(by Lorie Codispoti)
I heard a new word this week: bullshido.
Naturally, I had to investigate.
The term is a fusion of two words, both of which I’m sure you’ve already figured out. It’s meant to be derogatory as it describes fraudulent martial arts practices. A bullshido instructor is referred to as a McDojo. They make false claims & use tools of manipulation to lure their victims into believing they possess a special set of self-defense skills, all of which they are happy to share for a price. The ironic part of this deception is that many of these practitioners are self-delusioned into believing the very thing they peddle, making them as much of a victim as their students.
Bullshido was used in an expose' that I watched on some of the techniques used by one specific prosperity gospel preacher.
This particular “minister” is one we actually met & engaged with many years ago as John provided the special music for a large convention where he was one of two main speakers. My impression of him has not changed; he is a fraud & I would not hesitate to categorize him as a false teacher - a bullshido practitioner.
Am I being judgmental? Yes!
Many people think that the Bible tells believers not to be judgmental. That may be because they don’t understand that we are actually called to judge, but with the caveat of judging correctly & not hastily. Jesus' command to “judge not lest you be judged with the same judgement” (Matt.7:1) is not a prohibition on judging others. Within the same sermon He warns His followers to beware of false prophets, who are known by the fruit of their lives. In the book of John, Jesus actually commands us to judge, “not by mere appearances,” but “correctly.” (Jn.7:24) In other words, our judgement is not hasty, hypocritical, self-righteous, superficial, or untrue. This means we need to sharpen our discernment & exercise it rightly.
Discernment is key!
Anything (or anyone) that contradicts the truth of God’s word is a lie & lies are to be exposed. In fact, Ephesians 5:11 say that we are to expose the “fruitless deeds of darkness.” It's sin if we don't.
Charles Spurgeon said that “discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”
How true is that in our day & age? It’s that “almost right” part that can throw us. A good lie is one that contains a vain of truth; it’s simply twisted to fit the agenda of the one telling it. A good liar not only has the ability to deceive others, but Scripture indicates that given enough time the liar will himself become deceived by his fabrications.
While God grants some the “gift of discernment” - the ability to quickly & intuitively perceive, understand, & judge rightly - every believer must develop & learn to exercise our ability to discern rightly. This is, in part, to keep ourselves from falling prey to the enemy’s lies, but also to help fellow believers walk in truth.
How do we learn to discern?
We start by humbling ourselves before the Lord, confessing our propensity to fall victim to the McDojos of the world & communicating our desire to grow in truth. A good place to start is by praying the word & asking for God to develop within us His Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, & fear. (Isa.11:2-3) We can ask God to put us with a body of believers who are actively involved in seeking & exercising the gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8. (Discernment’s classroom requires more than one pupil.)
Do you know what I found to be the most interesting (& sad) thing about those who engage in the art of bullshido? It’s that no one can become a student unless they are fully cooperative & non-resistant. Spiritually speaking, this means in order to qualify to sit under a false teacher you must be gullible. (Otherwise, how would their technique work?) Don't question. Never doubt. Lose your inhibitions, & surrender. No critical thinking allowed.
There are some very popular prosperity gospel preachers on television who parade their false signs & wonders, on stage to masses of deceived people. They exploit those who are genuinely in need help, but worst of all they are misrepresenting the God of the Bible & His Son, Jesus Christ. Many become disillusioned & walk away because they’ve been deceived into believing that this is an accurate representation of truth.
The apostle Paul warns Timothy about evil people (false teachers, preachers) who will creep into the households of the gullible - those who are easily led astray. He says these McDojos will have “a form of godliness” but they are imposters who defraud & captivate their victims. (2Tim.3)
Here’s the thing about false prophets & teachers: they are counterfeiters, but the fact that a counterfeit exists means that there is the real thing.
If you’ve fallen prey to the manipulation of false teaching & been disillusioned by a doctrine that you thought was legitimate, know that the God of all creation will not only provide a way for you to escape the chains of that circus act, but if you humble yourself before Him He will set you free & place you on a path that leads to absolute fulfillment, joy, & eternal life in His presence. That, my friends, is the real prosperity gospel.
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