I have noted smaller players at CRN become burned out from getting too argumentative with those that they disagree with. This blog is under new management as it is the abandoned blog of an ex-CRN contributor who appears to have become just another burned out CRN hate contributor.
There is the appearance that Ingrid Schlueter may have second thoughts about the hyper-spiritual discernment ministry industry she played a key role in creating? Time will tell ....
Copied from another blog:
*Note* Due to the lies being told by Mr. Rosebrough which are multiplying through social media, I (Ingrid Schlueter) am posting his threatening emails to me below. Judge for yourself if this is the spirit of Christ or a heart of hatred. This is the only contact he had with me. No phone calls, no other kindly meant emails of disagreement with me. Just these threats, followed by days of personal attack and distortions on his podcast.
Some readers of the news and comment blog I published have asked where it has gone. I have turned a corner in my life, and am no longer going to be doing that kind of writing or work again.
It wasn’t the vicious personal attacks and public ridicule by podcaster Chris Rosebrough over two days last week or his two emailed threats that ended the blog (CrossTalk blog). That was part of it, but the real reason I shut it down is that I was operating under some false beliefs while feverishly documenting the collapse of evangelicalism
I have likened my last 7 years in the “discernment” blogging world to experiencing one of those carnival “fun” houses. Except this house was not fun, it was a house of horrors–not because of the steady stream of appalling news stories about what has happened to Protestant evangelical Christianity, but because of the hypocrisy, the cowardice, the interpersonal malice and rampant spiritual dysfunction that rules so much of the ministry scene today, online or otherwise. There are wonderful exceptions, but exceptions are not the problem.
Like in a carnival house, I encountered stairways that looked as though they led somewhere, but led nowhere, mirrors that looked real, but they distorted reality beyond all recognition. I encountered clowns in full terrifying paint, and floors that dropped off suddenly when they appeared to be straight. Things are not what they seem. Not at all. And I’m not talking about emergent church leaders or seeker church drones either.
I will be writing about some of those false beliefs that I had in the future in hopes that I might lend some long overdue balance and offer some cautions for those involved in similar work. I can tell you that after 23 years in issues talk radio in the evangelical world, the last 7 online have been an experience I would not wish on my worst enemy. Taking heat for your views on moral issues or even theology is one thing that Christians should expect, and I knew what that was like for years with radio. But the interpersonal carnage, treachery, dishonesty and hatred I’ve experienced behind the scenes and publicly online is the stuff of horror novels, not Christianity.
Tom, who earns a living for our family and has nothing to do with the online garbage that goes on between professing believers, said to me, “Who are all these sick people?” He watched in amazement last week as self-proclaimed Christian “apologist” Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio threatened by email to “fully broadside” me, promised to unload his “cannons” against me, among other violent metaphors. “Why are these people in our lives? We wouldn’t associate with this kind of lowlife in our home. Why online?” It was an excellent question. The light dawned.
Having found the exit door to the carnival house by God’s grace, I only ask myself what took me so long.
Note: I will not be taking comments on this post. I won’t have the validity of what I’ve experienced questioned, attacked, or be maligned by those who read this blog with hateful intent. This site is about hope and positive change. The world has had enough of faux Christianity.
Emails from Chris Rosebrough:
From: Chris Rosebrough <chris@extremetheology.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2011 at 5:49 PM
Subject: I’ve loaded up the cannons on the Pirate Ship again
To: Ingrid Schlueter <ingrid@vcyamerica.org>
Ingrid,
I just saw your recent blog post where you throw Mike Horton under your “discernment” bus.
This is libel Ingrid!
Pictures do not say more than words. Only someone who has zero discernment would be so obtuse as to to think that someone is theologically compromised by simply posting a photo of them rather than actually demonstrating from the person’s books, lectures and articles that their theology is not in accord with scripture and the gospel. By doing what you are doing you are breaking the 8th Commandment and wronging the Body of Christ, and your Christian Brother, Michael Horton who has done far more than you have or ever will in proclaiming and defending the Gospel.
Since you continue to shoot at the good guys and treat them as enemies of the Cross it is clear that you are the one who has become the enemy of Christ.
I’m bringing the Pirate Ship around and have the cannons loaded again and am ready for a full broadside against you.
May I recommend that you repent. Because, at this point I’m not only going to publicly rebuke your false discernment I think its time to speak with your pastor and to press for church discipline being pursued against you for your unrepentant and blatant breaking of the the 8th Commandment.
Pirate Christian
When I didn’t respond, he sent this the following morning.
| Mar 3 (8 days ago) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Ingrid,
Quoting Spurgeon Won’t Spare You From the Cannons!
Since you’ve decided to entrench rather than repent, let me ask you a few questions about your post that you so confidently believe demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that Dr. Horton and Rick Warren are now in Union / Association with each other:
In the photograph, which of the cardinal doctrines of the historic Christian faith, has Dr. Horton renounced?
In the photograph, which doctrines of the Doctrines of Grace has Dr. Horton agreed to compromise on?
In the photograph, which of the statements that Dr. Horton has made on his radio program or in his books against Rick Warren’s pragmatism has Dr. Horton agreed to retract and recant or simply omit from his public teaching?
Since, according to you, this photograph proves that Rick Warren has infiltrated the Reformed Ranks, show me where in this photograph that Dr. Horton has agreed to let Rick Warren and his people train the students at Westminster Seminary in purpose-driven church methodology?
In the photograph, where has Dr. Horton has agreed to join Leadership Network and spearhead a PEACE Plan initiative in Africa?
And while you’re answering those questions, here is one more, If Dr. Horton is now in Union / Association with Rick Warren show us from Dr. Horton’s writing, lectures, radio and programs that he’s begun to theologically compromise in his doctrinal distinctives and is now drifting into the apostasy and embracing and or promoting Rick Warren’s heresies.
Your post fails to quote a single statement made by Dr. Horton that shows that Rick Warren has infiltrated the Modern Reformation wing of the Reformed Camp but instead, like a grocery store tabloid, smears the man’s character with a wild and unsubstantiatable interpretation of a photograph.
That’s not discernment Ingrid, that’s gossip and divisiveness and is a breaking of the 8th commandment and it is a grievous sin.
If you will not repent of this sin then I am taking it upon myself to publicly expose and rebuke your false and misleading ‘discernment’ and I assure you that it will be done with the exact same measure of “grace, kindness and brotherly concern” that you have given to Dr. Horton.
Prepare to be boarded!
Pirate Christian
A blogger in the UK sent this to Chris calling him to repent for his bullying. Chris has never received a public rebuke for this conduct so the public remains unaware of his tactics. He is unrepentant towards me.
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Daniel ******
Date: Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Subject: Re: Quoting Spurgeon Won’t Spare You From the Cannons
To: Chris Rosebrough <chris@extremetheology.com>
Cc: Ingrid Schlueter <ingrid@vcyamerica.org>
Chris,
Ingrid has forwarded me your second email.
Leaving the issue of Ingrid’s article and Dr. Horton entirely to one side, your tone continues to be hectoring and utterly counterproductive. This kind of bullying is not the exercise of Biblical or godly correction with the intention of bringing about repentance, reconciliation and restoration. Rather, it is the attempt to browbeat one’s opponent into submission by threats and sheer force of words, with no regard to consequences. If you are unable to speak with genuine ‘grace, kindness and brotherly concern’, you should be silent.
As for the continued use of pirate language, I have to say again that I find this to be entirely inappropriate. And for any man to say to a woman, ‘Prepare to be boarded!’, carries strong overtones of physical violence and rape, and is utterly reprehensible. Such language would be absolutely inexcusable in the secular realm. To see it from the hand of a brother is lamentable. I fear for you. Step back from the brink. Repent.
–
D
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