Isolation And Communication In Subcultures
posted an interesting rant which seems to be directed at his fellow Pagans, SubGeniuses, Burners, and other permissive groups within fringe culture.
First, he seems to allege that some of their members wrap themselves in a subculture so insulated from the world that opposes them, that the weirdness of which they are so proud does not require courage. In fact, they don't know how serious conditions have developed against them in the world outside. This can cause surprise and unpreparedness, especially in court.
He then seems to allege that this unpreparedness results in an inability to communicate effectively. When some of them do interact with normal people, they are so unable to see the world through a mundane person's eyes that they cannot make peace; they deal in an out-of-touch uncompromising way that inflames a backlash instead of bridging the gap.
I think all of these points are also true of strict fundamentalist fringe groups on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'll never forget watching a 1993 television interview with Jack Hyles when a deacon had been convicted for child molestation at First Baptist Church of Hammond, where Hyles pastored. He and his megachurch were not friendly to this investigation (or the other numerous allegations of sex abuse of minors) or to the prospect of examination of the facts before the law.
Interviewer: "But he's convicted. Guilty."
Hyles, with a big grin: "Jesus was convicted. Was he guilty?"
His congregation had blind faith that the work of Jesus cleansed the deacon from all sin, forgave him in advance for anything he may or may not have done, and according to 2 Timothy 3:12, guaranteed that the world would persecute him. For a Fundamentalist Bible-believing Christian, all too often love tends to be the most important thing that matters to deciding what the truth is.
Successful persuasion employs what the person you are talking to already believes, and shows step-by-step how you get from where they are to where you are. It seemed difficult for Hyles to find that common ground and use it. Indeed, he didn't know how to appeal to any beliefs but his own. I'm sure that works well when preaching to a congregation of clones who huddle together for maximum separation from the world of differences. But it doesn't work when talking to the rest of us.
It made clear that First Baptist Church of Hammond Indiana was an abusive cult of personality, as further evidenced by this YouTube video produced by the church.
Comments
treebones on Sep. 29, 2006 3:02 PM
*sigh* Yes, like that.
At MSU, I see flyers for the Christian Nurses Association. And I think I need to start an organization for people who come from other spiritual paths, just so I can put up flyers and remind me people that there isn't oen true way. But I can't figure out what to call it that makes it a) inclusive, b) clearly not Christian, and c) doesn't look totally reactive to Christianity.
matt-arnold on Sep. 29, 2006 3:46 PM
What do such associations do?
treebones on Sep. 29, 2006 4:21 PM
They're mostly social support groups, some with a small side of education. I'd probably go for a larger chunk of education, if I formed this one. Which I probably will, once I can figure out the hows and wherefors.
I can even justify the time as an academic expense - we're supposed to develop "global and cultural competence" as part of the nursing program. Forming a minority support group may get me bonus points. (:
paranthropus on Sep. 30, 2006 4:32 PM
Have you looked into "CFI On-Campus"?
http://www.campusfreethought.org/
It's a student organization which promotes humanism and philosophical naturalism rather than any sort of alternate spirituality. Free inquiry, scientific thought, and humanism really are squarely in the mainstream, even among the religious.
treebones on Oct. 1, 2006 4:45 PM
Hrm. Once I get through this week (first week of clinicals Mon/Tues, major exam Weds, acquire new-to-me car on Thurs, I'll have to look more carefully through their materials. The general concept looks shiny.
Anonymous on Nov. 16, 2006 2:13 PM — "Jack Hyles" cult video
I will not take issue with every aspect of your piece but it does bear pointing out that Jack Hyles is long dead and First Baptist Church is under new leadership. Once again, you might say that current leadership is much like past leadership. In some ways this would be a fair statement I'm sure. But don't you think fairness, let alone honesty, behooves us to leave the name of a man who has been dead for five years off of a piece designed to be critical of a current situation?
matt-arnold on Nov. 16, 2006 2:50 PM — Re: "Jack Hyles" cult video
It's not just a current situation, it's an ongoing situation. I was only using Hyles to illustrate a tendency which is all over the world, not just at First Baptist of Hammond. The tendency has a historical legacy of which Hyles and First Baptist were a part. Hyles himself was just one more station on that seemingly endless train track. The institution could be just as dead as the man who founded it, and it still wouldn't change the usefulness of the illustration to my point about people. Christians have been getting mileage out of stories of people who have been dead for two thousand years, after all.
Leave a Comment