Part 1 (1967-1979) Paul Pressler Sought Power Over the SBC as well as His Abuse Victims But Was He a Christian? #ThisIstheSBC

Posted on by April 8, 2024avatar

Paul Pressler and wife

“The hypocrite, certainly, is a secret atheist; for if he did believe there was a God, he durst not be so bold as to deceive Him to His face.” Thomas Adams

I plan to write several posts on Paul Pressler and the cowardice of the SBC leadership in dealing with the abuse that they knew was going on. Some of them are jumping on the “The Paul Pressler allegations are horrifying” bandwagon when they knew and didn’t care enough to care for the abused. Is it any wonder that I fear they will not care enough for abused victims in the here and now?

Paul Pressler was known for his penchant for young, good-looking teens and men for years. Pressler also played a game called “Stand for doctrinal purity.” He seemed to care about purity only in writing or discussion. He did not live doctrinal purity in his life. The powers that be decided to ignore the allegations of abuse because he served a purpose. He played the game, and somehow, people thought he was powerful enough to win the war against so-called “doctrinal liberalism.’ Paige Patterson proudly joined hands with this pervert and proclaimed him a Baptist saint, putting his image on a stained glass window at Southwestern Theological Seminary. It’s now gone, but that stain remains embedded in the walls of that seminary.

Along with Paige Patterson, he was one of the authors who conceived of the “Conservative Resurgence.” Behind the scenes, people whispered about Pressler’s proclivities. Baptist News Global posted Letter to the Editor: Speaking ill of the dead by Bill Bruster.

The Metro Minister’s meeting is an annual gathering of pastors from large churches. The focus of the meetings is to share with other ministers on subjects that enrich the church and to learn from each other. There was a time when all kinds of Baptists attended these meetings, but Adrian Rogers decided conservatives needed their separate meeting, so the one group became two.

I attended those meetings for more than 20 years. At almost every meeting the subject of Paul Pressler’s sexual preferences surfaced. Ken Chafin participated in those discussions. Every one of us had heard the rumors, but no one had any proof. Christians do not go to the press with slanderous rumors. There must be proof.

Except, there was plenty of evidence, and no one wanted to be the one to speak the truth. Paul Pressler was supposedly a good lawyer…well I’ll get to that either in this post or a follow-up. Pressler’s lies and obfuscation about denominational matters were more important for many people.

Paul Pressler came to Knoxville in the early 1980s and met with a group of more than 100 pastors. I was pastor of Central Baptist Church of Bearden in Knoxville at the time and attended the meeting. Pressler made the statement that “the only thing wrong with the SBC was that the denominational executives would not meet with the conservatives.”

I stood up and said, “Judge, if you were in a court of law, you would be tried for perjury. You and I have been in those meetings, with you and your friends down one side of the table, me and my friends down the other side of the table and the denominational executives on each end of the table willing to listen to all points of view.”

Good for Bruster. After all, he believed Pressler to be a liar. Sadly, he and many others at that meeting did not make an equal effort to call our Pressler’s abuse. Read the first quote. He heard the rumors but decided not to look into the situation.

Paul Pressler met with a student at New Orleans Baptist Seminary named Paige Patterson in 1967

Pressler appeared to feel comfortable visiting a student named Paige Patterson in his apartment late at night. This is odd since he was there to offer a scholarship to some folks. He didn’t give one to Patterson, but he wanted Patterson to be a leader. Patterson said he would do it with Pressler. Those late-night visits should be thought of as a bit creepy. Who got the scholarships from Pressler? Was there a quid pro quo expected? Who knows?

According to the Pathway in A day of reckoning in the SBC’: Patterson discusses Conservative Resurgence in an exclusive interview

Tell me about the fateful day in March 1967 when, as a student at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, you met with Paul Pressler at the Café Du Monde.

“Paul came by my apartment. He was on campus because he had a scholarship that he gave to students who believed in the inerrancy of God’s Word. I was never one of his scholarship recipients, but somebody told him that when he was on campus next time in New Orleans, that he should stop by and see Paige Patterson. So he came by. It was late at night, probably 10:30 or 11:00, by the time he got there and knocked on my door. And when he introduced himself, I said, ‘Well, I’m tired of studying any way. Let’s go down to the Café Du Monde and get some coffee and donuts.’ And so we left, went out to Cafe Du Monde. We talked till about 3:00 in the morning.

“And that is where the myth comes in. We really didn’t do much that night as far as hashing out how to do the conservative movement. That was all done later. But he challenged me to lead it.

In the past, I have spoken with an anonymous source who lived with the Presslers. He claims that Pressler never molested him. Instead, Pressler was quite the gentleman. Assuming that Pressler is intelligent, he might have picked out certain young men who would attest that he was a wonderful man. In other words, folks like my anonymous source were unwittingly Pressler’s beard.

Beard is a slang term, American in origin, describing a person who is used, knowingly or unknowingly, as a date, romantic partner (boyfriend or girlfriend), or spouse either to conceal infidelity or to conceal one’s sexual orientation.[1][2] The term also refers, in some areas, to anyone who acted on behalf of another, in any transaction, to conceal a person’s true identity.[3][1]\

Paul Pressle was ousted as a youth pastor at a Presbyterian church in Houston in 1978.

This is odd behavior. He was involved in giving scholarships to Baptist students but decided to become a youth pastor at a Presbyterian church.

It appears Pressler started his perverse career as a Presbyterian. However, he likely started his behavior earlier.

Rollins’ lawsuit also uncovered a 40-year pattern of alleged abuses by Pressler. As part of the suit, a former member of Pressler’s youth group said in a sworn affidavit that Pressler molested him in 1977 while the two were in a sauna at the country club in Houston’s tony River Oaks neighborhood. The man was entering his sophomore year in college at the time; Pressler, meanwhile, was a youth pastor at a Presbyterian church in Houston. He was ousted from that position in 1978 after church officials received information about “an alleged incident,” according to a letter introduced into the court file. Soon after, Pressler ramped up his involvement in Southern Baptist life.

Why did Pressler decide to jump into the SBC? Did he see this as an opportunity for him to continue his activities? Pressler was involved in an exclusive country club and reportedly was well off. On the other hand, did he jump to the Presbyterians to better conceal his sexual habits from the Southern Baptists?

Rollins said Pressler began sexually abusing him not long after. He said the rapes continued on and off for nearly a quarter-century, often while he was working as Pressler’s aide.

In 1979, he confronted SBC leaders whom he thought were liberal.

So, just after he was booted from the Presbyterian church, which must not have reported him to the police, he recounted the following in Pressler details his involvement in SBC conservative resurgence, published by the Baptist Press.

During the two previous decades, Pressler recounts, conservatives were accused by some denominational leaders of being ignorant of Southern Baptist polity and heritage. Pressler quotes a 1979 confrontation he had with Russell Dilday, then-pastor of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church and later president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dilday accused him of doing “a horrible thing in stirring people up,” Pressler writes, recounting that he felt treated as an outsider who was “treading on the private domain of someone who was fully in charge, and they deeply resented any intrusion.”

Pressler claimed he didn’t seek notoriety.

Pressler writes in his book he never sought such notoriety and viewed his initial involvement as short-term. “I thought that once we raised questions about the theological problems in our institutions, those in positions of authority would be willing to listen, others would lead and the issues would be solved.”

It is well known that sexual abuse has little to do with sex and everything to do with power. Although he claims he didn’t want notoriety, I believe he sought power in many aspects of his life.

He is hopeful that those who study the SBC might know “what was really in the heart and mind of one of the participants” by reading his book. “This is not an argument for victory, but an explanation of why a course correction had to occur and why, at great sacrifice, the battle had to be waged.”

Again, it was an argument for power when viewed in retrospect. Many who felt the wrath of Pressler’s doctrinal war must have seen a man who wanted power to determine theological outcomes.

Pressler claims no one understands the strain he was under in 1979.

Instead of pointing to his ouster from the Presbyterian church, he points to his sacrifice for the SBC while dealing with his son’s illness. Did he use his son’s illness as a cover?

While Pressler was dealing with the public notoriety of his battle for the SBC, he was facing a personal crisis over the sudden onset of seizures and severe headaches experienced by his teenage son, Paul IV. First diagnosed as a form of multiple sclerosis, doctors have since determined that the Presslers’ son is highly allergic to mercury and other heavy metals. Though disabled, he graduated from high school and completed college courses at Houston Baptist University.

“Many people who have criticized me because of my SBC involvement do not know the personal strain under which I have operated,” Pressler writes. As he watched the deliberations of the 1979 Houston convention from a friend’s skybox, he listened to his son crying from his severe headaches. “Anybody who thinks that I could have had the composure to direct what was happening on the floor of the meeting — as some have charged — simply does not know the situation.”

Those now-famous skyboxes are explained in Pressler’s book, along with many events he believes were exaggerated or misrepresented, distracting observers from his message. He responds to allegations of voting irregularities, busing of conservative messengers, positioning of candidates, illegal messengers and the existence of a 10-year plan for controlling the boards of the SBC, providing clarifying information.

Let’s go back to the Baptist News post at the beginning of this post.

Everybody knew of Pressler’s proclivities, but no one reported him to the police or moved to spare the pain of those he would go on to molest.

Let’s sum this up.

  • Pressler, while courting SBC seminary students for scholarships and conservative takeover scenarios, was also a youth pastor in a Presbyterian church from which he was expelled for sexual allegations.
  • Why was he attempting to gain power in the SBC as a Presbyterian? Was it a cover for his activities?
  • Was Patterson aware of Pressler’s extracurricular activities?
  • Was Pressler’s involvement in the Conservative Resurgence merely a balm for his apparent power-hungry soul, whether sexual or doctrinal?
  • For those who think I’m harsh, how does one play doctrinal politics yet behave like a degenerate?
  • Did members of the SBC Executive Committee know anything about this?
  • This brings up the question… Can someone who abuses over decades while knowing it is wrong be a Christian?
  • Do any of the SBC leaders feel guilty for not reporting this to the police or even not confronting Pressler?
  • If they don’t care, should they be leaders in the SBC?
  • What did Patterson know? Did he think it was odd that Pressler came to his apartment late at night?
  • I read this stuff, so you don’t have to do so.

More to come.

Comments

Part 1 (1967-1979) Paul Pressler Sought Power Over the SBC as well as His Abuse Victims But Was He a Christian? #ThisIstheSBC — 62 Comments

  2. Dee, I have no problem at all, if the allegations are true, stating that I do not believe Paul Pressler was a Christian. That is just me using I Corinthians chapter 6 as a proof text.

    On the other hand, only God knows, and of course Paul Pressler himself knows too.

    I am not a professional in the mental health field so I have no idea what goes on in the minds of a person like Paul Pressler that lived such a double life. In addition, how many enablers were with him on this journey.

    While I know this would be illegal as well, I am shocked that some male college student didn’t simply beat the crap out of him. Let’s face it, while these crimes were sadly not reported to authorities in the past…. at the same time we all enjoyed movies in the 70s and 80s that featured a kind of “street justice”. Think “Dirty Harry” and “Death Wish”, for example. I make this point to demonstrate there was this “sweeping under the rug” while at the same time people would not have rushed to judgement when a kid beat up an “old gay pervert”. Sorry but that is what we would have called him on the ‘80s.

    All that to say, this double life had to be well-orchestrated to the point that it was permitted for what these sick fools deemed to be the “greater good”.

    If you are a hypocrite, you are indeed a closet atheist.

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  5. “Was He a Christian?”

    “I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality … not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.'” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

    “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

    “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)

    “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

    “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.” (2 Peter 2:20-21)

    Are we aware of Mr. Pressler admitting sexual abuse? … confessing and taking responsibility for these sins? … humbling himself and repenting? … What would a Christian do?

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  6. > how does one play doctrinal politics yet behave like a degenerate?

    I think that it is possible to employ the appearance of zeal for doctrinal purity as a cover for lived impurity. It can be part of the “beard”. Onlookers might reasonably infer, projecting based on how their own minds work, that someone so zealous for sound doctrine would be equally concerned to live in ways that are pleasing to the Searcher of Hearts.

    The above assumes conscious hypocrisy, but it might be possible to be sincerely zealous for doctrine but also uncaring about morality, on the theory that one is not saved by obedience to behavioral commands (a common understanding of “works of the Law”), and likewise one is not saved by avoidance of forbidden behaviors.

    Is such a person a believer? Perhaps that’s the wrong question. A more Reformed approach might be useful: “what is the evidence that this person has been regenerated?” IMO doctrinal purity is not an adequate evidence; the demons also have sound doctrine, and tremble.

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  8. ishy:
    FYI, I was not raptured today as a certain Christian conspiracy theorist insisted would happen and neither were they, so….

    Same for me. I was cruisin’ down 4-lane street in a Western Kentucky town at maximum eclipse time (.979 magnitude in my neck of the woods), and nuthin happened. No car crashes, no empty trucks… The town was busy… traffic was heavy.…… But, no sirens or reports of missing people. I drove past two schools around dismissal time….. looked normal. Nuthin, and I had the radio on all the way, all 30 miles going to town, and and all 30 miles coming home.

    The best thing, though…. Everyone was or had been busy watching the eclipse, so I took care of business at Walmart and the John Deere dealership service area in record time. Most of the customers at Walmart were out in the parking lot, and there were no customers in the JD service area! Yahoo!

    FYI- this eclipse didn’t interest me as much as the one in 2017. In 2017, the location with the longest duration of totality was less than an hour’s drive from my house.

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  11. What would a Christian do?
    Max,

    Not this. The part of the article that I copied and pasted was taken from a letter from FBC Houston to Pressler in 2004.

    https://baptistnews.com/article/new-court-documents-show-first-baptist-houston-leaders-knew-of-allegations-against-pressler-in-2004/
    “Given your stature and various leadership roles in our church, the Southern Baptist Convention and other Christian organizations, it is our considered opinion that this kind of behavior, if brought to light, might distort your testimony or cause others to stumble. We desire neither, but, rather, pray that God continues to use your gifts and talents to accomplish his will and purposes.”

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  15. Nancy2(aka Kevlar): letter from FBC Houston to Pressler in 2004.

    https://baptistnews.com/article/new-court-documents-show-first-baptist-houston-leaders-knew-of-allegations-against-pressler-in-2004/
    “Given your stature and various leadership roles in our church, the Southern Baptist Convention and other Christian organizations, it is our considered opinion that this kind of behavior, if brought to light, might distort your testimony or cause others to stumble. We desire neither, but, rather, pray that God continues to use your gifts and talents to accomplish his will and purposes.”

    “God continues to use”?!! Uhhh … excuse me … God does not use someone to accomplish His will and purposes who is living in habitual gross sin. In my humble (but accurate) opinion, SBC’s Conservative Resurgence and the nasty mean-spirited bunch who led it was not God’s will. The denomination is now experiencing the consequences of moving outside His will and purposes.

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  18. I would be very reluctant to state that Pressler “is not a Christian.” PP is a loathsome creature and the SBC leadership are gross hypocrites; but we cannot know what internal struggles between belief and depravity that PP may have gone through. The question is up to our lord Jesus, who–I hope–is a merciful lord.

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  21. Bob,

    Bob–I so agree. PP’s behavior was certainly unChristian. That said, I do stand with some Lutherans and the old version of the SBC in that he may well have been saved, struggling with inbred sin, and losing the battle.

    One thing I really appreciate about TWW is this: I remember and was part of the pre conservative, fundamentalist, and calvinistic takeover SBC. I remember well when in a matter of a few weeks it seemed the convention (and head’s up Al M., it is not a denomination) seemed to be teaching “another gospel” and wondering what the heck happened.

    Thanks to TWW and others, I can see what happened. My faith is still the same. I need not attend a fake church. After all, if I want a real Big Mac I don’t go to Burger King. Or Pizza Hut.

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  22. Bob,

    There is hope in Christ for all of us. Christ hears genuine cries of confession and repentance, and forgives.

    As far as “judging” another’s sin, Scripture reminds us “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

    Could it be that Mr. Pressler received a pass from SBC leaders because they refused to “judge” his sins? … that he was too important to the Conservative Resurgence to fail? … wrote it off as sin-leveling, his sin no worse than their own?

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  25. I’m getting sick and tired of these awful stories about bad-boys running roughshod over the church and abusing the children of God. It’s time for some bold prophets to roll in and point a finger in the face of these guys and shout “You’re the man!” (not in a dudebro way, but in a Holy Spirit convicting way). These characters need to have the hell scared out of them before they end up there!

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  26. Max,

    Not just individuals, the whole SBC structure is disgusting.. As least some of them admit they knew of Presslers “proclivities” and did nothing.. can I vomit now…
    SBD is a “Anti-Church” …. leaders did nothing as Pressler continued to abuse boys/men, all the while being this “Conservative resurgence”.. I think I will vomit again..

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  27. Jeffrey J Chalmers,

    For those of you that do not remember me posting..
    In about 1975, my 7 grade science teacher was fired from my General Association Regular Baptist school (a VERY fundy school for those not familar).. This pervert was grooming me, but thank Godness did not touch me.. His firing was all hush hush..
    Because of TWW, I searched him up, and he is on “Megans List” in CA.. He was a guest of the State of Ca prison system for many years for abusing under age boys (note, I use the plural here). After his “firing” from my school (no legal action that I know of) he went to So Cal were he taught, and had contact with boys, and subsequently abused them… I have retreived the court records, and they DISGUST ME.

    Now I read that the LEADERSHIP of SBC COVERED UP for another pervert… Words do not capture my thoughts/feelings, and my sympathy for those abused… Obivously, SBC leadership does not give a damn..

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  28. Max: Leadership at most institutions can be compared to a septic tank … the big chunks float to the top.

    While there is nothing funny about this situation, this is the funniest phrase I’ve heard in a long time.

    Max, I love your heart. You’re zealous for all the right things. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

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  32. Max,

    Ah, like a certain Texas judge who was elected VP of the SBC in 2002…… while he was assaulting young men?
    And then there’s his stained glass best buddy who protected male abusers and “broke down” female victims.
    Examples to live by???? Apparently some thought so.

    In my book, all of the disinfectant and deodorizer in the world won’t get rid of that stench.
    When a stench has been permeating something for 4 decades (or more), there ain’t no fixin’ it.

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  33. Jeffrey J Chalmers:
    Jeffrey J Chalmers,

    For those of you that do not remember me posting..
    In about 1975, my 7 grade science teacher was fired from my General Association Regular Baptist school (a VERY fundy school for those not familar)..This pervert was grooming me, but thank Godness did not touch me.. His firing was all hush hush..
    Because of TWW, I searched him up, and he is on “Megans List” in CA..He was a guest of the State of Ca prison system for many years for abusing under age boys (note, I use the plural here).After his “firing” from my school (no legal action that I know of) he went to So Cal were he taught, and had contact with boys, and subsequently abused them… I have retreived the court records, and they DISGUST ME.

    Now I read that the LEADERSHIP of SBC COVERED UP for another pervert…Words do not capture my thoughts/feelings, and my sympathy for those abused… Obivously, SBC leadership does not give a damn..

    I remember your story. I am so very sorry. I am GARBC also. The Dr. Donn Ketchum story in Bangledesh….is another mark of sin and shame, handled poorly.

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  34. Was Pressler a Christian?? What are the criteria here? I’m not sure this is a useful question. Obviously his abusive behavior wasn’t consistent with any ethical standard, Christian or otherwise. If someone is persisting in egregious behavior that is harmful to others, a church community doesn’t
    have to try to figure out whether they’re “really Christian” or not before showing them the door. The church community is supposed to protect itself from predatory people. If a group consistently fails to do this, and even empowers predatory people, is it really a church?

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  36. CMT: Was Pressler a Christian?? What are the criteria here?

    Whenever this comes up regarding watchblog bad-boys (and occasional bad-girls), I always go back to the Biblical expectation of being “Christian”: does their behavior and heart reflect Jesus Christ? Christ-followers were first called “Christian” in Antioch because their behavior and hearts reflected that name. Perhaps the 21st century church has dropped the holy standard required for that precious name? Heck, I can take you to “Christian” churches in my area next Sunday that will not even mention His name … they will talk about “God” while they quote theological icons, but the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit will not get airtime.

    IMO, “another” gospel has taken over much of the American church, while ‘the’ Gospel is not preached. A thin veneer of Christianity covers it, producing whatever “Christians.”

    “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15)

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  39. Muff Potter: I’m still confounded as to why pious folk still bankroll these jokers (Pressler et al.).

    It ain’t “pious” folk who bankroll these characters … according to my dictionary: pious = “deeply religious and visibly follows all the moral and ethical codes of his religion” … that would not describe the SBC bunch that Pressler hung out with!

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  40. Jeffrey J Chalmers: LEADERSHIP of SBC COVERED UP

    The core problem is that we don’t have a leadership in place at SBC (and elsewhere) who are holy and bold enough to deal with sin in high places and “cast out this man from the fellowship of the church and into Satan’s hands, to punish him, in the hope that his soul will be saved when our Lord Jesus Christ returns” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

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  42. Max: “You will know them by their fruit” doesn’t fit Pressler.

    Oh, but it does, it does.

    His fruit is rotten and it speaks volumes about the source of it and the likely condition of the soul behind it. Not only does it sound like he perpetrate horrible deeds, but it also sounds like he covered it up.

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  43. Max:
    Jeffrey J Chalmers,

    The American church puts up with way too much sin in the camp because we don’t “judge” as we ought.

    You are correct. Many parts of the church judge, but not as they should.

    Instead of judging the church as they ought,
    they judge the world as they should not.

    The early verses of Romans 2 come to mind. I think there are other passages that speak to this as well.

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  44. Jeffrey J Chalmers:
    Jeffrey J Chalmers,

    Obivously, SBC leadership does not give a . . .

    They do though, they just don’t care about the abused or the flock.

    I would suggest that their actions and fruit very clearly show what they care about:
    power/control,
    prestige/postion,
    money/perks,
    and other more important areas. Well, more important to them anyway.

    Unfortunately, the SBC does not seem care about the important things that Christ actually cared about – which makes them, in essence, mini anti-Christ’s.

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  47. Afterburne: Many parts of the church judge, but not as they should.

    Instead of judging the church as they ought,
    they judge the world as they should not.

    The early verses of Romans 2 come to mind. I think there are other passages that speak to this as well.

    “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

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  51. Be careful with the idea the church is only to judge those in the church, not those without.

    I have seen some truly awful abuse and perversion committed that should be hated by all humans, not just Christians. The abusers were not professing Christians and thought that made them immune to any criticism by Christians.

    Child abusers who do not claim to be Christians love to label Christians as Bible thumping hypocrites who are told by God not to judge that abuser as they are “outside the church.”

    Nope, hurt a kid and you get judged. Period.

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  52. “Was he a Christian?” is the wrong question to be asking.

    It is way too likely to sidetrack onto Theological/Doctrinal/Soteriological Minutiae, putting the fight on the abuser’s home turf where he has home-field advantage. And you end up playing HIS game on HIS turf.

    I am reminded of the Christian Cult Watcher groups of the Seventies, who defined CULT(TM) entirely by Theology, not repeat NOT by totalist cultic behavior against their people. While the Anti-Cult Crusaders were parsing Theology under an electron microcscope, Christian Fellowships(TM) like the one that almost sucked me in (End-of-the-World plus Shepherding/Discipling) slipped right under their radar. But the damage these Theologically Correct Fellowships(TM) did was every bit as bad.

    There used to be a Naked Pastor cartoon titled “The Theologians”. It was two well-fed men tunnel-visioned onto this huge Bible they were studying, arguing over a passage while surrounded by starving refugees, all around them as far as the eye could see.

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  57. Max: It ain’t “pious” folk who bankroll these characters … according to my dictionary: pious = “deeply religious and visibly follows all the moral and ethical codes of his religion” … that would not describe the SBC bunch that Pressler hung out with!

    “RIGHTEOUS and PIOUS are We, are We,
    The Moral Majority…”
    — Song I found while searching for another

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  61. Max,
    I don’t know your definition of Christian Counterfeits, but the ones I encountered the most were the pop culture knockoffs, i.e. “Just like [insert anything here], Except CHRISTIAN(TM)!”

    And why does Christianese keep ragging on Wolves?
    What you’re talking about are more like feral junkyard dogs or hyenas on bath salts.
    Wolves have more Class than that!
    (I think Muff Potter our resident Menominee also has something to say about Wolves’ reputation.)

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