Church Motivation
The following post is a recent comment:
Nicole said...
I think the reasons that people in general go to church are for:
1.) A sense of efficacy
2.) A sense of meaning and purpose
3.) Social support
Those are the three things everyone needs in order to function. It's the buildnig blocks of helping people get better mentally, and most people could broadly fit in one or all of those categories in their reasons for church attendance.
Nicole, I agree with your three points. Your comment may even be a better way to summarize the list than I have. However, I think the terms you use all have a benevolent connotation. Frankly, I don't think that's the case. Don't get me wrong, I would prefer it be that way, but in my experience, that's fantasy land.
I would estimate that at least one third of the people who come to church do so to with malicious motivation.
1) They seek to achieve a sense of self-efficacy by dominating others and exerting themselves in a hostile manner. This is really just a cover for extremely weak self-esteem.
2) They pervert the message of our faith to manufacture a sense of meaning and purpose. Once attached to this new purpose, they now have a position of moral superiority from which they can demean and chastise others.
3) They also come to live under the illusion of a social support system that they unwittingly work to destroy.
I think Nicole is absolutely right! She has listed the primary points of motivation for church attendance; however, in a sign of genuineness and a pure heart, she has left out the counter example of which I am always ready to supply. I think I’ve just revealed a lot about myself.
Nicole said...
I think the reasons that people in general go to church are for:
1.) A sense of efficacy
2.) A sense of meaning and purpose
3.) Social support
Those are the three things everyone needs in order to function. It's the buildnig blocks of helping people get better mentally, and most people could broadly fit in one or all of those categories in their reasons for church attendance.
Nicole, I agree with your three points. Your comment may even be a better way to summarize the list than I have. However, I think the terms you use all have a benevolent connotation. Frankly, I don't think that's the case. Don't get me wrong, I would prefer it be that way, but in my experience, that's fantasy land.
I would estimate that at least one third of the people who come to church do so to with malicious motivation.
1) They seek to achieve a sense of self-efficacy by dominating others and exerting themselves in a hostile manner. This is really just a cover for extremely weak self-esteem.
2) They pervert the message of our faith to manufacture a sense of meaning and purpose. Once attached to this new purpose, they now have a position of moral superiority from which they can demean and chastise others.
3) They also come to live under the illusion of a social support system that they unwittingly work to destroy.
I think Nicole is absolutely right! She has listed the primary points of motivation for church attendance; however, in a sign of genuineness and a pure heart, she has left out the counter example of which I am always ready to supply. I think I’ve just revealed a lot about myself.
posted by Scott at 9:10 AM
4 Comments:
1) They seek to achieve a sense of self-efficacy by dominating others and exerting themselves in a hostile manner. This is really just a cover for extremely weak self-esteem.
That can be so true at times namely in a structure built upon the power of some vs. the non-power of others. I have seen it and I don't like it as much as the next guy.
2) They pervert the message of our faith to manufacture a sense of meaning and purpose. Once attached to this new purpose, they now have a position of moral superiority from which they can demean and chastise others.
This is also a facet of the faith I have seen, these people then become unchallenge-able - after all God put them in that position and they speak for God (so it would seem). They then turn around and defend the dumbest things which have no association with Christ (a great example war).
3) They also come to live under the illusion of a social support system that they unwittingly work to destroy.
I think the system needs to be over-hauled and power needs to be given equally to all. A true support system shouldn't have to be some minister and some are ministered to...everyone should be made to feel a part of the social goals of the community (again I am doing some wishful thinking). Still, if we don't challenge the ideals then who will? I mean, we seem somewhat enlightened on the subject.
You used the words "malicious motivations." That denotes intent. I think the truth is a little more nuanced. I don't think anyone really says to themselves, "Hmm, how can I gain moral superiority over others today?" or, "Maybe if I'm self-righteously hostile, no one will notice what an insecure prick I am."
Don't get me wrong. I completely agree with your points (I also agree with Nicole's, especially social support). Those people and those circumstances exist in the church (I hope it's not a third), but I think those things are only symptoms of the much larger problem of bad theology and faulty understanding of what the Church is and what should be expected from it. To my mind, this is the product of centuries of building error upon error by leaders who have chosen the paths of least resistance. This has resulted in church practice that must be light-years away from what Christ intended. It's analagous to making a photocopy from another copy, instead of the original. After several generations of copying, the result is indiscernible.
By and large, I think most church folks are sincere and well-meaning (inasmuch as they think about it). They're only so screwed up because they're heeding what they've been taught or, worse, imitating what they've observed. The lack of honest self-examination is to blame. But then, it's easy to demand that of others, isn't it? [/guilty]
Scott- I've heard both sides presented as reasons to attend church. Two years ago, I would have agreed with Nicole, now I agree more with you. Nice post...
There are always hidden dark sides to our motivations, and madness in our methods. Great post!
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