The Confused Thinking that is Christianity

In some of my previous posts, I have argued that how we think and what we do, are the result of our interactions within our “mature social medium,” and the “mature social medium” that we live in, that is also based on Christian dogma and teachings, has resulted in many “double binds”–leading to confused thinking, and in some cases, psychosis. It isn’t only Christians that should be skeptical, we should all be skeptical of what we are taught, and even more so when we are given contradictory messages (such as what is written in the Bible), as contradictory messages lead to “double binds.” Christians are told to have faith” as a tactic to cover up the “double binds,” however, just having “faith” in what a person is taught does not take away from the effect of the “double bind” messages that are taught.

Simply put, “double binds” are situations involving two or more people, one of whom (for the purpose of the definition), is designated as the “victim”. The others are people who are considered the victim’s superiors, i.e., figures of authority (such as parents), whom the victim respects. Double binds are recurrent themes in the experience of the victim, and as such, cannot be resolved as a single traumatic experience, and they involve contradictory messages imposed on the victim by the others in one of two forms. For example:

a) “Do X, or I will punish you”;

b) “Do not do X, or I will punish you”.

(or both a and b)

Punishments may include the withdrawing of love, the expression of hate and anger, or abandonment resulting from the authority figure’s expression of helplessness. In Christian society, one of the recurrent “double binds” is as follows”:

a) Christians are said to be “saved” and “work through Jesus” doing good works.

b) Christians are said to be “born sinners” and cannot help but to do bad things.

Christians WANT to be good, but their religion also tells them they CANNOT be good—which leads to confused thinking and/or psychosis. The Double Bind Theory was first articulated in relationship to schizophrenia, and it was also hypothesized that schizophrenic thinking was not necessarily an inborn mental disorder, but a learned confusion in thinking–and Christian teachings offer many double binds, which leads to confused thinking, and/or psychosis. This “double bind” results in many “Christians” behaving abysmally, yet still believing they hold the “higher moral ground” because they believe in Jesus. However, their “double binds” lead society down the rabbit hole into a cesspool of chaos. Even Christians have made note of this. (As noted in the article I cited below, from which I took the  Ravi Zacharias quote.) In article after article, we are exposed to the “sins” of Christians who murder, molest, cheat, commit adultery and abuse—yet still believe they hold the higher moral ground and think they are superior to non-Christians. How can this be so?–The “double bind” effect.

In a recent article, the Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias was confronted by a Hindu acquaintance who asked: “If this conversion you speak about is truly supernatural, then why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians that I know?” In other words, a God who is said to transform should produce people with transformed lives. *

So why is this not the case? Why doesn’t Christianity “transform” the lives of the majority? As the evidence tells us there are many “Christians” who murder, molest, cheat, commit adultery and abuse, perhaps the best explanation for this is the “double bind” messages they are given, which lead to their psychosis, or at least, to their confused thinking. These contradictory messages (such as the examples listed below) promoted by Christian thought, lead not only to confused thinking and/or psychosis but to anti-social behaviors that are perpetrated by Christians. Examples of double binds:

1. Christians are told to be good—but as “born sinners” they cannot be good. A double bind.

2. Christians are told to be “perfect” as their father in heaven is “perfect”–but they are also told that it is impossible to be perfect, as the Bible states both. To explain, the Christian definition of perfect is taken from the claim that Jesus was perfect, as he is said to be without sin. This is also what Jesus means when he said that: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

The possibility of being perfect does not mean being perfect all your life, but the POSSIBILITY to be perfect. When Christians say “No, it’s not possible to be perfect,” this means they SIN ALL THE TIME–and they think this is normal. Christians might argue that perfection is  translated as being mature, and does not mean perfection. Some try to use Luke 6:36 as an example, but Luke 6:36 is not Matthew 5:48. This would be taking it out of context– Matthew 5:48 is simple and straight forward if we follow the logic based on Bible passages:

God = Jesus. Jesus was sinless. So God is sinless.

People = God (Be ye perfect as God; we are made in God’s image).

Therefore, people are perfect. or,’Jesus is perfect’ means:

a) Jesus IS to strive to be good and to forgive injuries and to entertain strangers, and to do good to the evil. Or,

b) Jesus is without sin. Matt 5:48 states, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Some Christians argue that it means “complete, or mature or healthy and yet not be without flaw”, but if that is the case, then is it the case that Jesus is only “complete or mature or healthy and has flaws?” This is cherry picking definitions to make sense out of contradictions, “Humpty Dumpty” style. Consider Deuteronomy and Matthew. In both cases ‘perfect’ is in reference to being just and righteous and without injustice. In both cases to be complete means to carry out fully the law and to do this requires a maturity—such a person would be without sin and perfect:

Deuteronomy 32:4 in Hebrew is: הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳלֹ֔ו כִּ֥י כָל־ דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃

The Rock is perfect, his work for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice. Righteous and upright.

Matthew 5:17-20 and 5:48 offer the resounding conclusion: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven…Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

The notion that perfect means “complete, or mature or healthy and yet not be without flaw” is to misconstrue what Jesus meant by perfect. For Jesus says not to break one law, that is to say do not commit one sin. As Jesus said: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” It IS possible to be perfect according to the Bible, as according to Hebrews 10:26-27, once a believer is “saved” and has the laws written on their hearts, they can “sin” no more–or they go to the pit of fire.  No repentance.   So Christians are taught they CAN be perfect, but they are also told they CANNOT be perfect—a double bind.

3. Jesus did not come to bring peace, but a sword—but also said that if someone strikes your cheek to turn the other one and allow them to strike it as well. He also said that if someone steals your cloak, give him your tunic as well. In other words, fight back, but don’t fight back.–a double bind.

Therefore, we should be especially skeptical when we are given conflicting and contradictory messages, as these can lead to confusion and/or psychosis. We should instead apply critical thinking to ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING we are being taught in order to find the BEST explanation.