Yet another #SocraticWritersBlock this morning. XD

https://rldane.space/a-new-socratic-sign-or-writers-block-as-a-work-of-grace.html

It was gonna be a really spicy subject, too. Maybe that's why. ;)

A New Socratic Sign, or: Writer's Block as a Work of Grace

Was gonna write a #blost about the horrendous abuses that have been coming to light in the #Christian world recently, and I've been watching several videos that did a post-mortem on several ministries in the #Charismatic / #Pentecostal world and how we should respond to it.

I was going to title it "The Doctrine of the Nicolaitans" and draw a line between the "sexual immorality of leaders" interpretation of that phrase and the "dominance of clergy over laity" ("Nicholas" literally interpreted as "conqueror of people") interpretation.

But the more I read about it, the more I felt that "unction" fade, and I had to drop it. :P

Sometimes you just have to know when you don't have the depth of understanding and experience to tackle a really hard subject.

But I will continue talking about it in person with folks.

This garbage has to end. I'm sick of hearing about abuses from sexually-predatory behavior to affairs down to just people mishandling money and treating their flock like a wolf would.

And man, oh, man am I ever so freaking tired of the lame-butt, flaccid, pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by kind of reasoning I get from people. "Well, these are trying times, but God has a plan."

No. Shut the fork up. YOU ARE THE PLAN. DO SOMETHING, NIMROD!!!

@rl_dane I hear you, and I’m right there with you. 🫢
My wife and I had to leave the SBC that we’d grown up in this past year due to all of the sickening things that keep coming out and getting brushed under the rugs and all the hatred that is being spewed from the pulpits (not to mention the outright support of evil people in power). We could not in good conscience support that with our time or tithes. Maybe we stayed too long, but better late than never. Trying to be the change you want to see in an SBC church is a great way to be ostracized.

(I hope there are still good SBC churches out there, just speaking from our experience)

@geno

I left the SBC over a quarter century ago so I can kinda scratch my head at why you stayed for so long, but I'm 100% supportive of your decision, and empathetic to (dear Lord) the crap you must have endured from (*sigh*, forgive me) Zombie Christians.

But I have a very similar story about the #Charismatic churches I struggled to make peace with for the past eight years. After a while, I look back and think, "Why did you mourn for Saul for so long? Why the flip did you ever #gaslight yourself into believing that anything like that could be remotely okay?"

I really need to write a blog post about that.

On the other hand, the church that had some of the most egregious Trump supporters was also the one where I felt the Spirit so strongly in the bond of fellowship.

I have no idea, bud. It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world.

But let's please keep each other encouraged. 5,000 haven't bowed the knee to Baal.

cc: @jonyoder @slembcke

R.L. Dane 🍡 (@[email protected])

New #blog #post: Don't Go Back There https://rldane.space/dont-go-back-there.html 1094 words cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn (I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :) #rlDaneWriting #blost #USPOL #Christianity #Bible

polymaths.social
@rl_dane Thank you for sharing! Incredibly relatable stuff there, right down to the my previous pastor claiming to be healed by ivermectin as well🀦

@geno

lol gotta get that dewormer for what ails ya! πŸ˜„

Are you also in the South?

@rl_dane 🀣
no, we’re up near the Dayton area in ohio.

@geno

I guess Ivermectinitis is spreading. πŸ˜‚