The True Believer - thoughts of the nature of mass movements. Eric Hoffer

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[pvitartas]

Regarding deprogramming -

No wonder some in Solid Rock did not want me to go back to Ohio State in the late 70's!  It was at OSU, that a history prof. brought a book to my attention which played a HUGE PART IN MY DEPROGRAMMING!

If you are struggling with being outside God's perfect will, and living only in the shadow of God's permissive will (you know, the part of God's will that prevents you from being severely spanked...) read ERIC HOFFER'S "THE TRUE BELIEVER - THOUGHTS ON THE NATURE OF MASS MOVEMENTS."

The kids (ELDERS?) who led Solid Rock in the 70's can be easily understood because of this book.

[MidnightRider]

pvitartas,

Maybe you could write a book review for us.

Thomas Sowell has written favorably about Hoffer and this book:
http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2003/06/18/the_legacy_of_eric_hoffer/page/full

An excerpt:

The twentieth anniversary of the death of Eric Hoffer, in May 1983, passed with very little notice of one of the most incisive thinkers of his time -- a man whose writings continue to have great relevance to our times.

How many people today even know of this remarkable man with no formal schooling, who spent his life in manual labor -- most of it as a longshoreman -- and who wrote some of the most insightful commentary on our society and trends in the world?

[pvitartas]

Good idea!  It's been awhile.  Bear in mind, I left Solid Rock in 1978, and read Hoffer's book circa 1980.

I remember when I left solid rock, a verse came to mind that helped me since I thought my world had ended being without my Solid Rock "family," "and a smoldering wick, He will not put out."  According to Hoffer, the True Believer is so wrapped up in his mass movement; i.e, his personality and self esteem becomes entwined with the group - that leaving it results in a huge personal crisis, that can even lead to suicide. 

Also, the True Believer is a member of a group the has a huge goal - often the goal is conquering the earth, whether it is conquering the entire earth with your superior military, or, in the case of Solid Rock, evangelizing the entire Earth via The Great Commission.

[pvitartas]

For further illumination on Hoffer's work, go to YouTube, search, Cabaret: Tomorrow belongs to me.  Listen to the song from the movie "Cabaret."  There you go, a true believer believes the world, tomorrow, belongs to me. 

[pvitartas]

When you listen to Tomorrow Belongs to Me from Cabaret, just take the uniforms out, and imagine Great Commssion folks singing the song...they really fit in well!