Over the years we have become used to being censored by the Christian media. It’s something we accept as a result of confronting popular movements and popular people. We normally don’t mention such censorship to our readers. However, after being encouraged to do so, we’ve decided to share some recent censorship with you.
In the last two newsletters we surfaced two issues. One on Promise Keepers and the other on the biblical counseling movement. We have attempted to place ads for materials on both issues in conservative Christian publications and have tried to discuss these issues on Christian radio.
Of all the publications we have contacted regarding our “Promise Keepers Warning Package,” only two have accepted the ad. One of the two ads has not yet appeared. But, after the one ad was printed, we were told that the ad would not be accepted for a second time. The publisher referred to it as “an ad that tends towards the sensational.”
The same magazine did run an ad for Against Biblical Counseling: For the Bible and is willing to run that ad again. It seems that the word warning in the Promise Keepers’ ad is more sensational than the word against in the book ad. Was there pressure on the publisher not to run the warning package ad again by those sympathetic to the Promise Keepers? Probably.
Ads for our book Against Biblical Counseling: For the Bible have been refused by a number of Christian magazines. Recently we were scheduled to be interviewed on the book. However, the morning of our scheduled broadcast we were told that the program was canceled. The following is excerpted from a letter to us from the person who was to interview us:
It was a pleasure to talk with you the other day, although I wish the circumstances might have been better. Let me first apologize for the cancellation of our scheduled live radio interview. . . . The reason for their censoring your scheduled broadcast is an attempt to ensure that we always present programming which provides a “positive only” view of Christianity; that is, without any controversy and especially void of any negative words or views. . . . I was told in no uncertain terms that UNITY was the highest priority and that any program that presented any negativity was to be avoided. Hence, no interview with yourselves, especially if your latest book is to be discussed.
With all the false teaching emanating from this same radio station one wonders why we get censored and not the false teachers.
Think about all the aberrant, false, heretical, and blasphemous books that are advertised in various Christian publications and on the radio. If you obtained the Promise Keepers Warning Package and know the extreme psychoheresy and ecumenicalism in the movement, one wonders why the warning package is what is regarded controversial instead of the movement itself. And, with all the aberrant and even heretical teachings in so many books, why would a book that is adamantly FOR THE BIBLE be censored?
This type of censorship has been exercised against us for years. We share these recent incidents for purposes of information and prayer.
We find that psychoheresy has permeated all denominations and theological persuasions, from five-point Arminians to five-point Calvinists, from liberals to fundamentalists, and across the spectrum of eschatological persuasions. There’s barely a fellowship that does not have an unhealthy dose of psychoheresy. That is why we are so desperately concerned!
PAL V2N6 (November-December 1994)