Now I believe I can hear the philosophers protesting that it can only be misery to live in folly, illusion, deception and ignorance, but it isn't -it's human. Desiderius Erasmus

Dee's bluebird's babies minutes after birth, ready to eat!



The Bizarre Sixth Sense of Mark Driscoll

We will continue with our series on psychology and the church next week. We received a number of emails asking us to read material that is specific to some of the ministries we intend to discuss. Although we both have some very strong opinions on this topic, and have read extensively to this point, we thought it would be prudent to read the materials received so that we cannot be accused of “being ignorant.”

We have also received several more testimonies from people harmed by various methods of so-called “Biblical” counseling. We would like to record some of their experiences as well. So we ask you to bear with us.

Several weeks ago, we received a link to this disturbing video of Mark Driscoll. Due to various circumstances, we decided to wait a couple of week before posting it. I want to commend Phil Johnson, of the Pyromaniacs blog for posting this video at You Tube and alerting people throughout the blogosphere of its’ existence.

We want to make a couple of statements up front.

We believe that this video raises serious questions about Driscoll’s psychological well-being.

TWW has no difficulty with charismatic gifts. We do not believe that this video presents a gift. We leave it up to our astute readers to figure out what sort of manifestation it is.

Mark Driscoll claims that he sees actual rapes and clandestine affairs exactly as they occurred. He even talks about the sexual positions preferred by the parties involved. Of course this is Biblical, isn't it? Don't we know exactly how David performed with Bathsheba?

He claims to see molestations of children. Oddly enough, since such activity is against the law, he does not, as far as we know, report it to the police. Since he is convinced this “gift” is real, we advise him to put his reputation on the line and report it to prevent further molestations by pedophiles. Bet he won’t though.

The video reminded me of a popular movie called A Sixth Sense. Most people are familiar with the blockbuster line from that movie. Watch this 30 second video which features Haley Joel Osmont saying the famous words.



The following is the short, disturbing video by Driscoll. If you miss any of the words, here is a link to a post called Pornographic Divination by Phil Johnson in which he posts a transcript of Driscoll’s words.

It absolutely flummoxes this writer why Driscoll is allowed to have such influence in the “New Calvinism” movement. These Calvinistas claim to be “oh so Biblical” in their theology. But it sure seems to me that they sell out their theology so long as their guy writes books, makes lots of dough, holds to hyper-authoritarianism and strict complementarianism, and gets people with tattoos to come to church.

Here are some thoughts from Phil Johnson. Link

"This is bad teaching. The biblical "Gift of discernment" has nothing to do with soothsaying and everything to do with maturity, clear understanding, the ability to make wise and careful distinctions, and (especially) skill in differentiating between holy and profane, clean and unclean, truth and falsehood (Ezekiel 44:23; Hebrews 5:14).

The counsel Driscoll gives is bad counsel. If by his own admission Driscoll's divinations are not "a hundred percent always right," he has no business accusing people of serious sins—including felony crimes—based on what he "sees" in his own imagination. Much less should he encourage his congregants to dream that they have such an ability and urge them to "use that gift."

The salacious details he recounts are totally unnecessary. They serve only to reinforce the concern some of us have raised: Why does Driscoll have such a fixation with obscene subject matter, ribald stories, and racy talk? The smutty particulars regarding a counselee's tryst in a cheap hotel are not merely unnecessary; "it is disgraceful even to speak of [such] things."

We have covered the issues surrounding CJ Mahaeny and Sovereign Grace Ministries. CJ Mahaney is supposed to be mentoring Mark Driscoll. What is wrong with this picture????? Since this crowd seems hell bent on protecting each other, I have a strong piece of advice. When I was confronted with serious injustices and legalistic theology in a previous church, I walked out of the church, sending a text message that I was“gone.” We advise any of you caught up in nonsense, such as the stuff demonstrated by Driscoll, to get "gone." Mark our words. We believe that there will continue to be serious issues with Driscoll in the future if his church does not get him some help.

We have decided that the following music video of Montgomery Gentry singing Gone will be the theme song for TWW. So, close your blinds, kick off your shoes and sing out to your heart’s content. The first is the concert and the second is the lyrics. I suggest you memorize them. The way things are going, you may need them one day.

Gone- Montgomery Gentry in Concert

Lyrics





Lydia's Corner: 2 Kings 8:1-9:13 Acts 16:16-40 Psalm 143:1-12 Proverbs 17:26