20 July 2000 Editorial:
A Tool-box For the Times

Pr. Larry Kirkpatrick

Increasingly, the people of God are being asked, indirectly at least, to make their decisions based on pigeon-holed and stereotyped designations. One group is "liberal," one is "mainstream," another is "conservative," and then there are "ultra-conservatives" and "offshoots." As you may already have figured out, the liberals, ultra-conservatives and offshoots are the "bad guys." Mainstreamers and conservatives are the "good guys." Thus, many labor to affirm their membership among the good guys, while throwing their weight behind the idea that the bad guys are the bad guys.

What's behind it all?

Position. As crass as it sounds, because books of a new order have been released into the mix, supporting ideologies of a new order, a battle is on to influence God's people. The mistaken notion is, whoever holds the positional high-ground wins. This is not to say that everyone using one of these convenient labels is being opportunistic or has ulterior motives. Some we think do. Others are simply using a descriptive shorthand.

We suppose that this is the bad news. But the good news is that since these labels carry an ever increasingly foggy quality, we must all become more content-focused; labeling shorthand fails and the exercise of more discernment and awareness becomes necessary. In actuality, this is very good news for the Church. We are going to have to be more careful thinkers—not mere reflectors of the predigested thoughts of a select few. If there ever was an age when we could lean on others in that way, it is gone for good.

We want to be mainstream Adventists. That is, we want to believe in the authentic Seventh-day Adventist message of our pioneers. Neither wobbling far to the left or far to the right, but in continuity with that message in spirit, in hermeneutic, in theology, and in its implications, we want to be mainstream Adventists—Adventists directly in the track with God in living and giving present truth as He defines it. The "mainstream" has so long been portrayed as spiritual Valhalla that everyone insists that they are in it.

God has a channel of truth that is His mainstream, and so we want to make sure that's where we are. We want to get past all the labels and all the positioning and just be where He wants us. But the question remains: How shall we sniff-out the red-herrings and the doctrinal jack-in-the-boxes? What follows are some easy-to-use content-tools. See how they work. Write us and suggest fine-tuning, or share other tools with us. God wants His people to think clearly, avoiding deception. Delve into a Tool-box for the times.

Here are the Tools:

Buzzword-watch

Watch out for buzzwords or "coded-words." When you hear a phrase such as "unity in diversity," or "legalism," or "works-oriented," or "broken relationship," look carefully for a definition. Are such terms defined or left open? Become a definition-hound. If someone is going to communicate an idea that they want you to take seriously, they will be willing to define what they are saying. If they are trying to put one over on you, it may be another matter.

Ad Hominum

When someone is lacking in support from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy writings, they often attack the person. This is called an ad hominum, "against the man" argument. Instead of focusing on substantive interaction with what has been said, the disfavored person will be referred to as an "ultra-conservative watchdog," an "offshoot," or some other such derogatory term. The idea is to discredit the person so as to turn attention away from the arguments he presents.

Token SOP Use

Like pulling a rabbit out of the hat to awe the easily-awed crowd, pulling an Ellen White quote or two at the right moment can persuade hearers to let down their guard. This also usually signals a selective use of the Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) writings. Often those who really are indifferent to what the Holy Spirit says to God's people through her writings are right there at the front of the pack with choice quotations to support their views, selectively readied in their quiver, perhaps avoiding scores of statements on the same subject that would directly contradict that which the speaker/writer is saying.

Lip-service

Here's a variation on poster-child pioneers and textual flag-waving. By giving lip-service people affirm that they're for what someone else is for, and then fail to provide any evidence to show it is true (because in fact it isn't true). Example: "the emphasis on revival and reformation we found in the message of ____, ____, and ____ Ministries . . . is welcomed." Test: "Where's the beef?" That is, look for some form of evidence beyond the mere assertion that this is truly so.

Indirect attack on law

In so many subtle shades God's law is repeatedly attacked. Sometimes by de-emphasizing obedience, sometimes by implying that interest in the law is legalistic, or by implying that a higher state of spirituality is available to those advancing past the supposedly primitive and simplistic authority mode. Under the guise of promoting "relationship" or redefining sin, attacks are rampant. Such attacks are rarely frontal ones.

Textual Flag-waving

There is a stable full of core SDA Scriptures that can be pulled out and waved about when an editor wants to make a "conservative" impression. Texts like Isaiah 8:20; Daniel 8:14; Revelation 12:17; 14:6-7, 12; and even 18:1-4. If such texts are not mere decorations and decoys, that's fine. But beware when they are just waved before your nose like flags. Ask yourself, "why is this writer waving this flag?"

Billwobble

Which way is the wind blowing? If there is need to fly the "I'm a conservative" flag, then some will blow smoke in that direction. If otherwise, they will shift with the wind. Or, shift depending on the audience they are speaking or writing too. They may wax liberal in print, and conservative on the camp-meeting circuit.

Untruth by absence

Very frequently today we are seeing and hearing productions that contain many truths yet leave out necessary points that would round out what is being said. Often, without these elements that are left out, a telling of truth becomes a telling of an untruth.

Poster-child pioneers

This technique hides behind pioneer Adventism's heros, identifying oneself with them but fails to demonstrate any meaningful continuity with them. People who do this are portraying themselves to be what the content of their writings show them not to be. They are poster-child pioneers, attempting to hang on to the coat-tails.

Two-Ditch Model

A variation on ad hominum, the two-ditch model offers up an extreme view on the hard left and one on the hard right (always redefining the middle as being the "balanced" position). Other views are characterized as "extreme," or "imbalanced," while the wise obviously are those taking the middle path of enlightenment. Its not always so. Double-check and make sure they haven't moved the true middle on you! The Bible usually uses a two-ways (right versus wrong, obedience versus disobedience, broad road versus narrow road) model rather than a two ditch model.

Perhaps an acronym will help in remembering these tools. How about this memory device?

By Always Testing, Looking, I ndependently Thinking, B elievers Understand Present Truth. That is, BATLITBUPT.

Keep your tool-box handy. Keep people accountable. Make sure that you are in the "mainstream" where God has defined it, and not where someone would like to spin you.