Yeah, That Was Really Bad

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In the spirit of No Quarter November, there will be no qualifications, or explanations. But the season does not exclude retractions and/or apologies, and so that is what this should be filed under.

An email blast went out from Canon Press that was advertising our family series of books, and there were some really unfortunate things said in the ad copy. Generational faithfulness does not depend on any “secret sauce,” for just one example. It really did come off like a child-rearing version of the prosperity gospel. And some of it wasn’t exactly true, and the parts that were true should not have been said like we were shaking three feet of tin foil at you. As someone on the board of Canon, and as the author of a bunch of the books that were being promoted, I am very sorry that anything like that was inflicted upon you. My apologies.

Some of our friends out there were already what-the-hecking, and I hope this clears things up for them. Again, apologies. And some of our adversaries had already jumped on this blunder, like a duck on a June bug, and on this point, we have to say to them, “fair’s fair.” So feel free to take your swing at us. We deserve it.

I am leaving the comments open so that our friends can let us know they accept the apology, and so that our adversaries can let us know that they don’t. If you are in the latter camp, you are free to leave a comment telling us exactly what you think of us, and I will not qualify anything, or try to explain, or get in the last word. I will only delete a comment if you get to cussing real bad.

Thanks much, everybody.

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Maggie R
Maggie R
10 months ago

Accepted and thankful for examples of faithfulness without quarter, even in retractions!

Marissa Burt
10 months ago

What specifically was “not exactly true” in the email? And what parts were true and/or accurately reflect the theological positions re: generational faithfulness that you teach to other families?

Jeffery
Jeffery
10 months ago

Thank you – Q: Was this transited to all the “blast email” recipients?

Jeffery
Jeffery
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

Good – the wording could be improved to reflect a more exacting biblical repentance/apology

Jo of quark
Jo of quark
10 months ago
Reply to  Jeffery

Yeesh. There weren’t even any sinful comments in the email… Just maybe (if read in an uncharitable light) some ill-chosen descriptions. Save your “apologize the way I want you to” for a bigger issue.

Plus, Doug didn’t even write it. So, like the man he is, he’s simply taking responsibility for someone else’s unfortunate phrase choices.

Thirdly, only in the American culture is anything written in that email able to be deemed offensive. Able to possibly, inadvertently misguide someone who gets their doctrine from advertising emails, but not offensive. So stop being offended.

Joe
Joe
10 months ago

There’s no secret sauce?! Darn. I’m sending all my books back…

Just kidding. God bless.

Andrew LeCleir
Andrew LeCleir
10 months ago

$@“&&$!

#*+^^*^

Oh sorry. Cat walked on the keyboard.

Jamie
Jamie
10 months ago

“Cask-strength,” made me chuckle. Love you guys!

Adriel Sanchez
10 months ago

I appreciate this, and accept the apology/retraction. The prosperity gospel is bad enough, and I can’t imagine the havoc a “parenting prosperity gospel” would wreak. Please receive these questions from an honest inquirer: Does the fact that the email blast went out from someone in your organization suggest that maybe you’ve been unclear on this matter? I had questions about this when I read Father Hunger a while back. You seem to tie covenantal and material blessing to covenant faithfulness there. That’s precisely the error of the prosperity gospel (I.e. reading temporal blessings for obedience into our present relationship with… Read more »

Adriel Sanchez
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

Thank you for your response. I thought about Eph. 6 as I was writing my comment. Of course, we both read the promise of long life in the promised land as something other than a physical dwelling in Canaan for each of the faithful. It’s a type. That’s my point at least: When you appeal to those promises, root our inheritance in “keeping covenant,” and then bring in Mk. 6 as a further promise of lands, houses, etc. it’s hard to see how that wouldn’t be mistaken as a kind of vending machine theology. That’s precisely how the blast e-mail… Read more »

Preeves
Preeves
10 months ago

Mad respect!

Mark
Mark
10 months ago

Thanks for the retraction. Sometimes marketing people can get a bit over-zealous. It happens. I won’t hold it against you. ;-)

PugnaciousPill
10 months ago

Thank you for calling out the misstep and for the apology. Once again, I stand amazed by your willingness to tell the truth; even when it costs you a few perfection points. 😉

McKenzie Bostick
McKenzie Bostick
10 months ago

I think the issue is that you seem to use not getting the last word in or qualifying as a positive. No quarter November takes the pressure off of you guys. It honestly seems like a cop out so you don’t have to explain yourself. Most people aren’t going to stay satisfied with a shallow apology. If you truly cared about reconciliation, you would explain in detail. You love analogies. This is like an unfaithful husband bringing flowers home hoping it blows over because you got caught.

McKenzie Bostick
McKenzie Bostick
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

Thanks for the response. I should have clarified. Not an explanation of who was responsible for sending the email, but further explanation of what you deemed incorrect and what you stand by in the message.

Brendon H
Brendon H
10 months ago

Thank you Lord…please pass the Chick-fil-A sauce.

Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
10 months ago

Lol you got roasted so hard in the comments on that video with Isker you guys had to turn them off. Embarrassing.

Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

Well, at least you finally sat down with someone who talks sense about the HPP. It’s also nice to know you agree that shutting down the comments is an admission you were wrong. Progress!

Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
Doug's Incoherent Philosemitism
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

For once I think I will buy one of your books. Is that a dust jacket, though? I try to avoid having the star of remphan in my house whenever possible.

Jennifer Mugrage
10 months ago

I usually delete Canon+ marketing emails unread. You guys have a lot of stuff, and I’ll buy it when I feel like it, not when I get an email. I just finished listening to Doug Wilson’s kids do an “intervention” with him (tongue in cheek). In that conversation, they mention the nature of Proverbs: It is certainly true that you can do everything right and disaster sweeps it away, but it doesn’t stop being true that it is still better to work hard, be responsible, etc. And this also applies to childrearing. Rebekah (I think) also mentioned that young moms… Read more »

Joe
Joe
10 months ago

The ad copy struck me as off, but I assumed it was just a poor choice of words. Thought: It’s by the grace of God, not mere techniques, that those faithful generations exist. It’s great that you addressed that. Praise God! I pray that whoever made the mistake isn’t too hard on themselves. We learn from our mistakes and get back in the trenches. After all, there is a war going on.

Laurel
Laurel
10 months ago

I thought it was kind of funny, and in hindsight, perfect for NQN, because it was a little cringe-worthy. And, I don’t think I have opened the retraction email because the subject line is “Don’t open if you knew Doug or Canon before NQN” and I didn’t want to lie…. May I open it now, even though I don’t fall into that category? When my husband and I were in youth ministry our teens lead an evening service and part of it included a few skits related to the message the youth pastor was going to preach. During breaks between… Read more »

Angela
Angela
10 months ago

Not all who say “Lord, Lord…”
Those who practice wickedness will be taken out at some point. I truly hope none of your family join that group. But there’s no question that you have some serious restitution to make to those you have harmed amd misled over the years.

Steven Opp
Steven Opp
10 months ago

The waters of infant baptism are name-it-and-claim-it special sauce.

Steven Opp
Steven Opp
10 months ago
Reply to  Steven Opp

Secret sauce, that is

Jeffro
Jeffro
10 months ago

Unnecessary apology. Quit catering to the forever offended.

Chris
Chris
10 months ago
Reply to  Jeffro

Jeffy, it’s called maintaining a standard, for which I am thankful for. Look around, we are slowly morphing into a 3rd world country because our standards are plummeting.

Jane
Jane
10 months ago
Reply to  Jeffro

It’s not because people were offended. It was because they did something wrong, and they’re owning it. It’s not a reaction that told them it was wrong, it was their own principles. When I first saw the marketing piece, I was just kind of breezing by on my way to somewhere else. Something clanged a bit in my mind as being off with it and I hoped it wasn’t what it looked like on first blush, but I didn’t think much more about it. I promptly forgot all about it until I saw this retraction. I am glad they are… Read more »

Julia
Julia
10 months ago

There are no secret sauces. I am a therapist and am constantly helping people pick up the pieces from the Christianity they grew up with. These sorts of things make it much harder for people to reconsider faith

Susan Burger
Susan Burger
10 months ago

Hi Pastor Doug, I’m curious to know better what you are referring to. I’m sure I’ll get an email with some clarifications and I look forward to receiving that. On another subject, if possible, could you send me a link that explains the significance of the skull and crossbones and why it was chosen for the NQN emblem? I’m sure there’s a great reason for this – I just don’t know what it is. I tried searching online but haven’t been able to find anything from NQN about this. I have a friend at church who’s extremely offended by your… Read more »

Laurel
Laurel
10 months ago
Reply to  Susan Burger

My guess is it’s related to the pirate theme of “no quarter”, but I noticed the other day that the “bones” are actually pencils….

Susan Burger
Susan Burger
10 months ago
Reply to  Laurel

Hi Laurel, Thanks for your message. Last night I discovered that they were pencils too!!! I sent another message about it to Pastor Doug. You’ll find it below together with his response. Thank you once again!

ByWhatStandard
ByWhatStandard
10 months ago

Doug. Please help me out. If you’re apologizing for dishonesty, why are we left having to guess exactly what it is you were being dishonest about in the first place? If a husband apologized to his wife for being dishonest and didn’t give an answer when she asked him what he had been dishonest about, that would be extremely suspect behavior. I forgive you for being dishonest, but can you start being honest about what you were being dishonest about? Also, isn’t this “secret sauce” messaging kinda the normal selling point of Canon? Want a family like ours? Follow xyz… Read more »

Susan Burger
Susan Burger
10 months ago

Hi again Pastor Doug, Since I couldn’t edit my last message after it was submitted, I’m sending you a follow-up to my previous question about the NQN emblem or insignia for lack of a better term. Upon closer scrutiny of the NQN Flag, I just realized the skull is displayed over perfectly sharpened PENCILS!!! Who’d ever thought? It’s not crossbones!!! I can’t believe I never noticed that before! It’s almost like an optical illusion! It’s obviously intended to be a pun with classic Pastor Doug tongue-in-cheek humor. Okay, I must be getting to the bottom of this – or at… Read more »

Susan Burger
Susan Burger
10 months ago
Reply to  Douglas Wilson

Yes it does! Thank you so much!!! Richest blessings to you & Nancy and to all of your family!!!

Scott Aniol
Scott Aniol
10 months ago

Respect.

James
James
10 months ago

Well, I must say this whole thing left me scratching my head. I got the apology email first, and then wet back to read the original email. Then I went back and read the apology email, then back to the original one. I must be a real mess, because I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about. I thought maybe something in the original email was written in code and that I didn’t have the decipher key. I’m not reformed, a Calvinist, or even a baptist. I’m not even post-mil (a-mil for pretty much my whole life). I’m… Read more »

Buttnugget McGee
Buttnugget McGee
10 months ago

Is everything here always so boring?