“Don’t be so dogmatic!” My dad emphatically said to me about my interest in a cult-like organization when I was a naïve but sincere young adult. I do not recall the topic, nor am I sure that I knew what dogmatic meant. However, I am sure my dad was correct for I had an overzealous enthusiasm. Then, as I was reading works by only one author in this group, my dad, who had no formal education beyond the 11^th grade, encouraged me to read differing opinions. Now in retirement I reflect upon my dad’s counsel and can see his wisdom; regretfully, I did not follow all of his counsel. So, with growing pains, the journey into and out of the cult-like organization in my youth provided a microcosm of human organizations that taught me much. Here are a few points I have reflected upon recently:

Following one person or one belief system and closing out all others is easy for humans to do. What I witnessed in my youth was how many were seeking a beacon of orientation for their life, as I was. Therefore, cult-like religious systems (or it could be political systems and so on) that are forceful and have an answer to every question can be appealing in some ways. They can give us a false sense of security and false authority for living. There may be a tendency in many of us to have someone or some system convince us that we have the goods on truth or the correct way. It is too easy for us to not listen to other opinions or even facts, present writer included! And this very trait of close-mindedness actually slams the door on a fuller and richer life. It is a human tendency and trap we can so easily fall into. Poet Archibald MacLeish wrote some time ago: “Religion is at is best when it makes us ask hard questions of ourselves. It is at its worst when it deludes us into thinking we have all the answers for everybody else.” Healthy religion and other healthy human systems have great potential for good but unhealthy or corrupted organizations can bring great unrest to the soul and have left many spiritual and emotional wounds along the way (and this is not even mentioning religious wars!).

It is a simple but true statement: We can become stuck in dysfunctional, unproductive, and unhealthy ways of believing and behaving. It is one thing to slip into an unhealthy way of living and many of us dip our toes into such murky waters at times in our lives.  We often speak of our bad habits –those ways of behaving, believing or thinking that are so difficult to give up even though we know they are destructive. And corrupted beliefs truly become destructive when they become habitual and we argue for them long after it makes any sense to do so.  Out of curiosity, I recently looked at a site of the cult-like system mentioned earlier. It was amazing to see that even now, decades later, they are still struggling with the same issues that have been proven incorrect with facts years ago! 

Negativity can leave us sick and starving for the good things in life. I learned that such systems have to have someone or something to attack or condemn to keep their energy revved up. I do a lot of work on our farm and have been stuck over and over again by thorns and briars that have no mercy. Some persons develop thorns that prick and stick anyone that does not agree with them. It appears as though the thrill is gone and they are projecting the negativity and emptiness they feel in their own souls. They are threat sensitive and cannot endure any crack in their tightly wound belief system. They become “saints” we can barely tolerate and they are not only found in the cults but also at times in our religious and other institutions. However, we must all guard against these human and even evil tendencies and the maligning of those with whom we disagree.

If we find ourselves having the traits mentioned, we can make changes but we should count the cost. It certainly is easier to maintain the status quo and not rock the boat of our belief system, even if we realize it is or has become dysfunctional. However, the status quo can be a way to die spiritually and emotionally. In many closed systems there is a myth, spoken or unspoken, that we cannot survive outside the system. This is of course false but change does not come easy and often has a cost. We must cross the desolate places and accept God’s grace as well as be gracious to ourselves for our mistakes.

In spite of some contradictory evidence, it seems that most people are basically good and the middle (as opposed to extremes) is a pretty good place to be in a lot of situations. I recently reconnected with my high school history teacher and football coach after 50 years. I still recall him saying way back then that he believed that the basically good people in the world outnumbered the bad. I tend to believe that also; in spite of everything, in spite of all our quirks there are many solidly good people left in our world! And, fortunately, the good ones in the middle are not like the ones on the extremes. All absolute human truth is not in the cults and cult-like movements nor among those who are outliers of average citizens, although some nuggets may be found in strange places. Truth comes into clearer focus when those of various opinions and beliefs can disagree and learn from each other. We can hold firm beliefs while others have those that differ, but continue to experience each other as fellow travelers who enhance our knowledge. This is our hope.

At this later stage of my life, I do not have all the answers that I once fooled myself into believing I had. I wish I had known back in my youth the many-sided opinions of the diamond of knowledge. Over the years, I guess I came to heed my dad’s advice and cannot be as dogmatic as I once was. I do not know it all and that is okay.

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LeBron McBride, PhD, now retired, was Senior Minister at the downtown Rome First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from 2001 until 2013. He is the author of over 100 published works, including his latest book, “Coming Back to Faith”. This first appeared in the Rome, GA “Rome News Tribune”.