Blogality: Why, and How New Calvinists Stalk Detractors
This post is about an element of blogosphere reality, or “blogality”; ie, being stalked by New Calvinists.
First, why do New Calvinists stalk people? Well, they have to because what they teach is out of the mainstream which means their teachings have to be covertly assimilated into the minds of their victims. While they are feeding the saints the elephant a bite at a time, anybody who knows about the whole elephant, and might pull it out of the barn for everyone to see is a serious threat. The saints mustn’t receive the truth “before they are ready for it.”
Furthermore, a parishioner of any given church can start Googling phrases and obtain all kinds of information that Reformed elders would prefer they didn’t know. The blogosphere is the engine of the information age, and information empowers people. And Reformed elders are not in the empowerment business—they are in the control business. That’s just bogality. And if the New Calvinist movement dies a social death like all other resurgent movements before it—the internet will be a primary reason.
Information and education is the foe that New Calvinists fear most. This is because truth doesn’t need to fear the facts. Hence, New Calvinists need to neutralize truth bearers for survival purposes, and the primary tool is stalking. Stalkers always want something. New Calvinists want you to shut up, and will stalk you till you do so. The following are their stalking techniques:
1. Fear of Authority and God. New Calvinists will first appeal to your fear of authority and God. Leaders are supposedly anointed by God and speak for Him directly. To contend against them is to contend against God.
2. Identity. They will attempt to educate you as far as “your place” in the spiritual food chain. And trust me, it will be low.
3. Loving Bombing. They will approach you out of concern and “love” for your own good. This will subtly be compared to them trying to help a crippled animal out of compassion that doesn’t know that the human is attempting to help them. This love bombing will be accompanied with prayer that “God will open your eyes of understanding.” This also feeds number four.
4. Dogma. They will not debate scriptural truth with you. This is part of a motif that they want to constantly present that their rightness is absolutely certain. To discuss theology with you would give credence to the idea that you are on the same spiritual plane of understanding. This also feeds the authority angle. Their position is absolutely right and nonnegotiable. This feeds an aurora of absolute self-confidence that New Calvinists continually and deliberately exude. This also contributes to, and feeds number five.
5. Undermining of self-confidence. This is why I have decided to no longer communicate with New Calvinists for any reason. Job one is to undermine your self-confidence (in what you know and who you are). Their stalking will always be focused on this, and there is no other agenda. They will attempt time and time again, relentlessly, to breakdown your self-confidence. This is the crux of their stalking.
6. Heart Experts. They understand the complex workings of the heart. Fact (supposedly): they “see certain things in you” that equal specific “idols of the heart.” They are the experts—you must succumb to their superior knowledge in regard to the heart of mankind.
All New Calvinist communications will flow from these six. Conversation with them is not fruitful because they will continue to come at you with these six approaches—continually recycling the approaches in various orders and in different forms. They will do this till they break you down and gain your submission.
Of course, anybody who has a cursory knowledge of cults will recognize the techniques as being the same.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Reblogged this on Clearcreek Chapel Watch.
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Very insightful post! I really identify with 4 and 5. I studied what I didn’t know was New Calvinism for about 4 years. They slowly took away my confidence in my ability to read and understand the Scriptures. They took away my confidence in hearing the Holy Spirit by His word and by His assurance of my salvation. I kept buying book after book to try to understand what “truth” was. My husband instructed me to read my Bible, and he knew something was wrong when I told him, “I can’t! I don’t know what it means anymore!” It has taken me a whole year to get them out of my system. God used your site and the Wartburg Watch, a few others to let me know that it was “okay” to defy their “authority”. You’re very right, you CANT reason with them, especially with Scripture.. My husband told me, if they won’t hear God’s word, who are you?
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Paul,
As an anonymous poster, there is some protection. What I notice on the blogs is that first they gently remind you that you simply need some more formal education (which is laughable as these Calvinist pastors I’ve known in my time in SGM are among the least educated people I know), and then, when you call out their presumption and arrogance and lies, they’ll flat out call you stupid. The fact is is that there is zero metaphysical logic to their positions, and many know it. Once this is understood, their positions are easily dismantled, and their understanding of Scripture is shown to be very crooked. They know this, so they resort to threats, lies, name calling, and the circular logic of appealing to their own subjective interpretations as proof of their opinions. It’s the usual stuff with people who want power and money. They invent reasons why God has entitled them to it.
I’m like you, it is useless to communicate with them. It serves no practical purpose.
By the way I started my blog; unreformingtheology.com; hope you don’t mind me plugging that here.
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Argo and Jennifer,
Yes, and for the most part, their “counseling” has become what is known as, BREAK SESSIONS. The counseling is designed to eliminate your self-confidence and take control of your will. Think about it: the major thrust of their sanctification theology is DEEP REPENTANCE. This is a focused endeavor to become more and more aware of how sinful your are.
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You are so right about that “sinful awareness” they push. I heard a few say things like, “I hate God and don’t desire Him.” or “I am constantlyl against God!” Which any normal Christian would think, “You need to get saved!” but this is a Pastor speaking this or an elder! Yuck!
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Jennifer,
click on the following link and look at their cross illustration:
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I have just about given up conversing with them EXCEPT on certain blogs where I know there are many readers from both sides and also many inbetween who are wavering. I personally have met over the past year quite a few people who have quietly mentioned red flags they are hearing/seeing at their churches or from friends at church, etc. It is as if they are floating trial balloons to see if you jump down their throat. It is very contentious out there esp at ground zero. So many are reading the blogs.
They need to know that there are people out there who think it is ok to question all teaching. They need to be taught about soul liberty and seek the guidence of the Holy Spirit. The times are different. We can no longer just tell people to find a new church. It just is not like that anymore.
argo, excited about your blog. getting ready to put it on favorites. It is another place for folks to go and read another view. The more the merrier!!!
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Argo, are you moderating? I left a comment but not sure it went through. I had to sign into wordpress and did but it did not show up.
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Paul, love the chart! Perfect picture of what their goals are.
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