The Problem with Ideology

    There is a problem with man's thinking, They don't often think, they react. Now I am not saying that it is only with others that this happens. It is often true of myself. To the least expecting; those that never give the possibility a thought, it happens most. I think that it occurs like this:

      Since man's brain is like this computer. "Garbage in Garbage out" (monkey see, monkey do). We tend to imitate behavior we admire and or continually observe. Including; Wording, Actions, Opinions, and Attitudes.

      And since mankind is bent to always find a comfort zone, and he doesn't often buck his own status quo, we seldom find it possible to escape the tendency to stay in 'Brain Neutral'. (Of course, there are exceptions )

      Usually we absorb and duplicate, without critical thought, input given by outside influences. Parents, Friends, Favorite preachers, TV personalities, all these influences have differing holds on different people. Because of the Chaotic dynamics of societal influences, it is very difficult to pin down the absolute one or two primary reasons for personality development. As we know, there are exceptions, for instance; In extreme personality disorders, there could be one over-riding influence in that has shaped a negative personality trait. Like, The classic 'Shell Shock'.

    Where I believe that 'Ideology' fits in, is the area of 'Belief by Association', rather than the better 'Belief by Conviction'. For an explanation, let's take my own situation: Since I am a "Christian" (Which has a relative definition) People expect me to have certain beliefs. Both my friends and my enemies. Before my conversion to Christianity, I was caught up into the Hippie movement. In every way I was a Hippie; I swallowed the whole philosophy, hook, line and sinker. It was an Ideological disposition that I copied without deviation. At the age of twenty, I became a "Christian". All of a sudden I was inducted into a whole new Ideological system. Bye the way, I think much of my Hippie tendencies would have changed while growing up. (Harsh daily reality does wonders) But I do not think that the change would have gone very deep. But as it was, almost all the battles of change were won in one evening. Being accomplished by one Ideological shift on my part. What had happened, is that I entered into a group of new "Associations". But as the years passed, I found that, what I thought were good Bible based Belief and Faith, were just simply Systems of thought that were a substitution for honest heart felt conviction.

      After my conversion, I found that, not only was I Ideological, but so were most of my associations. And when I began to develop some genuine convictions, I ran into trouble with the rest of the Ideologues.  For you see, someone who is Ideological is almost always intolerant of someone else's beliefs. This, bye the way, is the reason for almost all the splits in the the institution we call "The Church".

    Now I could go on and on about myself and my Pilgrims Progress through various beliefs and challenges to those beliefs. But I think that enough is said to make the point: We have an obligation to Truth (Jn.14:6) and not to ideologies. If we forsake truth, then we are forsaking God. Because we are therefore forsaking the very means in which He communicates to us of Himself. And consequently we can have no fellowship with Him. And at best, all we can do is speculate and talk of Him.