1. Right on, brother. Preach it! There are probably more of these people than most CGGC institutionalists and mountaintoppers would like to imagine. For generations there has been a CGGC counter-culture that chafes at the mellow, lukewarm ways of the mountaintoppers. Rarely has that group had someone who has spoken their convictions so openly and has not left the CGGC in frustration. For such a time as this, I am that person.
2. I agree with you but I wish you would be more gentle. There are, as far as I can tell, also quite a few of these. These tend to be people of the counter-culture and one of two things are true of them: Either they have some shepherd gifting in them or they are so new to the body that they haven't become as cynical about CGGC leadership as they probably will be later on.
3. If you don't stop sending me this bilge, I'm going to take legal action against you. I have actually gotten this from one of the people who holds the title of Executive Director in the CGGC. I have also gotten it, from one holding the E. D. title in the form of, "Since I am not the sort of person to take legal action..." This is, of course, the way of the 21st century American world. To these threats, I have not bowed, though I have been more circumspect in the nature of the blogs I send to these people. I have no desire to be unnecessarily, well, polemic.
4. You need psychiatric help. Interestingly, when I lived in Findlay and Evelyn was General Conference staff, we heard this sort of thing about the radicals in the body at the time. It usually goes something like, "There must really be some serious hurts from the past that s/he is dealing with." George Jensen once said this of me on Brian's blog. I went ballistic. Implied in this is, "To be so opposed to the wise leadership we are providing, you must be emotionally damaged." What arrogance! Recently, however, I got the "You need help," comment in those words from the place on the mountaintop where the air is most thin. (Let the reader understand.)
5. Would you please just SHUT UP? This is rare but it happens from time to time. My take on the people who have said this to me is that they are very shepherdy and institutional and also very sincere about wanting peace in the CGGC at what ever the cost--and because they believe that peace is the best thing for the body. This usually comes in a moment of frustration.
It strikes me that, if you read the Old Testament and the Gospels, you see all of these responses to Jesus, John and the OT prophets.
There is nothing new under the sun.
BTW, I am thankful that when someone in the institutional religious elite threatens me with legal action today, he is thinking about hiring a lawyer and suing. When the High Priest took legal action against Jesus....
ReplyDeleteAn observation about the "Amen!" crowd.
ReplyDeleteFew, if any, in the CGGC agree with me on every or nearly every issue. I suspect that many in the group that praises me are praising my exposés of the lukewarmness and hypocrisy of CGGC leaders.
Several years ago, an ERC pastor composed a 21 page letter and sent it off to the ERC Standing Committee [and, what in the Word is that?] quoting some of my vehement criticisms of the hypocrisy of leadership.
In my, well, trial, I expressed chagrin over the fact that many simply applaud me for the evil I expose and not for the truth I proclaim.
There is a need for us to acknowledge that our Emperor is naked. But, we all also have to proclaim the true Gospel.
On comparing Wayne and Ed:
ReplyDeleteI would not put Wayne in the Amen category. He.certainly did not swallow what I was saying at the time hook, line and sinker. But no one encouraged me to think what I was thinking and to say what I was saying more than Wayne.
On the other hand, Ed has mentioned legalities to me, advised me to get help and has asked me to spare him, at least, from what I am saying.
In many ways Wayne and Ed are polar opposites. To use the faddish language of this day, Wayne was a coach at heart. Ed? Well, empowering and mentoring other people is not his thing.
Moving forward, we need someone like Wayne on the mountaintop--if we are going to put someone at the top of the mountain.