In a Žižekian mode, I sometimes think that the problem with evangelicals is that they aren't authoritarian *enough*. There is no recognized authority that can say, "Okay, guys, this is probably a scam" or "Come on, we went too far this time."

Instead, since every "true" evangelical can supposedly recognize authentic "best practices," there is no way to stop an evangelical trend once it takes over. And if it does turn out to be a mistake, there is no collective repentance or reckoning -- it's just forgotten.

We see these dynamics most clearly with Trumpism. When Christianity Today supported Trump's impeachment, it was effectively no longer an evangelical magazine. I sincerely think that even if Dobson himself rejected Trump, it would turn out that he wasn't a "true" evangelical.

And by the same token, once Trump fades from the scene, it will be as though it never happened. Everyone will move on to the next dumb trend -- hopefully this time it will be more innocuous, like birth-order numerology or "love languages" or whatever.

In conclusion, I would gently suggest that similar dynamics happen online in circles that (rightly) believe themselves to be the greatest possible opponents to what evangelicals stand for.