IF YOU CAN'T INSPIRE, AT LEAST QUIT CONDEMNING!

“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” 

 Blaise Pascal

There is a lot of "bad stuff" going on out there! Some people are victims of other people's bad behavior, while other people are victims of their own bad behavior. It is sad to witness it and even sadder not to be able to put a stop to it. Today, I would like to say to all those who, like myself, are in "spiritual leadership roles." If you can't inspire people to choose an alternative to bad behavior, whether it is inflicted by others or self inflicted, at least quit the facile condemnations! 

Sadly, many so-called "spiritual leaders" believe their task is simply to name and condemn sin. That may make condemners feel oh so self-righteous in their condemnation, but that condemning behavior can actually ruin it for those who are able to inspire others to change.  Simply naming and condemning sin may make condemners feel that they have done their duty, but when no one is inspired to choose anything different and  they end up sinking even deeper into self loathing, what is the point? In that case, at least in my estimation, those so called "spiritual leaders"  have failed completely and miserably. 

Of course the answer is not to just "accept" or "ignore" sin, just as it is not enough to merely name it and condemn it. The real answer is to "inspire" people to choose something different. something more life-giving, in their relationships with others or with themselves! Inspiring change takes a lot more effort, a lot more focus, a lot more patience, a lot more finesse and a lot more love! The end is not to make the "condemner" feel more righteous, but to help the "condemned" be "transformed." We have too many religious leaders with strong, angry, personal "convictions," but with little ability to "influence" others to change. They may feel better about themselves, but in my estimation they have completely missed the target of real "spiritual leadership." I define "spiritual leadership" as "the ability to influence to move people from where they are to where God wants them to be."  The focus of a true "spiritual leader" is on "the other," not on "oneself!" 

A fancy title "designating" one a spiritual leader does not of itself make one a "real" spiritual leader. He or she must have "the ability to influence people to move from where they are to where God wants them to be." If they can't do that, their default setting is usually an attempt to align with political power to "make" people be good whether they "want" to be good or not. 

Jesus rejected the temptation to align his ministry with political power. He rejected that idea in the desert when the devil first proposed it and again and again when the crowds wanted to "make him a king."  "Spiritual leaders" who choose to align with political power may win a battle here and there, but they will predictably lose the war. 

Religious leaders! There is a lot of "bad stuff" going on out there! If you can't inspire people to change, at least quit making the situation worse with your self-righteous indignations and condemnations! Quit barking and take your "leadership" to some other arena where you can do less damage! Leave spiritual leadership to the "real" spiritual leaders - those who have convincing voices the sheep want to follow! As Thomas Paine said: “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”