This blog is not one that is or will be characterized by criticizing others. My intention is not to call people out in a public way or bash in any way. However, from time to time (right now being one of those times) I feel like I really have to share my heart and my concerns.
I feel like fundamentalism and really Christianity as a whole is really getting a wake up call from God telling them that the way they have handled sexual, and really any kind of abuse is NOT ok. Now would be the perfect time to re-train those in leadership how they should really respond when they find out that abuse has occurred. NOW is the time to bring in people from OUTSIDE to give a very different perspective. NOW is the time to talk to those who have been victimized within the church to gain a perspective on how they feel about what happened, and their ideas on how it could be changed. NOW is the time for complete change!
The mindset of "Our way is the ONLY Biblical way" is wrong, and quite frankly it's one thing that is holding back fundamentalism from true change. Just because someone listens to different music than you do, reads a different version of the Bible than you do, wears different clothes than you do, or interprets passages of Scripture differently than you do does NOT mean that they aren't a good Christian or that they don't love Jesus as much as you do. I can remember being taught (as do many others from where I grew up) that our church was the only one in town that really preached the Gospel. This simply wasn't true, and quite frankly this mindset really hurt the church in the eyes of the community.
All of this to get to my real point...Within fundamentalism there is an upcoming conference at one of their "hubs". While I think that it is a good thing that they are finally at least discussing the issue, from the line up of speakers it seems like it could be "business as usual" (I HOPE I'm proved wrong about this!!!). While I do not know every speaker it seems as though most (if not all) are or have been associated with the "University" where the conference is being held in some way. There are 2 HUGE things notably missing from their "line up" of seminars. First would be a seminar on how to go back and attempt to rectify the problems in the past and seek the forgiveness of those that have been hurt within these ministries. The second is something from someone who at one time was a victim, but has come out on the other side and can help them see through the "eyes of a victim" when dealing with these situations.
I'm not typically a cynical person, but on this issue I'm so passionate! Although I experienced horrible abuses throughout my life I have overcome with God's help and am able to live a normal, productive life. Because of what I endured my desire is to help others find the freedom and healing that I have experienced. I'm praying for this conference and those that attend it because I'm so afraid from what I see that it could potentially do more harm than good...
All that's missing on the list of speakers is Rand Hummel. I'm sure he'd give a wonderful message on how to blame the victim.
ReplyDeleteTina, I am so thankful you posted this. I am very concerned about the conference. I have been trying to hope that the university is trying to set a new course. While it hasn't appeared that they are willing to right the wrongs of the past, I had hopes that they would at least set a new direction that would provide greater protection to their current and future students and to those who are on the receiving end of what is taught at the conference. Due to recent circumstances, those hopes are squelched. The school is still adament in its attempts to protect the reputation of their school at seemingly any cost - even risking honesty. Somehow protecting their school has seem to become equated with protecting God and dishonesty is okay "for the greater good". That greater good is the reputation of the school, NOT the safety of those at risk from sex offenders.
ReplyDeleteThe school is still unwilling to admit to the many reports of sexual abuse that they did not seek out legal assistance for. They are still unwilling to do anything about the sex offenders they know are in full time Chrisian ministry, in part because the school hid their offenses from legal repurcussions.
They still maintain the employment of those who state that victims deserve their abuse due to their own impurity (including very young children). They still employ those who believe rape victims are fortunate to not live in Bible times as they teach that they "would be stoned".
Recently, I have learned that someone at the university is willing to give up honesty for the sake of protecting the school, though that also protects a sex offender. Is this what following Christ entails?
I have posted numerous topics on this seminar, including profiles of all the speakers. the consensus seems to be that it is a spin session. Assuage the public, defend against the critics, hide the money, claim to be broke so judgements cannot be paid, have a law enforcement officer teach the church how sexual assault is investigated, and promote the interrogation technique of "bible counseling" It is a psychological operation just as organized as anything the military can put on. Rest assured, campaign is heavy to garner a representation at BJU for the victims.
ReplyDeletehere is my breakdown on the conference:
ReplyDeleteDaniel Hicks- provides legal council to the IFB in regard to avoiding taxes on exessive contributions. Councils on avoiding scrutiny when large or exessive purchases are made by the church, or by church members using church donations. Noted for defending the IFB in matters relating to the internal revenue service. Most notable for providing biblical doctrine relating to separation of church and IRS while everybody else in the church concentrates on merging church and the rest of government.
I couldn't find any notable work he did outside the Baptist church.
Education
Bob Jones University B.A., 1992
Bob Jones University M.A., 1994
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., 1997
Bar & Court Admissions
North Carolina
South Carolina
Civic & Professional Memberships
North Carolina Bar Association
South Carolina Bar
Debi Pryde is infamous for her retreats. She holds them in very remote locations that are specifically designed to be in areas that have no cellular service, and totally isolated from any outside contact. Her background is in psychlogical operations, especially relative to the indoctrination of females in the biblical theology of submission. She instructs women to accept and embrace mysogeny as a method to receive "eternal glory". She practices Biblical Counceling, which is an utter rejection of Psychology as an unacceptable method of treating mental illness or traumatic stress. In short, her specialty is reindoctrination.
I will link the her mission statement, however I will also disclaim it. If the above explanation is illustration enough, stop reading. Anyone doing any research or traing on psychological counter operations may find the below mission statement some interesting reading in order to see what they are up against.
Dr. Dave Shumate
pastor of Mission Gospel Ministries; formerly mexican gospel mission.
He runs a ministry that generates contribution revenue that fueled his next venture, an environmental services industry. With the cooperation of a legal staff, he hires visa documented workers to clean office buildings. It is a for profit company that does not pay taxes, as it has been legally affiliated with the baptist church by none other than Daniel Hicks.
His linked in profile is pretty good reading to dissect what this guy is about.
Pamela Snyder
Political/Communications Consultant
Spin Doctor
Campaign Manager at Buerkle for Congress
Ann Marie Buerkle is the U.S. Representative for New York's 25th congressional district, elected in 2010 in an upset of incumbent Dan Maffei. She is a member of the Republican Party.
PAC Member at Bob Jones University
President at G & S Strategies
looks more and more like a strategy conference on moving large assets overseas, defending the action against the IRS, and spinning the move to the masses so it doesn't raise eyebrows. OR strategies on avoiding judgements levied against them for the damages inflicted by the church? I don't see one person listed in that conference that actually advocates for victims. my vote would be for spin conference.
Does it sound like a military operation? yes it does.
Does my post sound like a military counter operation? yes it does.
Rest assured im publishing my ass off anywhere I can to get the word out.
All this seems to have been posted b4 the conference How did it come off ? What was the result? I believe BJU need to make some policy changes and r they making in progress in doing this?
ReplyDeleteJim the conference is supposed to take place in November of this year. I will believe that they are making progress when they bring in an outside agency for evaluation and follow their recommendations explicitly!
ReplyDelete