Mass Movements and Self-Disdain

 (Thummim's notes from reading The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements)

My thoughts on mass movements engendering disdain for self:

"The Fall" and "The Natural Man"

Both teach you there is something fundamentally flawed about your existence.

With the fall, it's something completely outside your ability to "solve/cure"

Only the "org" provides the solution for that (Jesus)

But Jesus is withheld based on obedience to the org, so they are the gatekeepers to your not being "flawed"

With the Natural Man, that is within our power to influence

So a "battle" is created, lines are drawn

But, again, the org tells you what kind of thoughts and actions come from the Natural Man, so again, obedience to their set of values/world view is required for "freedom"

This is a thought that's been rolling around in my head for a few months: "is it better to make someone think they're in a war when they're not, or to make someone think they're NOT in a war when they are?"

The answer, of course, is "neither" is best, but if you had to choose one, which would you?

Which would leave a worse psychological scar?

This question reminds me of Pascal's Wager (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager)

Where he posits that you stand to lose less believing in God than in running the risk of going to hell/missing out on Heaven

But, I wonder if that's practically true considering the psychological fallout of God based belief systems...

(Such as hindering ambition/self-confidence)

(And belief in intrinsic worth, not bestowed by an outside source, such as "being a child of God" as an example of worth being subtly linked to God rather than wholly intrinsic)

If you're constantly seeking rebirth, you may miss out on living your actual life.

It's funny cuz I still get red flag mental warnings exploring these thoughts because they echo the rhetoric of "antichrists" in the BoM.

(Religion produces a fanatical mind)

"Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a ​​​frenzied​ mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so" Alma 30:16

That's Korihor

Nehor's philosophy is interesting, but he gives it in a larger context of acknowledging a fundamental need for redemption, but not going so far as to say "you have never been broken" - he just says "Free salvation for all!"

"they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life" Alma 1:4

One thing the True Believer book points out is that mass movements evolve from early idealist passion to late bureaucracy and stuffy formalism.

I definitely see that in the study of church history. The early church was super raw and not much like the "lawyers in suits" church of today (to good and bad effect on both ends of history)

But the page I posted links that change to an internal shift from self-sacrificing ideals to self-interest... when people start using the movement to advance their position/career, (aspiring to be general authorities) the movement has lost something of its initial core appeal/idealism/vigor.

I also thought the proposed link between being self-hating and being judgmental (minding other peoples' business) was interesting at the end of that page.

I keep having the image of the Morpheus (from the Matrix) meme come into my head with the caption: "What if I told you... there is no war to fight and that you are already whole?"

But the matrix is a good example of telling someone they're NOT in a war when they actually are.

Are there any good examples from books/pop culture where it's the opposite? Telling someone they're in a war when they're not actually? If you stretch the definition, Star Trek TNG "inner light" might fit (where Picard lives a life trying to save a planet that's long dead).

Seems like it usually goes the other way... Truman Show, Ender's Game...

We, culturally, seem to have a good bead on the "fool's paradise" stance/story.

My current hunch is that the "you were never in a war" revelation, while immediately relieving (like waking from a bad dream), would feel like the orchestrators of the illusion were much more manipulative than the inverse scenario.