“‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’ There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies. . .” Revelation 13:4–6

Pastor Douglas Wilson of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, asked the CREC Presiding Ministers to review his handling of two sexual predators who struck the Kirk. He specifically instructed the newly formed Review Committee to “satisfy themselves as to the health and soundness of their pastoral care in such circumstances, and to provide them with their counsel and advice where they see any deficiencies.”¹ The CREC Review Committee provided “their counsel and advice” in the Presiding Ministers’ Report on the Sitler and Wight Sex Abuse Cases, or PMR. Among other things, they publicly asked Mr. Wilson to refrain from:

• Engaging in online disputes with a person formerly under a pastor’s care, particularly when the person has been sexually abused in any way. . . .
• Discussing sensitive pastoral cases online. . . .
• Using unnecessarily provocative language, including derogatory or calloused language about women. Referring to certain women as “small breasted biddies” or “lumberjack dykes” is not likely to serve an edifying purpose in this context. We note that this language has caused a good deal of anguish among pastors and elders of CREC churches who would otherwise be supportive of Pastor Wilson’s ministry. Pastors should be careful not to give women reasons to avoid seeking help from the church. Instead, we should make it clear that the church is a place where all people are treated with honor and respect, and where victims can find grace. . . . (PMR 18, emphasis original)

Douglas Wilson answered the CREC Review Committee on his personal website. He refuses to submit:

So if someone with a long enough face to be a dowager from Human Resources tells me that I am no longer permitted, as a cis-white-male, to make any observations or comparisons, metaphorical or otherwise, about any aspect of the female anatomy, guess what I am going to do? Guess what my next blog post is going to be about?

Go on, guess.

And don’t bother trying to tell me that I am being a troubler of Israel. That is what Ahab said to Elijah. Right. The guy who imported all the idols and brought the wrath of Heaven down on his nation, he is the one who wanted to pretend that the man who opposed it all from the beginning should take responsibility. (Blog & Mablog, A Tether Ball in a Tornado, September 18, 2017)

Accordingly, Douglas Wilson intends to abuse whomever he wishes on the worldwide web because he believes his track record of opposing idolatry confers this privilege on him. To him it’s a trade: His Elijah-like righteousness grants him license to behave like Nero.

Deweaponization of Gog

Previously we looked at the real reason Douglas Wilson will not submit to the CREC Presiding Ministers: He’s running a con game on his readers and this particular con obligates him to “shock and insult” readers. Consequently, he has carefully crafted his use of vulgarities — “small-breasted biddies,” “lumberjack dykes,” etc. — and it follows that he markets himself as the pig-mouth pastor. Anything goes, as long as he generates the requisite “shock and insult.”

But there’s another reason why Douglas Wilson will not submit to the Review Committee’s counsel, which is closely related to this: The Presiding Ministers of the CREC advised Mr. Wilson to deweaponize Blog & Mablog:

Medieval mace (pic not in report).

But when it comes to matters such as the Sitler and Wight cases, especially when victims are involved, an entirely different voice needs to be heard — one clad not in battle regalia, but in a humble linen tunic. Not only is this glorifying to God and the right thing to do, it is a kindness to victims, as well as to internet onlookers, who may already be confused by the allegations, and who will likely become even more confused by pastoral responses made with sword and mace. Had biblical humility and prudence been placed more to the fore — and that is what our suggestions are trying to express — we believe it would have placed Pastor Wilson and the entire controversy on a higher road. (PMR 18)

The Presiding Ministers suggested that Doug Wilson lay down his “battle regalia” and they criticized him for his “pastoral responses made with sword and mace,” which is a gentle way of suggesting that he deweaponize. But true to form, Mr. Wilson used his personal website to spray Chemical Mace in the Presiding Ministers’ faces:

So if someone with a long enough face to be a dowager from Human Resources tells me that I am no longer permitted, as a cis-white-male, to make any observations or comparisons, metaphorical or otherwise, about any aspect of the female anatomy, guess what I am going to do? Guess what my next blog post is going to be about? (A Tether Ball in a Tornado)

Douglas Wilson asked the seven highest-ranking officers of his denomination for their counsel. But when they advised him to disarm, he misrepresented, humiliated, and abused them on Blog & Mablog. The irony is ironic: They giggled for years as he misrepresented, humiliated, and abused countless others — now he turned his weapon on them. Of course, this hardly rises to the level of bashing he inflicted on Natalie and her husband (which the CREC Review Committee ignored), but the message was clear: Douglas Wilson will not deweaponize.

“O Gog”

Douglas Wilson named his personal website after a demonic enemy of the gospel — Gog & Magog. In this respect it is a cyber-extension of his person. And for him the point isn’t about “small-breasted biddies” or “lumberjack dykes” or any of his other demeaning references to women. Rather, if he has to act like a minister of the gospel per the Presiding Ministers’ suggestion, then he can no longer use Blog & Mablog to harass, bully, and intimidate others into submission — including the Presiding Ministers of the CREC. If he disarmed, he could no longer control others with abuse: No more libels, no more outright lies, no more false accusations, no more blackmails — Prince Gog would be impotent. And this is no more negotiable than letting “the whole game collapse.”

¹ Inquiry into the Pastoral Ministry of Christ Church (Moscow, Idaho), October 3, 2015; emphasis added.