{"id":100627,"date":"2021-03-23T16:30:17","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T20:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=100627"},"modified":"2021-03-23T17:29:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T21:29:07","slug":"tgc-justin-taylor-questions-for-david-french-on-the-connections-between-the-atlanta-killer-and-purity-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=100627","title":{"rendered":"(TGC) Justin Taylor–Questions for David French on the Connections between the Atlanta Killer and Purity Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

But what\u2019s the evidence that the shooter, who would have been in youth group during the presidencies of Obama and Trump, was taught the toxic purity culture that peaked in the 1990s?<\/em><\/p>\n

My argument is not \u201cno evidence will ever or could ever exist,\u201d but rather \u201cno one actually knows, and therefore we shouldn\u2019t draw that connection until and unless evidence emerges.\u201d<\/p>\n

If I was a betting man, I would actually put a hefty wager on this young man having heard the normative \/ traditional \/ orthodox teaching on sexuality that David French taught his youth group instead of the toxic legalism that Bill Gothard taught<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And if that\u2019s true, then the argument of this piece basically falls apart. It could become a good standalone article on purity culture, but not a very illuminating one of the killer and his theological culture.<\/p>\n

(By the way, if you want to hear from the church itself, you can read their statement<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

So my encouragement to everyone: let\u2019s slow down on drawing connections that might seem obvious but are actually quite tenuous.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

My respectful pushback for @DavidAFrench<\/a> on the alleged connection between the mass murderer in Atlanta and the evangelical subculture that created him.https:\/\/t.co\/WJiJnVyD8z<\/a><\/p>\n

— Justin Taylor (@between2worlds) March 23, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n