"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods." (Numbers 25:1-2)
In1972, a research psychologist named Irving Janis coined the term "groupthink."
Groupthink occurs when a group of people, whether a social group of friends or family or religion, or a business group of co-workers, or any group with a common interest, come up with an idea or a plan that could have serious detrimental consequences to the group, yet for various reasons, those who oppose it (called dissenters), remain silent and do not oppose it, giving the ILLUSION that all members of the group are unanimous in this decision, even though the TRUTH is that all members of the group are NOT in consent. This is another form of self-deception: a group self-deception.
The dissenters who hold back from giving an opinion that is contrary to that of the majority, do so for any number of reasons:
- they might doubt themselves wondering why they are the only odd man out when it appears everyone else is on board with the plan (not realizing that there are others just like them in the group who also are not speaking out);
- they might think that unity is of the utmost importance (not recognizing that unity at the cost of honesty is of no value at all;
- perhaps there are others in the group who, in an effort to protect the leader and/or the group's cohesion, squelch any attempts on the part of other members to dissent;
But of all of these the first reason listed seems to be most prevalent in groupthink. Perhaps that's why we are called "sheep" - because of our groupthink tendencies.
In terms of the Israelites who "joined themselves to Baal-peor" there was one man who not only did not succumb to groupthink, but who distinguished himself by being the "odd man out" and that was Phinehas.
"And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
And behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood: because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel." (Numbers 25:4-13)
Phinehas, the odd man out, was rewarded with an everlasting priesthood and covenant of peace. All because he dissented from the groupthink of the multitudes around him.
Groupthink = heads hanging in the sun. Do not be deceived; God has not changed.
Self-deception, whether individual, or as a group, is something we are warned about with all the "Be ye not deceived" messages in the Bible. But until we stop letting others study the Word for us, and thinking for us; until we get into the Word ourselves, and know what is right and what is wrong as clearly as Phinehas did; until we begin having relationships that are honest rather than just flattering...until all of this happens....we are subject to the evils of groupthink.
Jesus was not a flatterer; He was a dissenter of the ways of man; He was zealous for ALL the WORDS of God. He was the ultimate odd man out.
The question is whether we are willing to be that as well.
In1972, a research psychologist named Irving Janis coined the term "groupthink."
Groupthink occurs when a group of people, whether a social group of friends or family or religion, or a business group of co-workers, or any group with a common interest, come up with an idea or a plan that could have serious detrimental consequences to the group, yet for various reasons, those who oppose it (called dissenters), remain silent and do not oppose it, giving the ILLUSION that all members of the group are unanimous in this decision, even though the TRUTH is that all members of the group are NOT in consent. This is another form of self-deception: a group self-deception.
The dissenters who hold back from giving an opinion that is contrary to that of the majority, do so for any number of reasons:
- they might doubt themselves wondering why they are the only odd man out when it appears everyone else is on board with the plan (not realizing that there are others just like them in the group who also are not speaking out);
- they might think that unity is of the utmost importance (not recognizing that unity at the cost of honesty is of no value at all;
- perhaps there are others in the group who, in an effort to protect the leader and/or the group's cohesion, squelch any attempts on the part of other members to dissent;
But of all of these the first reason listed seems to be most prevalent in groupthink. Perhaps that's why we are called "sheep" - because of our groupthink tendencies.
In terms of the Israelites who "joined themselves to Baal-peor" there was one man who not only did not succumb to groupthink, but who distinguished himself by being the "odd man out" and that was Phinehas.
"And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
And behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood: because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel." (Numbers 25:4-13)
Phinehas, the odd man out, was rewarded with an everlasting priesthood and covenant of peace. All because he dissented from the groupthink of the multitudes around him.
Groupthink = heads hanging in the sun. Do not be deceived; God has not changed.
Self-deception, whether individual, or as a group, is something we are warned about with all the "Be ye not deceived" messages in the Bible. But until we stop letting others study the Word for us, and thinking for us; until we get into the Word ourselves, and know what is right and what is wrong as clearly as Phinehas did; until we begin having relationships that are honest rather than just flattering...until all of this happens....we are subject to the evils of groupthink.
Jesus was not a flatterer; He was a dissenter of the ways of man; He was zealous for ALL the WORDS of God. He was the ultimate odd man out.
The question is whether we are willing to be that as well.
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