John Shrader: Killing Snakes & Grifting Appliances for Jesus

[Georgiana]

I saw that, too. I'm probably wrong, but isn't the "D" in that the logo for some music festival? I'm wracking my brain trying to remember the name of it...

(I'm probably waaaaay off, but that was my first thought)

I think it is Kokopelli/Kokopele. I assume it is intended to represent Native American/various Indigenous spirituality. How kind of them to include us.

It's also probably the logo for a music festival. Native symbols get appropriated like that.

Edit: I think I found the source image. It is from freetattoodesigns.org. Wow. SERIOUSLY? THAT's the kokopelli you chose?

Edit2: JK I was wrong. Here's a cool Kokopelli:

[Eater of Worlds]

I was watching a short documentary on how the anti-homosexuality trend started in Uganda. It was from American missionaries. The guy in Uganda said that the reason that these people (almost all are men) come to Africa is because there they are like kings. They lost influence in the US so they come to Africa to regain what they lost. That describes Shrader, losing his influence in the US and coming to a place where he's highly regarded.

[blinni]

I was watching a short documentary on how the anti-homosexuality trend started in Uganda. It was from American missionaries. The guy in Uganda said that the reason that these people (almost all are men) come to Africa is because there they are like kings. They lost influence in the US so they come to Africa to regain what they lost. That describes Shrader, losing his influence in the US and coming to a place where he's highly regarded.

Was that the Vice News documentary? That was shocking :cry: It's like time is moving backwards in Uganda..

(Btw, first post! Yay :dance: )

[gustava]

I think it is Kokopelli/Kokopele. I assume it is intended to represent Native American/various Indigenous spirituality. How kind of them to include us.

It's also probably the logo for a music festival. Native symbols get appropriated like that.

Edit: I think I found the source image. It is from freetattoodesigns.org. Wow. SERIOUSLY? THAT's the kokopelli you chose?

Edit2: JK I was wrong. Here's a cool Kokopelli:

Kokopelli is also know as the hunch-backed flute player, with the hunch being a sack of seeds he carries. The seeds indicate fertility.

[PopRox]

Thank you, Georgiana and gustava!

[Curious]

I vote to have "sanctified paper supplier" as a post count title.

done

[Palimpsest]

done

Curious is back!

:happy-cheerleaderkid:

[mango_fandango]

New to this family. I've seen a couple of pictures on wtffundiefamilies.tumblr.com. John looks like a creepy old man, older than his actual age. My dad is older than this guy by fifteen years but looks younger.

They don't seem to have an entirely solid naming system. Most of them are Bible names, some normal like Timothy and Elijah and then some weirder ones like Enoch and Agape... and then there's Alatheia and Charis. Alatheia is a pretty name, but when i googled it it turns out to be the name of a prosthetics brand... but also something to do with Greek mythology. Charis is also a Greek mythology character. I didn't know fundies were so into Greek mythology... those guys believed in multiple gods! It goes against the first commandment, people! OK, maybe they thought the names were classical, but...

[anjulibai]

They are Greek words that have meaning in early Christian teachings. Remember, Greek was the lingua franca of that era and gospels were distributed in Greek.

[Palimpsest]

New to this family. I've seen a couple of pictures on wtffundiefamilies.tumblr.com. John looks like a creepy old man, older than his actual age. My dad is older than this guy by fifteen years but looks younger.

They don't seem to have an entirely solid naming system. Most of them are Bible names, some normal like Timothy and Elijah and then some weirder ones like Enoch and Agape... and then there's Alatheia and Charis. Alatheia is a pretty name, but when i googled it it turns out to be the name of a prosthetics brand... but also something to do with Greek mythology. Charis is also a Greek mythology character. I didn't know fundies were so into Greek mythology... those guys believed in multiple gods! It goes against the first commandment, people! OK, maybe they thought the names were classical, but...

John is very much into Greek names for his daughters. I think the girls' names are all quite lovely. Apparently John studied some Ancient Greek when doing his mail order MA in Bible Studies from an unaccredited Bible College. Many Fundies give their daughters non-biblical names - often with very creative spelling. Presumably this is OK because they are only girls ...

The Shrader boys all have Biblical names. Enoch is really not a "weird" name; it is in Genesis - twice. I feel a little sorry for young Nehemiah. Is he called Nehe or 'Miah in the family?

[Miggy]

Our over-enthusiastic Christian but not fundy, home schooling neighbours have a Nehemiah. He is known as Ney. (As in the sound a horse makes.)

[Palimpsest]

Global Independent Baptist Missions (GIBM) have dropped Shrader from their site but still have Rea listed. That took a surprisingly long time.

So what clearinghouse is Shrader using these days to get tax-free donations? Inquiring minds...

[anjulibai]

Daddy's church, maybe?

[Palimpsest]

Probably Daddy's church, but being officially dropped by IBGM is another blow to John.

IBGM and other "missionary" clearing houses lend an air of respectability to Poisonwood Bible types. Using them to funnel funds through gives the impression of a Mission Board and a legitimate missionary organization. Potential donors can be fooled.

You have to read the fine print at IBGM to realize that it has no control over its "missionaries" at all and doesn't give a damn what they do in the field. It just provides 501©(3) status and probably takes a cut of the cash.

[Palimpsest]

This article should be required reading for all John Shrader's funders, past, present and future.

stevebremner.com/2015/01/do-you-know-what-your-missionaries-are-actually-doing/

Describing some missionaries as "glorified tourists" the article also talks about screening potential missionaries carefully and keeping them accountable. This comment seems particularly apt when it comes to Shrader:

There are some missionaries who have never borne fruit in their home country. What makes us think they’ll be able to do it cross-culturally?

Also this:

A few years ago I championed how wonderful it is if and when missionaries can be self-sufficient. But when I meet people who say to me “I don’t need a church to send me out, I can finance myself!â€, unfortunately more often than not, it has been those individuals in the long run have produced red flags and bad fruit in their lack of accountability to anybody. And reflecting on this is what motivates me to write a post like this.

[slickcat79]

Shraders have been without water for a week or so because the pump is broken, and his landlady is dragging her feet. So that puts them in the same boat as ~half the residents of the Kafue river basin, who have never had reliable water access. They would like your prayers.

Also, John brought a "wagon" with them to Zambia (more like a small cart), but it has been basically trashed by wear and tear, so he decided to build another one. It came together pretty well, we'll see if it lasts. He says it's just so hard to know what to bring with you when you go to another country that you've never lived in before. Especially hard when you don't listen to your most reliable sources - the people who already live there.

[anjulibai]

I wonder if they have enough money at this point to come home.

[formergothardite]

Global Independent Baptist Missions (GIBM) have dropped Shrader from their site but still have Rea listed. That took a surprisingly long time.

So what clearinghouse is Shrader using these days to get tax-free donations? Inquiring minds...

I wonder why they dropped him. :think: This missionary fantasy seems to be unraveling very fast, but I really don't think John will ever leave voluntarily, no matter how bad it gets. Zambia will have to kick him out.

[Arete]

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They are Greek words that have meaning in early Christian teachings. Remember, Greek was the lingua franca of that era and gospels were distributed in Greek.

Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth", Charis is the Greek word for "grace", as in God's grace.

[Palimpsest]

[align=justify][/align]

Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth", Charis is the Greek word for "grace", as in God's grace.

Agape = "love" probably in the love of God sense (I'm sure John would cite Corinthians), and the name Sophia means "wisdom" in Greek. Sophia is also mentioned in the Bible. No Lydia. I suppose I should say yet, perish the thought.

I have say that probably the only thing I like about the Shraders is the girls' names. People may pronounce them wrong (Agape does not rhyme with "a grape") but they have nice meanings and are so much better than the kreatively spelled Fundie girl names. My pet hate Fundie girl's name is "Kressant." What were they going for? Crescent, as in moon or croissant, as in flaky, buttery, yummy, pastry?

[Gobsmacked]

Johns's landlady may be dragging her feet deliberately, giving John a hint that the family should just pack and go home. :lol:

[anjulibai]

Johns's landlady may be dragging her feet deliberately, giving John a hint that the family should just pack and go home. :lol:

Perhaps he hasn't paid rent?

[slickcat79]

I think the situation with the landlady was sketch as hell to begin with. They gave her like 6 months rent up front to complete the house, and I don't think it was ever really done to the level they were expecting. They still have barely-finished floors/ceilings/walls, and had to buy all appliances and stuff themselves. It's just a consequence of John's lack of planning and terrible stewardship of other people's money.

[Trynn]

Perhaps he hasn't paid rent?

That'd be my guess too.

[Justme]

She knows a sucker when she see's one. If she waits long enough, he'll give up and fix it himself at his own expense. :whistle: