Greasing the Skids
I watched your March 4, 2013 debate with Andrew Sullivan and your March 26, 2021 advice for Christians . I grew up with the LCMS version of Christianity and still hold a lot of the more conservative, that is to say bible based notions. On March 4, 2013, you said the harm in gay marriage was that it was greasing the skids for polygamy. I think you were right about greasing the skids though maybe not the exact direction. Surely legalizing gay marriage greased the skids for this transgender nonsense as well as promoting LGBT notions in the schools. In other words, we gave an inch and they took a mile. And, the transgender movement has caused irreversible damage to these children. On March 26, 2021, you said one move in our playbook should be to be done with secularism. Andrew Sullivan argued that gays are here and we need to find a way to deal with that (Not exact quote). Don’t you think, it is time for Conservative Christians to tell the public at large that Conservative Christians are here and our views are going to have a place at the table?
Also, on March 4, 2013, Andrew Sullivan promised to make good civil arguments and not Deus ex machina. But, if God is real and Jesus is God in the flesh as Christians say than isn’t Democracy and Secularism just a game we play? It seems to me that Sullivan’s arguments don’t take seriously enough that God is God. Though I grant that even in the Bible people didn’t like Theocratic rule but an alternative explanation is that they didn’t like Theocracy because they were sinful. What do you think?
Peter
Peter, yes. I think all that, and more. You are particularly correct that the skids were greasier than I imagined, and that they ran off in more directions at once than I imagined.
We’ve seen (and continue to see) attempts to “remove the stigma” from a wide range of issues ranging from sodomy to receiving welfare assistance from the government.
Is stigma always a bad thing? And can you explain how a Christian should view stigma?
Thank you for your ministry.
Regards,
Shimar
Shimar, stigma is yet one more inescapable concept. It is not whether there will be stigma associated with certain behaviors, but rather which behaviors will incur such stigma. There will either be social stigma for sodomy, or for disapproval of sodomy.
Battle Ground?
RE: Crossways at a Crossroads. Anyone from the team up in Moscow heading to the Negative World conference in the appropriately named Battle Ground, Washington? I was introduced to Renn and Rigney through Blog & Mablog and it sure looks like a timely conference.
Daniel
Daniel, it does look timely, and I wish I could go.
Trapped in Bitterness
I struggle greatly with bitterness, taking offense, and anger. Your dad’s book puts forward a fairly compelling argument from the Bible that they are sin. But I do find myself at a loss for how to overcome them. I believe some, but not all, of the struggle may stem from a lasting point of disagreement, or at least confusion. If someone performs what could be safely described as an offense against me, and I am offended at them for it, before I have acted or responded in any way, have I sinned then? Is the act of feeling offense and anger, in isolation, the point at which sin occurs? If so, could you please defend/explain that. If not, am I not allowed to articulate that what just occurred was offensive to me, and therefore would either request an explanation, apology, or reprieve to get back my composure before proceeding? Would articulating such things be sin? Again if so could you please defend that? Lastly, even if the above two are permissible and not sin, I know that is not the extent of the problem. Peter asked how often he should forgive his brother. At the Lord’s answer he then asked for more faith. How do we overcome bitterness toward close ones, lets say even spouses, who seem to continuously offend? And for the sake of argument lets just assume the offenses are genuine. I have attempted to confess my bitterness as the sin, but seems to give little in the way of power to follow through. I know that I am a sinner, and that my sin against God is greater than others sin against me. But if someone slugs me in the mouth I can forgive and probably never have to deal with them again in my life. If a close one slugs me, and repeatedly, and I have to make like nothing ever happened, and I have to deal with them afterwards and I am accused of wrong if I don’t do this perfectly, well this all seems a little over whelming and one sided.
Thanks for your help,
J
J, there is a lot here, and I will try to cover it with a metaphor. Being wounded is not a sin, and it is not a sin to bleed. But if you are instructed by your nurses to clean and dress the wound daily, and you do not do so, and the wound then gets infected, then that’s on you. Bitterness is the infection, not the initial wound. But a separate problem, one which you recognize, is when you get an ordinary paper cut, and want to be admitted to the ICU. And if you are particularly susceptible to taking offense, and it happens all the time, the chances are good that you are closer to the latter.
Aimee Byrd and Trueman
I must strongly agree with reader Mark who wrote in expressing concerns about your characterizations of Carl Trueman and his association with Aimee Byrd. I refuse to live by the standard where Christians must clearly distance themselves from anyone who draws the ire of the Truly Reformed. Lately this seems to include Tim Keller, the TGC crew, and so on.
This sectarianism/tribalism is probably one of the worst besetting sins of the Reformed World. We eat our own, can’t play nice with others, and always find a way to sneer or make snide, backhanded comments towards fellow Christians who aren’t as Pure as we would like.
I’m not unfriending or disfellowshipping my Charismatic, non-denominational, “Big Eva”-sympathetic, or other “weird” Christian friends so I can please the Reformed Club. Nor will I be making exhaustive, public statements enumerating everything I think my friends are wrong about so Truly Reformed people with control issues can sleep at night.
Matt
Matt, thanks, but you have things backwards. My comment about Trueman was that he had written a magnificent book, but one that revealed a blind spot close to home. That is hardly what you might call a slam. And I was very pleased and honored to meet Carl Trueman this last summer, when he spoke at the ACCS convention, one of our events. We invited him, and he was gracious enough to come. When do you think the ecumenical evangelicals will invite me to speak at one of their events? Right . . . when the swine get airborne. In short, we are ecumenical, and they are not. We are not the ones who shun, and they are. Shall I itemize for you the names of the people we have had lined up to do something with us who then cancelled when the pressure from the Bigs was applied?
Sexual Casuistry
Some time ago I had lengthy conversations with a friend of mine from China who was at the time a recent convert. Before he was saved he was involved sexually with his girlfriend and after he was saved we had conversations about why that should stop. As part of preparing for those conversations I was searching for biblical evidence that sex is only for those married. However, when looking at laws in the Old Testament, for example where a man and woman have sex the man is to pay the bride price, I began to wonder when God considers a couple to be married. I don’t see wedding ceremonies in Scripture, and for example in Genesis 24 it simply seems like Isaac taking Rebekah into his mother’s tent is when they are married. (I assume it wasn’t a modern wedding ceremony happening in his mother’s tent.)
1 Cor 6 also adds interesting information, where Paul says that one joined to (I read: has sex with) a prostitute becomes one body with her.
I’m curious where you would go to explain not having sex before marriage and also curious how you would answer the question “When, in the eyes of God, are a man and woman married?”
Thank you!
Cole
Cole, I will start with the latter question. A marriage has occurred when two conditions are met. The first is when a covenant is made, one that is enforceable by the surrounding society. The second is when the union is sexually consummated. Both conditions have to be fulfilled in order for the marriage to recognized as such. Different cultures have the authority to make different actions the performative action that creates the covenant—saying I do, throwing a wine glass in the fireplace, or going into the tent.
As far as your first question goes, I think a key there is remembering the distinction between what the law would identify as a sin and what the law would penalize as a crime.
Bahnsen and Zeihan?
I have been working through my D. Wilson reading assignments. I just finished Mis*inflation & End of the World last week, I am trying to overlay both of those information dense books into a cogent worldview realignment and formulate action plans for my family. I am eager to understand how you are doing this. Some thoughts on Mr. Zeihan’s book: He states “there is no point to history” that delusion is not supportable from a Christian viewpoint. My thoughts jumped to some easy implications of demographic collapse. As that fact becomes clear to public, the trends toward abortion, homosexuality & trans delusion evaporate like a fart in a hurricane. We are in a procreation all hands needed on deck situation. God works his will in astonishing ways! Psalm 2:1-12
It would be interesting to get Mr. Bahnsen’s take on the Zeihan prognostications. It seems that the push towards electricification evaporates in aforementioned hurricane. Extended African continental component supplies of cobalt seem iffy at best. Without that Elon will be installing Toyota sourced ICE engines in 2025 Teslas.
Like I said information dense . . .
God Bless You & your ministry,
Robert
Robert, I asked David what he thought of Zeihan, and he said I was the second person to ask him about it, and so he was going to check it out. But I haven’t heard anything yet. At the big picture level, the framework of both men seem consistent to me though.
Singleness and the Family
Thanks very much for this interesting post. I wanted to point you to a related post since this general distancing from family seems to be a growing phenomenon. Sam Allberry wrote along similar lines here:
Allberry’s piece is an abridged version taken from his recent book published by . . . wait for it . . . Crossway.
Several years ago I went through the Colson Fellows apologetics program, which I enjoyed very much. But a significant chunk of the reading was from authors who were same-sex attracted but willing to forego acting on their attraction for the sake of their faith. People like Allberry and Yuan, for example. But I sensed a pattern with these writers which involved a whiff of disenchantment with the family and a general notion that the church should reorganize itself around people like, well, Allberry and Yuan. It was at this time that I began to suspect that homosexuality is actually a manifestation of extreme self-absorption and that such self-absorption wasn’t limited to sexual expression. The idea that the church’s emphasis on the created order (i.e. family) should be rearranged around the circumstances of men and women who struggle with disordered sexual appetites is, it seems to me, another manifestation of self-absorption, albeit one cloaked in spiritual language.
At any rate, I have no other motivation for writing than to suggest that what you’re observing in your post is not a one-off but seems to be a growing theme among Christian writers who are same-sex attracted but celibate.
Warm regards,
Keith
Keith, thanks. I think you are correct about the trend, though I would want to place Allberry in a different place in that trend. I interviewed him in an episode of Man Rampant that you might want to check out. But you are correct . . . the issues regarding family seem much bigger than the matter of what turns you on.
Darla Advice Fallout
“Before there is a covenant, you are the final authority over whether there is even going to be a relationship at all. After a covenant is made, he becomes the final authority in the relationship.” What happens when the man abuses that authority and delegitimatizes himself in the marriage covenant through either adultery or abdication (whether intended abdication or not), and then realizes his sin and repents and begins to walk in his marriage according to God’s Word? Can that authority and rightful role as a biblical husband ever be established again?
JW
JW, yes, it can be established again, depending on how much damage he did. I have seen marriages restored gloriously, with the husband able to lead again. I have also seen them blow up. People are complicated. I have also seen a wife put up with a bunch of crap from her husband, for years, which continues until he repents . . . at which point she goes sour.
“If that starts to happen, he is content and she is exasperated.” This can also happen in a marriage. How should each spouse handle themselves then?
grh
GRH, it would all depend on how egregious the situation is. If it is really bad, they should really get counseling. If they need it, and he won’t, then at some point, she should send up a flare.
I’m enjoying your videos for ladies and considering their future husbands. Will you expound further on your last comment in “Laws of Attraction” about being sexual beings and having a knowledge of their testosterone? While fornication is obviously wrong, what wisdom do you have around physical affection before marriage while courting or engaged, i.e, hand holding, kissing, etc?
Eva
Eva, if you are not going to cook the roast, don’t preheat the oven.
I am thankful for your letters regarding dating, courtship, and marriage, but I have been increasingly wondering about how relevant it is outside of unique Christian subcultures like Moscow, ID. You recently discussed a situation that assumed the presence of a father actively helping his daughter get married. I was wondering: what percentage of people who came to Christ in the US after age 25 live in anything close to the kinds of cultural conditions you describe? How many of them have fathers who are (a) active, and (b) interested in approving potential suitors?
I meet a lot of kids who were converted via college ministries and the situation you describe is shockingly rare. And that brings me to an uncomfortable realization:
If you’re a Christian living in a place like Moscow, there do seem to be some cultural conditions you can (more or less) assume. And if you live in a place like Moscow, it’s also likely that you (more or less) have a stable family around you that loves Jesus and is invested in you.
But . . . if you live outside of it, you can’t assume these things. You are on your own. And you also can’t look to Moscow for much help on this, either, because Moscow is fundamentally unlike New York, Dallas, Miami, the San Fransisco Bay Area, LA, Chicago, and Houston in many significant ways (and a THIRD of the country—110 million people—live in a large city or one of its suburbs).
Thus we have a lot of Christians living in a lot of circumstances where marriage is either (a) unlikely, or (b) orders of magnitude more risky than if it were supported by a stronger Christian culture.
A sensible response to this seems to be spending yourself well while you’re unmarried (however long that lasts). With an increasing percentage of the church remaining unmarried for longer periods of time, how does one do that?
I hope to read your thoughts on this topic sometime, because—to be frank—hearing (again) how singleness is a curse/affliction/etc seems to lead many to a place of despair and discouragement. You know what doesn’t help dealing with a struggle? Spending lots of time thinking about how awful and terrible your struggle is.
The market for good wisdom on how to live a fruitful life while unmarried is wide open, because nobody seems to have anything meaningful to say here (and that includes the people currently writing books on singleness and endlessly lobbying for more church programs for unmarried people).
My main advice tends to be something like “work a ton and have a blast doing it.” I find unmarried people actually like this advice and find it helpful, but it’s other Christians who don’t like it. Part of the reason for the controversy seems to be because of the anti-vocational, anti-ambition sentiments in conservative Christianity (the only thing you’re really supposed to “go all out for” is being a missionary or some sort of ministry worker). Part of this seems to be Christians who have a case of “negative world denialism”: a refusal to accept that old cultural assumptions and life scripts *no longer work like they used to* and shaming those who point it out. And part of this seems to be how much conservative Christians love their easy, pat answers.
Thanks for writing on these topics, Pastor Wilson. God bless.
Anthony
Anthony, there is much value in what you are saying. Christians should work hard in their station, wherever that might be. But I have found that temptations to despair in the midst of unwanted singleness would be more likely to come about when the person is told that their sorrow is a positive blessing. And if you don’t have a supportive culture around you when it comes to your dating life, then an awareness of how it “could be” might be a help as you come up with a makeshift arrangement. E.g. a young lady with no dad could ask an older couple in her church to provide her with some accountability. That kind of thing.
Okay, I beg with my innermost being: Please, please write a book for women titled something like “How to Be the Kind of Woman the Kind of Man You Want to Marry Would Want to Marry.” Darn it, the men get the best books. I need guidance, but just oppositely (supposing Nancy could write it with you? Pretty please?). You’re the best adopted ‘Uncle’ Doug, and no, this is not Darla 🙂 it’s another girl perplexed by unmarriageness. It’s a problem. A real problem. Do be so kind as to consider my plea—and whip out a book at your own leisure except from the girl’s perspective. I’d buy it! You and Nancy are both the best in the west. Do mention to Aunty “N” please. (Hoping I’m not overstepping my bounds in calling her that.) I firmly believe the Lord has good things. Albeit, I’m the type that’d just be home reading books all day and never try to ‘find’ anyone. I’m too scared. That’s really lame on my part though, but I’m just not the life of any party—that’d be my popular sister. I myself am a bookworm with nothing grand about me in particular. God loves me. A man though? Eh. I’m not quite catching anyone’s fancy. Well, I suppose I could become a nun, but that just goes against all logic!!! What a rotten life to be stuck never getting married. Even Luther’s wife Katherine Von Bora got married and she was a nun. I just don’t think I have the “it” that wins a husband. Whatever “it” is. Apparently my sisters have “it” because they are happily married. To be clearer: of all the sisters in Pride and Prejudice, I am the one who plays piano and is awkward at gatherings and told not to play. Socially I’m squeamish. Please consider the literary side—remember, I’ll buy the book! I’d read it frontwards and backwards (and won’t hold you responsible if I don’t see any results, but I would see results! With God-fearing writers like you and Nancy, how could I go wrong??) Praying for you that the Lord gives you a great book to write about the matter (so basically an exact opposite of the one that just recently came out on bookshelves). Cheers!
Another daughter, sister, friend, aunt, and person in Christ.
Another one
AO, you make a strong case . . .
Re: The Kill Switch and the Steering Wheel Pastor Wilson,
What advice would you give to an older unmarried woman (late 30s) who is in a family of unbelievers that live thousands of miles away? In attempting to apply the principle to my situation, where I am fully managing my own affairs, it is not clear how to navigate the “where is this heading” discussion without taking the steering wheel. Any advice would be much appreciated.
P.S. Your ministry has greatly blessed my walk with Christ. Having had no Christian influence during my upbringing, and having coming to saving faith much later in life, I have found your articles, podcasts, videos, and books helpful in learning to apply biblical principles to my life.
Kay
Kay, that is a most reasonable question. If there is no one to speak for you, then you must do it. But you must do it with a recognition of the temptation to take the lead. Your demeanor should be one of “I would love to be able to continue to follow you. Where are we going?” If his answer is blurry and inadequate, then you should decline his next invitation to go nowhere in particular. Resist the temptation to spell it out in detail. Share one third more than you want to initially, and once you get going, stop about one third of the way short of where you want to.
The Transgender CrossPolitic Thing
I have been greatly blessed by your ministry. My family and I have benefited from books and content from both you and your family. We’ve visited your community three times and seen biblical hospitality exemplified. I am extremely grateful for how the Lord has used you for His kingdom. I’m saddened by the division and damage provoked by the statements made on one of your recent shows. The same enemy that caused transgenderism would leverage this to cause disunity among the Bride of Christ. I am praying for humility, wisdom, and self-control, trusting the Lord will use even this to His good.
In Christ’s Love,
Scott
Scott, I agree that we don’t want any kind of rupture over that issue, and I believe that since you wrote the issue has largely been addressed.
Thank you for providing thoughtful articles and at least one “Man Rampant” episode highlighting the differences between blame and responsibility, especially in matters pertaining to the home, and linking that back to the Cross of Christ.
Do you think these same principles apply to the relationship the Church has with the culture? I am specifically referring to the Crosspolitic “Baptist theology caused transgenderism ” blowup. It seems to me that this is an area where we (the Church) all need to rise up and take responsibility for the problem and not grasp at straws to blame the husband for the wife’s sins.
Thank you for your ministry
Chris
Chris, yes. I believe the evangelical church as a whole needs to take responsibility for the condition of the culture.
Dictionary Battles
Regarding your views in Plodcast #245 regarding dictionary battles, the word that frequently comes up with different definitions in cultural power struggles is Freedom. In the midterm political contests both main parties are staking out the high ground on freedom. And both can make a reasonable claim on that position because of their respective definitions.
Tom
Tom, exactly so.
Leaving a Church
What are some principles you use for discerning if a matter is severe enough to leave a church? I ask because I attend what I believe is a faithful, Bible-believing church, but after spending a lot of time in the Canon Press/King’s Hall/confessional corner of the internet I notice the influence the Big Eva crowd has on the culture of the church. It appears the church culture is less family-oriented than I would like and looks at large families with a lot of skepticism. There’s also an emphasis on “gospel-centeredness,” I believe, to the exclusion of anything that’s not a issue of salvation or soteriology. Having recently been convicted towards some more conservative positions that differ from most, if not all, within the congregation (the practice of head coverings, postmillennialism, having a large family, etc.), I often find myself having to choose between being seen as weird/potentially quarrelsome or staying silent and not sharing my opinion on what Scripture says on these matters. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to attend and be involved when I don’t feel like I have any support on these issues, especially those regarding family. Any input or resources would be appreciated.
Tim
Tim, the first thing would be to make sure you are not actually being quarrelsome. Your demeanor should be consistently irenic. The second thing would be to ask if there are any reasonable alternatives. It could well be that this is the healthiest church in your area. And the third thing would be whether they are pressuring you to conform to the culture of the church in ways that would violate your conscience. If not, then I think you go to church with an “it takes all kinds” attitude.
I just watched your video, “Ask Doug: went to break communion with your local church”.
In it you mentioned that it’s perfectly reasonable to leave if you’re doing it for the sake of your children needing some peer-to-peer interaction and the church is drying up. Well what if you’re in a really small church, your kids have grown, there’s hardly any families with kids, there’s hardly anything going on and the church itself is drying up, and anemic? What do you do if your an elder but the other elders want to go in a direction with the church body that bothers your conscience, but not necessarily unbiblical or sinful? Is it ok to look for a church body that’s more robust, fruitful and like-minded? Thank you!!
Chenoa
Chenoa, yes, it would be lawful to leave. Just make sure you leave peaceably, and without a lot of commotion.
God has grown me tremendously in my understanding and actioning of assuming sacrificial responsibility of headship in my marriage over the past few years. Specifically, I have better clarity and understanding of Ephesians 5:22-28.
This leads me to my question. As God holds me directly responsible for the spiritual condition of my family. How do I best lovingly get my wife to follow me towards the church I believe God is calling our family to? We recently moved to Kentucky and have come to a crossroads on a church. She prefers a bigger non-denominational church with stadium seating and an ease to remain anonymous—read no accountability.
I would like us to go to a smaller church where accountability is built in. In fact, yesterday, I attended a church meeting and was blown away at how members were held accountable for lack of attendance, divorce without biblical justification and other issues. Furthermore, I see where there are tons of pregnant and post-pregnant women that my wife can join with (we just had our first child last week).
My wife is inherently shy and is stumbling with the thought of having to interact, but we need the community and Christian accountability in our lives and family.
Thanks!
Travis
Travis, I would encourage your wife to try. In other words, tell her that you would like to attend this small church for a couple of months, and then you will try the Big Box Church for a couple of months. As you attend the smaller church, you would be vocal about this being a test drive so no one thinks they chased you off. At the end, you sit down with your wife and talk it through. But then you would both be speaking on the basis of experience, and not ungrounded fears.
Femina Content
Thanks for keeping your blog going. I only happened upon it because I had a child reading Nate Wilson’s blog sometime ago (they were enthralled by his books). I myself used to read the Femina girls blog until all blogging from there completely just stopped. I’m sorry everyone stopped because I was a diligent reader and it had a positive effect. Will any of the women be blogging again soon? Thank you from a not-to-techie blog reader,
Priscilla
Priscilla, the girls aren’t blogging anymore, but they are still generating a great deal of content. Nancy has moved to her Femina podcast, and Rachel and Bekah have a podcast called What Have You.
Avuncular Eschatology
Dear Uncle (can I just refer to you as uncle now? It seems fitting.) I’m trying to understand eschatology and currently have been working through several of Gary Demar’s talks and conferences working through Matthew 24 and the preterist view. Thus far I’m pretty convinced and very thankful for the way he and those like him (I’d include your teaching on it during the Collision film) are very clear in how they use Scripture to interpret Scripture and don’t dance around difficult texts.
My question is about the word “age”. In Matthew 24:3 the disciples ask about the end of the age (Greek word aion). Demar uses this as part of saying that the following explanation is about the end of the Jewish age and not the end of the world. This makes good sense to me because it is not the word cosmos. But I’m curious for those who hold the preterist view, what does this do to Matthew 28:20? Jesus says that “I am with you always, to the end of the age (aion)” Does this promise of Christ’s merely last until AD 70?
I’m not sure your views on gifts either, but would this be an argument for the end of spiritual gifts? Perhaps Christ was with the apostles and churches in a unique way until AD 70 and then things change?
Would greatly appreciate any help you can provide in understanding these things, thank you.
Shea
Shea, the time between when those words were written and the end of the age were going to be particularly tumultuous, and I believe the Lord was making a particular promise for that time. But it would be a false inference to say that He would ditch the church after that. Imagine a husband saying to his wife—facing, say, a regimen of chemo—that he was going to be “with her all the way through this.” She should not then conclude that “after this,” he was going to pull a Lynyrd Skynyrd, and blow on down the road.
More on Peterson
Devin wrote concerning Jordan Peterson and I think your response was spot on. Jordan does not use the same Christianese language that we are accustomed to but his message is that the Bible and Christ sacrifice make a lot of sense from his perspective. He is speaking as a neuropsychologist, not as a theologian. If you read the comments on his videos it is amazing how many people credit Jordan for restoring their faith or helping them understand Christianity for the first time. I dare say many pastors have not been as effective as Jordan has been. Also if you watch his video on “Belief in God” he is clear. How dare anyone claim to be a Christian and not act like it ethically and morally. That is why he does not profess to be one. He does not believe he can live up to the claim.
Howard
Howard, thanks.
Christians and Student Loans
Could you address the real temptation that financially burdened Christians might feel to take advantage of the loan “forgiveness” program and why we ought to resist that urge? I’d be very curious to hear what you have to say.
Andrew
Andrew, I believe that if we really want to get free of statism, Christians need to learn how to refuse the benefits first.
As Biden has “forgiven” student loans I have a question and a related observation.
Question: I have student loans and this would get rid off all of my student loan debt. If I have to sign paperwork and go through a process to receive it should I pursue it or not? I feel like there is a difference between them dropping it right on my lap vs. Me pursuing it. Even if I did have to pursue it then should I take it and say thanks but I’m still not voting for you while I blow a raspberry? I guess if I’m a young man ready to start a family and pursuing a degree that I am paying for to become a pastor then would it be prudent to use Democrat stupidity to benefit my family and be more free for the kingdom in the future.
Observation: I’m noticing that in the student loan debate the liberals are becoming their view of God that they detest. I know atheists and liberals love to rail against a wrong view of substitutionary atonement because a cruel God kills his son blah blah blah, but now they like substitutions when it’s one group paying for another. The difference between Christ’s substitution is that Jesus did it voluntarily while tax payers get to be the substitute at the end of the gun of the 87000 new it’s agents.
Thank you and God bless
Shawn
Shawn, amen to your second point. On the first point, see above.
An Earlier Swing and a Miss
In Rules for Reformers, you stated, “Have your son try out for the girl’s shot put event. Make them say, ‘No, girls are different.’” What does”making your adversary live up to his own rules,” in that particular scenario now look like? Perhaps, “since men and women are the same, and in an effort to make it fair to all trans athletes, we should eliminate men’s and women’s sports and just have sports? now do scholarships, grants, etc . . . Perhaps we should eliminate affirmative action since anyone can be anything at any given moment?”
Would that be a fair application of this principle/tactic in these times?
Todd
Todd, when I wrote those words I had more confidence that a reductio ad absurdum would work than I should have had.
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