Loose Ends
My theme this morning is “plausible deniability”.
“Plausible deniability” allows people to distort the truth by coming up with alternative narratives that could plausibly be true or difficult to prove false.
For example…
The Mexican government wants you to believe that cartel boss “El Chapo” Guzman “escaped” from prison via a tunnel a mile and a half long that not only went under a maximum security prison, but was able to end precisely under Guzmans cell. They want you to believe that nobody noticed the sound or the mounds of earth that were excavated. They want you to believe that there aren’t ground sensors all over the prisons perimeter that would have caught such activity. They want you to believe such things so you won’t believe that they were all paid off at every level to allow him to go.
The video from his cell and the tunnel give them plausible deniability.
Charles Bowden is somewhere laughing.
Gospel for Asia and it’s supporters want you to believe that K.P. Yohannan is a humble servant of God who only wears robes and has people kiss his ring because of cultural concerns.
They want you to ignore the fact that they are suing an Indian newspaper for defamation for not referring to Yohannan as “Metropolitan Bishop”, just like they want you to ignore a mountain of missing money and the testimonies of over a 100 former employees.
They want you to ignore these stories and believe their explanations on the basis of the reputation they have established and American leaders that have supported them.
Because we all know that Skip Heitzig has a pristine ethics record.
Because a bunch of your pastors say so, they have plausible deniability.
There are those who want you to believe that everything is hunky dory in Calvary Chapel.
The old guard wants the national conference to be moved about the country, more specifically, they want it removed from Brian Brodersen.
Thus, the announcement is made that there won’t be a national conference for two to three years and the pastors should attend a regional conference if they wanted to go conferencing.
That announcement was followed up by Brian Brodersen announcing the dates for next years conference…in Costa Mesa…with all regions invited.
But everything’s fine.
They all love each other.
They will fall back on plausible deniability to deny what I just wrote.
That’s ok…not many listened to Bowden either…but he was right.
Plausible deniability is just “fiction in action”…
Make your own application.
Dang, brother…
This article is bad for my blood pressure with all of its saltiness…
Laura,
You should have seen the unedited version…
El Chapo ain’t no Andy Dufresne.
GFA continues to deploy the old “If we keep ignoring it,it will go away” defense. That may not work anymore.
Michael, who made the announcement that there wouldn’t be a national conference for the next 2-3 years and in what format was it given?
sigh… brings to mind some Scriptures … something about whitewash and rags… and spitting…
Michael is just “bitter,” “black-slidden,” “divisive,” and (wait for it)…. a Calvinist!!!!
Eech-eech-eech!!! (picture the woman in the shower of the first Pyscho movie with that “eech” sound blaring).
Ok, now that I’ve done my duty, may I know be re-inserted into the CC Matrix-reinsert my caffeine-IV, inhale greasy food, and never exercise, all-the-while condemning evil smokers.
Thou shalt not touch the numerous reincarnations of Moses’!!!
Interestingly, only one of the Moses reincarnations may deem another reincarnation.
Michael is of course himself a pastor, but that doesn’t count (anymore), I guess he was un-reincarnated, like others un-called I’ve known, they learned a word other than “yes.”
The other irony is the way kings deem other kings is alot like how the next dalai lama is chosen.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/04/how-the-dalai-lama-is-chosen/
: )
Kevin H,
McClure …in front of the conference.
McClure! The ironies abound.
His daily “Bible” show is the christian version of Jesse Ventura’s show! (when Jesse isn’t attacking widows of heroes)
All I can remember about my 20 years at Calvary Chapel is the love the people there had for God and for my family. I don’t agree with all their theology anymore, but I do have a great deal of affection for Calvary Chapel.
unCCed, every time you spout poison I will counter it with honey.
Xenia,
Have you heard of Bishop Tryphon from Vachon Island?
Michael, yes, I know him, not personally, but he has been a guest speaker at my school, has a podcast and a blog. He has a beautiful monastery on Vashon Island near Seattle which I always plan to visit but never have. How do you know about Fr. Tryphon? (He is not a bishop.)
And so I assume it was also at the same conference that Brodersen gave the invitation for everyone to come to next year’s conference.
But aren’t those two both a part of the main leadership group of CCA? Must have been simply a miscommunication. Nothing to see here. Move along. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.
Great article….it stings b/c it’s packed with truth!
Xenia,
I knew I’d given him the wrong title, but couldn’t remember the right one…
He was here in the valley a week or so ago…and the local Christian radio network gave an hour to him and the local priest, Father Cardoza.
Father Cardoza is now one of his favorite guests…
Kevin H,
Exactly!
Trump sure is right about Mexico and the corruption there. They export us a lot of their Drug Cartels and Gangs and Criminals along with some good folks.
The FBI Annual Gang Threat Assessment’s are real eye-openers. Mexican Gangs and Cartels (mostly illegals) come over the border with impunity and are responsible for a huge chunk of the Gun Violence and Crime in the US.
Why are Democrats so Pro-Gang, Pro-Drug Cartel, Pro-Violent Crime?
Michael, it’s the mad, mad world of cc spiritual Doublespeak…
They use terms that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words to cover their a$$ets.
e.g., “moral failure” instead of sin, “cultural concerns” instead of idolatry in which case it is primarily meant to make the truth sound more palatable for the less discerning…
“What is really important in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie, whether knowingly or unconsciously, and to get away with it; and the ability to use lies and choose and shape facts selectively, blocking out those that don’t fit an agenda or program.” (Edward S. Herman)
A Friend,
The absolute last thing I want here is a political brawl.
I’m a Democrat and I’m opposed to all the things you mentioned.
The government of this country has been bi partisan in using the drug trade and immigration to be talking points without any sane programs to deal with either.
I will remind you that the most hallowed Republican of them all, Ronald Reagan, was using the profits from crack cocaine to finance the Contras.
Our own government (through the CIA) was complicit in the death of DEA agent Kiki Camarena.
Maybe some day we’ll become desperate enough to deal with these things honestly and rationally in order to find real solutions.
That day has not yet arrived.
fool me twice,
It’s not just in CC…it is rampant through all of our institutions.
I just write about the ones I know about… 🙂
FWIW, i think the answer to A Friend’s question is the same one that applies to the good folk that Xenia remembers from her CC days… they are good people confusing ‘nice’ with honest and so they look for ‘nice’ leadership…
and there is a flip side for us mean Conservatives, too … it may have it’s definition in The Donald who calls a spade a spade and talks the talk… might not be a good President, tho…. when you think about it, his success has hinged on being the guy who writes the paychecks i suspect… Washington’s bureaucracy is immune to talk and their paychecks are immune too
dunno, tho, do i? 🙂
I see Skip’s name and I realize how a Bob Grenier is still in business.
When I read about the Mexican drug lord I keep thinking of El Wappo from the Three Amigos.
listening to Abbot Tryphon and agreeing, Bravo – does the practice of not interfering with the growth of the hair on the skull make one more credible …?… it is, however, a good listen with some excellent warnings – interesting location, Vashon Island has had a reputation for being a bastion of the voluntarily unchurched… in fact, i’ve been praying for one of the residents there for a while now
Michael, Abbot Tryphon is a former Lutheran and he is a big cat lover. He’s got a Norwegian cat that he adores. He’s a very friendly, easy person to talk to, from what I’ve heard. I don’t know Fr. Seraphim C. at all but his is the church that has the icon display that you can see from the highway near Rogue River. They are both in ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) which is my own jurisdiction.
What kind of topics do they discuss on the radio?
Em,
I was on Vachon Island as a child a couple of times…absolutely love it.
All of the clergy in my life look like these two bearded pony-tailed men.
Xenia,
I posted the video of the one program.
There is a big backstory here…the fellow doing the interview is the owner of this media network and the former head of the Republican party in this state.
He and I have been at loggerheads for years, though we’ve met only in passing.
I had dinner with him the other night.
Despite our differences, he’s a wonderful, godly, man and one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met.
My head is still reeling.
Anyway…
He’s quite taken with much of Orthodox practice…he even went to a service.
He thinks we can learn much, especially now, from our Orthodox brethren.
He has Father C. on frequently to discuss all manner of theological and cultural issues.
I asked him if he has gotten much criticism for that…and he has not.
Father C is building a new church and Perry is going to ask all his listeners to help build it…
Ah, I didn’t notice that it was a video, I thought if was a mere photo. I’m watching now.
Thanks!
Xenia, you could be a cc king-judging without attempting to understand.
The “poison” you mentioned is almost verbatim what I’ve been told, many, many times, including from cc pastors.
So, play your words games if you want, your theatrics betray your heart.
Oh, and unless you’re 80, I’ve served a lot longer than you in your so-called beloved movement.
The difference is, I choice people over position, truth over appearance.
Insinuating or outright accusing someone without first asking is cheap, and I won’t play that game anymore.
Is that how you resolve all conflict in your life?
– THAT is what a question looks like, and how understanding begins.
Here was my understanding of the announcements about conferences as I heard both. McClure was speaking to those who think CCA should be putting on conferences. BB made it clear that next year’s conference in SoCal was being put on by Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and was not to be construed as coming from the association. Basically, I took him to mean, “Hey, we’re gonna do one here if you want to come. Otherwise, go somewhere else if that’s what floats yer boat!”
CK,
It’s the typical CC doublespeak that doesn’t trust that anyone listening would be mature enough to understand the situation and make prudent decisions.
The CCA is in the midst of a death rattle…
Basically what Brodersen is saying is we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing and if you don’t like it go do something else.
He’s been telling the others on the “council” that for some time.
I almost didn’t write anything at all because I’ve put my time in with this nonsense.
“Basically what Brodersen is saying is we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing and if you don’t like it go do something else.”
Very ChuckSr style, =)
Sounds like you and I agree then, Michael.
G,
Actually, not at all like Chuck Sr.
There is no threat, no guilt, no conflict.
A simple “this is what we’re doing”.
If you want to be here…fine.
If you don’t…fine.
Guitar Man,
Except in this case, it is being said to the association and whatever fossils want to go along with them.
An inside look:
Its kind of a “vote with your feet” attitude at the CCA level.