Drinking the Koolaid

The saying, “Drinking the Koolaid,” is a present-day analogy of following a delusion of the masses toward our own destruction, based, of course, on the mass suicide/massacre in Jonestown in 1978.  However, the idea of accepting the delusion of the masses is not a new problem; indeed, Scripture has an entire book dedicated to outlining the delusions that people follow to their own destruction.  Not surprisingly, the delusional thinking described in the Book of Ecclesiastes is still common deceptions of the masses today.  As the author of Ecclesiastes states, “There is nothing new under the sun.” 

Some might say that any “religion” is a mass delusion.  I love a C. S. Lewis writing that explains one reason why Lewis was willing to accept Christianity as a plausible faith.  Lewis states, “Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have.”   While other religions can plausibly be explained as created by man, such as ones that promote mankind achieving a higher plane through effort and goodness, or following a set of rules for his or her own betterment, or continuing to try new lives until he or she gets it right, or even ones that suggest multiple gods who all reflect certain aspects of man’s nature (even the not-so-positive elements), it would be difficult to imagine a human being coming up with the highly unlikely scenario of God choosing death for Himself on the cross as a pathway to give mankind unearned salvation as a gift.  It is definitely not something we would expect. 

What the author of Ecclesiastes observes is that our best guesses about what gives life meaning and purpose are consistently proven as meaningless.  Our answers on life, what we would have guessed or expected, do not match with reality.  The “Koolaid” is the mainstream culture’s definition on what has meaning – and drinking it leads to our destruction.

Our mass delusions today mirror many of those described by the author of Ecclesiastes.  Let’s go through briefly and identify some of the more common Koolaids in our time:

1)      I can rely on my own knowledge and wisdom (Ecc. 1). Much like a child whose view of the world is limited to their frame of reference, yet they believe they know it all, we rely on our own knowledge and our own understanding of things as the “Truth.”  The only real source of truth, and the only real wisdom and knowledge, is from God.  Following our perception that our own knowledge and wisdom will not take us over the cliff doesn’t keep us from falling when we walk over the edge. 

2)      Pleasure will give my life meaning (Ecc. 2).  The hedonistic pleasures described in Chapter 2 include drunkenness (which today might be called partying), folly (foolishness and recklessness which today might be called risk-taking behavior), and indulging in all that “delights a man’s heart” (what today might be called pornography, gluttony, sexual perversion, and all other temporary fleshly pleasures ) but these types of pleasures ultimately cause my destruction. These pleasures are poor counterfeits of true joy, which only comes through relationship with God.

3)      More money and more “stuff” will make me happy (Ecc 5).  Similar to hedonistic pleasures, packing more things into our lives and working endless hours to get more money so we can buy more “stuff” is an empty substitute for the true fulfillment of the presence of God in our hearts and fully in our lives. Beyond the enjoyment I might take in the work itself, everything I gain in wealth does not last and is never enough to satisfy. 

4)      Control over my life is possible (Ecc. 8).  If I can control my destiny, and determine circumstances and outcomes in my life then I believe I can have security (which is the lie that entices me to try to control).  Of course I cannot control nor can I create security – all I have are my choices, and my choices do not determine the circumstances or the outcomes because there is no such thing as control.  When this attempt to control fails, I seek more power and more control, only to be thwarted again, and I am left feeling even more powerless.

5)      Having power over others will make me have value (Ecc. 8).  If I can “lord” it over others, I will feel powerful and important.  The flesh likes that feeling of being “god” in the sense of dominating over others, elevating myself at their expense.   These false hierarchies create all kinds of abuse – physical, sexual, and emotional – and ultimately anyone elevated above is doomed to fall, becoming the victim instead of the victimizer.  God our Creator determines our value and worth.  His birth, His life, and His death on the cross all say that we are worth everything to Him.  

Each of these examples of present-day “Koolaid” leads to our destruction.  Here is the Ecclesiastes author’s conclusion:

^“10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
   I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
   and this was the reward for all my toil.
¹¹ Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
   and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
   nothing was gained under the sun.”  (Ecc. 2:10-11)

What is the alternative, then, to drinking the Koolaid?  According to Ecclesiastes, there is no joy, no happiness, and no meaning apart from God:

“This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness” (Ecc. 2:24-26). 

Culture of Inadequacy

According to Alfred Adler and Rudolph Dreikurs, and widely accepted in the majority of parenting materials, there are four goals to misbehavior in children: 1) attention; 2) power and control; 3) revenge; and, 4) display of inadequacy. I will not define the first three, as they are fairly self-explanatory and are not the focus of this writing. The final goal, display of inadequacy, does not refer to someone being unable to do something like accomplish tasks – that would be simply inadequacy. Display of inadequacy refers to the goal of demonstrating to others that you cannot do something in order to get others to rescue you or do it for you. It is feigned helplessness. Bill Cosby has a very funny routine where he talks about how husbands display inadequacy in the kitchen so their wives, in frustration, will let them go back to bed instead of cooking breakfast for the children. So obviously, more people than just children display inadequacy to get something they want. As you know, what makes humor funny is its mirroring of reality.

So why does this matter? This pattern of misbehavior is designed to avoid difficulties, to minimize effort expended, and to shift responsibility off of self and onto others. As mentioned in the previous discussion post, it is about taking the easy road. What does Paul have to say about this attitude? Here are just a few examples:

Acts 20: 34-35 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Ephesians 4:28 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Colossians 3:23-24 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

I Thessalonians 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.

And what is the impact of taking an attitude of discipline and hard work? According to James:

James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

As I teach in college, and I observe both children and adults in my practice, I have noted an increase in a culture of inadequacy. Along with this trend, I have noticed a rejection of discipline and an avoidance of putting effort into anything, even things they claim they care about. The tendency is toward looking for ways to avoid work, quite opposed to what Paul taught. And as Scripture teaches, the consequence of this trend is a lack of maturity. When faced with adversity, more and more people throw up their hands and throw in the towel. Even at the first hint of difficulty, I have seen some students and clients begin to immediately bemoan their fate and claim total inadequacy rather than responding with discipline (remembering what it is they want) and increasing their effort toward achieving their goals. It is as if they believe it is better to quit than to risk and to give real effort.

Cody was widely known in the Tai Kwon Do community, both locally and nationally, for his perseverance. He won the national award for perseverance at the Junior Olympics in 2002. I have heard feedback from his teachers, his coaches, and from countless people who knew him and observed his life, that others marveled at his refusal to quit, his refusal to accept failure or to claim an inability to do anything, his refusal to give up or give in. The single, simple reason for this trait in Cody was his deep and intimate relationship with Jesus. Cody lived as he understood Jesus lived. His life reflected the attitude of Christ. In Paul’s writings, some of which are quoted above, this attitude is what we are all called to follow. With Jesus’ help, we are not inadequate to any task – “I can do everything through Christ Who gives me strength” is how Paul described this attitude. Cody embodied this attitude – and through prayer, so can we all. May we all take this teaching to heart – and express this attitude of Christ in our all that we do.

Covenant

The covenants of the Old Testament – between God and Noah, between God and Abraham, between God and the people of Israel through Moses, and between God and David – are all reflections of what we call the New Covenant – between all of humanity and Jesus. The first covenant was God’s promise to start anew with Noah, and to not destroy the world again through flood (a reflection of resurrection and everlasting life through baptism). Both of those promises, you will note, involve God’s action. The second covenant, with Abraham, also involves God’s actions, where He promises: 1) Abraham will be the father of a great nation; 2) his children will be given a land of promise; and 3) all the nations will be blessed through Abraham and his offspring (fulfilled through Christ).

Now we come to the covenant of the Law, given to Moses at Mt. Sinai. This covenant is the first covenant between God and man that involves mutual relationship. We now have a role to play. We choose blessings if we choose to follow God’s law, or curses (consequences of our actions and choices) if we do not (see Deut. 28). By this covenant, God separates Israel from others (in other words, sanctifies and makes holy).

Only God is intrinsically, inherently holy. It is His presence with us and in us that sanctifies us and makes us holy. What does that mean? It means we are set apart, separated into God’s realm. This separation is in two elements; the first is separation to God, meaning we are included in His realm with Him as part of the Kingdom, and the second is separation from the world, which presents a threat to our sanctity. All creation is divided into one of two categories: either common (meaning of the common realm, profane) or holy (meaning of God’s realm). What God offers Israel is the opportunity to choose to remain holy (separate to God) through observance of the Law. Israel has been marked as holy – but they have a choice.

And we know the rest of the story. Instead of following the Law, and remaining set apart to God, Israel began bringing idols into worship (idolatry), hedging their bets just in case one of those foreign gods could help out with such issues as fertility and crop production. Rather than imitating God (Ephesians 5:1), Israel imitated the world around them, and the cultures that surrounded them. According to the Law, impurity (loss of holiness) taints in four ways: 1) it taints the sinner; 2) it taints the community of the sinner; 3) it taints the land; and 4) it taints the sanctuary (the abode of God). Ritual sacrifice for Israel was given as a way to deal with these consequences of impurity. Offering blood (life force given by God) back to God in payment for the debt against (meaning the harm/death blow done to) the person, the community, the land and the sanctuary temporarily paid that debt, but had to be offered again and again, as Israel continued to taint all four through their sins. Ultimately, as promised by God, the land “vomited” Israel out, and they were taken into bondage.

Do you see how these elements of the Law reflect the actions of Jesus and demonstrate our need for Him to do exactly what He did? We often talk about the blood of Christ, but do we really understand why He had to die, why His blood was needed as payment of the debt against God that we had incurred? He gave His life back to God as payment for my life. His blood paid the debt once and for all. All sin is already paid for in full. All we are asked to do now is to appropriate that payment for our personal debt. We only need to choose to receive what Jesus freely gave. He is the perfect Lamb without blemish whose blood covers us and seals us as holy and sanctified, separate to God and set apart from the world. The angel of death passes over us, as it did Israel, because of the blood of the Lamb. This is the New Covenant – but as you can see, it is really the culmination of all the covenants of God. As we have stated before, all of the Old Testament points directly to Jesus. Jesus came to fulfill the Law, and He has done so, fully and completely.

Studying these verses has left me wondering what we, as a nation who once focused on God and who based our law on His Law, are now doing to the land beneath our feet. We are very concerned about ecology, global warming, etc., but we do not seem to be as concerned about spiritual ecology. Will one day our land vomit us out as the Promised Land did Israel? The consequences of the tainting of sin still stand today, if the blood of Christ is not appropriated as payment for sin. That points to a certain outcome, unless we as a nation turn back to Christ. We would do well to put as much energy into our spiritual conservation as we do our earthly conservation. Otherwise, we will also be vomited from the land. The same is true for our community. As we continue to sin and refuse to accept the blood of Christ as payment for that debt to make amends for the harm done to others, our community disintegrates and is destroyed, like the land. And finally, what about God’s sanctuary? Now His dwelling place is in our hearts. So what does our sin do to our hearts? They are hardened like Pharaoh’s heart. We become more selfish, more cold, more isolated, more estranged from each other, and more and more distant from God – put simply, our hearts are strangled and we are left bereft of love.

I wonder why we would choose this fate. What God offers is peace, joy, hope and love. Personally, I choose being set apart, sanctified and holy, over the strangle hold of self, fear, shame and loss of love. What do you choose?

Blindness

      Isaiah 42: 5 This is what God the LORD says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
   who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
   who gives breath to its people,
   and life to those who walk on it:
⁶ “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
   I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
   to be a covenant for the people
   and a light for the Gentiles,
⁷ to open eyes that are blind,
   to free captives from prison
   and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

 ⁸ “I am the LORD; that is my name!
   I will not yield my glory to another
   or my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have taken place,
   and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
   I announce them to you.”

 ¹⁰ Sing to the LORD a new song,
   his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
   you islands, and all who live in them…

 
¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
   along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
   and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
   I will not forsake them.
¹⁷ But those who trust in idols,
   who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’
   will be turned back in utter shame.

Although we may not be aware of it, we are all born blind and many remain blind throughout our lives.  We wander and stumble and slam into walls – then we act surprised that the wall was there, as if we think we can see where we are going.  We love to blame others for our faltering steps, or blame the wall for being there, or blame circumstances for our being in a situation where the obstacles were in our way.  Rarely do we realize our own blindness caused our fall.  But the truth is, as this Scripture in Isaiah indicates, we are the blind. Without the light of God, we will stumble; we will fall; we will crash into wall after wall. 

Christians, too, can be easily blinded.  No one is immune.  When we walk on a course of our own choosing (self-sufficiency), walking on unfamiliar paths without our Guide (self-determination), or getting distracted from focusing on Jesus every step of the way (self-centeredness), why are we surprised when things go awry?  Disaster waits closely around every corner.  The enemy, the prowling lion, is lurking in the darkness (his arena) licking his chops as we stumble off the path and away from God’s guiding presence and voice.  He quickly devours us, destroying everything he can in as short a period of time as possible.  And it doesn’t take long for us to crash and burn.  No wonder Jesus gave us so many examples of giving sight to the blind, so we could understand His role in our lives. 

These Isaiah verses tell us that God’s will for us is to be in the light with Him, walking side by side with Him as His partner and His love (covenant).  But we have a choice.  We can listen to His voice, and hold tight to His hand.  Or we can choose to follow self as god.  Which will you choose?  Light or darkness?  Blindness or sight?  If you choose to walk on your own, just don’t be surprised when you crash into a wall or fall over obstacles that you did not expect and did not see.  You are, after all, blind.