Reddit reviews Twisted Scriptures

OK, y'all, I apologize if this comment runs long, but this shit is in my wheelhouse.

I still consider myself to be a Christian, but that is a difficult label for me to wear with anything resembling comfort. Mostly because back when I was an extremely damaged, needy, and spiritually wounded young woman I got mixed up in an evangelical movement that closely resembles Driscoll's particular flavor of anti-feminist, misogynistic, Calvinistic shitbaggery.

I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that I was lucky enough to have some very perceptive, mature people of faith in my life who gently made me aware of the manipulative and abusive tactics that particular church/cult was using on me, and I got out. I was one of the very fortunate ones; though that time in my life left me with a lot of scars, it also woke me up to the fact that "wolves in sheep's clothing" are not a myth. There are a multitude of unscrupulous shysters out there who call themselves "pastors" but who want nothing more than to prey on young, wounded men and women. For power-mad men like Driscoll, the church is an easy target.

So. For those of you unfamiliar with Driscoll but who want to know more, I'd recommend you read this post and also poke around on that entire site. Another good site is Mars Hill Refuge (and the fact that Driscoll's church empire has spawned a fucking RECOVERY GROUP should tell you quite a bit).

For those of you that are more familiar with this Hugo Schwyzer of Christianity, I suppose that his posts on this forum (TW - abusive language and spiritual abuse), under both the assumed name William Wallace II and - disgustingly - his own real name, will likely come as no huge surprise.

But to those of us who have been watching Driscoll from the sidelines, seeing the bodies pile up and the wounded pouring from his cult, this is sort of a minor miracle. One cult-watcher compared it to the Mitt Romney "47% speech", such is the magnitude of this unmasking.

For those of you who have been fortunate enough to never have suffered any sort of spiritual abuse, it's difficult to convey the particular sort of violation that such abuse entails. I noticed as I was reading that horrendous forum dump that one of the members of the forum called Driscoll out, said that he "knew" that "William Wallace II" was really the young pastor himself, and said that what he was doing was tantamount to rape. I found myself nodding in agreement.

What that vile piece of shit has done is dress up the worst MRA/RedPill rhetoric in clerical robes and parade it around as "sound theology". He's managed to dupe and hobble thousands upon thousands of young men and women, roping them into a cultlike "complementarian" lifestyle where women have no power and where men are not just "head of household" but in control of every aspect of the lives of their children and wives.

Driscoll took a seat on his iron throne at Mars Hill (apt name, that) and proceeded to shred the gospel of love and twist it into his own image - a homophobic, misogynist, "masculinist", Driscoll-centered theology where he is a pope, a prophet, a judge, and a tyrant.

If there is any justice in this world - and I have lots of reason to doubt that, in this ethically impoverished age - he will be forced to resign his "ministry" and retire in infamy and shame. Unfortunately, I think his cult of personality is strong enough, and his rule over it firm enough, that he will escape this by circling the wagons, hunkering down, and waiting for this media cycle to blow over.

Not all damage from the misogynist MRM gospel of hate is evidenced by men like Elliot Rodger or Marc Lepine. The sad truth is that Driscoll is what happens when you combine narcissistic sociopathy with ambition, arrogance, ruthlessness, and - the magic ingredient - redpill/MRM "theology".

If the Dark Enlightenment is real, I think it has its first real prophet in Driscoll.

Here are a few books that helped

Wolves in sheep's clothing
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935166301/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_vtd7AbB3D5CDN

Twisted scriptures

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310234085/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_Pdd7Ab7QTZ3SY

Subtle power of spiritual abuse

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764201379/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_gfd7AbKPXEC1M

If you need healing, I suggest counsellor. Get a Christian counsellor if possible.

If you need a healing book there are also good ones out there.

There are truly healthy churches out there with people who encourage, edify and wont get in between you and Jesus. The problem starts at the top and has filtered down through all those he has influenced and taught how to teach orhers. Don't give up on the church, the way it is supposed to be. It takes time. I am still healing too. If you have been there long it takes some undoing.