. I, along with many others, can't stand by quietly and allow the goodness of God to be continually smeared by evil, self-serving men.

(will get to the toddler property laws, hopefully soon.)