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Religious rhetoric can be tricky to navigate - giving us discomfort for no clear reason
Thankfully, *good* professors taught me how to carefully examine the words others use
Hopefully, this too-long thread helps explain why these words don’t & shouldn’t make you feel better:
https://twitter.com/davidnasser/status/1300533415972950021
Thankfully, *good* professors taught me how to carefully examine the words others use
Hopefully, this too-long thread helps explain why these words don’t & shouldn’t make you feel better:
https://twitter.com/davidnasser/status/1300533415972950021
The statement begins arguing that previous refusals to hold Falwell accountable were the result of “grace and understanding.”
I’ve unpacked this on other threads, but grace =/= withholding of consequences.
I’ve unpacked this on other threads, but grace =/= withholding of consequences.
Ezekiel 3:18-20 clearly articulates that refusing to respond to injustice with correction in action only enables more injustice.
This leaves the perpetrator w/ more guilt on his hands & more hurt souls to account for.
Ultimately, this kind of “grace” is absolutely unmerciful.
This leaves the perpetrator w/ more guilt on his hands & more hurt souls to account for.
Ultimately, this kind of “grace” is absolutely unmerciful.
That same passage also articulates that, if a soul falls into wickedness under your stewardship bc *you* refused to act, you will also fall.
You can’t separate the Board from Jerry’s actions.
You can’t separate Nasser from Jerry’s actions.
It was their *duty* to correct him.
You can’t separate the Board from Jerry’s actions.
You can’t separate Nasser from Jerry’s actions.
It was their *duty* to correct him.
“But who knows what was said behind closed doors!”
Fair. Still doesn’t excuse.
Remember the priest Eli? The death of him, his sons, and the curse on his line were punishments for uncorrected sin - both the original sin and the sin of failing to correct.
Fair. Still doesn’t excuse.
Remember the priest Eli? The death of him, his sons, and the curse on his line were punishments for uncorrected sin - both the original sin and the sin of failing to correct.
God told Eli to stop his sons’ sins - sins that took place in *God’s name* in a place publicly dedicated to *God’s work*.
How did Eli respond? By offering a private verbal rebuke - too light that did nothing to stop the sin.
Sound like someone at LU?
How did Eli respond? By offering a private verbal rebuke - too light that did nothing to stop the sin.
Sound like someone at LU?
“We acted swiftly and decisively.”
1. Falwell did not immediately resign. This piece set me quite on edge, folks, before it was updated a day later: https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/falwell-resignation-reports-are-completely-false/
1. Falwell did not immediately resign. This piece set me quite on edge, folks, before it was updated a day later: https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/falwell-resignation-reports-are-completely-false/
2. When he *did* resign, he received a $10 MILLION severance package. What about this is decisive? or corrective? https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2020/08/26/wp-jerry-falwell-jr-to-get-105-million-severance-package/
Nasser & the Board signed off, implicitly or explicitly, on the dissolution of LU’s philosophy department but allowed Falwell to resign w/ millions of dollars.
Those philosophy profs, who represent the LU I love dearly, lost their jobs OVERNIGHT bc of “business decisions.”
Those philosophy profs, who represent the LU I love dearly, lost their jobs OVERNIGHT bc of “business decisions.”
Perhaps a good “business decision” would have been to add a basic *morality* clause to Falwell’s contract at a *Christian* university.
This was not swift & decisive action from the board. Gross.
This was not swift & decisive action from the board. Gross.
“We are also committed to learning the consequences that have flowed from a lack of spiritual stewardship by our former president.”
Ope - see what happened there?
This is distancing language.
Ope - see what happened there?
This is distancing language.
The consequences are the result of “a lack of spiritual stewardship” - not from LU leadership writ large - but from “our former president.”
This statement perfectly posits all of the problems on Jerry Jr’s head while insulating the rest of the leadership from responsibility.
This statement perfectly posits all of the problems on Jerry Jr’s head while insulating the rest of the leadership from responsibility.
The campus pastor, who Wednesday night told the student body that he wasn’t going to put all this shame on Jerry because “grace”, just said he was thankful for a statement that placed the entirety of LU’s corruption on Jerry’s lap.
Why would he contradict himself like that?
Why would he contradict himself like that?
Because, if you frame the issues as rooted in Jerry, uprooting Jerry uproots the issues. Uprooting Jerry means you *don’t* have to uproot anyone else. Uprooting Jerry means the Board and Nasser get to stay nicely planted at LU.
This is *intentionally* dismissive
This is *intentionally* dismissive
It’s intentional *because* if you limit the investigation to Falwell’s “financial, real estate, & legal matters,” - focusing on what Falwell did as president - you don’t ever ask questions like who knew what and when?
You never ask who *enabled* or *allowed* suspicions to slip under the rug.
You never know what they *could have known* or *could have investigated* if they weren’t so wrapped up in their own finances and loyalties.
You never know what they *could have known* or *could have investigated* if they weren’t so wrapped up in their own finances and loyalties.
They say they were able to “put aside emotion.” Really?
LU leadership has consistently made pleas of grace on the basis of emotions like guilt during the past week.
LU leadership continues to play off campus embarrassment to try to quickly push every scandal out w/ Falwell.
LU leadership has consistently made pleas of grace on the basis of emotions like guilt during the past week.
LU leadership continues to play off campus embarrassment to try to quickly push every scandal out w/ Falwell.
You can never fully put aside your emotions. But you *can* contextualize them.
LU desperately needs its staff, students, and alumni to take the
Apostle Peter’s advice and be sober-minded and watchful.
LU desperately needs its staff, students, and alumni to take the
Apostle Peter’s advice and be sober-minded and watchful.
We have to *pay attention* to the language leadership uses.
We have to *restrain* our embarrassment, our desire to be rid of scandal, our own guilt, and focus on justice.
It’s hard. And frustrating.
But it will be good.
We have to *restrain* our embarrassment, our desire to be rid of scandal, our own guilt, and focus on justice.
It’s hard. And frustrating.
But it will be good.
Then they quote Matthew - a verse about God rebuking the external & not the internal, about God rebuking the “other” & not the “I.”
Again, it’s the displacement of God’s correction to anywhere except themselves.
Forget Matthew. Read Micah 7:9.
Again, it’s the displacement of God’s correction to anywhere except themselves.
Forget Matthew. Read Micah 7:9.
“I will bear the indignation of the Lord bc I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case & executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light, & I will see His righteousness”
The Board & Nasser blew past the first half of this verse, into God’s righteousness. No.
The Board & Nasser blew past the first half of this verse, into God’s righteousness. No.
If you are not willing to bear the Lord’s indignation,
If you are not willing to *personally* be corrected
If you are not willing to confess and fulfill the *material* consequences of repentance,
You don’t get to see His righteousness.
God won’t plead a case that’s not His.
If you are not willing to *personally* be corrected
If you are not willing to confess and fulfill the *material* consequences of repentance,
You don’t get to see His righteousness.
God won’t plead a case that’s not His.
Leadership is “reviewing options to establish a new role...for someone who will serve as a spiritual coach.”
This leadership, that refused correction & facilitated institutional harm on the basis of insufficient evidence, thinks it’s equipped to pick it’s own spiritual mentor?
This leadership, that refused correction & facilitated institutional harm on the basis of insufficient evidence, thinks it’s equipped to pick it’s own spiritual mentor?
Not only that, but after *conceding* that maybe they aren’t the best at this whole spirituality thing and need a spiritual mentor, they *immediately* give Prevo free reign to “implement any changes necessary.”
One of the people who remained silent over *years* of scandals OR spoke up only to *defend* Falwell’s actions, now has “full range” to change LU operations.
Leadership is right to ask for prayers. I just genuinely do not believe they’re ready for those prayers to be answered.
Leadership is right to ask for prayers. I just genuinely do not believe they’re ready for those prayers to be answered.
