One of the most awesome and yet fearsome elements in the
universe is a black hole. In the anatomy of a black hole, there is something
called the event horizon. This is located at the front of a black hole and it
is where both time and space begin to become distorted as the matter is sucked
down toward the point of singularity (the black hole itself). In a metaphorical sense, some religious
groups become black holes and the ‘birth’ of this kind of black hole is the
death of light. In a sense, once this point is reached, there is little chance
of it returning to any form of what it once was. What causes this
transformation? It is the lack of fuel for the star to continue to be what it
is: a source of light and heat all the while the inner mass it has achieved
becomes the dominant force and causes the black hole to turn on its own self.
This is due its mass and eventually becomes crushing to the matter of which it
is comprised. Being one familiar with such social phenomenon as a dysfunctional
religious group, I believe it can be likened to the ‘birth’ of a black hole.
Its main motivation becomes the acquisition of mass. This can be seen in all
aspects of the many activities of the group:
A key characteristic of a black hole is that it is invisible
to the naked eye. You simply cannot see it at all. Once entered there is a
section called the ergosphere where matter becomes trapped and gravitates in a
circular fashion around the mouth of the black hole. What do you see in a DRG’s
ergosphere? Something unusual: everyone is going in the same direction at
varying speeds. On the outside rim, the movement is slow but as the matter
moves towards the event horizon, it speeds up rapidly. In the beginning, what
is seen is harmony and everyone with the same goal pulling together to achieve
something. This allows the entrant to see on the surface, all appears to be
good and wholesome. Yet notice the movement is ever towards the center. As the
entrant embraces the group, there is usually some form of teaching: a book, a
course or seminar that presents the groups position on various topics that
further enmesh the entrant. Experiences also may occur that further moves the
person nearer to the center (where the power is). All the while, there is
little resistance as the entrant goes along. After all, why should they resist?
There is nothing but harmony and the encouraging words and actions of those who
are alongside or perhaps just ahead. The entrant begins to see those who are
where they are and the ‘more spiritual’ that are beginning to move faster
along. What is manifested as matter
begins to move toward the event horizon, the pull becomes more intense and the
speed steadily increases. For the entrant this force is the move toward
commitment and submission to those that lead. All around them are people caught
in the same vortex and being pulled along. In a relative sense nothing really
has changed but one thing is for sure, probability of exit begins to vaporize.
If resistance is attempted, the gravity and the inertia they have set in motion
will cause extreme stress. What is the gravity in this situation? It is the
choices the entrant has made gradually. Many of the things dear to the entrant
at this point are leveraged against them and hold them hostage. If the leadership
gets wind the entrant has issues, there is interaction with them to move them
along, this can be pleasant or not depending on the personality and comportment
of the representative. However, there is the herd ( I like to call it)
mentality that by its very nature moves the entrant along and the person begins
to dismiss ideas of exit. The scriptures are used at times like this to cap the
motive of the person to bolt from the herd. Such examples of this can be:
1>
The Issue: submission to leadership and their
commitment to it-while it is very honorable to be committed this at times can
be leveraged negatively against the entrant. There is little doubt that that the commitment was made publicly. This type of commitment is the appropriate way but it is by its nature easily leveraged against the entrant.
The Antidote: But step back for a moment:
Ask yourself to what you committed to first: the leadership or the Lord as you believe
that HE brought you to the place of commitment and so you did with an open and
willing heart. But the question now looms: do you now stand by the belief that
He brought you to such a place? If so, then by all means stay and go through
what you must. You cannot rule out that there are things in you r life the
leadership of where you are can help you through them but hear what I am
saying: If there are issues that you now have with the leadership that may have
not been known at the time of commitment, then what was asked of you was not
done in full knowledge. This is not like a marriage or a family situation: if the groups foundational tenets no longer reflect the
scriptures as you have come to know them, and more importantly, as the Holy Spirit
over time has revealed to you ,on what at this juncture is your relationship to the group ( and by de facto the leadership) based upon? So what are you to do now? The question is can you continue to follow teachings
and doctrines that conflict with what you have been shown to be true. I know
the struggle you had or are having: Did
you not struggle and wrestle with the idea that you could be wrong and them
right? Chances are you did more than struggle but travail…in some cases for
years. What is this effort to be
labeled: integrity. You had integrity because of the commitment that you made
and you were willing to submit to all you had been taught and even bear through
the pain the rest of your life…had the Lord not been gracious. The bottom line
is you gave everything you had but it was not enough. So what is the root of your commitment? It is
not to the leadership of perhaps where you are or were but to Jesus Himself. If
He has by His Spirit brought you at odds with the leadership of where you are,
then it is only the peaceable thing to do is to leave. It is not about being 'right'
as much as it is about being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Oh, I
know that they may tell you the same thing and you are resisting, what they don’t
know is that you actually sided with them when you struggled through what the
Holy Spirit was trying to show you and where He was leading you. Yet…Thank God
the Father…He was relentless with you and eventually you gave up your positions
due to your own spiritual pride regarding the commitment you made. I have used this example before: Historically
Martin Luther was a catholic priest and because of his search through the
scriptures for answers to his own personal dilemma, he was revealed a great
truth. Yet this truth conflicted with the teachings of the leadership of his
church…leadership that he had taken vows before God to honor and to submit. What was he forced to do? He dissented. Not
because he wanted to , He saw no other choice but to do so. And so it is with
you….and me. In the name of Jesus, be free from that bondage!
2>
The Issue: the state of the entrant in terms of
their lack of spirituality for not seeing clearly the full revelation they have
been given. In essence what is being said is that because of their advanced maturity and your lack of it, you
cannot see the full truth and so not only must be led by example but under
their tutelage Gal 4:1-2.
The Antidote: So the argument goes…but read
a little closer…v3-4...’when we were
children,[we] were in bondage under the elements of the world 4 But when the fullness
of the time was come, God sent forth His Son…’ You can read the rest. So the
idea here regarding submission to be instructed is somewhat out of context. The
teaching applies here not to the child of God but the Lost. While I am not one
to say one does not need any instruction or accountability, I am convinced that
the balance of this teaching is to balance the role of teacher and leader in
the context of the scriptures. Ultimately, who taught you? Them or the Holy
Spirit (ergo the inner conflict: you were given teaching that conflicted with
the teachings of the Holy Spirit- thus your dilemma).
3>
The Issue: The person being a spiritual leader
to their family and providing a good example of them of how to serve God. If
you do not stand as an example for how to live, then you will stand in disgrace
and an example for them how not to live.
The Antidote: It must be realized that your own flesh and
blood is being used as a tool to manipulate you. Out of fear one can be
paralyzed by the ‘what ifs’ . Now let me ask you a question plainly: Is God the
author of fear? In 1 John, God is defined as love (God is love). Let’s play
a word game. Let’s substitute the word ‘God’ for ‘love’ because in the scripture
of 1 John 4,they are defined as interchangeable. So the game:
‘There is no fear, in love [God]; but [a]
perfect love [God] casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth
is not made perfect in love [God]’ 1 Jn
4:18.
Insightful isn’t it. Now the bare truth:
What do your leaders cause you to do most? Fear. How much time and effort has been stolen from
you by fear?
Conclusion: In the end, the entrant/member is left little to
stand on and yet the feeling something is not right remains. So they live in the limbo of indecision being
held hostage by erroneous teaching (because it conflicts with what God has
revealed to you is a balanced look), feelings of inferiority (you are not
mature enough to know the true direction God is taking you) or spiritual pride
(being a ‘good’ example of the teachings you have even taught your own family
perhaps in the fear that by changing you will lose whatever respect and homage
that your family may have towards you).
Do you stay over fear of losing your family? Usually
dysfunctional groups ‘recommend’ the family of a dissenting member or ex-member
to ‘cut off’ their own flesh and blood.
That is a stark reality you will face. But let me tell you something:
you have already lost them. Why and how? They already look to the leadership
for how they are to treat members who dissent ( in their jargon – the rebellious).
This is the sad truth: God ordained
relationships that are to last them through life (even the world knows that),
are already severed even when you are in the midst of being in right standing.
They have already stolen your family. What it will take to unleash them is the
same thing it is taking you…the Holy Spirit. You cannot save them without the
leading of the Holy Spirit first. The good news is you can pray and fight and
stand for what is right…although there is a tremendous price you will pay. The
real question then arises: Who are or were you really serving? It is or was
not God.
ENTERING THE EVENT HORIZON
So all the above has described the ergosphere of the
dysfunctional religious group. The draw and pull is immense and ultimately once
in it, the path is clear: entry into the event horizon. The matter that is drawn into the event
horizon experiences one key event: distortion. A complete distortion of time
and space. Ultimately, any reality that we could know is bent on its ear and
completely distorted. Past, present and
future have no meaning and there is no more reference to any other reality than
the distortion. Yet the matter is drawn inexorably
towards the point of singularity: the black hole, the imploded star that once
was light and now is the star eater where even light cannot escape.
There are three
theories that are proposed for the matter that enters into the black hole’s
point of singularity and I believe they stand as good examples of the products
that a dysfunction religious group produces:
1>
The matter that enters into the event horizon
and almost immediately drawn to the point of singularity is so distorted it
ceases all integrity of itself. It is literally dis-integrated. It no longer
exists. Many people that enter a DRG and are either expelled or leave it, never
gain a sense of self again and become completely shipwrecked. While the DRG’s
leaders point to them as a example to those that remain of what will happen to
them if they leave. The truth is they stumbled and were crushed by the DRG. I
seem to remember the Lord Himself saying it would be better for one who has
caused the stumbling to have a millstone attached around the neck and for them
to be thrown into the sea.
2>
The matter integrates completely with the point
of singularity. To some this is what they always wanted: to be someone else and
now they are. All identity is gone and there is no more volition or will than
to please the ones in charge. And we wonder how several hundred in Jonestown
drank the Kool-aid.
3>
The matter passes through the midst of the point
of singularity and is warped through time and space to somewhere else in the
universe in a visual and marvelous emitting of power and light. It maintains
its integrity and ‘passes through’ the experience to be transported somewhere
else.
AND THE ANSWER IS...
You must know the time to leave a DRG is in the beginning
when it is easier and costs less. But Friend, it is never an option to stay
because if you do, you will pass through the event horizon and the outcome is
one of three. So which one do you want to be? Which one do you purpose to be? A casualty, a slave or a son?
The answer is how much you
trust Jesus, you know, the One who really called you. The One that bought you
with a price only HE could pay. The One who is STILL leading you …even through
the event horizon