And that, my friends, is hypocrisy...

Recently, a group of guys (and two gals) met in Memphis to express their displeasure over what they called a "narrowing of cooperation through exclusionary theological and political agendas" in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Please read Greg Warner's article on the meeting at the Associated Baptist Press...

Here's a snippet from the "Declaration"

"We publicly repent of triumphalism about Southern Baptist causes and narcissism about Southern Baptist ministries which have corrupted our integrity in assessing our denomination bureaucracy, our churches, and our personal witness in light of the sobering exhortations of Scripture.

Therefore, we commit ourselves to a renewed pledge to integrity demonstrated by accountability in our denomination, both before God and each other, lest in preaching the meekness of our Lord to others we ourselves will be found guilty of wicked, sinful pride."

Like the "13th Disciple" Rufus said in DOGMA - "And that, my friends, is hypocrisy..."

Let's define hypocrisy: SBC young-conservatives belly-aching about the power politics used by the Patterson led SBC dictatorship...

These fellas (don't forget the two token women) are a joke. You claim you believe in dissent NOW, but why weren't you shouting for the right for dissent during the Fundamentalist Takeover of the 80's? The sound of silence is deafening...

Aren't you just a bit hypocritical? Hmm...perhaps moderate dissent was not really dissent? Their dissent was heresy, or so you say. Beggars can't be choosers, boys. Dissent hasn't changed its definition. What moderates were doing was dissenting from Patterson's Fundy group (which includes the kind crafters of the Memphis Declaration...you). But where were you then? Dissent was not allowed and you were fine with the decision not to allow dissent.

One of the crafters of the Memphis Declaration is a man named Ben Cole. Mr. Cole is the pastor of Parkview Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas. Cole is also a graduate student at Baylor University. A former guest of Patterson's "smoke-filled backrooms," Cole has been described by his friends as a "self serving jerk in the past." However, his enemies have accused the Reverend Cole of having a "personal vendetta" against Paige Patterson.

Recently Cole blogged at SBC Outpost: "I believe the SBC is in trouble. I believe that I have been part of the problem..."

In another entry, Cole confessed his sins...

"Several years ago, I went to work for the International Mission Board in order to gather information about Church Planting Methodologies. As a result of the data I gathered and the questions I raised, good men lost their jobs. For this I am deeply grieved..."

"I have repented of having had anything to do with schemes to discredit the administration of Jerry Rankin. For several years I was a part of a daily conversation in Wake Forest, NC, that sought to undermine Jerry Rankin's leadership at the IMB."

"Because of number 3 above, I refused to go on payroll at Southwestern Seminary in February of 2004 when a job was offered to me. The proposed job was to listen to audio-recordings of Jerry Rankin and to cull them for suspicious charismatic theology. I flatly rejected the offer, and went on with my ministry."

During the Fundamentalist Takeover, Cole and the Memphis Declaration Gang helped suppress dissent because it did not fit their agenda. But now that they aren't on the same page with Patterson anymore - they want to dissent. Aren't you getting EXACTLY what you used to dish out?

Cole says he repented of his "sins." Great. Good for him. But real repentance would also say you now repent for the power plays the Patterson group pulled during the Fundamentalist Takeover...

Real dissent is when you look at moderates you excluded and say, “I now see why you said the right to dissent was a Baptist distinctive.”

Guess what: Patterson is the consistent one here. He used power plays then and still does (according to members of the Memphis gang). You want to repent of some of the power plays, but not all.

While the Reverend Cole and the Memphis Gang are on their knees repenting...perhaps they will repeat this short little prayer...

"Oh Dear God, I ask forgiveness for some of my sins, the ones that are stopping me from climbing the SBC ladder."

Fundamentalists like Cole's Memphis Gang have always said that the end justifies the means. Beating heresy (moderates) was the end, so any means necessary was permissible in the "Holy War." So how is Patterson acting any different now? If you want to act different, good, but remember that you employed the ends and means argument during the Fundamentalist Takeover and you have NOT repented of that.

Until you repent of that tactic - it is best to call your stance Hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy at its finest Folks...



FUNDAMENTALISM DEFINED:
“Fundamentalism developed as a reaction to liberalism/modernism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Adherents vowed to fight for the “fundamentals” of the faith. Typically this included a belief in the inerrancy of the Bible, miracles, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the virgin birth. Fundamentalists emphasized the importance of beliefs – doctrinal orthodoxy – and accountability usually through the use of creeds. Fundamentalism also refers to an attitude of no compromise and no toleration of dissent. In contrast to conservatives who often have similar doctrinal convictions but are willing to find unity of mission amidst diversity, fundamentalists adopt a “my way or no way” attitude toward cooperation. Or as some say it, the only way to cooperate with a fundamentalist is to obey him. For much of the twentieth century, militant fundamentalists were also independent from denominations. In the context of the Southern Baptist conflict, the moderates argued that their opponents were fundamentalists for their insistence upon inerrancy, creedal conformity and allegiance to the political agenda of the “takeover” leaders. "

Aaron Weaver
aaronweaver21@yahoo.com