    |
 |
    |
14 February 2002 Editorial:
On Detecting Fanatics
Larry Kirkpatrick
One of the things our adversary does is that he tries to bring confusion. He tries to link truth with weird people so as to make the truth seem unpalatable and discredited in the eyes of those who might otherwise wish to accept it.
Interestingly, the period following the great disappointment of 1844 saw several manifestations of fanaticism. A part of the early work of Mrs. White was to seek to counter this fanaticism from place to place. In the near future, (next week we think), we'll publish here a paper my wife is writing on this. It will be a compilation of materials, much of it coming from Life Sketches and Historical Sketches. You will be really amazed at the patterns that come out. But not too amazed. Because I am going to share them with you ahead of time right here.
I used to think of fanaticism in terms of a vast, indefinite field in which any number of unusual behaviors might fit. However, now that we have seen several distinct markers for fanaticism described in the Spirit of Prophecy writings, we'll share a few. There are several distinct flags that can define a certain grouping of behaviors.
Among the behaviors that accompany fanaticism in those Ellen G. White references are the following:
- People stuck on one hyper-magnified idea
- Narrow or wooden philosophy and interpretation of Scripture
- A failure to work or provide for one's family combined with a leaching off others
- Attacks on spiritual authority figures
- Predatory action against the consciences of others
- Telling others that they are lost
One Hyper-magnified Idea. There are more items than those, but let's focus on those for a moment. These persons often have one point they offer that they have magnified and placed before everything else. Frequently, if not always, this one point, or at least their understanding of this one point, becomes the measure of all else. It becomes testing truth, or so they say. Something that might begin with some actual insight will be magnified and extended far beyond any proper proportion. It will become the testing point. Other truths will be brought to center around it, rather than it taking its place in a reasonable proportion. Some might say, for example, that every church member must do medical missionary work as they very precisely define it. Anything else will be declared to amount to nothing, or even by relabeled as "ungodly work" just because it doesn't fit their mold.
Narrow or wooden philosophy or interpretation of Scripture. The Bible or Ellen G. White will be interpreted in some very legal sense, very narrow, the letter without the spirit. This could mean that when Ellen G. White says, for example, that health reformers have to operate under some name, they will generate a name just to have one to operate under. Again, it could mean that they will teach out of one side of their mouth that everyone should stay in the church, while out of the other side of their mouth they say that the church will finally apostasize completely. They might say we need a revival of primitive godliness among us, meaning not that the church itself would be revived, but that the presence of their little cultic group in the church, as in having its members attend the meetings of the church, is somehow necessary. When closely examined, their teachings will abound in these tiny little legal-eagle interpretations.
Failure to provide for one's family, combined with a sense of entitlement. Often, as you'll see when we publish those historical episodes, these persons come demanding that financial resources be granted them while they, able-bodied, refuse to work to sustain their family. They want to talk you into handing over your money to them rather than working for it. This failure to work is even mentioned by Paul in the New Testament when he referred to some who refused to work. Some have used the idea that we are in the anti-typical day of atonement as an excuse and justification for not working.Attacks on spiritual authority figures. One thing that fanatics don't like are other spiritual authority figures who get in their way and, in the course of their work to protect the Lord's flock, point out the danger and identify these groups for what they are. That is, when the pastor is fulfilling his responsibility, and points out that something is fanaticism, the fanatics engage in a warfare against that. They don't like being exposed. James and Ellen White were attacked in this way again and again as they worked to root out these fanatics who were bringing reproach upon the cause and defeating the evangelistic work they were seeking to do.
Predatory action against the consciences of others. These people are verbal predators, and they will go to work on the nearest conscientious person. They will press these grievous burdens upon them, and try to glue them into an experience of personal condemnation because of their doubting the new light brought by the fanatic. This goes along with the next item on this list . . .
Telling others that they are lost. Here is an important sign, often one of the most telling. The rejection of a fanatic's program of new light will usually call forth some statement that you are lost. You will be condemned. The work of the Holy Spirit will be taken up by some zealous fanatic and he'll do that work for you. He'll be quite willing to become your conscience for you in order to insist that you are lost. Some of us would just write that off to their imbalanced views, but there are many sensitive souls among us who may make such things the center of much deep self-examination and lose heart in the feeling that they have gone so far as to reject the Holy Ghost or something on that line. Some of us are may have a firm skin against this and it won't mean much to us. But those among us who are not so firm will be wounded with deep wounds by this sort. The fanatic can be a churches worst nightmare.
The trail of gloom and impressions left behind in the wake of a fanatic can shut many doors, sometimes even a whole community against the entrance of the truth. The uninformed link the behavior of the fanatic with the work of the church, and the doors begin to close. Ellen G. White speaks of whole communities where after the manifestation of fanaticism, the entire work went down in flames. What a bitter tragedy. What a thing to meet in eternity.
Naturally, these fanatics will be constantly on the lookout for potential converts to their fanaticism. Your churches guests and visitors will be scoped out for their special treatment if at all possible. This can really be a problem. Now keep in mind that sometimes we have theological disagreements in the church. We should be very careful not to label those whom we simply disagree with as fanatics. It will take a combination of several items to really clearly begin to identify fanaticism. Most of the above principles will be operating. Pray that your church does not become victimized by fanatics. Make sure you know what you believe and what they are teaching before you lend them your support. In some settings, the presence of false worship styles or the new theology may make our people more ready to consider the raving of fanatics. But be more careful. Do not replace error with error. Wait for the truth.
Warning: filemtime() [function.filemtime]: stat failed for http://www.greatcontroversy.org/trunk/ed95.trunk in /usr/www/users/drogue/editorial/ed95-ondetectingfanatics.php3 on line 20
