Mark Driscoll. The Wife's Fault

[deborahlynn1979]

I remember this creep. Salon did a really long article on him back in 2006:

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2006/09/13/righteous

Note: this one is different from Austin's above.

[Joykins]

I keep finding their names connected but I'm confused about how they relate to one another.

They move in the same crowds.

http://www.joshharris.com/2007/11/learn ... iscoll.php

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm just coming out of a (since only about July actually) weird-ish fundie-ish religion myself (incredibly close to what Lina practices) so I'm still discovering things. I considered this guy one of the more "liberal" pastors I would allows myself to watch (lol). I've been watching him on youtube and listening to sermons on his website for a few years now. I don't remember exactly how I came across it.

But now that I'm out of that mess, I see looking back that even some of his simpler messages I no longer agree with in my new life.

I don't think the jerk radar worked with me because at the time, I was an arrogant jerk too. :/

Good for you for getting yourself out of a bad place, let-them-eat-cake. It's not easy to tear down a world view and make a new one, but for me it was definitely worth it.

[Kaylee]

He claims he has visions?

Yeah, the abuse one wasn't really the worst. They seem to mostly involve female members of his congregations in sexual situations (sorry, dude, I really don't think God would give you porn flicks as "visions" and the things you are "seeing" are really indicative of your character). He described two in detail - one was of a woman being molested at a younger age, the other was of the wife in a couple he was counseling having an affair, and he was even describing the positions they had sex in and everything - he brought up the "vision" during a counseling session, accusing her, in front of her husband. He said she confessed but, even if she had denied it, would her husband have believed or, or trusted the pastor since he probably implied that it justified any problems he may have in their relationship.

As far as the Josh Harris connection, there doesn't seem to be one other than Harris picking up on Driscoll's popularity and trying to suck up to him and connect himself to him for many years. He read a book of Driscoll's, liked it, and started writing him, then told him he was attending a conference at Driscoll's church and was invited to speak. He went to a few conferences Driscoll spoke at and seemed to have this whole fanboy thing going on, then really loved it when Driscoll started hanging out with his buddy CJ Mahaney. He pestered Driscoll for sermon notes and things to post on his blog (serious, Driscoll declined and he kept bugging him until he got something), and they interviewed Francis Chan together. It seems like most of the connection is just running in the same circles, but Harris is almost trying to force a relationship there or at least find opportunities to connect himself to Mark Driscoll on the blog to keep his search rankings higher.

[Joykins]

What I found shockingly unrealistic about the "visions" is that he would "see" someone getting molested as a child and then they would go and ask the alleged molester if they did it and the allege molester would immediately say, "Oh, yeah I did that!"

[Shirley MacLaine]

http://freedom4captives.wordpress.com/

Thanks for posting this - I'm definitely going to go through it all when I have the stomach for it, haha. Ugh. Mark Driscoll.

[antifundie]

Aside from what he actually says (which is pretty horrible)--the bits of sermons I've seen piss me off because he's yelling. And not in good way (I'm thinking of the speeches of MLK, where he's impassioned/loud), but in a abusive way. His tone of voice reminds me of the one my (abusive) ex-bf used to use. So, apart from anything else, I wouldn't be able to tolerate listening to him because of that.

Also, he tries too hard to look hip. Give it up already. And I think it's weird that he's in Seattle--all my friends *hate* him, even the religious ones. Many people in Seattle don't seem to be that in your face about anything.

ETA: Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but a pastor using the word "phat?" No. I won't think you're cool, I'll think you're really stupid, and that you try wayyyyyyyyyyy too hard.

[debrand]

Yeah, the abuse one wasn't really the worst. They seem to mostly involve female members of his congregations in sexual situations (sorry, dude, I really don't think God would give you porn flicks as "visions" and the things you are "seeing" are really indicative of your character). He described two in detail - one was of a woman being molested at a younger age, the other was of the wife in a couple he was counseling having an affair, and he was even describing the positions they had sex in and everything - he brought up the "vision" during a counseling session, accusing her, in front of her husband. He said she confessed but, even if she had denied it, would her husband have believed or, or trusted the pastor since he probably implied that it justified any problems he may have in their relationship.

As far as the Josh Harris connection, there doesn't seem to be one other than Harris picking up on Driscoll's popularity and trying to suck up to him and connect himself to him for many years. He read a book of Driscoll's, liked it, and started writing him, then told him he was attending a conference at Driscoll's church and was invited to speak. He went to a few conferences Driscoll spoke at and seemed to have this whole fanboy thing going on, then really loved it when Driscoll started hanging out with his buddy CJ Mahaney. He pestered Driscoll for sermon notes and things to post on his blog (serious, Driscoll declined and he kept bugging him until he got something), and they interviewed Francis Chan together. It seems like most of the connection is just running in the same circles, but Harris is almost trying to force a relationship there or at least find opportunities to connect himself to Mark Driscoll on the blog to keep his search rankings higher.

Thank you so much. I found Mark by doing a search for Josh Harris, so I wondered about the connection.

[BravaAmica]

He also said in a recent sermon that women were required by God to perform blowjobs.

http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?p=11788

He scares me more than the fundies because he has the same warped ideas of sex and gender, but knows how to package it to appeal to the mainstream. That and he wears Ed Hardy.

Quid pro quo, baby.

[Turtle]

This was his vision for a church:

“I envisioned a large church that hosted concerts for non-Christian bands and fans on a phat sound system, embraced the arts, trained young men to be godly husbands and fathers, planted other churches, and led people to work with Jesus Christ as missionaries to our city.†(Confessions, p.40)

I think I just peed myself a little laughing so hard. What a douche.

[GolightlyGrrl]

I think I just peed myself a little laughing so hard. What a douche.

Uses the word "phat" and wears Ed Hardy. And those are his good qualities.

[formergothardite]

He is trying to hard to be cool, hip, and edgy, but it just comes off as him being an immature jerk.

[Marian the Librarian]

The Seattle Times ran a big article about Driscoll and the continuing expansion of his Mars Hill church "empire" this week, on Tuesday 8/30. Link:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... ll31m.html

As of this morning, the article has received 545 comments. They make for some highly entertaining reading.

According to Wikipedia, Mars Hill is the old wine of Calvinism in a new bottle. Driscoll sez Charles Spurgeon has also had a significant influence on his theology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Driscoll

I've never been to Mars Hill, and have no intention of going. I find Driscoll revolting. My husband went once, with a woman he was dating at the time (this was after he'd been widowed, and before he and I met) - he describes the experience as an intensely uncomfortable one.

[Austin]

According to Wikipedia, Mars Hill is the old wine of Calvinism in a new bottle. Driscoll sez Charles Spurgeon has also had a significant influence on his theology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Driscoll

Oh, I definitely think Driscoll aspires to run with the RBDs (Reformed Big Dogs) such as John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan - there's a whole list.

He is a loose cannon and I have absolutely no doubt that he will screw up big time. All we have to do is wait, because it will happen.

[hoipolloi]

Driscoll is gross & revolting. I cannot see how anyone with a brain could be attracted to him or his theology.

ITA that a big scandal involving Driscoll will happen, sooner not later.

[Shirley MacLaine]

I wonder what flavor of scandal!

[Austin]

I wonder what flavor of scandal!

I'd lay bets that it's sexual in nature. This guy is waaayyyyyy too obsessed with sex for it to be tax fraud or something (IMO).

[Love]

This man is expanding his church and coming to Portland, Oregon - my home. He bought a huge, gorgeous church ins a very liberal area.

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blo ... e-portland

Portland is known for our protest. In fact, George Bush Sr. used to call us "Little Beirut". I believe there are already some protests planned for this place.

[aubrietta]

I'd lay bets that it's sexual in nature. This guy is waaayyyyyy too obsessed with sex for it to be tax fraud or something (IMO).

I played the "I see things" video for my husband, and after he got over his shock and disgust, he said "that dude is definitely the most closeted gay man ever."

[Ruby]

Quid pro quo, baby.

Yes!!! This brings to mind Song of Solomon 7:2, which mentions the beloved's *navel.* To paraphrase Inigo Montoya, I do not think it means what he thinks it means.

[bicyclecat]

Hmmm, this is close enough for a daytrip. I may just head on over Sunday, if I get up early enough, just to see this guy in action.

[Austin]

Take your barf bag.

[Mompom]

What I found shockingly unrealistic about the "visions" is that he would "see" someone getting molested as a child and then they would go and ask the alleged molester if they did it and the allege molester would immediately say, "Oh, yeah I did that!"

Yeah, and the way Mark portrayed it was as if the molester was incredulous and in wonder that someone would know this and happy to confirm that yes, indeed, "I am a molester". Like, they would just fess up?

[Angri-la]

As Love said, his buying a church here just hit the news today. I did not realize who the "pastor" was.

I was aware of him and some of his asshattery, however, thanks to my friends at FJ, esp. Austin, I spent my slow work day reading about him. I have never typed this word, nor said it aloud, as I never found it appropriate.

*clutches pearls*

He is a douchenozzle.

Yes, I do feel every so slighy better, if immature. I, too, smell a scandal a comin'. Too much sex talk for there not to be something going on. My money is on him being a Furry.

Edited because I couldn't even spell the word right. If I'm only using it once, I want it done right.

[GolightlyGrrl]

I played the "I see things" video for my husband, and after he got over his shock and disgust, he said "that dude is definitely the most closeted gay man ever."

Yep, I see a few rents boys and crystal meth in his future.

Or maybe a bunch of hookers that would make Charlie Sheen blush.