#metoo maybe I have opened up a can of worms about #abrape (feminist use the rape hashtag to delineate their victim status) ab=COG administrative bishop. Consistent with the feminist victim status the problem is male gender-ism and as it is now in the Church of God it is a matter of male domination (abusive authority structures) Bishops are men. A woman claiming to be a bishop is holding a non-existent title, making a false claim. A woman claiming to be an apostle is an apostate woman, howbeit a forgivable offense.
The general move of this open forum in regards to those of us who have suffered authoritarian abuse have been told that “silence” is the Bible way to deal with it. Keep it to your self, seek personal healing, exercise private forgiveness, stay in the relationship and believe that you bear the fault of the victimization. Seek quietly the counselor of victims who can secretly enable you to achieve personal restoration. We can hold hands and pray silently and we will be healed. You are told this is Bible and Christlike! Nice people always come in first. “Silence can be a form of consent or complicity” -Dr. Jackson Katz
Katz advocates what he calls a “bystander approach,” but one where bystanders, as witnesses, must become involved. Silence can be a form of consent or complicity. Bystanders, who are neither perpetrators nor victims, must not remain silent in the face of abuse. Men who are not abusive, for example, must challenge men who are and call out harassment, degrading language and abusive behavior when they happen.
It is difficult to discern AB abusive language and behavior. However it is there. Fifteen years ago was sitting in a Southern Baptist Wednesday and observed verbally abusive behavior from the pulpit toward a woman in the congregation and I have vocalized my observation over and over. The preacher was Adrian Rogers and no one will believe me.
We cannot remain silent.
Merry Christmas!