X-Ray the Idol Hunter Rumored to Make a Showing at 2013 Gospel Coalition in Orlando
“As Powlison brings the latest findings from Westminster’s research and development team on idol hunting, it only makes sense that X-Ray would want to be briefed.”
Those of you who have been a part of PPT since its beginning in 2009 are aware of who X-Ray the Idol Hunter is. She is kind of the Big Foot of New Calvinism. Her possible existence surfaced in 2010 during John Piper’s sabbatical. Piper said he was taking the sabbatical because he had observed several “species of pride” in his soul. According to other statements he made, he had consulted Tim Keller and Paul David Tripp on how to peel away several different levels of idolatry in order to find these “species.” Piper never identified the different species with biblical nomenclature.
Piper shared these things prior to beginning his sabbatical which had a predetermined length of eight months. The question soon became the following: how did Piper know that the eradication of these “species,” and all of the peeling away of many levels of idolatry in the soul, would take exactly eight months? If the species where wreaking enough havoc on his soul to cause him to step down for eight months, one must assume that eliminating these creatures would be efficacious.
Well, sure enough, Piper returned to the ministry eight months later. That’s when the rumors started. Obviously, Piper had an ace in the hole. It is doubtful that Sonship theology, the primary doctrine that promotes idol hunting in the heart would have been enough to guarantee such a victory. The doctrine was concocted by Dr. John “Jack” Miller in the 80’s and articulated by David Powlison and Paul David Tripp. David Powlison oversees a research and development team at Westminster Seminary that endeavors to come up with better and better ways to hunt down idols in the heart. Miller was able to identify twenty-five species of idols to get the ball rolling.
Powlison and Tripp devised what they call “X-Ray questions” that help people detect these idols which manifest themselves in our desires. All and all, Powlison has devised around 135 such questions. The questions reveal desires, and the desire leads to the species.
But after the return of Piper, people started asking questions, and strange manifestations began to be noticed at New Calvinist conferences where Piper, Powlison, Keller, and Tripp appeared. Powlison and Keller are self-proclaimed mentorees of John Miller. One such manifestation was seen on a conference website and appears below:
Furthermore, the following spears were found at yet another conference:
Putting it in a way that David Powlison would, X-Ray is kinda, perhaps, like a parody, but then again, kinda not to demonstrate the mindless New Calvinist following of mysticism on the issue of change. As Jay E. Adams well noted in his treatise against Sonship theology, idol hunting seems to be a kissing cousin to species of demons that supposedly cause Christians to sin. Hence, a different demon for each sin, and as Piper noted just prior to his last sabbatical, Tim Keller informs us that some levels of idol hunting are only obtained by fasting and prayer. Yet, someone had to know that the extraction of the “species” that were hounding Piper would only take exactly eight months to extract. PPT was sent a top secret picture of X-Ray, and we neither vouch for this picture nor deny it. Like Big Foot, the jury is kinda still out:
With Powlison, Keller, Tripp, and Piper all coming to this year’s Gospel Coalition conference in Orlando, a manifestation of X-Ray is very possible. As Powlison brings the latest findings from Westminster’s research and development team on idol hunting, it only makes sense that X-Ray would want to be briefed.
Stay tuned.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Reblogged this on Clearcreek Chapel Watch.
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I guess since Piper believes he’s going to the judgment to see if he will be in heaven, then he needs the “idol hunter” to get him cleaned up enough for his date with the great white throne. It’s unfortunate that he doesn’t realize that everyone that appears there, fails that date.
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Well stated Abe, and the crux of the issue.
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I wish I could have an eight month sabbatical where I could contemplate (salary paid) my “idols”.
Yeh, I remember this happening with Piper. This was the time I was “contemplating what the heck I was doing
in a Reformed church”. I know their little schemes of taking sabbaticals for bigger agendas; couldn’t fool me.
What now, Piper has left his church as a pastor for hmmm………book tours, coalitions, and conferences? Am I too far fetched on this?
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T4H,
What’s more, think about it in light of James 5. Basically, his local elders couldn’t help him–he had to be under the counsel of the big guns. It’s a joke. The sabbatical was a denial of Scripture, his elders who are probably nothing more than waterboy lackeys, and the propagation of the idea that the local church is lower down in the caste system than the national “leaders.”
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I thought the sabbatical was to “work on the garden of his marriage” since they are obviously not partners and he had “neglected his marriage” while touring on stages all over teaching people how to live out their gender roles in the pink and blue “masculine” Christianity he teaches.
It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical these guys are and so few can see it. I guess all that “passion” and hand waving is a distraction to analyze words and behavior.
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Well true Paul- these local guys did not have the Super-Sized Theological Doctorates Degree.
I mean they really could not quite stomach Jesus and His picking out fishermen and IRS agents to be His right hand men, now could they?
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and oh yes……a few women, of whom, some were ex-prostitutes.
GASP…. Calvin would actually turn in his grave if he knew Jesus REALLY did do that.
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“What’s more, think about it in light of James 5. Basically, his local elders couldn’t help him–he had to be under the counsel of the big guns. It’s a joke. The sabbatical was a denial of Scripture, his elders who are probably nothing more than waterboy lackeys, and the propagation of the idea that the local church is lower down in the caste system than the national “leaders.””
Mahaney did the same thing of sorts when he fled to the arms of Mark Dever. In fact, SGM policy was that when an SGM pastor was “degifted” he had to stay in his local church for discipline. But that rule did not apply to Mahaney to stay at CLC and be discipined by Josh Harris, his protege. He got to flee to his peers who opened their arms and gave him their stages for speaking. Then Mahaney flees Maryland and goes to Louisville to his other protector, Al Mohler. Not long after there is a class action suit filed over the protection of child molesters and to this day all the T4G, GC and other Reformed big dogs are not only silent but going to speak at Mahaney’s hotel church and having him speak at conferences.
What is really strange is that in the SBC much is made of the “local” church but when you look at the way Mohler and Dever have treated Mahaney, it seems to not apply if you are a celebrity leader.
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Lydia,
Good points, and begs the question: “What could be a bigger joke?”
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