Brian McLaren Says Evangelicals Dislike Him
Brian McLaren has been a frequent guest blogger on the Huffington Post lately. Yesterday (April 5, 2010), he penned a post with the intriguing title, Why Do Evangelicals Dislike Me So Much?
Why Does Brian Dislike Evangelicals So Much?
As I read Brian’s article, the question kept coming up, “Why does Brian dislike Evangelicals so much?” He describes Evangelical leaders as “testy under stress,” “multiplying their power,” “keeping moderate elements afraid,” “the most strident inquisitors,” etc.
He seems to be equally disdainful of Evangelical “followers.” He compares people disagreeing with his theology to subjects in Milgram’s classic authority/pain experiment. In the experiment, actors posing as authority figures commanded subjects repeatedly to press the pain and punishment button on their innocent fellow subjects. It supposedly demonstrates the extreme willingness of adults to go to almost any length on the command of an authority figure.
Brian then claims that the reason so many Evangelicals “dislike” him is because they’re afraid of their authority figures and therefore, like the Milgram subjects, keep pressing the punishment button to hurt Brian. According to Brian, these fearful, robotic, submissive, mindless followers become “agents in a terrible destructive process.” Out of fear of being zapped for daring to agree with Brian, these followers compliantly “press the punishment button when anyone dares to differ by giving the ‘wrong’ answer.”
In Brian’s thinking, they subject Brian and his followers to the pain buzzer in many ways. “Our motives are judged, our words are twisted, our proposals are misinterpreted, and our books are even banned or burned. But we aren’t complaining; we’re just sayin.’”
So…anyone who disagrees with Brian…dislikes him, wants to punish him, judges his motives, twists his words, burns his books—and does it all either to maintain power (if one is a “leader”) or out of fear of authority (if one is a “follower”). Not a pretty portrayal of Evangelical leaders and followers.
Another Version of the Story
There’s something a tad sad when a rich, successful, white male plays the victim card. And it’s very sad when he plays the victimizer card against anyone who disagrees with his theology.
I’ve read a good deal and written a good deal about Brian’s latest book, A New Kind of Christianity. Not a single thing I’ve read, nor a single thing I’ve written has even had even a hint of dislike for Brian, no questioning of his motives (even though he questions the motives of Evangelical leaders and followers), no twisting of words, no banning or burning of books, no desire to inflict pain or punishment.
Could it simply be that some of us, Evangelical leaders and followers alike, have a mind of our own and choose to disagree respectfully and lovingly with Brian? Why is it terribly destructive to disagree with Brian, but totally fine for Brian to disagree with 2,000-years of church history? (See my Final Recap for all the links to my posts where I respond question-by-question to Brian’s new kind of Christianity.)
Join the Conversation
Why do you think Evangelical leaders and “followers” disagree with Brian?
I was struck by the utter arrogance of McLaren’s article. You make some great points to that here. Have people said mean, ugly things to him? I’m sure they have, but there are also many thoughtful Christians who disagree with McLaren for good reasons. McLaren sets himself up as a lone moral voice willing to raise questions against the evil, dictatorial Christians. He is allowed to question, but if anyone questions him they hate him? Dialogue is great, but not if it raises questions against his thoughts or ideas?
I’ve read McLaren’s books and found them wanting on biblical grounds. Does that mean I’m just a poor simpleton, still locked in Plato’s cave waiting for someone like McLaren to rescue me and show me the light of day? I think not.
I don’t think Brian is “playing the victimizer card against anyone who disagrees with his theology.” He no doubt also was not addressing YOU specifically, Professor. He did not write, “Robert Kelleman, for example, has twisted my words, inflicted pain on me,” etc. I’m starting to wonder why you have such a fixation on him that you feel you have to respond to everything he writes? What is this all about?
Some Evangelical leaders and followers due choose to lovingly disagree with Brian. The vast majority, however, disagree with less than love. Surely you’ve read those book reviews? Those personal condemnations? My problem with it is, if you want to put your theology out for public debate, you should be prepared to handle the debate, whether it is done with love, venom, apathy, or anything else. And that goes for everyone of every time of theology, including me, lol.
Caleb, I think you put it very well: “He is allowed to question, but if anyone questions him they hate him? Dialogue is great, but not if it raises questions against his thoughts or ideas?” Thanks for sharing. Bob
Doreen, I appreciate you dropping by to share your thoughts about my thoughts. Thank you. We’ll have to agree to disagree about the victim and victimizer card. No fixation with Brian, but thanks for asking. I do happen to believe his influence is widespread and deserves a fair and balanced response–especially from a pastoral/biblical counseling perspective–that’s what motivates my blogs. I’m sorry, but I don’t see where the vast majority disagree with less than love. In fact, everyone I’ve read and posted links to have disagreed lovingly. But you’re right, if you put your stuff out there, you should be willing to have people say stuff about you…like you are fixated with Brian, for instance. Thanks again for stopping by and sharing. Bob
It’s the believer’s responsibility to try the spirits to see if they are of God. When a brother attacks or diminishes another brother to protect his interest, the spirits are not of God. We know the things of man by the spirit of man, and the things of God by the Spirit of God. The standard should be the scriptures, not our opinions, not even how we might feel about things.