Over the days since I penned my post calling Virtue in the Wasteland to provide a much-needed disclaimer for their episode with Emily Joy, I have repeatedly asked myself if my stance was one worth taking. After all, it was only a conversation. Aren’t all interview podcasts just conversations? So what’s the big deal?
Besides, is Emily Joy really worth being concerned about? Wassamatter, Tom, afraid of someone with a simple difference of opinion from you? Lighten up, fundie.
And, thanks to the wonders of Al Gore’s internet, you never have to look too hard to find someone willing to confirm your own worst fears.
I’m typing these words two hours before my normal rise-and-shine time because I awoke at o’dark-thirty with new conviction that, yes, I have done the right thing. This post will explain why, along multiple axes. And, yes, it might not be as erudite as I normally aspire to be, because tired.
A “Wolf” By Any Other Name
It seems that a popular technique of reputation-rehab within the more radical-grace elements of the Church these days is to make regular use of the word, “broken,” or its synonyms (wounded, hurt, etc.).
This language takes attention off of the active elements of the false-teacher’s behavior, and instead emphasizes those elements in which they are passive. What has been done to them, not what they themselves do, becomes the focus. And what do we call people who have had hurt inflicted upon them?
Victims.
Let’s call this what it is: a rhetorical tool that minimizes the very real, very dangerous aspects in play, in favor of ginning sympathy by characterizing the individual in question as a poor, misunderstood soul. How dare you pick on them, you meanie?
This works because human beings are intrinsically, biologically wired to defend the weak.
But, just because the focus groups eat it up does not mean it is an appropriate — or honest — use of language.
And, speaking of language, what kind does Scripture use to describe “Wolves”?
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
And again:
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert…
Maybe it’s because I’m not a Ph.D., but I don’t see where all the slings and arrows a person has taken in their life exempts them from the designation of “wolf” if the bad fruit/false teacher shoe fits.
Is Emily Joy a Wolf?
I’ve already documented a fair sampling of Emily Joy’s fruit and teachings.
The fact that she claims that pre-marital abstinence and the assertion that sex (and, hence, marriage) is to be between a man and a woman are “violences” that should be fought.
The fact that she calls the Church to deny what Scripture affirms: that homosexual relations are works of darkness.
The fact that she believes that a “pro-life” political stance is “bigotry.”
The fact that she — who supposedly fights a campaign against sexual abuse in the Church, and claims that the Church’s theology is to blame for her own story of abuse as a teen — believes that publicly sexualizing the uniform of a Church Club for 5-7 year olds is quite a hoot.
And that’s without getting into her statements in the ViW podcast episode in question, such as “the Church in its current form might need to die.”
But no, that’s not good enough evidence that we’re dealing with a wolf.
I could of course go on and explain how my wife first came into contact with Emily Joy. How, back in 2013-2014, my wife was in a private group in which Emily Joy was a leader. In this group, which was frequented by a good deal of minors (Rebecca at the time included) who were struggling with their upbringing in Legalistic Purity Culture, Emily Joy was actively recruiting these children to the “queer” lifestyle. She would tell them that they were being “abused” at home if they were not given the blessing to explore this option for their sexuality, and also made statements noting her opinion that raising a child in the faith constitutes “child abuse.” My wife left the group because of its toxic nature while under the impression that taking any screenshots would be legally prosecutable, so we don’t have access to these statements — but, in the words of someone we all know: “you can imagine what was in them.”
But, unlike the #metoo/#churchtoo crowd, I don’t want you to judge based on hearsay. The public documentation about what Emily Joy stands for is more than enough to reach the simple, obvious, conclusion that she is a wolf.
Now if only well-meaning Christians would stop trying to dress her up in sheep’s clothing.
A Higher Standard
To reiterate Paul:
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert…
Yes, yes, I know that Drs. Mallinson and van Voorhis are not “pastors,” so some will say that Paul’s admonition here does not apply to them. In the strictest sense, that might be true (but dadgum if ViW’s defenders won’t jump at any loophole that pops up).
Be reminded, however, that these are men who teach theology PROFESSIONALLY. Will you argue that the fact that they put themselves out there as learned-men-who-you-should-totally-listen-to-about-God-n-stuff is not sufficient cause to hold them accountable for giving a wolf a disclaimer-free platform with their audience?
And not just any audience. Need I remind you that Dr. van Voorhis was a plenary and breakout-session speaker for the Higher Things high-school conferences last year, in 2017? (Not to mention that the conference was openly sponsored by 1517, Virtue in the Wasteland’s parent organization.)
And do you think that, maybe, he picked up any new listeners for his podcast while he was there?
Do you think that Dr. Mallinson’s classrooms full of 18-22 year old students are aware that he has a theological podcast?
Again, this is not just any audience, per se. This is an audience (at least in significant part) of people in the most theologically bumpy stage of their lives. Who, moreover, live in a culture in which their faith is under attack in every public interaction, every day. Who are constantly challenged in little, almost imperceptibly nuanced ways, to compromise on the clear words of Scripture, because the implications of the plain text “hurts people.”
Yes, folks, it IS worth asking that care be taken to offer reasonably worded caveats when putting out a conversation with an unabashed wolf in these circumstances.
In conclusion, I’ll simply reaffirm my commitment to taking seriously the warnings of Scripture, including this one from James chapter 3.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
The post Extreme Makeover: Church Edition appeared first on The Chi Files.