Different but the Same

Quotes of the day:

"Of all the plagues with which mankind is cursed, religious tyranny is the worst."  Daniel Dafoe

“[Bob Jones III]…it was not the duty-bound combat veteran with the chest full of Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, and combat ribbons who was the ‘betrayer’. Rather, it was a group of BJU grads who were guided by their own self-interests and who reduced Biblical principles to carnal weaponry. Dr. Bob Sr. said, ‘A man’s character is not formed in the moment of crisis, it is revealed’…Your conduct reveals a character which belies BJU’s highminded prattle about standing for the ‘absolute authority of the Bible’ and ‘the old-time religion’…it is obvious that the Bible has little actual authority over the group. Once-upon-a time BJU’s teachers condemned situation ethics. Today, situation ethics are standard operating procedure for many in the BJU crowd…People are catching on to your see-no-evil, hear-no-evil antics. Acting blind, deaf, and dumb can be useful at times, especially at a BJU fundraiser [hosted by John Stevens and Northside Baptist].” 1997 letter to Bob Jones III

When I still lived at my parent's home, my father confronted me with an unflattering report from one of his contemporaries.  (To the best of my recollection, it involved some fairly aggressive driving.)  I protested and set out to mount a vigorous, self-serving defense!  That is, until he told me that he had received an identical report from another friend.  In fact, the second friend didn't know the first informant and cited a different incident!  

With this independent, corroborating testimony, my vigorous defense evaporated.  There was nothing else for me to do but to face facts and own up!  I was wrong, I couldn't attack the credibility of my accusers, and I was forced to take responsibility for my actions.  

It is hard to argue when faced with reports from unrelated people who have independently observed separate instances of behavior and who have come to similar conclusions based upon those observations. 

When I graduated from BJU in 1980, I was confident that BJU and the Joneses represented a sort of "ground zero" in sincere Christianity. In 1991, while attending Northside Baptist in N. Charleston, SC, that all changed.  

Bob III had given the go-ahead recommendation that made John Stevens its pastor.  Mr. and Mrs. Bob Jones III were members at Northside (even though it was some 200 miles from Greenville).  

Northside employed many BJU grads in the church and its schools.  It fed BJU many students and was, and is, one of the hundreds of churches across the USA that are vital to BJU's survival.  

Questions arose regarding some questionable financial dealings of Mr. Stevens, the preacher.  When I asked to see the books of the church, one would have thought I had asked the preacher to undress in front of the congregation.  I arranged to inspect the books on a Friday with BJU grad (now, a teacher at BJU) Barry Formanack, the church treasurer and a deacon.  Barry Formanack confirmed the appointment in writing.  We were excommunicated two days before that appointment was scheduled.  

(I understand that former  Northside treasurer and deacon, Barry Formanack now teaches accounting at BJU. Perhaps some of you will meet some of his students in the coming years.)

I kept Bob Jones III abreast of the situation at Northside.  It quickly became evident that Northside's support for BJU was more important to Bob III than truth and financial accountability.  

I learned a great deal about Bob Jones III during that time and how he approached issues and protected his and BJU's financial and fraternal interests.  I am convinced that Bob Jones III has chosen to serve "mammon" rather than God. 

I also learned a great deal about how the graduates of BJU acted when people tried to hold their fundamentalist leaders and institutions accountable.  I was met with coercion, intimidation, treachery, deceit, and every kind of deviousness imaginable.  

I sought to find the source of these things.  I finally concluded that the BJU-crowd - starting with Bob Jones III, their preachers, their full-time employees, and their rank-and-file people - are devotees of pragmatic expediency driven by personal loyalty to the Joneses and institutional idolatry for BJU.  

I concluded that it is perilous to trust anyone or any institution within the BJU/fundamentalist orbit.

People - especially those who wish to remain in the BJU/IFB orbit - seldom talk about their bad experiences with the Joneses/BJU.  It just isn't safe to talk about such things.    Just ask those who have talked.  One could be blackballed, shunned, fired, or excommunicated!

Dr. Grant Lewis, Dr. Camille Lewis' husband, evidently is not afraid to speak the truth regarding his exit from the BJU orbit of fundamentalism and from Heritage Bible Church in Greenville, SC.  He has written part of his story here.  

Dr. Grant Lewis independently came to some of the same conclusions I did about how the BJU orbit operates. While Grant's exit from Heritage Bible was not as dramatic as my wife's and my excommunication from Northside Baptist, the BJU-controlled church we left, it is uncanny how many similarities to our story I found in Grant's.  

It really doesn't matter what the circumstances are when a Fundamentalist's personal loyalty to the Joneses and institutional idolatry to BJU are challenged.  Those who seek the favor, patronage, and support of the Joneses/BJU act in a fairly predictable way.  I haven't trusted a BJU-trained preacher for years.

Leaving the BJU/fundamentalist orbit was a freeing experience for my wife and me. I will never again knowingly place myself or my family in a position, relationship, or belief system that is controlled or influenced by the practitioners of pragmatic expediency within the BJU orbit.

I learned a hard lesson at the hands of the BJU crowd.  Evidently, that is what the Lord thought was the best way to get us out of the sect.  I am certain that I made the right decision to get out of the BJU sect.

As was the case regarding reports of my aggressive driving, independent, corroborating observations are impossible to ignore.  (Except for the Joneses and BJU, of course.) The Grant and Camille Lewises have made some independent, corroborating observations about the BJU sect that should not be ignored by Christian brethren.

May the Lord bless the Lewises and help many people through them and their story.

mark

Comments

[Jim]

Just a note about how much your site has been a benefit to myself and others.

I and my family left a BJU led church in the fall of 2005. It has been beneficial to realize the impact that the behavior and teachings of BJU has had on that church's leadership's behavior and teachings. (double possessive, can I do that?).

I have encouraged others who have left this church to visit your web site as well. They have also made positive comments concerning your site.

The manipulation techniques that this type of "leader" uses are based on the denial of information from the followers. Revealing this information is a vital step for reconciliation and is simply the right thing to do since God has called us to be dedicated to loving others and to telling the truth.

I have noted that BJU and its graduates place a lot of emphasis on reputation. Reputation is meaningless if it is based on distortion and delusions. Reputation is also the response of others to your statements and behavior. This leads the person who receives an unglowing response to either change, attempt to silence the source, or discredit the source. Unfortunately in our case, the choice of the leadership was to silence and discredit the source.

We have been very comfortable with our "un-holy" label. It has been applied to many individuals who left before and after us. God has since brought us to a new church home. We are growing in our love for God, and enjoying His love for us. Many others who have left, have had similar experiences.

You have played a role in our recovery. I thought that you would like to know.

Jim.

Editor: Thank you for your kind words, Jim. My big regret is that I was not more succinct in my posts. However, in my ramblings, occassionally, I "connnect"
with someone. Even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in awhile.

Charles Underwood said words to the effect, 'When people confronted me with the duplicity of the university's president and chancellor, I simply ignored them. Since I left the university, I made the matter the object of inquiry and found compromise and deliberate deceit with respect to that compromise.'

Our institutions - churches, schools, ministries, governments, etc. - are failing us. It seems that God is tearing down the strongholds and idols in my own heart. Perhaps He is doing the same thing in the hearts of others. He and His Word are the only things in this world that will stand and that are worthy of unconditional loyalty and faith. He is a Jealous One and shares glory with no man or man-centered institution.

You are correct in your assessment of how the Jonesian crowd handles controversy. It took me a long time and many a heart ache to come to the conclusion that the sect is completely leavened with Jonesian hypocrisy and subverted faith. Healthy religious societies admit their failings, correct their mistakes, and reform. BJU-styled IFB's are not representative of a healthy religious society. How sad.

Help others, Jim. Don't forget when you deal with others that you yourself were perhaps blind to these issues. Remember when Christ's disciples upbraided him for attacking and offending the Pharisees? They had been conditioned to revere the Pharisees and were blind to what was happening within the Jewish faith. Christ had been conditioned to rebuke sinful behavior, especially religious hypocrisy. Most Jonesians will reject truth because they need to trust their leaders and they have never been abused by them.

mark

Usually, it takes something remarkable to open our eyes. That is what it took with me, over, and over, and over...

[The Squire]

"I have noted that BJU and its graduates place a lot of emphasis on reputation. Reputation is meaningless if it is based on distortion and delusions. Reputation is also the response of others to your statements and behavior. This leads the person who receives an unglowing response to either change, attempt to silence the source, or discredit the source. Unfortunately in our case, the choice of the leadership was to silence and discredit the source."

My family served faithfully for four years. During that time we started to note similar patterns of controls used on students and some faculty/staff.

It is interesting to note that the use of those control techniques is not that uncommon in the corporate world either.

I was reminded that BJU was a business as well as a institution of higher learning. Add to that the fact that the Joneses claimed to be leaders of the IF community and one might understand how that sometimes the BJ folks could stray from simply defending the Gospel to defending their own best interest when questioned.

When a young man is considering the ministry it is expected that he go before an ordination board to question his reasons for his faith. He is expected to give a good account and be able to plead his cause for representing other people of faith.

But let these same "people of faith" call into question a practicing BJ preacher or the institution and you will see all kinds of defense mechanism go into action.

When a people fear questioning of their works, we must wonder why. Light should not fear? Right does not have seek to attack when questioned.

Therefore be wise............

Keep the faith,
The Squire

[evan parker]

noticed you haven't posted in a while... why not?

Editor responds:
I actually thot about it today. ("Thot" is operative word....devoid of action, obviously!)

I wanted to draw up an introductory page, a sort of explanation and distillation of what I am trying to convey.

I've been mulling it over but it hasn't surfaced to the action stage.

I've actually been trying to earn as much money as possible over the past 9 to 12 months.

This economy has me very 'concerned'.

We are seeing in the Obama administration the same type of organizational maladies that I observed at BJU. Yes, there are differences of degree and style. But, its the same basic type of leadership, personalities, religious zeal, techniques, deception, blinded followership, etc.

On a global scale, I personally believe we are witnessing the proximal prelude to the accomplishment of a host of biblical prophecies.

20 years ago the "One-world government" was 50 years off. Not anymore. 'Tis late in the day when the shadows of small men loom large. Obama is here and it is later than we might think...

Read People of the Lie by M. Scott Peck and learn how to identify sick organizations and evil people. With that sort of knowledge, you will be able to see those things that others and I missed in the Jonesians and at BJU.

I wish I had done that 25 years ago, AND had been ready to embrace the truth when I detected it.

There is a line in the movie A FEW GOOD MEN where Nicholson says to someone, "The truth? You can't handle the truth!"

I have been guilty of that quite a few times in my life. I wasn't ready for the truth God was trying to reveal to me.

Has that ever happened to you? If it has, try to prevent it from happening again!

Good fortune to you.

mark

[Undergraduate Dissertation]

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