This is “Dr.” Marc Monte, the lead pastor of Indiana’s Faith Baptist Avon, an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church. (The quote marks around “Dr.” are because Monte is a doctor like I’m an astrophysicist. He has nothing but one of those “honorific” faux-doctorate degrees that IFB leaders hand out to each other like little boys playing Now you knight me!—except, of course, these pretentious, potato-headed potentates then use their fraudulent titles to bolster the authority they wield over their churches with such impunity. Interesting, isn’t it, how leaders so passionate about remaining “separate from the world” at the same time so avidly co-opt the signifiers of power from that world—such as the title Doctor?)
Mr. Monte is a 1989 graduate of Bob Jones University, where he was awarded his B.A. in “Bible.” (Hint to people running fundamentalist faux-colleges: come up with a better sounding degree program name than just “Bible”—like maybe “Bible Studies” or “Biblical Theology.” At the same time you hand someone a degree in “Bible,” you may as well give them a sweatshirt with WHITE TRASH UNIVERSITY on its front. Another hint is to avoid giving your school a name that might cause it to be known as anything as laughably stupid as … oh, I don’t know, BJU. Just think how grateful the people who run BJU today would be for a chance to travel back in time and teach the founders of their school how to spell Robert.)
Bob Jones University is the criminally insane institution where the young woman whose story I shared in A Christianity to Make Satan Proud learned just how organically evil the IFB is.
Toward the end of last month, the good people at BJU News sent out a few tweets about the investigation of BJU for endemic sexual abuse currently being spearheaded by G.R.A.C.E., which stands for Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment. (That name sets my teeth on edge, since it suggests a difference between a “Godly” response and the right response to abuse. And then there’s this. Then again, this.)
In reply to BJU’s update about the G.R.A.C.E. investigation, “Dr.” Monte felt compelled to tweet:
So remember, victims of abuse at BJU: None of you were, in fact, abused. You were all just having fun in a protected place. And the only explanation for your feeling any way otherwise is that you’re all psycho.
Furthermore, Pastor Monte wants victims of abuse to know that persisting in their belief that they’ve been the victim of abuse renders them abject failures, both as people and Christians:
And should any victims of abuse employ the blessedly democratic Internet to tell their story (such as people did here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here), they should know that:
And, finally, women should never forget God’s intention for them (and their hair):
So, to recap these fundamental beliefs held by “Dr.” Monte: No sane person is ever abused, victims of abuse should tell their story to no one but the police, and God wants women to wear the proper hairstyle and be submissive.
In a video on his church’s website, Pastor Monte, seeming just as down-home friendly as Gomer Pyle, says that he and his church reach out to the community “in love and caring and compassion,” and that the messages he preaches are “relevant and meets the needs of hearts today.”
If you would care to share with him your thoughts about any discrepancy you might detect between love, caring and compassion and the content of his tweets above, Pastor Monte can be reached at: preacher@faithbaptistavon.com.
UPDATE #1, from this comment below: Monte’s church has invited anyone with questions for him to call Monte on his cell phone, at (317) 201-3429.
UPDATE #2: In what I’ll venture to guess is in response to this post, this morning “Dr.” Monte published the following three tweets:
But before those ghastly expressions of ignorant banality, arrogant dismissiveness, and purely toxic cruelty, “Dr.” Monte tweeted, as his first response to this post, this:
To which I, just now, replied:
(The wp link is to this post.)
“Dr.” Monte’s response to that reply? He immediately deleted the post of his that prompted it.
UPDATE #3: It’s 9:30 a.m. PST on Wednesday, March 13. I just tweeted this:
@drmarcmonte: Stop emailing 1 abuse victim (“ur bitter with no friends,” etc: http://bit.ly/WHEvFC). Answer publicly, coward.
I hardly expect Monte to respond, of course: I’m sure he’s much less interested in publicly engaging me than he is in privately emailing the woman (an exchange she has published here) whom he knows to have been sexually abused by her pastor father. He invited the woman, Linda, to phone him on his cell—the number of which, again, is (317) 201-3429. I’m sure he’d love to talk to anyone who might care enough to call him.
UPDATE #4: And now he’s apparently calling Linda a liar (and me a “self-proclaimed anti-Christian”). Someone along the line here has told me that “Dr.” Monte never responds to men who criticize him, but only to women. It’s starting to look like that really is the case.
UPDATE #5: Monte’s tweets for today (March 14):
But I’m sure he’s not talking about any of us.
![John Shore on The Huffington Post](http://johnshore.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/huffpost.jpg?w=120 "John Shore on The Huffington Post\")
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my posts are appearing on the internet — can you undo that???please??? thx!!
Marilee, to what are you referring?? This *is* the Internet – and anything posted here becomes part of a public conversation. Theoretically, anyone with a computer can happen upon John’s blog, read it, share it – whatever.
Where else are you seeing your posts?
Poor BJU. For sure, there’s no need to exaggerate. More than the ludicrous rules, in the mid sixties, a series of perspective beyond nuts. I thought the Civil War was still going on, for one. You would have thought there was no actual outside world, the one I poor my life into now — let me think, I sat dumbfounded in required-seating-’Chapel’, or was it a ‘Bible Conference’, yep, as they gave a ‘doctorate’ toe Ian Paisley, folks, and then to George Wallace, yes, THAT George Wallace. Give me strength. My Pastor-Dad liked to think he was a fundamentalist because he believed in ‘fundamental truths’, but he was pretty evangelical, a real lifelong scholar, who loved the Lord like no one I’ve ever met. He was horrified by my experience there. It was a short one . . us California kids were out of there as soon as we could find a school that took our Bible credits as history or Literature — SFSU for me. Oh, and, I only wish I’d gotten a diploma so I could have returned it as some of my friends did, proud to say. There’s danger, and real serious paranoia, in fundamentalism of any kind. Now as a Ph.D. and lifelong curious, questioning, grateful follow of Jesus, I’m so thankful that my experience there was brief, and that my heart is open to lovingkindness and care, and accurate respectful discourse with all my brothers and sisters of any and all, or no faith tradition. While we all have hilarious as well as terribly hurtful and horrid stories of the experience there, bear in mind that the danger lies partly in the degree of support and degree of emotional and psychological fragility an individual brings to that situation — hence all of our differing takes on it. We need to be gentle with each other’s realities, and let them be — each is unique, as well as on a differing developmental trajectory . . . just my two cents . . .
I’m new to this page, as in, just found it a couple of hours ago, but once I started reading, especially Linda’s story, I couldn’t stop. I just wanted to say what everyone else here is already saying, that Linda is a true heroine, and I would feel blessed if one day I managed to have half the strength and self love she has. Linda you are truly someone to look up to, by everyone, not just survivors of abuse. Inner strength is something not only to be admired, but respected. You are a beacon, and I know this who thing sounds cheesy, but it’s really how I feel.
And to John, thank you, thank you, thank you. This website is a breath of fresh air. I’m honestly only beginning my path with God. He’s been giving me strength to live my life better, and to get through the difficulties in my life and not feel like I am drowning. At the same time, trying to find a place in Christianity where I fit has been very difficult. I’m a very open minded person and have been struggling to find like-minded Christians who truly believe, like I do, that God loves EVERYONE, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle. He is all forgiving. Yet almost every group of “Christians” I encounter are close-minded, condemning, hypocritical people. So your page is truly a God send for me. It shows me that there are TRUE Christians out there, who are truly accepting, forgiving, and loving people. I have happily subscribed to your newsletters, and can’t wait to read more! God bless you!
I just added my own two cents to his Twitter, including the mandatory (for me, and yes I know, rather childish) insult toward his, um, “manhood”–’cause that’s just how I roll (it was a VERY thinly veiled insult!). I expect to get an equally obnoxious result. My first Tweet simply said that (since he was overjoyed at having attained 800 followers) I couldn’t believe there were THAT many idiots in the world–or something to that effect. I’m sure that I will be rewarded accordingly, since my tone was definitely NOT submissive
A friend of mine has significant hearing loss. So for years, whenever the kids called someone a “douche-bag” she thought they were saying “juice bag” and was picturing a little Capri Sun juice drink. She used the term in the car one day in reference to another driver and her husband about fell over laughing. It’s been my favorite term ever since.
Let’s start pelting his Twitter account, calling him a Juice Bag (i.e. a person who is clueless).
LOVE it! I should have gone with that…..urgh, next time, then..;)
Well, I’ve taken my proverbial stab at engaging the good pastor.
I had to wait a couple of days, because my blood was boiling and I couldn’t possibly have written to him without many swear words. We will see if he replies – I’m guessing not and I really don’t care. I just had to lend my voice to the chorus, off-key as it might be! I’m no Linda – of whom I am in utter awe – but here’s what I sent:
Dear Mr. Monte:
I am sorry that you have been attacked by Rev. John Shore and his minions. As the mother of two teen daughters, I understand how quick teen girls can be to blame, how unwilling they can sometimes be to take responsibility for their own actions. That a girl would strive to take down a family because of an unsubstantiated accusation is just . . . wait a minute.
If I read all of the posts and tweets correctly, the victim with whom you have been verbally sparring substantiated her claims – more than once. She was raped – by the one man in her life whom every girl *should* be able to love and trust without question – her father.
She went to authorities who continuously ignored her or made her out to be the villain. No part of me, as the mother of teen girls, can fathom how hurt she was, or how strong and noble she’s been for speaking out – both to find her own healing and to protect more children from being abused by the worst kind of pedophile – the one wrapped so carefully in sheep’s clothing. The one who is protected by the shepherds, as the lambs are eaten alive.
You call yourself a pastor. I have no idea what kind of life you’ve led – if you are also an abuser and thus feel for this man through a kinship of guilt, if you were also abused and the only way you can keep your own hurt stuffed deep, deep down is by insisting it is simply not a big deal and forgiveness fixes everything, or if you are simply so ignorant of how the human brain works, the brain God gave each of us, that you can’t see how impossible moving forward is without help. And no, Christ alone can’t make the hurt all go away. It just isn’t that simplistic.
I understand that you are unlikely to change. You are so steeped in a world of patriarchal authoritarian denial that admitting your ways are wrong is probably not a possibility for you. You will tell me how lost I must be, you will treat me as a dim-witted girl or an angry, unGodly woman, and by doing so will have no trouble dismissing my email (if you’ve bothered to read this far) as being written by someone you don’t need to care about. That’s fine.
But I had to add my voice to those telling you how hurtful you’ve been to the thousands of victims of sexual abuse who are all trying to be strong and move forward. You are blaming them for getting hurt, as if their very existence somehow put them in harm’s way. You’ve insinuated that victims lie, that they are crazy – and you’ve never once pointed out that the perpetrators, usually men these young people trusted, are the ones who must ASK for forgiveness. They must acknowledge the pain they’ve caused. They must face justice. Jesus did not offer blanket forgiveness to those who hurt others. I find it ironic that you and your IFB/BJU ilk cannot see that you have become exactly what Jesus despised most – men who used religion to gain power, achieve wealth, and justify the subjugation and victimization of others. You’ve all become Pharisees.
Please don’t lord any of your “doctorates” over me – I know they mean next to nothing. As one writer so astutely put it, you guys are like little boys playing hero – “I’ll knight you, if you knight me!” Here’s a doctorate in fighting radical Islam for putting hate speech on your church’s sign – and so forth. You are quite obviously not a Biblical expert, or you’d not behave like a petulant teenager who didn’t get his way.
When you come forth and apologize for the pain your words caused abuse victims, and when you call for the end to sexual abuse within fundamental Christianity by shining a light on it so that it can be purged, I will believe you have studied the Bible. Until then, you will remain what you’ve been – and that is not a legacy anyone should want to leave for their children or their church.
THAT WAS AWESOME!!!
thanks. No idea if it made a whit of difference, but I had to speak up.
He did write back. Surprise, surprise. It even included an “I’m sorry.” Of course it didn’t address anything real, and, as well, deflected responsibility to the “others” who have manufactured this whole thing.
<>
OK, obviously I cannot use those any more. HERE is the text of his response.
[Dear Mindy, my original tweet had no specific reference. That has been manufactured by others. My original tweet concerned those who claim "abuse" (note the quote marks) but were not really abused. I had never heard of the case of that girl until I read it in Shores blog. Shore is aware of all of this but is for some reason predisposed to not accept my explanation.
At any rate I should have been more careful in my wording and am sorry for the confusion that has resulted.
I appreciate your contacting me directly.
Kind regards,
Pastor Monte]
I have no idea what he thinks I’m aware of, or why; unsurprisingly, Monte’s not deigned to contact me. I know his claim that his original misuse of quotation marks renders everything he said mean the OPPOSITE of what it manifestly meant is bullshit so strong I can smell it all the way here in California. Of all the things Monte has recently said (and so far as I know, said only to females; the observation that he will only ignore male criticizers holds), I actually think nothing more shameful–because nothing is more transparent, and is credibly open to less interpretation–than his lie about what he REALLY meant by using the quote marks. The moment he said that was the moment that, to me, he really and truly ceased to be interesting.
Not remotely interesting, just dangerous.
And yes – I assumed from the very beginning that those ill-placed quotation marks did not mean people who had not actually been abused. I assumed they meant that people who have been abused and thus consider themselves victims are weak and pitiful and lacking the good religion that would have allowed them to already forgive – and thus the “victims” don’t deserve to be taken seriously.
I find his refusal to engage with male critics rather fascinating, actually. I’d really like to know why. I believe he is likely an abuse victim.
As I mentioned in another place, even if it’s true that that’s what he originally meant, what he said is hateful and evil, because no one had on any level mentioned any fake claims of abuse. That was all him. Implying that the claims are fake isn’t an improvement. Even if you believe his stupid excuse, he still said something evil.
I was continuing to have difficulty wrapping my mind around the notion that a *pastor* would casually *tweet* about such powerfully charged and important subjects as *child abuse*.
I want my teachers of God’s word to have real, even-handed discussions about abuse and spiritual violations that give me *no doubt* as to his/her compassion and decency. How is this so challenging? And, more importantly, how does someone like this guy stay in business?
Bravo Mindy – you rock my friend…
Wow, Linda, thank you. Your work is mighty powerful – I truly am in awe of your work. Hugs to you, friend!
Oh Min, what a great letter. You are such a great writer. And such a wonderful person.
xoxo
If I’m wonderful, it’s because I am surrounded by my rockin’ friends. Of which, dear Susan, you are one of the best!
That was amazing. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Thank you.
“I find his refusal to engage with male critics rather fascinating, actually.”
Wouldn’t it be amusing (and enormously confusing for him) if I e-mailed him and explained my, ah…status? I wonder what kind of response I’d get, or if I’d just implode his brain and save us all a bunch of trouble.
But anyway, awesome letter Mindy! I believe you’re the first to actually wring a sorry out of him.
Matt, you’ve really got my vote now!
This rocks hard.
I do think, though, that Christ can set this right. It is that simplistic (or almost.) See, the deal is, we are the body of Christ. No one else. So when you say Christ will fix things, what you are really saying, if you are a Christian, is “I’m going to fix this to the best of my abilities with all the powers at my disposal.”
I agree with what you are saying, Allie, but I don’t agree that what *you* said is what “Dr.” Marc is saying. Because fixing something to the best of your ability is not just saying that you forgive someone who feels absolutely no remorse and who has not ASKED for forgiveness – as in, doesn’t believe he needs to be forgiven – and then shutting up about it. Which is the good pastor’s version. And then, of course, if you are “right with God,” you will feel all better, and if you don’t feel better – well, it’s obvious that you are NOT “right with God.”
Fixing something to the best of your Christian ability includes believing that YOU are worthy of an apology, worthy of seeing justice meted out to one who violated you so completely – finding that sense of worth and the strength to demand justice can take years and years of therapy, soul-searching and life changes that include escaping the systems that protect such predators. Until you find that sense of self-worth and strength, you aren’t capable of truly forgiving because you haven’t yet acknowledged the damage that was done to an innocent you.
In Monte’s system, you are programmed to believe you are somehow responsible for the harm done to you – so in his cracked version of reality, the one you are supposed to have to forgive is yourself! The abuser is above reproach, so obviously *he* didn’t do anything wrong, which means, then, that there is nothing to forgive.
All of that horrific, disastrous distortion of reality has to be corrected, straightened out and put in a true Godly perspective before the victim can possibly find peace and truth in Christ. And as that is happening, all kinds of justifiable anger and hate are likely to rise up to be expressed and purged before anything close to forgiveness can be found. And even then – forgiving someone who refuses to admit they’ve harmed you is a tall order. Yes, it’s necessary. But as others have said, it is necessary only for the peace of mind of the victim, only so that the victim can let go and move forward. And for that, Christ will have to hold her up, guide her and keep her close, because abuse is one of the hardest possible acts to forgive.
Completely agree with you.
John: My goodness … when you decide to help someone for some off-screen reason, you sure do stir up a hornets’ nest. Kudos, my friend! Keep up the good work that you do …
(from an internet friend that appreciates the fact that the internet often connects people with others who feel/think as they do.)
PS: Such an interesting read of the many, many posts to this blog item. Kudos to you all!
Just had a very short and polite email exchange with Monte and can report that he _does_ respond to men, not only to women.
Chris
I’m glad to hear it’s not only the criticism of women to which Monte responds! Perhaps you could share with us the substance of your exchange with him, Chris, or how it was you came to engage with him?
Maybe he thot “Chris” was short for “Christine”?
(Chris was kind enough to share with me his exchange with Monte. The theory that Monte does not respond directly to his male critics, but only to his female, has not been disproven: he appears to have mistaken what Chris wrote to him.)
My Grandfather graduated from BJU, so I promised I’d go there after high school. I attended BJU for ONE year only. After being punished because I caught a young woman on crutches who was falling (apparently I touched her breasts) and seeing two young men expelled because one found out his mother had passed away and his roommate hugged him in support (apparently they were engaging in homosexual behavior) I had had ENOUGH! This is only two examples of the extreme beliefs of this college. After my first year, I told my grandfather everything that had happened and that I would NOT be returning to BJU ever again.
David, many years ago (25+) I was a student midwife. My mentor had one client whose husband had gone to BJU. When he announced in birthing classes that we would be doing not perineal massage (used to stretch the mother’s tissue and guide the baby’s head out slowly, to minimize tears) because it was lesbian sex (!) and was an offense against God. We had to release the poor woman (who cried but she couldn’t defy her husband) to the local OB, who ended up doing a c-section.
I was appalled.
That is appalling. That poor woman. The same excuse has been used in the same circles to preach against women seeking routine care from female gynecologists, demonizing female doctors, accusing them of having a latent lesbian proclivity. This is what Patriarchy leads to: the sexualization of everything…and a need to control everyone else’s life and experiences because of their own fear, limitedness and insecurities.
Women have been helping other women bring babies into this world for far longer than men have had any idea of how reproduction actually works and definitely for far longer than even modern day men have figured out the inner workings and sexual nuances of women and their bodies. Get over yourselves.
People do and say ignorant things when they are afraid.
Knowledge is the antidote to fear.
For the sake of women and children everywhere – fundamentalism needs to stop fighting against modernity and reality.
WHAT? Those two stories are insane. Just … wow.
John, it’s the same thing that drives men in certain segments of society to not allow women to breastfeed because they are “grossed out by it” or “it’s sexual.” NOTE: I’m not saying this is widespread within fundamentalism; it’s not that I know of. BUT, it’s the same mentality: My woman is mine. Her sexy stuff is mine. I don’t share my woman and her sexy stuff with anyone else – not even my offspring.
Male gynecologists are tolerated (sometimes) in the delivering of babies – but often this same mentality leads to inadequate routine gynecological care of women – because it is deeply rooted in ignorance, sexualized myth, and fear.
Everybody knows that BJU sucks, but I was there at the same time as David Shelton, and the things he has written simply did not happen. I believe this to be an incredibly important point, because when we start to exaggerate an already horrible place, those who defend such a place will wear our exaggerations as a badge of honor (“oh, look how the haters make up stuff about of wonderfully perfect university”). Come on people, no need to invent things that didn’t happen, the truth of the most “Unique” place is awful enough.
“This is only two examples” — are you sure you didn’t get kicked out because of bad grammar?
Seriously, Paul? You are calling David S. a liar? Why – because you didn’t personally know about these incidents? Did you work there during that time, in some position that would allow you to know everything that happened at BJU? I’m sorry, but the gall of someone to reply to a blog post and accuse someone of lying without providing any proof or documentation or even an anecdote that would lead readers to understand how those things couldn’t possibly have happened – well, I can’t imagine reading anything else you’d post here and take it seriously.
If you are absolutely certain that what he said is false, how’s about sharing how you know such a thing? (How’s that for bad grammar?)
I am with Mindy on this one. How can you prove that what one person experienced at a college did not happen? Do you know him personally? Were you with him every single day? I know for a fact things happened even in my small high school that not every student was not aware of because maybe I did not share those things with even my best friend….before you call someone a liar…do you have some sort of documentation that these things did NOT happen? I agree we don’t have to make up much about this school, but calling someone a liar is pretty serious stuff.
I am going to ask you a slightly different question, Paul.
What would it cost you to believe David?
Maybe there is some remote possibility that he is lying. Maybe looking silly is something you’re afraid of.
But in the end, what does it really cost you personally? He’s far away, and he’s the one who is lying (if he is).
I would personally rather look a little foolish and gullible, than deny others the ability to speak their truths and pull back my hand when it could be helping someone up.
Hmmm. Based on the snarky tone of Paul’s post, methinks there might be some history between Mr. Franklin and Mr. Shelton. Regardless, it’s no excuse for calling somebody a liar unless you have proof.
This whole thing seems so surreal. It simply staggers the imagination. I just sent the “Dr” a text message. Let’s light up his cell phone!
The sad thing is, it’s not surreal, it’s real.
I haven’t read all the posts on this topic, so forgive me if I’m repeating someone. Am I correct that one of his emails suggested she needed to learn forgiveness, and that she needs freedom in Christ? Perhaps I’m paraphrasing too much, but if this is the gist of his message, perhaps he should pop in on her website (as I just did) and get edumacated (sic, and yes, on purpose). Her latest book is on forgiveness, and how the Holy Spirit opened her heart to a new level on that topic. True to form like all others of his ilk, I’m sure he wouldn’t condescend to actually take an interest in learning about her story and her life in Christ. It’s easier to “discern” from his lofty perch. Oh, here I go. Anyway, I highly recommend stopping by our advocate’s website and taking a look at her books!
oops… forgot to include Linda’s link, for the late-comers who don’t want to scroll through trying to find it. http://www.LindaFossen.com
(hope that’s right?)
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