Saturday, March 10, 2018

Defense Mechanisms

Throughout history, wars have been about who is the strongest. When the battle was won, each nation with different gods proved their god was the strongest. Those who lost the war seemed to have a weaker god. People defended their god. Inevitably, unbeknownst to them, that they were essentially their own god. With that said, their gods were their defense mechanism. To be truthful, God is my defender!

However, for those who do not trust, they are their own defense. They must protect their own god at any expense or there are feelings of failure. Several people that I have known are never wrong, according to their self-perception. Their knowledge is the battlefield and their belief system is the battle. Disagreements give them the perception that they are under attack. The world is as as they know it. For the rest of us, as they see it, our kingdom is stupidity!

In order for people to remain their God, and thus protect their kingdom, they must have powerful weapons! The weapons in their arsenals are their defense mechanism. Look at the weapons in that cache: deception, unbelief, manipulation, intimidation, and anger are a few! Anger is immediate but name-calling is usually a last resort, although among the most ignorant, it is the first resort.

Name-calling usually comes after persuasion has failed. It takes knowledge, cognition, and logic to persuade. Name-calling and anger are attempts to retreat from the battle while at the same time saving face. For those watching the battle, if they are fools, cheer on their colleague who has won the battle of words by thrusting the twin daggers of anger and insult!

Weaker people use another mechanism - hurt feelings. They raise the white flag and ask for a truce favorable to them. "I am wounded, can't you see?" Let's stop thIs battle before I'm injured worse!"

Thus, their nemesis must withdraw so as to not cause collateral damage. That method is used to preserve the weaker, and to save face. The wounded person withdraws to the safety of his or her own comfort zone perceiving that they have fought the good fight, as they lick their own wounds. "I'll fight another day," they declare, "when the enemy has time to be less confrontational."

Those with strong defense mechanisms don't use facts for ammunition, but dud bullets fired from their mental guns which apparently have not been reloaded in quite some time. They then reach into their arsenal and pull out emotions. "I'll show them. I throw a mean tantrum!"

Bullying is a tactic where losers turn to anger and name-calling. On the other hand, those who retreat in feigned injury are subtle bullies. They take respite when their victims are more cunning or fights back.

People chose their weapons. They either use destruction or love. Those with psychological defense mechanisms operate under the law of sin. Those with divine mechanisms use the law of God. The former rages; the latter uses the Goldsen Rule - treating others in the manner win which they prefer treatment.
Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals on his head.
We are expected to appease their "god". Why not? Our God is Almighty! He can't be toppled. Their god is easily toppled. In fact, kindness is a frail god toppler!  What weapons shall Chrsitians use? The whole armour of God, alongside the sword of the Word. We are to fight using the Word of God. David killed the bully Goliath who created fear by intimidation. His size and belligerence were his defense mechanisms. David, denying King Saul's armor, put on the whole armour of God. The sword was trust - one of the five smooth stones. The Word killed Goliath, not David. The other four smooth stones, I believe, represented the other four pieces of God's armour!

Bullying and intimidation are effective. Weak people are easily defeated! On the other hand, God's full armour is optimal and enduring. Bullies reign for a short time until a bigger bully comes along. On the other hand, God can't be bullied. His rule and peace is forever!

The defense mechanism of Christians must be God's Word.








No comments:

Post a Comment