Ya I’ve worn them. Ya I’ve issued them. I hope that’s all a thing of the past for me.
Willful blindness is on the move! Just the other day someone told me he preferred it because reality is just too confusing, disturbing and faith-rattling. It’s pandemic.
I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt: there comes a time when we simply must cast off our blinders.
Someone just emailed me yesterday and said, “My dad has received your 101 book. He is 80. He loves it… as i knew he would!” “Nakedpastor101: Cartoons by David Hayward“, from amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.de. Great for laughs and serious discussion!
illustrating spiritual paths
Willful blindness in what way? Examples, please?
Haha. I used to wear them 24-7, not just on Sundays!
I like this one David…
Being a former evangelical myself, and having studied sociology and epistemology at a graduate level I do have some empathy for what I call willful ignorance but what you just as correctly identify as willful blindness.
Cognitive dissonance is extremely difficult and emotionally disturbing for many people to work through when they have been inculcated and socialized in false fundamentals, because paradigm shifts (removing the blinders) can only go forward. In other words, once you take the blinders off they can never really be put back on again regardless of how hard you might try.
And that is extremely scary for many persons.
AMEN!
I think this analogy is apt but doesn’t begin (nor should it, necessarily) to address how scary it is to be the third generation raised with the blindfold on, told that we can see more clearly than the rest of the world, and as a teenaged girl (read: fairly worthless in the church economy) begin to think maybe the blindfold is a blindfold and not the “spiritual eyes” I was told. People who come to religion as adults or at least near-adults, have some pre-religion experience with life to use as a comparison. Those of us raised by parents who were raised in the religious box can’t possibly have any sort of reality-checking standard. I still don’t know how often I wear that blindfold simply because I don’t know how to recognize reliably when it is on. And that bugs me. (Thanks for letting me rant.)
Where I go to church, the pastor does ALL he can to make sure our blindfolds that we are wearing on the way in, are removed by the time we leave that morning.
We get a strong dose of reality.
We hear what God expects of His people. The mirror is held up so that we SEE that none of us is up to that standard.
We hear the truth in that the grave is approaching.
And then we hear the gospel. That we ARE forgiven…and that we will be pulled out of that grave to NEW life by the One who died for us.
Blindfolds? Not in our church.
Scott Bailey,
I think you’re right.
Steve Martin, “We hear what God expects of His people. The mirror is held up so that we SEE that none of us is up to that standard.”
what does god expect of his people in your opinion?
what should our response be to the fact that we are not up to that standard?
Steve Martin….What church do you attend and in what city/state?
Is there an internet site? Would love to know more about what the leaders believe and teach.
Thanks Jo Ann aka Great Grama Hug Attack: )
Great Grama Hug Attack (you gotta love that!),
Here’s the link to our church website:
http://www.lightofthemaster.com/
Thanks, Jo Ann!
What was really frightening in my little fundamentalist church is that my Pastor was a master manipulator and could see the question coming before you asked it or even before it popped into your head. He had a name for cognitive dissonance, “hardened heart.” You see, it wasn’t my God given logic that made me doubt what I was hearing from the pulpit, it was my sick and wicked heart. See what he did there? It took 20 years to see through that maneuver.
Sandra, I too was a fundie kid, although not 3rd generation. I relate to your post, very much.
i too was born with the blinders on and i agree, you can’t put them back on.
also it can be very difficult to stay connected with family and friends who are still wearing theirs
Love.
True deb. Thanks for your comments.
Thanks jess
Anyone who is so thoroughly convinced that they have no blinders seems to me the most likely person to be wearing them.
Those of us who have seen what it is like to take them off can never really be sure we have them off, because we remember that at the time we never knew we had them on.
Willful blindness in what way? Examples, please?
Steve, here is an example: Any persons who would stay and support the ministry of any leader like the following is practicing willful blindness.
- Shut up and do what you are told!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM7dCj7QWKs&feature=feedrec_grec_index
Misusing the pulpit to silence members.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dSA5Vs9huc&NR=1
I am so thankful for all those who are asking questions about the seemingly obvious and the taboo (like hell for instance) and helping persons like me to think, ask questions and search Gods heart for answerers.
Responding to a still small voice from within my own heart and spirit in the 1990′s has changed my life forever.
The words I began to hear repeatedly were: “WHAT do you believe and WHY do you believe it?”
Needless to say it has been a soul setting free journey for me. No turning back, the blinders are being removed, and not for me only. It does seem to be happening to multitudes around the world?
Thank you David for sharing your heart with all who will partake.
Thank you Heavenly Father for your Faithfulness to ALL mankind!
FAITHFUL IS HE WHO HAS PROMISED! Hb. 10:23
Love ‘n hugs to one and all!
Thy words were found, and I (we) did eat them; and thy word was unto me (us) the joy and rejoicing of mine (our) hearts: for I, (we, all mankind) are called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jer 15:16