DOGMA: Loyalty, Commitment, Addiction
I love the Rocky franchise because in every film the lead character has to bear down and plan his feet firmly into the idea that it is going to all he’s got to win the fight. This is the epitome of what is is to have heart. Truly there is nothing to suggest that it makes him any stronger or faster, but some how through sheer force of conviction he is able to succeed.
That level of faith can be empowering. It can empower a young speaker to address a large audience and over come their fear, but it can also be harmful. The same concentrate belief in a single idea can also lead terrorists to attack cities with the belief that what they are doing is right.
This conviction can be held for a religion, or a belief about ourselves, or a leader or loved one. In all cases it gives us the stability of thought to act with confidence to a particular end. The idea that we could be wrong or that we could fail must leave our minds. Sometimes total commitment is required to move forward because even the slightest hesitation can be cause for ruin.
Personally I remember this from athletics, if you are going to take a shot, in soccer it harms your chances to kick reservedly towards the goal. You have to put all of the force you have into the follow through of the action to have any hope of winning the point. This can also be the case with loving partnership, and even in social justice.
The issue is that we often fail to recognize when this absolute faith has lead us away from our original values. We’ve seen this with soldier in the armies of rebellion, but also in cults and religion. We must ask if it is possible to put full faith in an action and remain skeptical enough about the strategy to be willing to adapt it to circumstance.
This month we will look at dogma, and seek to understand how it serves us and harms us in our lives and organizations. I hope you will trust that we will not lead you astray but of course. We can not guaranteed satisfaction if you approach the work with a heart filled with disbelief.
Enjoi
Maceo Paisley
