The Need to Belong

The programming of the National Geographic channel showed stories about cults. Cults are such a tragic thing. People who need to find 'something' are often find what they are looking for but unfortunately, they find their way into a cult. The most dangerous cults are those with apocalyptic ideology tempered with a profound belief. Most will remember the Heaven's Gate cult where 41 people committed suicide to ride the ship hid by Comet Hale-Bopp. Groups like Heaven's Gate are primarily dangerous to their own membership. However, the terrorist cult Aum Shinrikyo pose a threat to society as a whole. The most tragic cult account was that in Jonestown, Guiana where over 500 people committed suicide or were murdered.

Then, you have groups like Strong City in New Mexico do not seem to have an outwardly threatening demeanor. However, some of the conduct that has been reported about the group suggests that the groups is a danger to female minors by sexual exploitation. So, there is still a danger. There are reports of other groups, like the polygamist faction of the Latter-Day Saints church where a patriarch controls the lives of 25 or more wives. There have been reports of threatened murder on wives who try to leave. Neither of the aforementioned cults show an apocalyptic bend, but there is the question of human rights violations.

I suppose it is possible that we all belong to a cult of some making or another. To be fair, and somewhat off hand, people who have a fanatical exhibition for any topic are displaying cult-like behavior. Yes, Trekkies/Trekkers, I'm taking about you (and me). Granted, that is generally benign and rarely causes the death of some one. Can fan-based cults cause general harm? It is possible. A local Trek fan club can go fanatical and try to force the creation of the Federation. I know, it's not likely to happen. And, we honestly shouldn't worry (unless they invent a REAL phaser).

It is truly terrible that the need to belong must be filled by cults. Naturally, there is a greater threat to society by other groups of people with the need to belong. Gangs and terrorist organizations have the larger numbers and will to use force to meet their needs. We, as a species, need to find better alternatives.

The Fall of Rome

                Have you seen Quo Vidas? It is a rather old movie, made in 1951, which stars like Deborah Kerr, Robert Taylor, and Peter Ustinov, as Nero. It’s a good flick but one thing caught my attention was one of those mindboggling, eyebrow raising moments. What had caught my eye was one of the scenes toward the end of the movie (SPOILER ALERT) when Christians were executed in the Circus Maximus by being fed to the lions. It wasn’t the fact that the Christians were killed in that manner. What I really zeroed in on was the reactions of the Romans in the crowd. They cheered as the blood and terror of those being torn to shreds by the lions. Poppea Sabina, Nero’s wife, displayed a seemingly orgasmic thrill at the carnage. Let that soak in for a moment.

                Have you ever heard a NASCAR fan explain the love for the event to just to see the crashes? I’ve heard that a time or two over the years. Why? We see the fire and wreckage, often times, flying into the crowd killing the driver and, maybe, one or two in the crowd. That is a reason to watch hours of cars going in a circle? Have you seen the sports DVDs that glorify the injury, or death, of players instead of the skill? I remember watching ABC Sports and the skier tumbling off the ramp. Let’s not forget about the movies. We laugh at movies like Jackass (I won’t go further about that.). The current movie fair seems to require graphic, blood lusty scenes to draw a crowd. We have a fascination with vampires, werewolves and other factious creatures with some elevating such to a god like status. Blood sells. Acting, art direction and score rarely sells.

Do you know a church where the pastor released early or cancelled Sunday night service because of the Super Bowl? Or, have you seen someone get uptight because the preacher keeps services over on race day? Where is the priority? If you are getting uptight because you might miss something on TV, you probably shouldn’t be going to church. Your heart is not in the right place. That one hour should be focused on one thing! Not what the world has to offer, but what the Spirit has to offer.

                Take a moment and re-read the previous paragraphs. Do you see what I am getting to? I certainly hope you do. If not, here’s the meat and taters. We talk about how America is going downhill. How we are going to lose our freedoms. Rome started on their downward spiral when they started focusing on the wrong things and not what was really important. Romans sought to quench their lustful hearts instead of the betterment of their society. Eventually, four hundred years after Nero, Rome fell. The Roman society fell apart letting in those who would destroy it. Is America the new Rome, waiting on the time when it finally folds and no one notices? Think about the road America is on. Take a step back. See what is happening.