Obligatory giveaway shout-out: Votes stay open till midnight June 3. Go look! Go vote! Go tell people!

Yesterday, cover designs. Tomorrow, Kerry Nietz. What, you might ask, is the connection between a parenting theology study and swashbuckling Christian science fiction? Between an examination of areas of the Christian subculture in America and an examination of the potential impact of Islam on the future?

In the course of research and keeping up to date on the freedom-from-false-religion parenting community, I found a blog called Baptist Taliban Memoirs. The author documents the contrast between the life she lived in a rigid religious community and the freedom in Christ she’s now found.

Extreme name?

I found out the reasons.

We connected on Facebook, and I commented that I appreciated the train of thought in her latest post, Prodigal Malpractice. Now, I want to document what happened next, because there’s a definite countermove which insinuates that those Bible-believers who call a snake a snake have shifted into liberalism, or even (gasp) apostasy.

One, a Pearl type showed up and quoted the standard Proverbs argument that if parents would only “train” their children properly with corporal conditioning, there would be no prodigals. Therefore, allegedly, any prodigal is the fault of the parent’s lack of obedience to so-called biblical training. Then because we didn’t snap to attention and listen, we were told this:

Peter J Schultz I didn’t waste my time. It will be read back on the day of judgment and you will be responsible (if what I’m saying lines up with God’s word) for it whether you read it or not. (Accessed May 26, 2010)

To which I replied:

CathiLyn Dyck And you, sir, will be directly responsible to God not only for putting it out there, but for “the results of [your] deeds.” (Jer. 17:9-10)

Second, another Pearlite showed up and pulled a standard Baptaliban maneuver on me (please note the humour — I’m a Baptist, immersionist, etc — you can check the Semper Fidelis page for details), proceeding to attempt to drown me in a raging flood of overwhelming illogic, miscomprehension of hermeneutics, and general ill taste. It opened with:

Randy Hartinger Mr. Dyck, Several things. First, 2 Tim. 3:16 says that ALL SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE. Read that again and let it sink in…

Amused, I replied:

CathiLyn Dyck Randy Hartinger, if you had even taken the time to note my name is CathiLyn, a woman’s name, I might be able to take your hypothetical concern for my spirituality seriously. You haven’t even paid attention to who you’re talking to. And that tells me you’re not really talking to me at all. Certainly not *with* me.

This isn’t a conversation, and it is over. Goodbye.

Hint taken? Not likely. This is a holy war–! Press on! In addition to another bombardment of silly walks which could not possibly be mistaken for the genuine Christian walk, mostly aimed at the husband of the BTM blog author for not being in control of his wife and children, I got a final nod. Back in your place, woman! Feel the sting of the mighty verbal whip of incoherence and badly-covered incompetence!

Randy Hartinger …Sorry, Mrs. Dyke, I thought you were a man. You throw your weight around in a masculine fashion and seem to enjoy fighting with men per your previous posts. You aren’t moonlighting as a cage fighter then (Bantam Weight)?

I honestly do not know what Dave’s going to do when he sees that. I mean, it’s his name the guy’s taking in vain.

I honestly do not know what my guy pals, never mind the gal pals, are going to say when they see that.

But I know that I can predict their outrage, their disgust and their chivalry. And I realize what a blessing that is, to be respected and valued for who I am, allowed to be a woman, freely. Safely. Besides my husband’s constant support, the guys around here — Hank, Marc, Randy, Johne, Walt, Shamus — have affirmed my voice, as outsiders surveying my written thoughts from an objective viewpoint.

Not a one of these has ever mistreated me. I see the difference. I know that there is a place for scorn. A place where it is comforting. Because the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. (Prov. 8:13) And the fear of the Lord among my circle is a hedge around me.

In the knowledge of my husband’s love and honour, and the friendships which surround us, I did not reply directly to the aggressor. I chose to speak with the safe man in the room, the blog author’s husband, who had taken up Scripture and defended me — a stranger — on sheer principle.

CathiLyn Dyck The difference in the respect and grace my husband and his circle, and you yourself, give to me is blatantly clear, and makes it impossible for me to confuse a counterfeit Christian’s clumsy foolishness with genuine biblical manhood.

I will speak to you anytime, and I will avoid the counterfeits from the outer darkness. I choose safe and grace-filled conversation.

I appreciate your kindness and your longsuffering in defending the Word of truth and making a safe haven for believers. That’s a very important work, and again, sir, you have my utmost respect.

Actually, I’m a very small person, so there’s not much weight for you to defend. :~) But thank you. Truthfully, I laughed: even the insults are parroted from known pseudo-Christian ministries. If I saw an original thought of any sort float by, I might encourage its frail seed for its own sake, but clearly there’s no point…

I love this theory that it’s inherently against nature for me to have a voice as a woman. The mental burqua has been handed out, hasn’t it? Though inevitably, not without tripping over the fabric and entangling oneself in a mess on the floor for the whole world to see.

I believe we’ve solved the mystery here: it’s Peter Sellers, in the chapel, with the Clouseau routine. :~)

All I can say is how deeply I feel for women who are cultured to believe that kind of outlook is normative. Who speaks for them? Who sees? Well, as Christ-believers, we know Who sees. But at the same time, if we cannot love the brethren whom we do see, how can we claim to love God whom we cannot see? And once again, I’m all the more thankful for gentle truth-speakers, writers, thinkers, leaders in grace.

Today, for me, the situation of the Schatzes and the destruction of their family in the pursuit of God became a little more real. How can we not stretch out our hands to save lives?

Breakdancing elephants and changing the world. I can sign up for that.

Smile at the gentleness of Him who leads us, and be truthful today.

(HT on Zoo Seven: Ratbert)