The comment Internet Monk decided they wouldn't allow to be posted.

Mike Bell, I think the word “ally” has proven problematic to me because I tend to associate it with giving approval to who the person is or what they are doing.  On the other hand, I’ve often felt a great deal of compassion for people who have found themselves in a destructive lifestyle, such as alcoholism, finding it very difficult to get out.  So I’m not an “ally” of alcoholism but I certainly can feel compassion for those people who appear to be almost born into it.

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R.S. Mccain posted a sad/painful story of a young lady and her attempts to make life work for her by denying her own femininity and gender..

http://theothermccain.com/2018/07/11/queer-feminist-update/

She has self described  as “queer” and “nonbinary” and used “they/them” pronouns.  She further self described as a “a sexy pink genderless fat orb.”   Now, she has decided that instead of hating men, she will become one herself - she now wants to “transition.”

McCain says she is “severely mentally ill.”

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I don’t want to call her mentally ill but, she’s headed down a road that will only continue and deeper her emotional and psychological pain.

If I was a work colleague, I would treat her very well; indeed I would go out of my way to be kind to her.  I have done that with others over the years - because I look down the road they are on and recognize the pain to come if they do not change courses; and changing course is not easy for people like this young girl.

Mike, I’m not sure how you would use “ally” in this very real scenario but if she asked me, I would tell her, out of compassion, that the direction she is choosing is only going to bring her great pain.  Is her lifestyle a threat to mine? Not at all. Do I have any reason to hate or despise her? Not at all.

I look at her as a lost soul very vulnerable to the latest cultural fads.  I’m pretty sure she has only the vaguest idea that there is a God and that she was created “imago dei” but is turning her back upon whom He created her to be.  There will continue to be no hope for her to ever experience peace or joy with her current choices.

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So I’m not sure about being an “ally” but I am sure she desperately needs wiser friends than the ones she has if they are encouraging her down her current path.

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God help her.

Women and the military - UPDATE

FYI

http://theothermccain.com/2018/06/17/tip-pentagon-covering-up-fact-that-female-officers-nearly-sank-navy-ship/

"In an 11-hour hearing, prosecutors painted a picture of Lt. Irian Woodley, the ship’s surface warfare coordinator, and Lt. Natalie Combs, the tactical action officer, as failing at their jobs, not using the tools at their disposal properly and not communicating adequately. They became complacent with faulty equipment and did not seek to get it fixed, and they failed to communicate with the bridge, the prosecution argued. Had they done those things, the government contended, they would have been able to avert the collision."

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What we don't know is whether these women were incompetent because they were incompetent or were they elevated to a position of responsibility based upon factors other than competence i.e. the fact that they were female in a Navy that feels the need to elevate female regardless of their competence.

Wartburgwatch smears Dr. Mohler as a racist. - UPDATE

Of course they do - smearing is in their DNA, we disagree with his view of Scripture, he must be a racist.
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TWW, if you try a little bit harder I'm sure you can compare him to Hitler too.
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UPDATE: Reading the 160 comments, very few supported the accusation that Dr. Mohler might be a racist.

Hooray for the commenters who, this time, did not jump on the Amen bandwagon.

Shame on T.W.W. for allowing this smear to be published.

SBC statement on abuse

The SBC’s Resolution on Abuse

by Denny Burk on June 13, 2018 in Christianity

Andrew Walker, Katie McCoy, and I co-authored a resolution “On Abuse” that was approved overwhelmingly by the Southern Baptist Convention yesterday. Much of the language that we submitted was based on CBMW’s statement on abuse, which was published last March. The final text of the resolution is below. Many thanks to the SBC’s resolutions committee for reporting this out to messengers for a vote. Read below:

ON ABUSE

WHEREAS, God has created every person—male and female—in His own image and with equal value and dignity (Genesis 1:26–27); and

WHEREAS, God abhors violence against the weak and defenseless and calls His people to defend the hurt and oppressed (Psalm 82:4), to stand for justice (Psalm 82:3; Proverbs 31:8–9), and to deliver victims of abuse from the hands of their oppressors (Proverbs 6:17; 24:10–12); and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message says that “We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick” (Article XV); and

WHEREAS, Abuse can be defined as any act or conscious failure to act resulting in imminent risk, serious injury, death, physical or emotional or sexual harm, or exploitation of another person; and

WHEREAS, Current cultural trends have opened the door for victims to voice courageously their plight and seek justice; and

WHEREAS, We deplore, apologize, and ask for forgiveness for failures to protect the abused, failures that have occurred in evangelical churches and ministries, including such failures within our own denomination; and

WHEREAS, God has designed marriage “to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship” (The Baptist Faith and Message, Article XVIII); and

WHEREAS, Biblical headship blesses, honors, and protects wives and children and does not require them to submit to sin or to abuse (Ephesians 5:25–29; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:7; 5:3); and

WHEREAS, The biblical teaching on relationships between men and women neither supports nor fosters, but rather prevents and condemns, abuse (Mark 12:31; Romans 13:10; Ephesians 4:32); and

WHEREAS, God ordains civil government as His servant to us for good (Romans 13:4) and intends for us “to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God” (The Baptist Faith and Message, Article XVII); and

WHEREAS, Abuse is not only a sin but is also a destructive evil that distorts and disrupts the marriage covenant and the entire family and is a hallmark of the devil which must not be tolerated in the Christian community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 12–13, 2018, condemn all forms of abuse and repudiate with a unified voice all abusive behavior as unquestionably sinful and under the just condemnation of our Holy God; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that spousal abuse dishonors the marriage covenant and fundamentally blasphemes the relationship between Christ and the church; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we strongly urge abuse victims to contact civil authorities, separate from their abusers, and seek protection, care, and support from fellow Christians and civil authorities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we extend compassion and support to all persons encountering the injustice of abuse, being careful to remind the abused that such injustice is undeserved and not a result of personal guilt or fault; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on all persons perpetrating and enabling abuse to repent and to confess their sin to Jesus Christ and to church authorities and to confess their crimes to civil authorities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we implore all persons to act decisively on matters of abuse, to intervene on behalf of the abused, to ensure their safety, to report allegations of abuse to civil authorities according to the laws of their state, and to pursue church discipline against impenitent abusers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage leaders in our churches and Southern Baptist Convention entities to be faithful examples, through their words and actions, and to speak against the sin of all forms of abuse; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call on pastors and ministry leaders to foster safe environments in which abused persons may both recognize the reprehensible nature of their abuse and reveal such abuse to pastors and ministry leaders in safety and expectation of being believed and protected; and be it further

RESOLVED, That church and ministry leaders have an obligation to implement policies and practices that protect against and confront any form of abuse; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we uphold the dignity of all human beings as image-bearers of God and the responsibility of all Christians to seek the welfare of the abused.

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Do NOT believe the discernment blogs that say the SBC doesn't stand strongly and powerfully against abuse because they do.

COMMENTERS' ONGOING NEGATIVITY AT WARTBURG WATCH - UPDATE

It truly is so depression to read the comments at T.W.W.  The negativity and criticalness never, ever stops.  On the other hand, there is the wisdom of Dostoevsky.



Man only likes to count his troubles, but he does not count his joys. Fyodor Dostoevsky



If ever there was a joyless group, it is the denizens of T.W.W.
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A consistently negative poster, in my humble opinion added this to the conversation.

"I’ve traveled a similar path. …… Saved and baptized in 1976 …..l have experienced the changes, from the female point of view, of course. I haven’t pulled my membership yet, but I may before the end of this year."

Nance, here's my word of encouragement.  Don't wait until the end of the year to leave; do it now - and if you have friends at the church who feel the same way, encourage them to leave with you.  The church will be much less dysfunctional with the critical naysayers departed.

I'm serious Nance, don't return.

Wade Burleson; Hero of the anti-heroes

From SBCvoices - 

How to Destroy Good Men

"But no ministry is undermined and destroyed by Cantankerous Members, Exasperating Elders, or Difficult Deacons the way it is by fawning supporters who refuse to hold a man of God accountable. The most dangerous man is the one who is constantly affirmed, placed on a pedestal, never challenged, defended by his people no matter how wrong he is, and who is treated as divinity instead of a flawed servant of God."  [ Good article ]

TWW has made their reputation on attacking big name Evangelicals; there is no lack of loathing seen in their commenters as they attack John Piper, John MacArthur, Mark Dever, Al Mohler or any of the mega-church pastors.

HOWEVER, there has been 1 exception and that is Wade Burleson who has been quoted and lionized; a hero to T.W.W.

Wade is the anti-hero's hero. but I'm not sure his supporter can see the irony.

I don't know how many "fanboys" he has but the number of 'fangirls" appears to be immense.
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Possibly he could benefit from the crippled elder who is forever whispering in his ear; "Wade, you are not better than Paige, you are not better than Pressler, you're not even better than Gilyard. 
Beware Wade, Beware."

PAIGE PATTERSON UPDATE

https://www.lifezette.com/polizette/hold-on-theres-more-to-the-paige-patterson-story/

PROVERBS 18:17

New International Version
In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
New Living Translation
The first to speak in court sounds right--until the cross-examination begins.
English Standard Version
The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.