He’s getting cannier about knowing that people are going to fact check him. Notice that he makes a point of mentioning that this is “that this is only his opinion” and will be on YouTube.
But then he goes on to mocks the ‘freshman theologians’ who are going to disagree with them and says they haven’t ‘studied it as much as he has.’ He’s claiming it without claiming it to leave himself wiggle room. It’s subtle but it’s there.
I suspect that a lot of those skulls full of mush are going to leave that room telling it as fact because it’s what their preacher believes.
It occurs to me that most of us hear speculation like this quite regularly in Sunday sermons. Any exposition of an ancient text is bound to stray off into filghts of fancy.
What makes this example more egregious, though, is his “defense” at the end against the “freshmen theologians”: that he’s “studied it” more than they have. Uh…no.
Schaap wasn’t ranting and raving about the innocence of children when he had the audacity to say that the seven year old girl that AV Ballenger molested actually came onto him instead of vice versa.
Jordan,
If he actually said that he’s a pervert, and being the father of a 7 year old daughter it makes me very upset that anyone (let alone a pastor) could even think such a thing.
Well, I’ll give him this…he’s a lot smoother than most of the speakers you highlight on this site. But that’s all I’ll give him. The fact is that it doesn’t matter what we end up as in heaven. I’m a little disappointed that he’s even worried about that. Don’t most fundies spend their sermons telling me that I’m a horrible person now?
As an aside, I like watching those guys on the platform behind him (still wondering how one qualifies to sit there). It’s funny watching their heads go back and forth like a tennis match as this “scholar” paces the floor.
Wow. Such arrogance. Yuck.
Funny how the Bible never mentions it. And that it’s not even an issue.
How is believing you have to continue maturing in Christ while IN HEAVEN any different from believing you have to be perfected AFTER DEATH, i.e: in purgatory? Insane. And I’m honestly disturbed that he keeps thinking that having adults in heaven would somehow lead to strife… in heaven.
Jordan, I was thinking along the same line as you. When he suggests that he would rather go to where the children are than the adults because where the adults are will be disagreements and arguments I about fell off of my chair. So is he saying that children are sinless? That they don’t ever argue, tease, belittle, etc? How about the fact that the point of Heaven is not what we may or may not get, but rather that Jesus Christ will be there! If you are placing your happiness in eternity based upon what you will receive or what it will look like I think that your hope is in the wrong place and you better search the Bible on where and who you place your hope. There are some seriously dangerous implications that he is drawing out.
“is he saying that children are sinless?”
I gathered as much. If fundies read more great literature–specifically Lord of the Flies (the title of which they may recognize)–they wouldn’t have such Victorian warm-and-fuzzies about children.
Lord of the Flies was on the banned reading list in my fundy school…
Which is such a shame because the book actually makes a biblical point about the origin of sin.
That is, whether evil comes from outside sources attacking us or whether it is from within ourselves.
I haven’t ever read Lord of the Flies, but aren’t the fundies screwed up in this area? (whether sin is within us or outside all around us trying to get in?) Because maybe that is WHY it is banned. I am trying to remember what I was told about it. I believe that it was supposedly not ok for us to read because in it there were kids usurping authority and possibly there was a bad word in it. Also something about a bonfire… I just remember a HUGE controversy when the public schools listed it as required reading and that was a MAJOR reason why *our* school was better because it didn’t require or even ALLOW us to read that “filth”.
I have wondered why it should be banned. I read it as an adult, as I have been trying to read many of the “classics” I missed as a kid. My best guess is because Fundy leaders are scared that kids might get ideas that they will act out in real life. That, and it shows a group of kids with no adult supervision “regressing into savagery”.
I believe that Golding was writing an allegorical tale showing the inherent evil of man. Many public school systems had banned it because of many reasons, one of which was its religious overtones. Others were language, racism, treatment of others, and various other ideas from people looking to be offended.
It was not the best piece of literature I have ever read, but far from the worst. Read it with an open mind not looking to be offended and it’s a pretty good novel.
There was some bad language. The violence was also a major issue, especially that it was children involved. (That offends the sensibilities of those who see children as naturally good as well as those who don’t like any depictions in art of people being bad, even though the Bible certainly doesn’t follow that rule.) Also the title “Lord of the Flies” scared some people because it’s a reference to Satan.
I kept expecting him to say something about the age of accountability and how in heaven we will never reach it. Perhaps I was just reading too much into what was said, or what wasn’t.
If fundies read their Bibles they wouldn’t have such Victorian warm-and-fuzzies about children.
“is he saying that children are sinless?â€Â
I’ve heard more than one of these “legends in their own mind” propose that (quoting one of them here), “children are innocent and have a natural ability to believe”.
Sadly he has taken the wonderful doctrine of glorification and humanized it.
What still amazes me is that thousands of people sit under this barrage of pseudo theological “hooey” and never say a word.
“‘children are innocent and have a natural ability to believe'” . . . until they are corrupted by sin as adults? Wow. Who says Pelagianism is dead?
Pelagianism is alive and well as exemplified in the famous illustration: “God has a vote and the devil; has a vote and you have the deciding vote!”
I grew up in fundy-central so forgive my ignorance but is this a cult? Is this guy seriously mainstream fundamentalism?
It depends on who you talk to, Jay. Some people think that Hyles-Anderson college is the center of the fundamentalist universe. Others see it as a radical fringe group.
Either way, they still hold a lot of power in some sects of Independent Baptist Fundamentalism.
Nice when you can make statements that have no Biblical basis, but claim that everyone who disagrees with you is a novice who hasn’t studied as much as you. For all the claims that fundies like him make of having a strong respect for the Bible, you would think they would be a lot more careful not to make statements that aren’t in the Bible. But, it is really obvious to everyone, that their strong respect for the Bible isn’t actually for the Bible. The respect is only accorded to the KJV and then only to the translation and the tradition, not the actual words in the KJV.
Just a caveat. This guy is not a representative of “historic” fundamentalism. Even though he may think that the the fundamentalist universe revolves around him, he’s a legend in his own mind.
Thanks Darrell. I didn’t realize this was Hyles’ replacement at first. Makes SO much sense now.
I can’t wait to listen to my two younger sisters fight over toys…. such a blessing…. so mature…. it’s almost like heaven!
He says adults can’t handle the pressures of life, or a marriage… has it never struck him that those who can’t are failing at their responsibilities because they are STILL children?!
This man is in a lot of danger, preaching as if from God, what is really of himself. Preaching is a sobering thing to be involved in, for those who hear and for those who speak.
” This man is in a lot of danger, preaching as if from God, what is really of himself.”
What insight looking back over the developments of the last year.
It is interesting to me that around 20 seconds in, he says children are a metaphor (and to get technical, he uses the phrase with “as a child” so it would be a simile).
But then he goes on to explain how this is a literal meaning. I’m not so sure he knows what a metaphor really is. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Inconcievable
Or more phonetically spelled, “InconthEIVable!”
Wow, I thought that in heaven one is complete, perfect. So even if we are adults, we will not have problems anymore. This guy is crazy!!!! He is so condescending. I mean everyone has problems and he has none. Not only that but he hates dealing with the problems of others, although he “says” that he loves it. He is just messed up on so many levels.
There he goes again”quoting Jesus” saying: “I’m going to populate heaven with children.”
This guy is a loon, everyone knows in heaven we will all be 33 year old males.
wow…really…he just basically told these people they are idiots who cannot spell “mortgage”…and worst yet…these people actually sit there and put up with that crap? fundies truly are a rare breed. i hope they become extinct!!!