Standards

Just Making Stuff Up: North Valley Style

262 Comments

I’ve hear rants against a lot of strange things in my time but today’s featured warning may be the strangest one I’ve ever encountered. Not content to merely warn against the normal fundy bogeymen, Jack “I Have Four White Pianos” Trieber now warns us against the evils of: sharing sonogram images.

He says in part:

Perhaps I am an old-fashioned “fuddy duddy,” but is that not sacred? As our home began to be blessed with children, it never even crossed my mind to display such an image to others. Every baby is a gift from God, hidden in the sacredness of a mother’s womb until the day of birth.

Hookay, Jack. You take the weirdness prize for sure.

262 thoughts on “Just Making Stuff Up: North Valley Style”

  1. If someone didn’t tell you that was a womb, would anyone besides a medical professional know what they were looking at? I think that picture up there looks like a dark cave with the Alien hiding in the back. I’m guessing that’s Sigourney Weaver in her strap-on Caterpillar off to the side there.

  2. so, i think it’s safe to say that fundies have finally run out of things to complain about. they’re pretty much just making crap up at this point. not that they weren’t before, but they’ve definitely stepped up their game.

  3. Epic! I used to go to this church, so I expect some of the stuff he says, but wow. I was taken back by that one. I guess my wife and I adding our baby’s pictures to FB the other day was the last straw? HOW DARE I!?!?! So immodest, what was I thinking?

    1. You think baby pictures are cute but you can might make someone think about where that baby came from or worse yet, how it was conceived. You have caused unknown numbers to stumble. 😆

    2. Dude, Big MAn, I wish I knew who you are. I used to go there too, back in the 80’s and 90’s. Of course not by choice. It’s where my grandparents went. I went to school there too. Grrr. Anyway, there’s a group of us on FB. You know you were an NVBSer when… is our group’s name. Come join us. 😀

  4. So what woman or married couple in the church ticked off Trieber so much that he had to find something to preach at them for?

    1. That would be called the PPPOTW: Pastor’s Pet Peeve Of The Week.
      Coming soon to an IFB church near you.

      1. It (PPPOTW) formed a staple of a former church. I suffered under it for many years.

  5. With everyone leaving comments on his blog, I am sure someone will track the comments back to SFL. How long before his defenders start to show up here?

    1. His website is blocked at work for inappropriate content. I’m wondering how many of the comments will show up.

    2. Dear Scorpio:

      Let them come. I have no doubt that the good folk here can hold their own and more!

      Christian Socialist

  6. Well, at this point nobody’s comments have shown up on Trieber’s blog. I’m still trying to decide whether to leave one; I don’t know if there’s even a way to approach a mind that works like this in a way that will make a difference. He seems to be assuming that because something makes him uncomfortable, it must therefore be wrong.

  7. It’s kind of annoying to see baby photos plastered all over Facebook every 10 seconds, but seriously? A woman’s body should only be seen by her husband? Please. That reason didn’t even make sense. Why do they feel the need to control EVERYTHING?

  8. I’m sure that none of our comments will be posted on his blog. They only post the ones that praise him. I’m sure he’ll feel pretty good about himself for being persecuted.

    1. He may have a program that allows him to see where his visitors are coming from and their IP addresses. That means he may just be blowing off all comments that come from this blog.

      1. Forgive my cynicism, but I’d be willing to bet that a man who is uncomfortable with the “modern” notion of showing off one’s sonogram pics doesn’t know even know what an IP address is. 😆

        1. I was at the church up until around 2000, and he prided himself in not knowing how to use a computer or even turn one on in those days, but they do have some tech savy people on staff, and it IS the silicon valley

  9. Wow, so does he believe looking at all is bad or just showing? lol I proudly walked around showing all 3 of my daughters sono’s off lol. The one on top looks like someone did a close up on a grey tabby’s fur more than a sono lol 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

  10. Does anyone else find it slightly disturbing that: 1) he jumps from sonogram picture to thinking about a woman’s “womb.” Ummmmm….
    2)This leap in logic is astonishing. Of course a husband can’t see this part of his wife’s body, anymore than she can see his kidneys. Unless of course the husband happens to be named “Clark.”

    1. Yes, it is strange. But then when you don’t underrstand the Bible and really having nothing of consequence to say to your sheeple, you have to find something to rant about.

      1. This is some of the rot that is in the fundamentalist pulpit. They have to contrive 3 “sermons” a week from 66 books for years on end. They feign the utmost care when “handling scripture” but this post and blog are hard evidence against this ideal. We are witnessing the dying of a subculture that was always based on contrivance.

  11. today a sonogram; tomorrow child pornography! It’s a slippery slope.

    1. Please, don’t give them any new material, but then again, they’ve probably already thought of that one!

  12. Here is what I was going to post but then decided it wasn’t worth it. Besides, the comments are moderated, so you know it wouldn’t get through anyway.

    —-

    “…the body of a woman is sacred and not to be revealed to anyone but her husband.”

    So, by logical extension, you’re also against OB/GYN’s and midwives and mammography and brain scans and x-rays all sorts of other things. In fact, why stop at simply being against the -sharing- of ultrasound images? Shouldn’t you also be against the -making- of them?

    Furthermore, we know that the body of -every- Christian is sacred, both male and female.

    So, if your definition of “sacred” means that it cannot be revealed — i.e. if “sacred” is for you synonymous with (and not just related to) “mysterion” — then by that reckoning, you would also be against prostate exams, physicals, etc. for guys. But…doesn’t NVCS run a sports team or two? Aren’t they required by insurance to get physical examinations?

    Also, I’m assuming you’ve never seen this icon of the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth…

    http://www.orthodox.net/ikons/theotokos-visiting-elizabeth-01-with-fetuses.jpg

    Yes, the womb is sacred in a special sense, and none more than that of the Mother of God, which nourished our Life, the very Holy One Himself. And yet the Church celebrates Christ’s blessing of John by Jesus while they were both still in the wombs -by depicting said wombs in sacred art-.

    I love you, Brother Trieber, but I’m pretty sure this one is NOT in the Bible.

  14. I’m showing 0 comments when I visit his blog. 😕 Anyway, I left this comment, which I doubt will be approved. . . 😉

    “Sir, you write, “Perhaps, I am part of a dying breed.”

    To this, I would add my most sincere prayer that you are right.”

  15. Apparently, not only does Trieber think creepy thoughts. . .he hires creepy people. Read this blog post from the Vice President at GSBC: http://northvalleynews.org/2011/some-things-your-youth-pastor-will-never-tell-you/

    Spooky part: “Your youth pastor will never tell you how much he watches you.
    You would be shocked to find out how much your youth pastor actually sees. He sees when you smile, when you roll your eyes, when you fall asleep in class, when you sing, when you talk in Sunday school, when you text. Your youth pastor watches you during activities, at camp, at restaurants, at work days, and just about everywhere you go. Why does your youth pastor watch you so closely? He wants to know how you are doing spiritually. By watching your life, your youth pastor will have a good idea of how you are doing.”

    Stalker????? 😯

    1. He sees you when you’re sleeping;
      He knows when you’re awake.
      He knows if you’ve been bad or good
      So be good for goodness sake!

      Yeah, that’s creepy.

      1. Must note here: While that song solidified Sting’s place in the music world- and made him a VERY rich man- he has offered an apology of sorts, for setting up an obsessive relationship as a good thing. The ‘Twilight’ of music, as it were. He wrote ‘If you love somebody, set them free’ in recompense.

        (I’m a serious fan, and much of his work reduces me to tears. What a spirit he has!)

    3. HAHAHAHAHAHA Jeremy Kobernat is the VP now?!?! What a joke! Oh I’m so glad to be out of GSBC & NVBC! 🙄 😆

    4. THIS explains why my former youth pastor, who was a GSBC grad, noticed wayyyy too many details of what my friends and I were doing in church, to the point where it was outright creepy. Now I know why the pastor always had the youth pastor sitting on the platform. Yikes.

  16. Rest assured that among his congregation and college, this opinion of his will be treated with all the weight Catholics give a Papal Edict.

    The practice of joyfully showing off your sonograms, whether on social media or in person, will cease to exist. Because Preacher doesn’t think it’s right.

  17. Rest assured that among his congregation and college, this opinion of his will be treated with all the weight Catholics give a Papal Edict.

    The practice of joyfully showing off your sonograms, whether on social media or in person, will cease to exist. Because Preacher doesn’t think it’s right.

    1. I know what you’re trying to say, but…I hope you’re correct that they will treat it the way Catholics treat a Papal edict. American Catholics, anyway. 😛

      (Hint: they do the opposite, usually.)

  18. My quixotic contribution:

    “What do I think?”, you ask.

    I think you are a buffoon.

    You fill the air with personal opinions, but absolutely no biblical basis. You stick your snout into other peoples’ business, rather than opening the Word of Truth and proclaiming it honestly, without filtering it through what YOU think God should have said.

    Typical. Which is why the Independent Fundamental Baptist church really IS a “dying breed.”

  19. Sacred Womb? Sacred Womb??
    Sacre Bleu! Madre Dios! Sacra Madonna!

    How very Baptistolic or is that Cathist?

    Hail (wife’s name), full of (husband’s name), I, your Lord is with thee; blessed are thou among women because of me, and blessed is the fruit of thy sacred womb, and the fruit of my looms. Holy (wife’s name), Mother of my children, pray for us sanctimonous supersaints, now and at the hour of our incarceration.
    Amen.

    1. [now and at the hour of our incarceration]

      Hats off to you, Don! THis comment nails it right on the head. You made me LOL. 😆

  20. You know how the Fundies have decided that the 1950’s were the perfect era and we should all strive to stay in that glorious moment? Well, the amish did the same thing except they worship the 1830s. I LOVED this family guy episode where the amish prayed like this. Sounds a little familiar, no?

    “Dear Amish Lord, thou looketh sternly upon us, thine flock, even though we did not do anything wrong, and have been doing chores like ****ing crazy. Please make us humble, and deliver us more hardship, that we may get thick, calloused hands, much larger than other people’s. And grant that we become dull, like Eric Banner who we have never seen, but are just going reputation, because it is your will. We solemnly believe that humans have been around for a million years, you feel strongly that they had just the right amount of technology between 1835 and 1850; not too little, not too much. Please deliver us form THOMAS EDISON, the worst human being who ever lived. And protect us from those who laugh at our buggies or our hats. And deliver us from mustaches.”

  22. My thoughts/two cents:
    1) Making an ultrasound into something scandalous and/or inappropriate is perverted. It’s a picture of a baby Jack. Get your mind out of the gutter & get your opinion off the internet, as well as the pulpit & anywhere else on the earth. Thank you.
    2) Have you really this much time on your hands you now must attack women & men excited to share news & photos of their baby?! I know you haven’t “saved” all of the Silicon Valley…so why not spend your time serving the poor, the orphaned, the widowed…you know, like Jesus said to do? 😯
    3) Seriously, what is next? A video of this Jack polishing a shaft?! Oy vey! 😡 🙄 🙁

  23. Also, for anyone reading this attending NVBC or GSBC, there is a sex offender in your midst. Son of Deacon Evans, (it’s been a few years since I attended NVBC so I can’t remember Mr. Evans first name, but he is a deacon there & his wife’s name is Brenda) Michael Evans is married to Natalie Evans:
    http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/cgi/prosoma.dll?w6=490622&searchby=offender&id=18610352Y6049
    “Bro.” Trieber is fully aware of this & from what I was told he told Michael this happened because he & Natalie were “backslidden” so the best thing was to get “back in church”. Michael pled guilty and did not go to jail, but was sent to a psychiatric institution & placed in lock-down, which should show you what the system thought of him to put him in a psych. Michael’s victim was not reached out to or received any support from Trieber, nor was the church informed of Michael’s abuse & crimes.

    1. How tragic, but typical of how such offences have been handled at that church! Jack Hyles preached there many years ago the sermon entitled “Publish It Not!”….and that’s what they keep on doing! Hide it, sweep it under the rug, forget Biblical church discipline, that’s not the Hyles way!

    2. With the way the whole Mike Strouf thing was handled, what more could you expect from Trieber?

      EliACas, do you know where Michael Evans’ crime occurred? Was the victim a church member or college student?

      1. Yes, I do know where the crime occured. The victim was not a college student or NVBC church member. Michael Evans grew up in NVBC and went to Golden State as well as West Coast. Michael Evans & his family are not “unknowns” amongst NVBC or Lancaster Baptist. His dad is a deacon at NVBC and his brother-in-law is a well-known associate pastor at Lancaster Baptist Church. Michael was born and raised in NVBC and went to GSBC. For the record, I am not 100% sure Michael & his wife currently attend NVBC since I obviously do not attend NVBC services.

        1. I say the latter “for the record” because if as of a week or a few months ago they stopped attending, I would not be aware of that. Last I heard, they were still attending NVBC and Trieber has not felt the need to inform the congregation who is in their midst or carry out biblical church discipline & bring the matter before the congregation.

        2. I’m not familiar with Michael Evans, but I do know that Larry Evans had a son named Scott. Is this the person you’re talking about?

        5. Weird, my reply to Druzzle is gone. Druzzle, yes, they had another son, Michael, many years later. Dana and Scott are much older than Michael.

  26. Dear Pastor Jack Trieber:

    Yes, ‘that’ certainly is ‘sacred.’ But then all which God made is sacred because God is the Maker.

    Your statement that ‘the body of a woman’ is ‘not revealed to anyone but her husband’ is an ambiguous expression. Lacking context, this could suggest inappropriate, improper and undignified behavior such as David’s observance of Bathsheba. To borrow your own query – why in the world would you even consider posting online something of such a nature when [as you see] it can be misconstrued so easily?

    We can always find adjectives to validate our treasured feelings of self-righteousness, and there will always be some who cheer. Whether emotive language as ‘captured,’ ‘debase,’ ‘dictate’ or ‘haphazardly’ pleases God is less obvious.

    I rejoice whenever the gift of fully human life, even in the womb has recognition. As I see it [and perhaps as God sees it] the images in question unfold of the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, and all his works are abundantly appropriate, proper and dignified. And if God intends to use this means to quicken a nation’s conscience, I for one wouldn’t want to oppose it.

    Christian Socialist

  27. Terrible thing to say, but I suspect they want to suppress the viewing of sonograms because people will realize what an embryo looks like, and that it will be easier to think about aborting something that looks like a little lump of goo. As the fetus develops it is not quite so much of an issue, once it is old enough to look like a baby- especially the 3-D photos. When my younger daughter was pregnant with twin they did frequent ultrasounds to monitor growth, and I was flabbergasted at the detail. But early on? How could you really tell them from a random bit of intestine?

    (The girls are almost 2 now and are beautiful little girls with bubbly personalities, and they are running their mommy and daddy into the ground!)

  28. Update: If anyone goes looking for this on the NVBC News section of their church website, its been removed! At least, I couldn’t find it among all articles they have available to view. Looks like someone at NVBC knows about SFL!

  29. Well, considering some of the Pastoral staff consists of two sons-in-laws and one son, all under the age of 35, yeah I’m sure they know about SFL. (But, will anyone there admit to viewing this site?) They also know to lookout for “Dad’s” bad PR & do damage control!! Its ALL ABOUT appearance! Got to keep the NVBC Kingdom intact for the next generation of IFBers.

  30. The blog post in question by Lord Trieber has been taken down, FWIW. Dunno if those things have a shelf life or if it was yanked.

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