| Author | Message | ||
| Cloudy Registered user Username: Cloudy Post Number: 43 Registered: 7-2007 |
I just finished reading this new book on cognitive dissonance by social psychologists C.Tavris and E. Aronson. They try to answer the question on how knaves, fools, villains and hypocrites can live with themselves. I found many fascinating examples of how people become embedded in deception and/or unethical behavior through a process of self justification. It also notes research in dissonance theory by social psychologists. In an early study on cognitive dissonance (50 years ago) a social psychologist and 2 associates infiltrated a doomsday cult to see how the members would react to the failure of their leader's prophecy that the world would end on a specific date. The researcher correctly predicted that those who had not made a strong commitment to the prophecy would quietly lose faith in the group leader, but those who had given away their possessions and waited as a group for the fulfillment of the prophecy would increase their belief in the leader and increase their efforts to recruit new members. The book concludes with suggestions for how to let go and own up to our mistakes, individually and collectively. This book has helped me address some questions such as how could I have believed in nonsense and why I stayed so long in a belief sytem which I knew had major flaws. To a great degree it is a matter of integrity. I recommend the book to anyone who is interested in the phenomena of cognitive dissonance. I picked up the book through interlibrary loan. | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 688 Registered: 11-2005 |
Wow. That is a fascinating thought. I will have to look up that book. Thank you. Gilbert Jorgensen | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1019 Registered: 10-2002  |
I think it would be good to have a review of that book in Proclamation magazine!! A brief synopsis and commentary. It REALLY, REALLY applies! | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1020 Registered: 10-2002 |
Perhaps the whole problem of Adventism could be arguably traced back to and summarized as the inability to admit being wrong. The ability to admit being wrong is perhaps one of the greatest gifts God has given us. It is repentance, essentially. It decreases us, and we see Him increase. And we become glad to see Him increased whether we are right or wrong. It minimizes "us" and teaches us to rejoice in Him alone. We lose "us" -- we lose ourselves, and find ourselves in Him! | ||
| Larry Registered user Username: Larry Post Number: 143 Registered: 5-2007 |
I second the Ramone's motion for a review of that book in Proclaimation. egw and her family got kicked out of the Methodist church, account found here and here. egw was impressionable (as the twig is bent!), and her parents were really into this Miller false-timesetting thing, obviously she was as well. How could she possibly admit her entire family had been udderly wrong. Better to start an entirely new religion than repent. | ||
| Benevento Registered user Username: Benevento Post Number: 161 Registered: 4-2005 |
I also read the book, and feel that it is helpfull so that you are not being deceived or maybe more importantly, that you are not deceiving yourself. I bought it on Amazon and want to keep it, and show it to some wavering SDA's. Peggy | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6710 Registered: 12-2003  |
That does sound fascinating. Ramone, I think you're on target re: the early Adventists' unwillingness to repent underlying the whole movement. Very insightful. Colleen |
