Comments on: Undercover in an Unholy Mess

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:46:00 +0000

When it gets abused is when, as I have heard from those under the leadership of zealous “Wild at Heart” devotees, it is insisted that everyone has a childhood wound and if you can’t/don’t think of one, you’re in denial.Last time somebody used “you’re in denial” on me, it was a sexual predator trying to convince me I was gay so he could get into my pants. (I didn’t fall for it.)Then we would have teaching/Bible-study sessions led by Fortenberry on the theme of the moment (e.g., “Admit the Truth About Our Wounds”) that lasted an hour or so. Then, after Fortenberry would waste at least half the session … we would go back to the group session and confess some more.“Confess” or “Enlightened Self-Criticism in the Name of The Party”? How does this “Youth Camp for grown-ups” differ from high-pressure brainwashing?With a little rhetorical tweaking and much better food, this could easily have been Tony Robbins instructing a bunch of Upper East Side housewives to “find your wounds” (“My husband hid my Saks card!”) at a chic resort in Miami Beach or the Hamptons.Like to see someone give that testimony to someone who had a number on their arm courtesy of Auschwitz. (Or something similar, i.e. You don’t know what REAL wounds are, shmuck.)I haven’t even gotten to the chaotic tongues-and-vomiting deliverance session…“Grovel and gambol on all fours,Until you prove beyond reputeThat human dignity is freedFrom all connection with the brute…”– G.K.Chesterton, writing about a Pentecostal demonstration in support of the Scopes Monkey Trial

By: GL

GL — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Wow. What a way to return to blogging after 2 weeks of internet free living. Sad piece, great commentary on that sad piece.

By: salguod

salguod — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:17:00 +0000

I’m not sure I can add much to Bill’s insightful commentary. ”So under no circumstances pray to God.”Uh, sure, that’s Biblical.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Scandalizing people with the cross is a good thing. Scandalizing people with this sort of behavior . . . no.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:29:00 +0000

I second Bill’s Wow! Unfortunately, I imagine we’ll just get more and more of this kind of thing in the near-term. Your commentary, btw, is right on the money.

By: co_heir

co_heir — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:07:00 +0000

“We exist to please God” Most definitely, and sometimes pleasing God means displeasing men. But this stuff doesn’t begin to fit into the pleasing God category.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Wow.Awful . . .