QOTW: Oppression and Indoctrination

Last week I posed what I thought was a fantastic question when I asked my readers to submit a song as their personal theme song and add a note as to why they made the choice. After a day or two of little response, I commented to my wife that I was disappointed at the lack of answers, to which she responded that the reason was likely because the question was really difficult… she then told me that I should have posted my answer in the post to start people thinking.

Her points were quite well-taken when I realized that I couldn’t come up with an answer myself. So, for that, I apologize. The answers I got weren’t bad, so thanks to those who did contribute. This next week’s question, however, is one I suspect will be much easier to answer, while it’s quite deep and not necessarily a comfortable topic. And, I will begin with my own thoughts.

This particular questions comes from some of the things I’ve been reading, notably a forum discussion on Joyce Meyer Ministries and Word of Faith, as well as some articles about increased numbers and new tactics of hate groups in the Obama age. Both of these topics fueled a specific question for me, which is more dangerous: outright defiance or subtle challenges to society? Not exactly sure what I mean, well, here goes…

Joyce Meyer, while I know very little about her overall, is apparently a charismatic, practical, and down-to-earth evangelist who preaches a brand of faith associated with the Word of Faith movement, often linked to Prosperity Theology. There are several exceptions I take with this brand of faith, notably the oppressive nature of making claims that God wants us to be wealthy and the misguided and misappropriated idea that is we think something, it will come true through our faith and will. These assertions are dangerous, but this movement is not simply outright heresy, but rather a widely accepted movement that people may or may not realize they are buying into.

The new hate movement, similarly (though I wouldn’t equate Meyer or other Word of Faith folks to these neo-Hilters at all), has decided to take a more conservative approach than their predecessors. Retreats and gathering of “normal” folks are popping up everywhere, where the message is not “hate minorities” but rather “love your white heritage”. One leader of such a group says, “Why is it that when a black man wants to preserve his culture and heritage it’s a good thing, and when a white person wants the same thing, we’re called haters?” This subversive hate seems to me to be, perhaps, even more dangerous that the cross “lightings” (burnings) of the KKK.

So, I come back to me question, but this time I reframe it a bit and leave you, my readers to tell me what you think:

What is more dangerous to our society, outright hate, blatant heresy, and utter defiance of our societal norms or subtle subversion, hidden agendas, and disguised indoctrination? Why?

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~ by thepaintedman on December 2, 2009.