Although it has only been out for a few days, Megan Basham’s new book Shepherds for Sale has already been climbing the charts, achieving the top spot in several categories. (We posted our definitive review here.) Deemed an Amazon ‘Bestseller, it has attained the #1 status in:
Christian Ministry
Theology
Political Corruption and Misconduct
Christian Social Issues
Christian Canon Law
The book, which exposes “The left-wing billionaires, foundations, and think tanks that deliberately target Christian media, universities, megachurches, nonprofits, and even entire denominations, the celebrity megachurch pastor who secretly encouraged a group of pastors to change their views on sexuality, and the revered Presbyterian theologian who backed a congregation rebelling against his own denomination,” is #4 in the Christianity Category on Amazon and #4 in iTunes’ Top 100 Religion & Spirituality Audiobooks
Basham noted a few days ago that it was #17 in the Top 100.
To all of you who actually bought the book who have mobilized to counteract the review bomb, thank you! We are still sitting pretty at #17 in the top 100. And what I can tell you is, if threats from big lawyers of major left-wing foundations, weren’t enough to get this train to… https://t.co/0j95htb7BHpic.twitter.com/Yk3EoYYA0I
Lastly, new products have already emerged seeking to take advantage of her success, such as this completely unauthorized accompanying journal and this trashy “exercise book.”
For these reasons, we’re giving it away as a free gift for anyone who joins our Patreon at Witness level or above. We think it’s great, are eternally grateful to Megan for writing it, and are overjoyed at the success it has attained so far.
Early Sunday evening, controversial pastor (see endnotes) and noted plagiarizer Mark Driscoll took to Twitter to complain that his new book “New Days, Old Demons: Ancient Paganism Masquerading as Progressive Christianity” got him suspended from Amazon. He claimed the online retail giant was trying to “silence the word of God and faithful Bible teachers” and urged followers to purchase it from his website instead.
While it’s true that his book wasn’t available on Amazon at the time of his tweet, it’s also true that it wasn’t available anywhere. Not at Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, Thriftbooks, or Powells.
Driscoll’s missive makes it seem like he was singled out from Amazon specifically. However, given that no one else carried the self-published book, described as a “prophetic message for pathetic times,” this reeks of shameless self-promotion.
Yet on Monday, hours after his claims, his book was on Amazon, alive and well, free to be shared and purchased from the masses.
Despite the book being available on Amazon, Driscoll still keeps on repeating claims to the contrary. In an Instagram post early this morning, he insists it’s “the book that big tech doesn’t want you to purchase,” despite being on sale for $17.98 and eligible for free shipping through Amazon Prime.
Back in the day, Driscoll favored an edgy, aggressive style marked by prurient sermons laced with cuss words and punk-style worship- he once called women’ penis homes’ and commanded women with unsaved husbands to give their husbands oral sex to convert them. All the edgy aggressiveness boiled over in 2014 when the empire suddenly imploded due to Driscoll’s emotional and spiritual abuse of the flock, plagiarism, and accusations of financial misconduct. Rather than undergo church discipline, he claimed he audibly heard from God that he needed to leave, and he bolted. Later, nearly 40 former Mars Hill elders issued a public statement describing him as ‘unfit’ and ‘unrepentant.’
Not many years later, with the help of his crony James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll wrapped up his own discipline and re-established himself behind a pulpit in Phoenix, Arizona. Here, he set himself up as Pope of his own church, removing any of the limiting factors that previously constrained him, chiefly the presence of elders. Despite having hundreds and hundreds of people attending each week, there are no elders at The Trinity Church, which has resulted in his bullying ways continuing. Think of him as a wayward child who locked his parents in their room and now has the run of the house, terrorizing the dogs and torturing the cats.
Slowly, he rebuilt his empire, even as his theology got squishier. He mocked reformed theology and described Calvinism as “garbage.” He publicly apologized for criticizing Joel Osteen. He started selling copies of his sermon notes online and pushed seeker-sensitive services like “Swimsuit Sunday.” He even defended the Roman Catholic Church, saying they “believe in the essentials.”
Despite resigning in disgrace and possessing a penchant for theological violence, people flocked to him at his new home, and his church has grown immensely in the last few years, slowly edging towards megachurch status.
(Church Leaders) Amazon’s algorithm has placed a spanking paddle decorated with Proverbs 29:15 on its “Amazon’s Choice” list, prioritizing it in product searches and placing it on recommendation lists.
According to Amazon, “Amazon’s Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.” Amazon is known for curating products and personalizing product recommendations across a vast array of categories, apparently including “discipline” paddles.
Across the head of the paddle are the words “The Board of Education.” Beneath this moniker is a reference to Proverbs 29:15, which says, “A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.”
Selling for $35.95 by The Montgomery Line, the spanking paddle’s product description says that the paddle is designed to “administer loving child discipline for children ages 2-10=.” The description also boasts that the spanking paddle is conveniently sized, contains no holes that could weaken or cause it to split, can easily be hung, and includes laminated suggested spanking guidelines.
Amazon is being pressured by a progressive group to ban a host of Christian organizations from their Amazon Smile program – a feature that lets shoppers donate to charities as they shop online – on account of their anti-LGBT positions.
Amazon Smile, whose slogan is “Experience feel-good shopping,” allows customers to choose from over one million charities to receive a small portion of their purchase, with Amazon donating 0.5 percent of the price of eligible purchases to these groups.
However, Open Democracy, the zealots leading the charge, contend that this must be banned posthaste, writing in their exposé:
Amazon Smile’s Participation Agreement clearly states that eligible charities cannot “engage in, support, encourage, or promote: intolerance, discrimination, or discriminatory practices based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age…”
They explain that there are a plethora of Christian groups publicly opposing LGBT rights and equality, giving a few examples of hateful speech and why Amazon should remove them from their platform:
threatened staff members with immediate, “involuntary termination” if they are found to personally express support for same-sex marriage equality
intervened in numerous court cases in the US and internationally opposing same-sex marriage, adoption, and anti-discrimination law
claimed homosexuality “opens the door to the demonic realm” and legalizing same-sex marriage “enforces” a “demonically driven, immoral agenda”
described COVID-19 as “the consequential wrath of God” and punishment for sins including society’s “proclivity toward lesbianism and homosexuality”
Among the groups specifically listed are the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Focus on the Family, and Alliance defense fund.
While Open Democracy does not give its full dossier of charities under fire, which is surely just round one of a massive culling, other notable examples might be the International Missions Board, Compassion, Ligonier, and be Paul Washer’s Heartcry Missionary Society.
There has been no response from Amazon at this time.
