Here is a great post on Stuff Fundies Like about how fundamentalists (and we can include legalists) can spin church controversies by trivializing the problem, claiming the leader is a good man with years of good things to look upon, that there is more hidden information to emerge that will change the situation tot he better, and then circling the wagons by blaming others for the problems. Of course, this does not sound like ANYTHING that ever went on in Armstrongism, does it?
I think this is the unwritten creed of Armstrongism and all legalistic fundies out there. If it weren't, then we would not have men like Flurry, Meredith, Pack, Coulter, Weinland and others leading the 600+ harlot daughters of Armstrongism. But, since it is a vital part of Armstrongism, it allows these men to still function and lead their little cults.
Darrell's post is tied in to a story he has been following about a Baptist fundamentalist preacher who raped a women and then committed suicide in jail. He has a link to the story here, then he has a link to another story here written by another man white-washing the minister and the crime he committed by giving him a glowing review (just like Armstrongism).
Links to articles: IFB Preacher Charged With Raping Woman in Texas and here Spinning Scandals Redux
I think this is the unwritten creed of Armstrongism and all legalistic fundies out there. If it weren't, then we would not have men like Flurry, Meredith, Pack, Coulter, Weinland and others leading the 600+ harlot daughters of Armstrongism. But, since it is a vital part of Armstrongism, it allows these men to still function and lead their little cults.
Spinning Scandals
(I wrote this in the comments for the last post but I figured it really deserved its own post)
There is a proven four-step method to spinning any scandal that arises in fundamentalism. Observe these well and no scandal is too large, no outrage to unbearable, no offense is too great to be withstood.
1. Admit the problem in terms that make it seem trivial. Concede that "everything wasn’t perfect” or that “yes, we have a few problems.” That problem may be anything from grand larceny to a double homicide but hey nobody’s perfect, right? We all have our little mistakes. AND YOU’RE NOT PERFECT EITHER!
2. Defend the man involved. He’s a good man. He’s God’s man. He’s a great man. He’s our man. Quote his years in the ministry and the personal impact he’s had on your life as you’ve spent your whole life knowing him. (If the man in question happens to be a woman you won’t be defending her anyway so the point is moot.)
3. Claim that there is more hidden information yet to be learned that will cast this situation in a totally different light. “There are facts about this that have yet to be made know, and once they are that child porn found on our pastor’s computer will have a perfectly reasonable explanation.” Do this even if the rock solid evidence so far is completely damning. Even if this alleged information never surfaces assure everyone that you know someone who knows someone who knows there’s more to the story.
4. Circle the wagons. Invoke a defense of the faith, God, Liberty, and the American way. Make defending your man an issue of defending against liberalism, communism, and everything evil. Insinuate that everyone who doesn’t defend him is 1)bitter 2)jealous or 3)a member of the Illuminati.
Note these steps well. These arguments happen the same way every single time.
Posted by Darrell
Darrell's post is tied in to a story he has been following about a Baptist fundamentalist preacher who raped a women and then committed suicide in jail. He has a link to the story here, then he has a link to another story here written by another man white-washing the minister and the crime he committed by giving him a glowing review (just like Armstrongism).
Links to articles: IFB Preacher Charged With Raping Woman in Texas and here Spinning Scandals Redux
5 comments:
They try this same spin-cycle in American politics. Unfortunately (for them) their political opponents, as well as the press, simply won't let it go until there is some major mea-culpa, usually ending with their resignation.
It is interesting how the Fundies seem to attract a lot of co-dependent people (mostly men) including some that become ministers. This phenomenon can be traced back as far as Billy Sunday, a former drunkard, and his vigil against alcohol, etc.
In fact, it's a fairly reliable yardstick that if Fundie preacher comes out against a particular vice, you can bet that they are tempted by that vice, themselves.
Baywolfe, it reminds me of the anti-gay crusader and preacher, George Rekers, who hired a male hooker from a gay escort service (rentboy.com)to vacation with him.
When found out, Reckers then claimed he'd only hired the young man to help him carry his luggage because of his bad back. However, pictures taken at the airport showed Reckers picking up his own luggage while the handsome young male prostitute watched.
This is the best definition of what it is like to live in an Armstrongist cult:
"Living in an Armstrongist Cult is like being an adolescent whose parents are self-absorbed alcoholics, committing adultery, focusing their energy on work and neglecting their children.
"Like Dads on Father's Day or on Dad's Birthday, they are glad to see you on their special days, but only if you give them something really nice they want, but ignore you the rest of the year.
"You are on your own, unless you do something they don't like."
Baywolfe said, "In fact, it's a fairly reliable yardstick that if Fundie preacher comes out against a particular vice, you can bet that they are tempted by that vice, themselves".
MY COMMENT - I think that is why Herbert Armstrong wrote "The Missing Dimension in Sex". His vice was incest while God was allegedly calling him to preach the gospel into all the world, and then the end will come.
And let's not forget America's playboy preacher, son Garner Ted Armstrong who was busy laying every young Ambassador College coed he could his hands on when he wasn't busy proclaiming on radio how immoral America had become.
Richard
The One Step Program
A man in a position of power and influence over others as a spiritual leader commits a heinous act.
He's out, finished, done. There's no redemption. He loses everything and he never gets it back.
Of course, the whole thing could have been prevented in the first place if someone with good character, tried over time proving himself stable, competent without compromise, might just have given a better chance that the whole embarassing thing never happen in the first place.
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