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In Reply to: Why Chancellor chooses to be 'in the middle' by unrepentant oppressors posted by Interests and Incentives on August 26, 2005 at 15:29:12:
I have said it before and I'll say it again, James Chancellor gives Christians a bad name in my eyes.
There's an interview with him here: http://www.cornerstonemag.com/pages/show_page.asp?633. The portion below disturbed me. My questions/responses are in caps.
Q: "How do you respond to the treatment of the COG by secular "anti-cult" critics such as Stephen Kent?"
A: "I do not know Stephen Kent personally, but I am not particularly impressed with his work. [HUH?] I suspect that he has been deeply moved by the tragedies in the lives of a number of young people who were raised in the Family or other NRMs. [WHAT A CRIME! -- OF COURSE IT IS COMMENDABLE TO BE DEEPLY MOVED BY THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY] There are indeed tragedies. But his work has been, as best as I can tell, almost exclusively with those persons, [HA! HAHAHA!] and therefore is at best skewed by their experiences, [AGAIN, HA!] and the ever growing and expanding memories of those experiences. [????? OH, I FORGOT, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GET OLDER BUT IT IS A CRIME TO GET WISER] I had a few “ah – ha” moments along my journey with the Family. One of those concerned the plight of the young people, particularly those who were born early in the movement’s history. Some of their lives were filled with hardship, abuse, and sadness. But as I came to know the disciples, I began to realize that many of the first generation of disciples were people who had been outcasts, abused, dropouts, drug users, and had lived lives of great sadness. And I began to ask myself, “what might the lives of their children been like had they not joined the Family?” I think that is the kind of question, the kind of analysis, that people like Stephen Kent and those in the secular anti-cult movement cannot allow themselves. [WHAT IN THE WORLD?? COORDINATOR: I WILL UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE TO CENSOR THE ABOVE DUE TO THE OBSCENTY OF THE SELF CONGRATULATION AND MASSAGING -- THE LOVING JAMES, SO TO SPEAK]
I also believe there is a general antipathy to almost any level of religious commitment in the secular anti-cult movement. In their eyes, Jews for Jesus are no different than the COG. That should give Christians pause. [AY, AY AY] A good deal has been written about this phenomenon, and I need not go into detail. Phillip Jenkins, in Mystics and Messiahs gives a fair and balanced [HEEE HEE] rendering; I would suggest those in sympathy with the Stephen Kents of the world [IT'S PERFECTLY OKAY TO PEJORATIVELY LABEL THE PEOPLE WHOM YOUR CULT HANDLERS HAVE PERSUADED YOU TO TURN UP YOUR NOSE AT. IN SERIOUSNESS NOW: LONG LIVE THE "STEVEN KENTS OF THE WORLD". IF THERE IS A GOD, I THANK HIM FOR ALLOWING THEM AS A REPRIEVE FROM THE CALLOUSNESS.] take a look at what he has to say."
AS SOMEONE SAID ON MOVINGON, I WOULD BE ASHAMED TO HAVE THIS AS A FATHER. THEN AGAIN, MAYBE HIS KIDS ARE OK AND KENT JUST DEEMS THE FAMILY ACCEPTABLE FOR THOSE OTHERS. IN A STRANGE WAY, I PRECEIVE A VEILED DISDAIN FOR THE PERSONS IN THE CULT HE STUDIES. THE FAMILY WOULD PROBABLY NEVER CATCH ON BECAUSE OF THE SUBELEMENTARY THINKING THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM THE MAMA LETTERS AND BECAUSE THEY ARE USED TO THE PATRONIZING.
http://www.cornerstonemag.com/pages/show_page.asp?633
