The funeral edition of Christian News is out, and the paper was full of accolades. Some of them made me cry, tears of laughter streamed from my eyes. There is nothing like seeing wiggly, timid politicians praising courage and principles, like the J. C. Penny's sales clerk who dreams of the Lambo he will never have.
I want hundreds of "conservative" Lutheran clergy at my funeral. I want to give them one more chance to let me down.
The only letter I appreciated (so far) was Pastor Walter Dissen's. He is the type of sincere, faithful pastor the synods have forgotten or even trashed and ignored.
Dissen noted that Otten was really the Archbishop without Portfolio, a man who could keep someone from becoming Synod President. Therefore, they found their way to New Haven (not Yale) but Missouri, and made their case. Kieschnick was there, too, and he became Synod President, which told me (from reading the issues) that Otten seriously undermined his opponents, which had the effect of anointing Kieschnick.
That brings up the schizophrenic nature of the LCMS. The only way to become Synod President was to have Otten's endorsement, from Jack Preus up to Matt the Fatt Harrison, the warbler who sang the Ballad of Herman Otten for the editor. Somehow that was kept a secret until Harrison chose to unload on the SP-maker - another LCMS tradition. Tim Otten was talking about it decades ago. The politicians courted his father, then trashed him later - which started with Jack Preus.
The schizo part is this. The top guy and his campaign manager (like Waldo Werning or Paul the Plagiarist McCain) had to work with Pastor Otten. However, the LCMS would not tolerate anyone on good terms with the editor (except the SP and his stooges, of course).
Concordia Publishing House rejected Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant because I wrote for Christian News. So did their boss, but hey- Deep Synod. Northwestern Publishing House put CLP on the publishing schedule but canceled it until I "changed my attitude about WELS." But all their bosses were Church and Changers who dedicated themselves to a WELSian revolution so effective that hardly anything is left of the sect. Besides, Valleskey and a few other false teachers were perhaps miffed that I pointed out their destructive programs.
But no matter. Otten was going to publish CLP too, but backed out. These great publishing geniuses lost out on a best-selling book and introduced me to independent publishing.
The only problem is that the Romanizing influence - which Robert Preus sought to neutralize - took off in the LCMS, apart from those who embraced Eastern Orthodoxy five minutes after graduating.
Deep Synod
Deep Synod is that permanent structure of unelected officials who run the LCMS, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic). The less they are able, the more they crave power positions of honor and revenge upon anyone who hurt their widdle feelings. They work with each other across synodical lines too, always have. They love ELCA because the money, endowments, and numbers are so hu-u-u-ge compared to theirs. They always felt behind, too, which was a burden. But now you can send your son to Martin Luther College (WELS) and see her graduate as a daughter, yes a minister who changed sexes during that priceless education.
Why spend money on cable TV, listening to shows on evolution? They teach the same at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Best of all, they teach the Eighth Commandment, just as firmly as WELS does.
