Is "Groomer" Okay?
On the Appropriateness of the Appellation
The Twofold Meaning of Groomer
Over the past few years, conservatives have taken to identifying educators and civil servants pushing LGBTQ propaganda on children as “groomers.” The reason for this is not simply that such behavior is found in sexual predators who groom their victims, or simply because there are many such predators among the LGBTQ movement’s numbers. Rather, advocates for this agenda are called groomers because they are engaging, in a more general sense, in a form of grooming that is primarily ideological. The ideology in question is Critical Marxism/Cultural Marxism.
The word groomer, then, has a dual meaning. On the one hand, it refers to the sexual grooming of children by predators in the LGBTQ movement; on the other hand, it refers to the cult grooming of children by Critical/Cultural Marxists through the LGBTQ movement, as well as other “social justice” movements. Grooming can be more broadly defined as “the practice of preparing or training someone for a particular purpose or activity.” It is not an activity limited to sexual relations between adults and children.
Understanding that what is taking place with Critical Marxists in the many of our institutions — including churches and seminaries — is grooming will help us spot the ideology when it shows up in these institutions. Failing to understand this, however, could result in us cultivating an environment in which the ideology can flourish, even in our churches. This has already happened — and still is occurring — in theologically liberal, as well as nominally theologically orthodox, churches, seminaries, and organizations. However, it threatens sound churches as well.
False Expressions of Piety
Ironically enough, Critical Marxist ideology can be advanced by theologically liberal and orthodox churches by the same means: False expressions of piety. Among the theologically liberal, doctrinal boundaries, as regards the essentials of the faith, are subject to radical alteration in order to meet the desires of their liberal congregants. This is falsely viewed as an act of love for one’s neighbor, the highest expression of piety. Contrarily, among the theologically orthodox, doctrinal boundaries, as regards the essentials of the faith, are tightly drawn. Radical alteration to such doctrines is rightly opposed, in order to meet the command of God to preach and teach, and live in accordance with, the truth. This is correctly viewed as an act of love for God and one’s neighbor, the highest expression of Christian piety.
While the theological liberals advance Critical Marxism, and other false teachings, by simply accepting them and modifying Christianity to accommodate those false teachings, orthodox Christians can unwittingly advance Critical Marxism by, under the mistaken belief that they are defending orthodoxy, undermining the threat that it poses to Christians and others. One way this can be done is by misunderstanding the title “groomer” and its application to those on the left.
For instance, some well intentioned Christians have recently taken to saying that “groomer” is not an appropriate term to use when addressing those who are propagating and attempting to normalize the sinful sexual behaviors comprising the LGBTQ movement. These Christians think the term minimizes the seriousness of those sexual sins. And while that is a possible outcome of using that terminology without explaining what it means, it could be avoided, I think, by explaining what the term means in the context of the LGBTQ movement’s attempt to “queer” all things.
Christians can identify homosexuality as a heinous sin, and at the same time identify those promoting Critical Marxism through the LGBTQ movement as groomers; these actions are not mutually exclusive. This is because the word “groomer” is not synonymous with homosexual or even sexual deviant. Groomer, as noted above, refers to a certain kind of person who can belong to any number of groups of people — gay, straight, black, white, etc. Identifying ideological groomers as groomers, in the LGBTQ movement and elsewhere, may actually help us better identify bad ideas and actors among us who would otherwise escape our detection.
Christians should be aware of the fact that there are ideological groomers — i.e. those who are promoting the ideology of Critical Marxism — among all groups of people, and it is in their best interest to avoid detection. By failing to recognize their existence as groomers, and mistakenly treating the term groomer as a synonym for homosexual or sexual predator, we may be giving those people the cover they need to continue in our midst undetected.
Just a thought.
—h.
For more on the subject of Critical Marxist grooming see —