Resistance Is Futile
A series of sociological / psychological experiments were conducted in the 1950’s called Asch’s conformity test which revealed the degree by which a person's own opinions are influenced by the group they’re in. An easily answered question was asked of a group of actors and one unwitting person. The group would all give the same painfully wrong answer, and Asch found that when it got to that last person, that over and over again they were willing to ignore reality and give an incorrect answer in order to conform to the rest of the group. The power of wanting to conform is greater than our desire to think correctly and potentially stand out. We also desire for somebody else to do our thinking for us.
This kind of phenomenon is intrinsically useful in cults and political movements. We tend to abandon a logical perspective and willingly adopt ideals and principals that don’t make sense, conflict with other things we believe, or are flat wrong because our brains decide for us that conformity is a better long term option. I believe that this is how we can have a professing Christian who says they believe the Bible, but then will also support something like abortion or gay marriage. The two ideals absolutely conflict, but what’s playing out is a person who is trying to conform to two different worldviews at the same time. It’ll only be a matter of time until one wins out over the other, and typically, because of the desire to live comfortably, more are bending their knee to culture instead of to Christ.
I think this is also a reasonable explanation of why some leave the Christian church. For many growing up, the church IS their social group. And because most people are intrinsically compliant in order to be accepted, many will think they wholeheartedly believe. Once they’re presented with more groups that conflict with the Christian worldview, they have to start making decisions about how much conflict they want to be in. Most people don’t want conflict at all, but part of the power of the larger cultural engine today is the blatant demonization of Christianity, and built into that, is the encouragement to endure Christian disapproval as a badge of honorable persecution. The decision becomes easier and easier as the larger engine’s hooks go deeper and deeper.
Since I attended a Christian elementary, highschool, and university, I see it literally everyday by the hundreds via social media - a once full-blown professing Christian who has somehow offloaded Biblical teaching for cultural doctrine. Many tend to temporarily believe that they are reforming the church by trying to marry the two worldviews, but inevitably, they come to realize that the two cannot be melded together and offload Christiantiy altogether. I believe that this is part of the reason why we are to work out our faith with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), and to test ourselves to make sure that we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Either we truly believe and will endure no matter what pressure mounts, or we don’t and will conform when the pressure becomes too great. True belief doesn’t cave just like true love doesn’t divorce. If it does, it wasn’t ever true.
I grew up a cultural Christian. I adopted the language, morality, songs, legalism, and clothing style of the church groups I was in. I affirmed all the things I was taught, but I never actually embraced it for myself. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know I was conforming rather than transforming. When I was hurt by a pastor after college, I left the ideals behind for a few years and started from scratch. I studied every world religion and anti-religion I could get my hands on. I still have my copies of the Quran and Book of Mormon in my office. I desperately wanted truth, and that search ultimately led me to a place I never ever thought I’d go - Biblical Christianity. Simply put, I’m now convinced that the Bible contains the legitimate truth of this universe, and it has nothing to do with my upbringing, family pressure, or paycheck. The Holy Spirit of God changed my heart. The physical evidence of the Bible is too hard to ignore. The intricacies and odds of the prophecies are unprecedented and remarkable. Jesus actually is who He said He was, and the facts will stand up to even the most intense scrutiny.
Ultimately, the Bible informs my morality, not a social structure. Jesus informs my place in this world, not a pressure from friends or family. God defines how I will live, not any denomination, number of sexy famous people, fact-checkers, or political party. My prayer every day is that Christ will hold me, and that I won’t ever bend to the ever-increasing cultural heat and abandon the one true God for the lie of temporary peace and relevance.
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“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” - Colossians 2:8
