Driscoll Thanks Critics For Getting No Respect
In the aftermath of Pastor Mark Driscoll's post about pastors and sexual temptation, he recently posted some clarifications that thanks his critics while avoiding any reponsibility for any damage he may have caused. He particularly appreciated how they helped him reconsider how to restate things. There was nothing in his statement that indicated that Driscoll would restate things again in the future, but many supporters hope so.
Although many bloggers were critical and suspicious of his response, many men commended Pastor Mark for his ability for damage control. One commenter expressed a typical response:
Thank you again Mark, for your humility and grace. As a man myself, I just want to thank you for being able to write better clarifications after bringing more attention to yourself than to Christ. I also appreciate the way that you obscured the problem women had with the post by not acknowledging them explicitly. After all, we men should lead by example. Thanks!
Others also thanked Mark for how he inspired them to disagree with others without worrying about the effects, particularly toward women. Some even wondered how they could proclaim Jesus and have a successful church like Pastor Driscoll without worrying about the harm it could have. However, women were particularly puzzled and ungrateful about how the pastor of Mars Hill Church could respond so nonchalantly about their concerns.
Complementarian women, though, were more encouraged by the Seattle pastor's response. One in particular remarked, "It just shows Pastor Mark's consistency in being the engaging, humble guy we all know and love. Who cares if he was mediocore and alienating? He's a complementarian!" Another, named Daisy, figured the controversy was exaggerated. "I don't understand what all the fuss was about anyways," she said. "Those disagreeable women just need to be more submissive and understanding, or they can simply ignore him. How hard is that?"
Even with a protest on the way, Pastor Mark Driscoll still seemed quite satisfied with his update on his blog. He mentioned that it will help him continue to write sloppily because it gets him a reaction. "After all," he noted, "if I had to improve my writing and avoid conflict with women, I couldn't respond this way, could I?" Driscoll commends men for being so favorable to his clarification, and hopes that they can avoid tempting situations that sabotage their ministry. When asked how he will respond to the demonstration coming soon, Driscoll replied that he would welcome them while not changing anything substantial.
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