[posted at Bene Diction Blogs On January 10, 2014]
During his first radio broadcast of the year on January 6, Todd Friel--host of the American theologically conservative Wretched Radio and its accompanying TV show--alluded to the price you can pay when you can stick up for the right thing.
In an aside, Friel mentioned to his listeners that several radio stations had dropped the Wretched program--I thought during 2013 but it may have been during the aftermath of Lakeland--- and the same went for Wretched TV. The most significant reason for doing so, Friel added, seemed to be his criticism of Todd Bentley and the Lakeland Revival. "We were kicked out," his radio sidekick said. I heard it as they they hadn't been able to get the stations back.
Friel went on to say that the dropping stations seemed to be mostly upset that he assailed Bentley for abusing alcohol during the events there, and for having an "affair" there as well.
Sorry for working off my memory--I heard it on streaming audio--but I think his critics are misremembering what Friel said then.
I recall that Friel was being very careful to try and critique Bentley's public behaviour and theology. I myself made a note of one time back in 2010, when he was certainly dismayed on his radio show. He flat out implied Bentley and Jessa had had an affair (which I wouldn't have done, but he went on to spend most of his time critiquing what he saw as the foolishness of what Todd and Jessa were doing as shown on YouTube.
I wouldn't necessarily make the "affair" call as all Todd and Jessa have admitted to is an "inappropriate relationship", whatever that means, but I do want to commend what Friel was trying to do.
Christians need to take out their garbage, when needed.
I totally understand why Friel might say, "That boy ain't right". Not to mention his frankness on the subject of Todd Bentley, even if it does make for exciting talk radio."
So he merits an "attaboy!" from me, especially for his willingness to say the right thing, as best he knows, even if he suffers as a result.