Thread by @MargeNAlia

The SBC at its worst is characterized by condemnation. This is not inconsistent with the wounded psuedo-dignity elaborately displayed when anyone attempts to hold its members accountable for their sinful behavior.

https://twitter.com/TomBuck/status/1353377978592468992

Note the waving of clean hands under the banner of scripture when a White leader in the SBC feels threatened or condemned by anyone labeled "woke" or affiliated with "CRT," the latest in a long line of bogeymen protecting members of the Fortress of Faithfulness from criticism.

SBC discipleship may accomplish very little in the way of actual transformation of its members, but one thing it does very well is using Pavlovian-style conditioning to dismiss any unease from criticism at their own behavior as a sign of someone else's sinfulness.

Is someone that you don't agree with anxious? Be sure to quote Phil 4.6-7 at them until they stop telling you about their struggles. Do you feel anxious because someone on the outside is criticizing your group? Check the following decision tree to see if you should repent:

Is the person being labeled by your leaders with any of the bad words, including but not limited to: "liberal," "woke," "Marxist," "CRT," "social gospel"? If so, their criticism is illegitimate and you don't have to listen to them anymore.

Does the person display the slightest bit of emotion surrounding their criticisms? Are they in any way angry or sad? Do they begin crying or raising their voices when you dismiss them the first 5 times? If so, they are clearly led by fragile hysterical feelings & are dismissable.

Is the person who is raising objections a woman or Black or a POC or a child? If so, they are more prone to being led away by their feelings into unbiblical deception, which is further evidence that they need to submit to the Clear-Eyed Biblical Leadership of White SBC Leaders.

Is the person challenging you about something that you did or said with Sincerity and the Best of Biblically Informed Good Intentions?

If so, they must not know that your Sweet Sincerity is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit ensuring that your good intentions will never have an impact that you did not intend or anticipate, as your actions in the world are always shaped by the Plain Meaning of Scripture.

If the person raising concerns meets any of these conditions, clutch your pearls with your clean hands over your wounded heart and remind yourself that you are being persecuted because "the darkness hates the light."

Any uncomfortable feelings of unease or "anxiety"-not the Phil 4.6-7 kind but the kind that says you are "anxious that God's Word be honored"-can now be eased as definitely not conviction of the Holy Spirit or shame that you have broken your relationships & need to repair them.

As a treat, you may now convert your anger, shame, sadness, or anxiety into Righteous Indignation and Zeal for the Gospel and God's Word and attack your critics as Unbiblical. This will feel nice and distract you from any lingering unease.

@threadreaderapp unroll for Mama, please.