Biblical Justification
“Talibaptists.”[via Stop Baptist Predators]
For me, that one word just about says it all by way of response to Ware’s way of thinking.
The sad thing is how unsurprised I was by Ware’s remarks. That’s because the same sick belief-system bleeds over into the arena of clergy sex abuse.
Men who abuse their wives do so because of their need for control and dominance. With Southern Baptist teachings on “biblical manhood,” those abusive men find biblical justification for their dominance.
Baptist clergy sex abusers also have control and dominance issues. And guess what? They also use biblical justification. Why? Because their victims were raised from the cradle to believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God.
“The Bible tells me so.” Every 3 year-old in a Baptist Sunday School sings that song. If the Bible says it, then I believe it, and that’s what I must do. It’s what we were all taught. Thinking otherwise wasn’t even thinkable.
Clergy-predators know how to exploit that early indoctrination. They become masters at biblical perversion and they turn the word of God into a weapon.
They even convince themselves they’re entitled. After all, they’re called by God Himself. And countless other Southern Baptists fall into that same thinking whenever an abuse victim tries to speak up. “Touch not mine anointed!”
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It's not because the Bible is inerrant or that that doctrine is bad. It is because bad men use the Bible to say what they want it to say. A look at their hermeneutical principles reveals the fallacy of their arguments. You could probably use a Readers' Digest the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt is a mistake to not focus on the men and try to shift the focus elsewhere. The Semon on the Mount clearly talks of a life of peace and love and "others first".
The dilemma seems to be how to understand the status of men, particularly in this uncertain age. Pointing out faulty hermeneutics wouldn't stop the situation here, but would make certain men more entrenched in their actions. The problem lies in how embracing obedience and leadership can deter people from being more discerning or more accountable. Relying on the Bible and deferring to others does not guarantee a good result by itself, unfortunately.
ReplyDelete"...dilemma seems to be how to understand the status of men, particularly in this uncertain age"
ReplyDeleteThe Bible is quite clear on what a man of God looks like (hence the comment on Matthew 5). The issue at hand is certain men who use Scripture pulled out of context so they can justify their actions both to themselves and others around them. I commented on the original blog, and the issue is not that the women aren't being "Biblical", the issue is that the men are not being "biblical".
"Pointing out faulty hermeneutics wouldn't stop the situation here"
No, but the world needs to hear that faulty hermenuetics is at the heart of much of the garbage in the church today. Athiests and psychologists readily agree that the Bible is the problem, that it teaches blind obedience, control, and poor treatment of people. If we don't point this out we become complicit in the accusations. The fact is those who practise faulty hermaneutics do a great disservice to the character and name of God. What sets the Crusaders apart from these men? Thier hermanuetics are similar.
"The problem lies in how embracing obedience and leadership can deter people from being more discerning or more accountable."
That and dealing with selfishness, power and pursuit of the world, and trying to be righteous on one's own strength (rather than walking in step with the Spirit).
"Relying on the Bible... does not guarantee a good result by itself"
No, but it is the starting point for truth and our relationship with God, and for our continuing relationship with God. We still have the choice to obey the Word or not. Nothing guarentees a good result, except total surrender to God.
"deferring to others does not guarantee a good result by itself"
I'm not quite sure where your thought came from. "Others first is the basic premise of love, maturity, and community. If men truly lived with this at heart, there would be no room for abuse.