Whatever Happened to Guilt by Association?
In a rather heated debate on another blog, I presented my three-point plan for getting rid of spiritual abuse in the American church:
1. Reformed theology must be rejected in totality.
2. Those that will not reject Reformed theology in totality must be dismissed as credible advocates for the abused.
3. Education in regard to the worldview/ideology/doctrine/true history of the Reformation.
This will eliminate the lion’s share of abuse in the church, the rest can be mopped up by other means.
After getting involved in commenting on the particular post (referred to me by one of my readers; they are always getting me in trouble by doing that) over at Spiritual Sounding Board (authored by the Blogosphere Diva), I again noted that guilt by association has been long buried with my wise grandmother. This lost concept of guilt by association is directly related to Reformed ideology.
And what are the results? We stand befuddled when we hear the likes of Pastor Marc Monte sing accolades to the memory of Dr. Jack Hyles. Hyles’ ministry was absolutely nothing short of a criminal cartel. But yet, Monte needs to only preface his accolades with “I don’t agree with everything he did.”
How in the sam-heck can he get away with that and still be the pastor of one of the most recognized churches in IFB land? Because we are all good Protestants, that’s why. When we throw around spiritual bumper stickers like “We are all just sinners saved by grace,” we ponder not the power of such statements. We know not that most children raped in the church are violated to the lyrics of that jingle.
And that motto is uniquely Reformed. Others go with it: “But for the grace of God, there go I.” In Reformed theology, there is guilt by association: everybody is guilty, even the saints. In the words of one great Reformer:
The saint is no whit different than the unregenerate.
So, quibbling about associations is an anomaly. Get a grip: the victims are also guilty. Get a grip: “We all need grace.” Get a grip: “We all deserve hell.” Get a grip: ALL life events point us to grace, that’s a good thing. If we embrace the grace solution. Some organizations even call themselves, G.R.A.C.E.
But there is an exception. There are those we must not associate with according to the Reformers. Those who don’t get it. Those who don’t know that we are all in the same boat with child rapists. Those who don’t understand that grace is only found in the mother church. Rapists must be cured with grace as well as the victims, but those who threaten the mother church must be cured with the sword. There is only one thing worse that a child rapist: those who don’t understand “grace,” and where it is found.
It is often said that I am hard to understand—is this understandable enough? These are core thoughts that people must get, add you own balance, but do not deviate from the core reality.
If you do, the abuse problem will never be solved. If we do not understand the metaphysical differences between saint and sinner, and good versus evil: the body count will continue to climb under the auspices of compassion. We will be nothing more than those who sang hymns to the European child thieves on the way to the gallows.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
[…] Whatever Happened to Guilt by Association?. […]
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Reblogged this on Clearcreek Chapel Watch.
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“But for the grace of God, there go I.”
This one is insidious. I wish people would stop and think before they say it and realize what they are REALLY saying about the other person and God.
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Paul, My heart goes out to victims because they so long for the organization to throw them a bone. Any bone. If only the organization would must admit it and say sorry.
I stopped reading at SGM survivors because so many of them were willing to continue to view those Cretans as “leaders” if they would just say sorry. They STILL gave them credibility!!! I was astounded at how ingrained the non thinking was.
What is up with that?
And I blame most of Christendom for this thinking. Because Christians not involved won’t say, “That is EVIL We must seek justice. They are NOT believers. Believers do NOT do such things.” Who has the kahunas to say that anymore? Very few. Because they believe you can be saved with the indwelling Holy Spirit and rape a child.
Well of course, people think that is judgmental. Well good! We SHOULD be judgmental about child abuse/molestation. And we should say, Christians don’t do such things. So them saying “sorry” is meaningless. They should be in prison. Period.
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Lydia,
I will be looking into BT’s supposed stellar career as hard-nosed prosecutor. Knowing his theology, that just doesn’t add up. I smell a big fish story. Also, has GRACE edited Rankin’s profile yet?
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The Mark Driscoll “partnership” with GRACE bothered me tremendously. Glad to see I am not the only one. I really do fear and am suspicious that GRACE is more about saving institutions than really bringing justice or restitution to victims. Only time will tell. But when they are paid by the same people they are investigating, there is cause for serious concern. I would HATE for these victims to be waylaid again.
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Lydia,
They will be–count on it.
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Paul, can you send me a copy of Andy’s version of the book of Acts? Sounds very interesting.
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Sure will.
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I wonder why Jesus never talks about saved by grace. I wonder why its only the ex-murdering persecutor who took up a collection for the saints and then stole money from it and got caught by the Corinthians and trotted out the lame excuse that nobody goes to war at their own charges. Or did I just answer my own question?
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JJ.
Did you every read Jesus’ parables of the Lost son or the Pharisee and the tax collector? If that isn’t teaching salvation by grace, I am not sure what it. And where do you read that Paul stole the collection?
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I am not familiar with Rankin. But as one digs in we see these dots connecting everywhere. Did you ever read about the Ligoneir financial scandal? It made the Orlando Sentinel and USA Today back about 07 or so. Sproul sued a blogger. It never came to anything but they refused to dismiss the suit hoping they could find the blogger…….but they were caught lying to donors about it. Guess who was the general manager of Ligoneir at the time? Ligon Duncan’s brother, James..
All these guys are well connected and watch each others backs. It would be folly not to be concerned.
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Lydia,
American Christians are being taken for the dumb sheep that they are. The Protestant clergy is a profession. All of these guys see themselves as the doctors and we are the patients. They may not always agree, but they are still the doctors and we are still the patients. They all hang out together and see themselves as a fraternity. As a pastor, I have been to the conferences and witnessed the us against them mentality first hand. What is with this all encompassing hope in institutions? Boz and the boys are laughing all the way to the bank.
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Paul, I spent many years reading “pastor” blogs and even early on with pastors.com they got wise and passprotected certain forums. You would not believe what I read there as far back as 2004. You would think every pew sitter was a wolf for daring to disagree with the great pastor implementing the new transition program.
So on from there were the Neo Cal pastor blogs. Oh the smugness, arrogance and even ignorance! It really opened my eyes and I wondered if they would want their pew sitters reading them? Do they let the folks who pay them to tell them how to think and live know what they are doing all day in the office? Blogging?.
Many are still hoping Ed Setzer notices them with their brilliant posts and blog rankings? You know he wines and dines bloggers. That is how he got the word out about Neo Calvinistic Gospel Project and got so many pastors ordering it.
It is so much a business of image management, brand management and self promotion that I cannot believe more pew sitters don’t see it. I suppose some like it. They might feel pride in the celebrity of their pastor or even help him become a minor celeb.
It is sicko.
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