His recent racist re-tweets have a basis in Theology I was part of in the 1970s-80s.
The president of the United States just promoted the resurrection of international white racist supremacy hate by a fading group of theocracy-promoting Christian crusaders. And they Tweeted a Thank You to Trump for helping them.
As the Washington Post noted: “JAYDA FRANSEN is the deputy leader of the far-right nationalist party Britain First. In 2016, a British court convicted her of harassment after she yelled abuse at a woman wearing a hijab. One year later, she faces new charges of inciting religious hatred after allegedly distributing racist leaflets and posting hateful videos during a rape trial. On Wednesday, President Trump retweeted three of her Twitter posts promoting anti-Muslim videos.”
Trump’s boosting far-right theocracy Christian islamophobia hate groups has the full backing of Mike Pence, who is a theocracy advocate of Christian white supremacy. His intellectual mentor is Rousas Rushdoony, the father of the Calvinist extremist American Theocracy movement known as “Reconstructionists.”
I knew Rushdoony well in my evangelical days in the 1970s. He advocated for slavery, execution of gays, a “return” to Old Testament Law, including death for heretics and abortion doctors.
What we have here is the marriage of Pence’s Christian evangelical theocracy movement, Trump’s racism, and Bannon’s agenda that I describe in my book “LETTER TO LUCY — A manifesto of creative redemption in the age of Trump, fascism and lies.”
And as I prove in the book, all this has its roots in Evangelical Calvinist theology I grew up promoting with my evangelist dad Francis Schaeffer.
Trump’s favorite neo-Nazis Britain First was first supported by James Dowson, a former Calvinist minister from Northern Ireland who helped found the movement and also expressed support for Trump, Putin and Britain’s vote to leave the EU. He later left Britain First over its tactic of mosque invasions. Trump re-tweets messages from them though they became too extreme for their own Calvinist founder!
Unlike Trump, most people in the UK are NOT happy to see Calvinist theocracy advocates getting a boost for their insane agenda. As the BBC reported, “It was wrong for US President Donald Trump to retweet videos posted by far-right group Britain First, Downing Street has said.”
Theresa May’s spokesman said Britain First used “hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.”
Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn called the retweets “abhorrent” and “dangerous”.
As reported by the BBC, Britain First was founded in 2011 by former members of the far-right British National Party (BNP). It has previously put up members to run in European elections and by-elections on anti-immigration and anti-abortion policies, but has yet to secure any seats.
Trump’s tweets – shared with his 43.6 million followers – prompted a wave of criticism in the UK and around the world. Mr. Corbyn tweeted: “I hope our government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.”
Veteran Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames said Mr. Trump had finally proved he is “wholly unsuited” to the role of president.
Meanwhile, fellow Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi has written a letter to Mr. Trump urging him to delete the retweets.
Brendan Cox, the husband of Jo Cox, said Mr. Trump was “legitimising hatred.”
Across the UK political spectrum, there has been horror as there would be in the US if Trump was re-tweeting racist KKK slogans. Downing Street spokesman said: “British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents – decency, tolerance and respect.” He added: “It is wrong for the president to have done this.”
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson later tweeted that Britain First was “a divisive, hateful group”, while Sajid Javid, minister for communities and local government, said Mr. Trump was “wrong and I refuse to let it go and say nothing”.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said it was “deeply disturbing” that Mr. Trump had “chosen to amplify the voice of far-right extremists”.
“I join the urgent call of faith groups and others for President Trump not just to remove these tweets, but to make clear his opposition to racism and hatred in all forms.”
Brendan Cox – whose wife, British MP Jo Cox, was murdered by a right-wing extremist who shouted “Britain first” before committing the act – also condemned Mr. Trump.
He told the BBC: “If you look at Trump this isn’t a mistake, this is a strategy. He consistently does this. He’s retweeted people on the far right in the US, he’s shared anti-Semitic memes in the past and his whole campaign was based on calling Mexicans rapists and saying he’d ban Muslims from the country. I think we have to recognize now… that this is a president who is a purveyor of hate.”
Trump must be stopped. He deserves to be impeached for this outburst alone. Trump demeans everything he touches. He is a Neo-Nazi. Period.
Do you want me to keep blogging, posting videos, traveling and speaking? Then please help out.
64 Comments. Leave new
It is interesting that leftists, like Frank Schaeffer, are more afraid of right wingers than they are of Muslims. Their beliefs are rooted in their hatred of Christianity. They prefer Muslim terrorists to Christians.
Gory ;
1) There is no such thing as a ‘ left winger ‘ here in the good ole US of A other than a few minuscule lunatic fringe groups here and there . But regardless Frank hardly qualifies as one .
2) No one is making claim to ‘ preferring ‘ Islamic extremist terrorists . What everyone including the majority of the GOP are doing is condemning Trump for his blatant bigotry and racism
3) Your ignorance , stupidity and racism is showing Gory . If you’d bother to read the Koran .. or at least study the religion of Islam .. you’d know their faith is not rooted in the hatred of Christians . Fact is Gory … just the opposite . According to the Koran … ( which the Islamic extremists chose to ignore .. much as you do with the Bible I might add ) .. Christians and Jews are all part of the ” Book ” ( the OT ) which we all share … and therefore according to the words of the Koran should be both tolerated and treated with respect . Granted this is not the heretical theology that groups such as ISIS Al Qaeda and the Taliban subscribe to … but that is what the book ( Koran ) states … very clearly in fact
The irony here is … you have more in common with those heretical Islamic extremist groups in light of the blatantly heretical and hate based rhetoric you constantly make use of than anything so much as resembling a christian .. never mind a Biblical Christian
4) Speaking of terrorists . Seems to me history , statistics and the numbers show that we have much more to fear from the home grown American born racist /white supremest / Neo Nazi terrorists claiming to be Christians than any foreign entity subscribing to another faith
5) More importantly though … the fact is Gory … we all know what you think of Frank along with the rest of us your having repeated yourself endlessly day after day like a broken record . But the fact remains ;
a) Your opinions do not matter
b) Your infantile insults do not matter
c) Your false accusations do not matter
Fact is the only thing that matters less than your opinions , insults and accusations is … you
Because ultimately you are nothing more than a load of digital excrement clogging up the pages of a blog’s comments section completely devoid of substance or meaning .
Dr. Martin,
The likes of Bryson represent how most of my evangelical friends and family currently think and so they put Trump and his elk into power.
Here is something to think about…the DOD privatized war in the Middle East and our dear secretary of Education’s family owns a private army under contract to do the dirty work in our serial wars.
To much truth?
Well, in a heartbeat they will bring that private army home to do the dirty work for the likes of Trump and so I would lay low on that darned gun grab agenda as that will play into their hands of course just an opinion..
Nine
Nine …
1) Actually having friends ( some now former ) and family in our basket of deplorables as well .. the real problem is … at least 80% of Evangelicals and Fundamentalists ( emphasis on mental ) .. do not think … at all . Having volitionally become blind sycophants verging on quislings
2) An interesting observation I made several years ago just before walking out of the church for good . While sitting in the pew with my wife it suddenly dawned on me that if Christianity were to suddenly become illegal in the US … if push finally came to shove 90% of those sitting around us wouldn’t hesitate to hand us over to the authorities
Ironically that 90% falls in line with Charles Spurgeon’s assessment that if 10% of your congregation are genuine Christians … you’re as successful as you’ll ever be as a pastor
3) What Betsy DeVile owns pales in comparison to what several former members of GWB’s Gang of Four especially Rumsfeld have control over . But there is one thing they do not seem to realize is that … as the bard Warren Zevon put it … we’ve got the ” Lawyers Guns & Money ” as well . And we’re not afraid to use them . Push comes to shove and I’ll bet you will as well
And the fact is .. their private army wouldn’t stand a bats chance against the US military who’d invoke a military coup in a heartbeat if the poop hit the fan . A dirty little inside secret … the plans are already in place just in case
“And the fact is .. their private army wouldn’t stand a bats chance against the US military who’d invoke a military coup in a heartbeat if the poop hit the fan . A dirty little inside secret … the plans are already in place just in case”
I am afraid that the officer corps has been infiltrated by the evangelicals as Obama purged the officer corps in the Nuclear command as I know of what I speak and the rot goes deep in our Military and I fear you are wrong on that idea of a coup of any kind from that bunch of perfumed princes.
I prey you are right for all our sake TJ….
Nine
Brilliantly spoken, TJ. You beat me to it, and said it MUCH more eloquently.
I knew there was another verse somewhere that reminded me of you Gory ;
“If Jesus saves — well, He’d better save Himself
From the gory glory seekers who use His name in death ” .. Ian Anderson
excellent verse
course it takes days for me to process
Nine
all terrorists and folks like you are one and the same
N
Well Frank .. et al … there is one positive coming out of Trump’s latest foray into infantile Twitterholic racist stupidity . According to those in the know … Trump just shot his Travel Ban Supreme Court case in the foot … having exposed himself as the racist and biased bigot that all the lower courts have accused him of .
And … there is the distinct possibility that because of his latest TwitterShitFit … the Supreme Court may be forced to look into whether Herr Drumpf is in direct violation of the US Constitution and if Trump is fit/competent to hold office
So here’s hoping the blithering blatherskite Toddler in Chief keeps up with his Twitterholic ways … cause if he does … we will see Evil ( Trump ) finding its own end . And in my opinion there is nothing more poetic and just than watching evil implode upon itself
“And in my opinion there is nothing more poetic and just than watching evil implode upon itself”
I do of course agree with you but he disagrees with us both…
love says we shall overcome
Nine
I think the evidence is clear that Frank, Martin, Margarita, etc., are more afraid of the US being a “Christian nation” than they are of the US being anything else, including a Muslim nation. Their hatred of all things Christian is evident in their comments.
>> love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you <<
This Jesus I love. Not the Jesus of the white evangelicals…
Norris, I don’t believe you. I don’t believe you love Jesus, or your enemies.
” I don’t believe you. I don’t believe you love Jesus, or your enemies ”
Sigh .. of course you don’t … Gory .
Neither do you.
The gospel I see
theater I see to
N
Oh dear Gory . Stuck your foot in it again .
The Declaration of Independence , US Constitution and Bill of Rights prevents the US from ever becoming a religious dominated nation of any kind . And any thoughts or actions to the contrary are an act of treason / sedition punishable by a life sentence or death
As for your lies , false accusations and non existence evidence .. as stated earlier .. nothing you say matters Gory … because you are just a load of digital excrement clogging up the pages of a blog’s comments section completely devoid of substance or meaning .
You should tell Frank. He is very disturbed about the threat of a Christian theocracy.
” You should tell Frank. He is very disturbed about the threat of a Christian theocracy ”
Oh really Gory ? Seems to me what you are doing is reading into Franks words what you want to see rather than reading his words as written .
Because what bothers Frank and any genuine responsible citizen of these United States is the futile albeit verging on violent attempts on the part of the so called christian alt right to violate the Declaration of Independence , US Constitution and Bill of Rights by trying to create a religious Hierocracy despite the fact that such an act is also in direct contradiction of Scripture .. which should not just bother but absolutely frighten any genuine Biblical Christian … knowing full well what the consequences will be for directly violating Scripture .
But then again .. you’re not … a christian of any kind …. so …
Frank has spoken often about the threat of a Christian theocracy in the US. He did so in this article and video.
” Frank has spoken often about the threat of a Christian theocracy in the US. He did so in this article and video ”
READ my 11/30/17 7:45 pm reply Gory .
” Neither do you”
As stated previously Gory … nothing you say or accuse anyone else of .. nor any of your infantile attempts at insult matters one iota .. because ;
All you are is a load of digital excrement clogging up the pages of a blog’s comments section completely devoid of substance or meaning . Though as many of us obviously agree … there is a certain amount of theater and entertainment to be had by the presence of your constant verbal flatulence .
Who are you? What does TJ mean? I want to know who you are so I can ask my pastor if he has ever heard of you.
” What does TJ mean? ”
As previously stated … going on for times now . I initiated the challenge so you first . Thats the way adults play the game . So ; Name of Church … city … state .. show me the money .. … put up or shut up Gory
Now about that list …………..
( to be continued )
I think you’re a nobody who thinks he is somebody.
TJ…. Gory lives in the vicinity of High Point North Carolina, where there is this one church called Bible Truth Baptist Church, which has all the hallmarks of being a “Gory Friendly” place, being that their webpage says: “BTBC is an independent fundamental Baptist church. We are conveniently located on the Randleman Lake between Greensboro, High Point, and Randleman, NC. Please visit ‘About Our Church’ on the side bar to find service times and directions.
We are a King James Bible only, old fashion worship, preaching, praising, and praying church. You’re more than welcome to visit us. If you are tired of dry, dead, defeated churches, BTBC is what you have been looking for.
Our main goal is to win the lost and call another generation back to God. In the modern day of liberalism, we want to reach the next generation before the world and devil snatch them up.”
http://bibletruthbaptistchurchweb.com/
The pastor of that church is gun worshipping Bro. Jeff Harmon, who I kid you not, starts his sermons with: “I have six bullets … I have a six shooter with three bullets in each gun…” It’s all on their website, all you need do is click on their “Audio Preaching” tab.. and you’ll be chilled to the bone!
http://bibletruthbaptistchurchweb.com/media_player.php?id=1&catID=
” I think you’re a nobody who thinks he is somebody ”
I know for a fact you’re not real or man enough to put up … and you’re too stupid to shut up . And thank you very much for proving it to one and all . Very accommodating of you indeed !
Honestly though Gory … this comes as no surprise to anyone .
Donald Trump and his racist, xenophobic supporters around the world are finding common goals/enemies again.DO WE NEVER LEARN FROM HISTORY?? My Mother lived through the horrors of WWII and when trump first came on the scene, she was very uneasy, and she warned me that trump’s bombast, and claim that only he could save the nation, reminded her of Hitler. Thank god that she passed away before he was elected so she didn’t have to live in fear again.
Yes, Gory… As mentioned in Frank’s previous thread, being that I am a torture survivor… I for one am very worried about the US becoming a FAKE CHRISTIAN GUN WORSHIPPING nation. That you can’t bring yourself to denounce torture as being both immoral and evil and instead argue that no one can “prove” that it is immoral, tells me and everyone else who may read your comments that you are the epitome of a fake Christian!
Abadie, I have not said torture is moral. I have not said that no one can prove torture is immoral. I have said YOU have failed to prove torture is immoral, which you have.
Since you are not a Christian, and since you don’t believe the Bible, you are unqualified to judge who is, or who is not, a “fake Christian”.
Gory… ANYONE who can’t denounce torture as being both immoral and evil and instead supports a lunatic megalomaniac who condones torture is NOT a true Christian!
Adadie, That is your opinion. But you can’t prove its true.
Let’s see if I get this right. According to you Gory, the bible says that sodomy is both immoral and evil. So how is taking a metal rod and shoving it a man’s rectum, or a woman’s rectum/vagina and then turning on the switch to 220 Volts for the sole purpose of causing unimaginable excruciating pain is not by default also immoral and evil? Please explain that one!!! Or shut the fuck up!
And how about sodomizing a small baby with an electric rod for the sole purpose of making their parents confess to something that they did not do?
Gory ;
” Abadie, I have attended independent, fundamentalist Baptist churches for many years. The people in those churches have no lust for power, they just want to live their lives in peace without being forced to act as liberals want them to. And, they understand that people who qualify for Hell go there, and that God sets the qualifications ”
That is absolute and total BS ! The fact is there is no continuity within the ranks of the IFB .. with their theology ranging from the extreme liberal .. to the extreme right . With churches taking a complete autonomous stance from one another that can range from peace loving neighbors to the white trash gun toting power hungry extremes like the Pillsbury Doughboy Harmon and friends
So … it seems you know even less about the denomination you claim to be part of than the Bible you’ve never so much as read
Begging the question .. other than knowing how to stuff your foot down your throat exposing your stupidity with each and every comment / reply … what in the hell do you know ?
Martin, I was talking about the churches I have attended. I am not aware of what goes on at the churches I don’t attend. You know where you can stick your insults.
Ms Abadie … thanks for the information narrowing down the possibilities ( yesterday I received the complete list of every IFB member staff and leadership in the US from a couple of friends in leadership at some of the more sane and moderate IFB churches )
So the question is… what do we do with this information ? hmmmmm…
TJ… To answer your question, and from what I know… these churches tend to operate somewhat under the radar, so in my opinion, what should be done, is expose them for what they are. That being GUN WORSHIPPING TORTURE ADVOCATING FAKE CHRISTIANS, who want everybody that doesn’t “obey” their doctrine and submit to their lust for power to go to hell where there can endure eternal torture!
Abadie, I have attended independent, fundamentalist Baptist churches for many years. The people in those churches have no lust for power, they just want to live their lives in peace without being forced to act as liberals want them to. And, they understand that people who qualify for Hell go there, and that God sets the qualifications.
>> Far from being lunatics, leaders such as Trump are opportunists and skilled manipulators who may change their ideas on specific policy issues without ever deviating from their main goal: the accumulation and steady expansion of their own power. <<
Another insightful WashPo article:
– https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/11/30/no-trump-is-not-a-madman-because-he-knows-exactly-what-hes-doing/
You speak the truth Mr Norris. . That has been the GOP’s primary agenda since GWB and his Gang of Four . Absolute power and to hell with the US Constitution
As for Trump’s TwitterShitFits they are based on the core of Mao’s concepts of propaganda .. e.g. Distraction Distraction Distraction .. as dictated by the Bannon Briebart FoxNews juggernaught
Excellent article Mr. Norris.
thanx for that link…
Nine
In his tweets, Frank is now afraid Trump will anger the nice Muslims and get Americans killed. If that happens, Frank will blame Trump instead of the Muslims attackers. Hey Frank, if the Muslims are such nice people, why do we have to worry about making them angry?
Sigh .. You insist on continually shoving that vile moldy infected foot of yours down your throat … don’t you !
Get a grip Gory … racism is racism regardless of who that racism is aimed at . And what Frank is concerned about is Muslim US citizens being attacked by the white trash neo nazi – KKK – white supremest element .
And for a little perspective .. assuming your last name Bryson … is real … you’re either of Irish or Scottish extraction . So guess what ! Back in the late 1700’s to the late 1800’s that made your ancestors the target of racism and prejudice . Fact is little man the Scots and the Irish were considered to be little better than the African American slaves that were bought and sold like some common commodity .
The general view back in the day ? All Scots and Irish are drunks , violent , murders , thieves , rapists and were taking all the jobs away ruining the economy ( USCIS Immigration History 101 )
And Baptists ? Hell Gory back in in the day as in jolly ole England Baptists were considered to be the lowest of the low subhuman heretics .
In other words Gory … back in the day .. you were THOSE people .
Islam is a religion, not a race. Being anti-Muslim is NOT racism. Which you would know, if you could think.
Muslim is not a race . It is a description of those who adhere the Islamic faith .. and is an alternative to the word Islamic ;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim
Which you would know if you ever pulled your volitionally stupid deluded head out of your posterior .
Question is Gory .. how many times can you shove that disgusting foot of yours down your throat before you finally choke on the damn thing ?
From Ms Abadie
“Gory lives in the vicinity of High Point North Carolina, where there is this one church called Bible Truth Baptist Church, which has all the hallmarks of being a “Gory Friendly” place”
Hmmm … in combination with that list of all IFB members across the US that wound up in my inbox … a few good friends etc living in the area …. hmmm ….
As for the … Bible ( anything but the ) Truth Baptist Church
Hey … will ya lookee that … a church full of goryfied – self righteous – excessively white – fat ___ed – wretchedly overweight – mindless sycophants all of which place an extremely burden on the the health care system costing the rest of us a godawful fortune … too ignorant , uneducated and volitionally stupid to recognize that the King James Bible was rewritten and mistranslated specifically to crush the baptist movement ( then called Anabaptists ) along with the Puritans and all other Protestant sects in Jolly Ole .
e.g. The brightest bulbs in the box … they aint
Yesireee .. lets make America White Again … cause with the likes of this bunch … greatness aint even on the radar … never mind a possibility
…. and ahhh .. racism by definition includes extreme prejudice against any creed or religion .. as well as race .
So again Gory .. how many times can you and the Pillsbury Doughboy Harmon stuff your respective white trash feet down your throat before you both choke on the damn things ?
Fine. I’m a racist. And proud of it.
For your edification Gory ;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism
” Fine. I’m a racist. And proud of it ”
So Gory in other words you finally admit for one and all to see .. you are not a christian … never mind resembling so much as a Biblical Christian .
Look, if being opposed to anything and everything is “racist” then EVERYONE is a racist, including YOU. Like everything you liberals touch, you have perverted the word racist into a new meaning.
Gory
I Cor 13:2 ” if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing ”
I John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ”
I John 4:8 ” Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love ”
Need anymore Biblical proof that you are anything but .. a Biblical Christian ?
” Look, if being opposed to anything and everything is “racist” then EVERYONE is a racist, including YOU. Like everything you liberals touch, you have perverted the word racist into a new meaning ”
You do not oppose . You both hate and fear . The two primary traits of a racist in the most traditional and classical definitions and the polar opposite of every Biblical definition of a Christian
And once again excrement for brains … I am not a Liberal . I am a Centrist Independent with strong ( genuine ) Conservative foundations slightly left leaning depending on the specific issues firm in the knowledge that neither side is right in the Eyes of God .
LOL! You can pretend to be whatever you want, but I consider you to be a liberal.
” LOL! You can pretend to be whatever you want, but I consider you to be a liberal ”
You can pretend all you want but we all know exactly what you are . Digital excrement .
By the way … what is it with the little girl act ? Having some gender issues there Gory ?
Dearest Frank Shaeffer,
The alt right christian fundamentalists are way worse than the German national socialists by far as in the 1930’s the national socialists rebuilt the German economy and were in favor of the working classes and made things much better for working people. Unfortunately all wars make government leaders into tellers of lies
As opposed to Trump fascism which denigrates the working classes with less wages and benefits and higher rents and inflated real estate prices and expensive food in relation to wages. National socialism arose out of the ashes of WW1 and an unfair treaty towards Germany which made that nation ripe for someone such as Adolph Hitler.
I am in no way defending Hitler and how his Germany turned out however, Trump and his fascists are far worse then the German ones and Mr. Shaeffer is correct in calling out the fact that America is in a civil war right now.
I wonder about traditional politics and the democratic party is the way to go and maybe letting the thing crash and burn to start anew again might be the best option who knows?
Nine
Ah, the fine art of the theater!
At first we entertain and then draw the audience in for the finest stage play and drama.
Many say the Greeks did this the best…
I will tell you this as I had the finest trainer in the art of theater and that was my former employer who went back centuries.
You should let all comers play this stage unless of course they are hurting themselves or others
and I would say this as you wish to atone
all the worlds a stage as that great bard once said….
Nine
” ..all the worlds a stage …. ”
Sigh … or to put a negative spin on it in the age of Trump … the title of a Peter Hammill album ..
” The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage ”
If you can handle some seriously depressing and critical albeit quiet prog rock with unbelievable lyrical content … much of which is aimed at religion and the church ( ” The Lie ” ) … give it a listen ;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gveVBXgSZF4
An extremely dark remnant from my BC past .. albeit in many ways in light of the overall direction the church is heading in … all too relevant today
One more comment…
For our dear doc martin..
could you please take a look at this link?
https://www.thebrooknetwork.org/2017/11/27/grasping-reality/
That is theology one owe one in my opinion…
He is one of our pastors of our local church….
Nine
I am no longer a believer because I find religion to be nothing more than a haven for hypocrites and shills for a way of life not advocated through their holy books, no matter if its the bible, the ‘Koran, Talmud, etc.I live and raised my family only by the Golden Rule, and pride myself on having raised wonderful, ethical and moral people without ever having them step into a house of worship .I know more Gary Brysons, than Christians living a godly life.
I know exactly ONE Christian family that lives the book- and they are wonderful people..but one family out the the hundreds of people I know??
I did read the link you sent, and your pastor is a good man. I particularly found his sermon on moral responsibility in our leaders( and lack of them) very en point.
https://www.thebrooknetwork.org/2017/08/13/some-thoughts-on-moral-leadership/
Well … ole Doc Martin’s here … so far I’m liking the site and the articles therein . A little thin on detail perhaps … but so far no points of ( serious ) contention . And this one.. is a doozy . What he’s describing in the beginning is the very essence of the brainwashed cult mentality * . Suspending reality completely in order to maintain the faith despite the fact that all the evidence points to that faith ( or the abhorrent version of that faith ) being a lie .
And what he’s making claim to after that is true . The weakness in his argument .. correct as it may be … is that he does not go into any detail as to how we discern the Truth in the Bible .. versus say proof texting our way thru the Bible in order to confirm our original biases and/or prejudices
What he desperately needs to do now is follow this article up with a basic primer in Hermeneutics 101 … because without at least the basic tools .. one winds up down Alice’s Rabbit Hole of heresy and/or gnosticism
Of course the best tactic is to go back to the origin languages .. especially the Koine Greek of the NT … a language so rich and detailed that it takes at least a paragraph in English to say what the Koine expresses in a sentence or less … but thats a bit much to ask from your common parishioner . Though .. one must remember that the three least educated of the apostles Andrew James and John all spoke three languages fluently ( Koine Greek – Ancient Hebrew and Aramaic ) and had more education in their Jewish Faith than most Bible College graduates do today . So perhaps part of the problem is we expect too little of those around us … and ourselves ?
And perhaps todays church is in desperate need of reinstating the position of the autonomous apologist ?
* re; This Bryson character .. if we were to assume he is not a troll ( and I still maintain that he is ) .. in my 40+ years of apologetics the only times I’ve run into someone as absolutely deluded as he appears to be completely unwilling to so much as listen to the truth and insisting that only he knows what is and is not true … is when I’ve dealt with Scientologists