September 23, 2009
Stifled
Last week former President Jimmy Carter stated that those who criticize President Obama do so because he is a black man. Carter played the race card to stop comments, however a guest commentator on a talk show trumped him by saying, “America doesn’t want a President that we can’t criticize.” Personally I’m weary of being told I must follow politically correct rules, but I’m also worried that those rules keep seeping into the church. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” …and against political correctness! (Eph 6:12 ESV)
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Gail;
-----Some people develop certain concepts into incantations, then cast them about as if fearsome witchdoctors. “A woman’s right to choose…”, “…do it for the children…”, “…on the backs of the poor…” are a few left-wing incantations. When these spells are cast into productive debates, the witchdoctor expects two results: 1) the automatic sorting of the accused into the category of the guilty, 2) and therefore, the forfeiture of the debate to the witchdoctor’s favor. Usually the incantation is invoked when the witchdoctor knows he is wrong and loosing the debate. It is a manipulative pathway used to deliver a load of worthless goods sold to others on false premises.
-----The utility of such incantations demonstrates well the dangers in the nature of collectivism, whether in a nation or in a church. The Bible’s first portrayal of recognizable collectivism, and God’s will for mankind to avoid its nature, are found in the story of the Tower of Babel. “Now the whole earth had one language…And they said to one another, ‘Come…’” Genesis 11:1 and 3 reveals the social organism, the sharing of the same mind, the submission to the general will of the people that is collectivism. The incantations of the political witchdoctor surf the waves caused by the individual’s submission of his thinking to the common thought of all. From the force of everyone pitching themselves entirely into the common cause, the community comes alive as an active moral agent, sovereign in its own directives, and having a strong subjugation of its citizens, “Come, let us build ourselves a city…and let us make a name for ourselves…” But we can all testify to the moral misgivings of popular thought and the dangers of resigning to it. So also does the Word, “…for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many...” (Matt 7:13) The collective then steps between God and the individual, expecting the individual to at least mistake it for God. From its popular height, it promises security to the masses who are foolish enough to resign their minds to the thinking of others. This is precisely the goal of the witchdoctor. If you resign to him your logical analysis and accept the premise of his incantation, by representing the collective thought he will use only so much public scorn as it takes to keep you quiet and on board with his wishes.
-----But it is only when the people empower his incantations through the weight of their common scorn that the witchdoctor is able to cast spells. This is why individualism is poison to the collective. Individuals form opinions and disagreements, and through debate do not determine what is right or wrong as much as they demonstrate all the alternatives, along with the premises upon which the alternatives rest, and the logical strengths and weaknesses of the premises. When the populace is well informed the mutually parasitic, toadyism of the collective will not come to life, and the community will not become a controlling organism. Instead everyone feeds one another information and viewpoints, hearing the same from others. Thus, everyone retains the freedom to choose wisdom over foolishness. I wish I could say this is how the community of our country behaves. But unfortunately, too many witchdoctors have stirred up crisis and guilt in the hearts of our populace, and have quieted them with a blanket of fear. The people now stand perilously ready to dance out of the fine city to the music of any Pied Piper willing to direct the hope, bliss, and praise of the collective. Resistance is futile.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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