{"id":36516,"date":"2024-03-08T14:38:38","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T22:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=36516"},"modified":"2024-03-08T14:49:28","modified_gmt":"2024-03-08T22:49:28","slug":"i-am-a-resident-on-a-planet-in-desperate-need-of-salvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/i-am-a-resident-on-a-planet-in-desperate-need-of-salvation\/","title":{"rendered":"I Am a Resident on a Planet In Desperate Need of Salvation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The Identity Trap <\/em>hits a raw nerve. Not because Mounk\u2019s thoughts challenge strongly held convictions, but because I am once again reminded of humanity\u2019s brokenness. We live in a broken world filled with injustice. Dr. Sandra Richter speaks to our fractured reality in <em>Stewards of Eden<\/em>. She writes, \u201cYahweh\u2019s world was a world in which there would never be hunger, homelessness, abuse, famine, genocide, or refugee camps. But as a result of the fall, all of these realities became resident on our planet.\u201d [1] This is where I find myself as I navigate Mounk\u2019s<em>\u00a0Identity Trap<\/em>. I am a resident on a planet in desperate need of salvation, and a redeemed identity that can only reach complete fullness in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<p>Whether we look to God for divine healing or attempt through human efforts, humanity desires salvation. Dr. Frank Macchia states, \u201cMany in our society who might scoff at the idea of salvation will spend enormous amounts of money and time seeking their own version of it\u2026at least some of these efforts are necessary and noble.\u201d [2] As I consider Mounk\u2019s ideas on <em>identity synthesis<\/em>, I can\u2019t help but think, \u201cthe human version of salvation.\u201d Mounk writes, \u201cMany advocates of the identity synthesis are driven by a noble ambition: to remedy the serious injustices that continue to characterize every country in the world.\u201d [3] Mounk does not deny the reality of injustice in our world. He does not deny that something should be done about the harms caused to humanity. However, the author encourages readers to analyze and access <em>identity synthesis<\/em> in a serious manner. [4]<\/p>\n<p>I am not an expert in the areas of study that comprise Mounk\u2019s <em>identity synthesis<\/em>. However, I am human, and I understand the natural safety felt in groups. But history has given more than its fair share of examples concerning harmful group agendas. Therefore, I sought the expertise found in Paul and Elder\u2019s <em>Critical Thinking<\/em> and their description of <em>Unethical Pursuit of Group Agendas<\/em>. [5] The authors describe groupishness (group selfishness) as being driven by the following sociocentric forces [6]:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Group reinforcement of ideas\u00a0 &#8212;<\/strong>\u00a0through group validation<\/li>\n<li><strong>Group control of members &#8212; <\/strong>through customs, conventions, taboos, rules, laws &#8212; often through punishment and reinforcement &#8212; but also through recruitment of members<\/li>\n<li><strong>Group submission to those in control &#8212;<\/strong>\u00a0through group members going along with group ideologies to survive in the group<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The points outlined by Paul and Elder mirror the ideas presented in <em>The Identity Trap<\/em>. Mounk writes, \u201cIn the place of universalism [7], parts of the American mainstream are quickly adopting a form of progressive separatism\u2026 and of late, many institutions have taken yet another step: they have concluded that it is their duty to make how they treat people depend on the groups to which they belong.\u201d [8] However, Paul and Elder note that group thought would not fall into the sociocentric category if it is reasonable, useful, or helpful. [9] I ask myself, \u201cwhat is reasonable, useful, or helpful?\u201d I imagine each group could easily argue their position possesses these traits. Therefore, I return to Paul and Elder and their <em>20 Barriers to Critical Societies<\/em>. [10] I found the following barriers parallel those of Mounk\u2019s arguments concerning <em>identity synthesis<\/em>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do not understand human thinking (their own or others\u2019) or the impediments to reasonability.<\/li>\n<li>Do not believe in freedom of thought and speech or in a wide range of other inalienable freedoms.<\/li>\n<li>Are biased on questions of gender, culture, species, and politics.<\/li>\n<li>Are unable and\/or unwilling to think within the viewpoints of others who hold a different worldview.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The barriers listed above are just a few. However, if Paul and Elder\u2019s barriers to critical societies are true, there is cause to consider Mounk\u2019s concerns regarding <em>identity synthesis<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Identity Trap<\/em> hits a raw nerve. There are injustices and atrocities in the world that we cannot ignore. We live in a broken world, and we desperately need God\u2019s salvation. Oftentimes, we seek this salvation through our own human efforts rather than through God\u2019s divine healing. I acknowledge that I am not an expert in areas of study which comprise Mounk\u2019s <em>identity synthesis<\/em>. But like any data presented to me, I desire to analyze and access it critically. I found much of what Mounk presented closely mirrored that of Paul and Elder\u2019s ideas concerning <em>Unethical Pursuit of Group Agendas <\/em>and <em>20 Barriers to Critical Societies <\/em>in their <em>Critical Thinking Tools and Concepts<\/em>. In conclusion, I would like to end with a final thought from Mounk, \u201cWe too must remember that smart and decent people can come to radically different conclusions about all kinds of important issues\u2014including the question of whether the identity synthesis is a force for good or for ill.\u201d [11] My desire is that we continue to talk about it and point those who need healing to the One who gives fullness of identity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[1] Sandra L Richter, <em>Stewards of Eden<\/em> (p. 68). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[2] Frank D. Macchia, <em>The Trinity Practically Speaking <\/em>(p. 46). InterVarsity Press.<\/p>\n<p>[3] Yascha Mounk, <em>The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time<\/em> (p. 10). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[4] Yascha Mounk, <em>The Identity Trap<\/em> (p. 8). Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[5] Richard Paul and Linda Elder, <em>The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools <\/em>(Thinker&#8217;s Guide Library) (p. 44). The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[6] The word \u201csociocentric\u201d is reserved for those group beliefs that cause harm or are likely to cause harm.<\/p>\n<p>[7] The definition of universalism is loyalty to and concern for others without regard to national or other\u00a0allegiances.<\/p>\n<p>[8] Yascha Mounk, <em>The Identity Trap<\/em> (p. 8). Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[9] Richard Paul and Linda Elder, <em>The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools <\/em>(p. 44). Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>[10] Ibid, 46.<\/p>\n<p>[11] Yascha Mounk, <em>The Identity Trap<\/em> (p. 274). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Identity Trap hits a raw nerve. Not because Mounk\u2019s thoughts challenge strongly held convictions, but because I am once again reminded of humanity\u2019s brokenness. We live in a broken world filled with injustice. Dr. Sandra Richter speaks to our fractured reality in Stewards of Eden. She writes, \u201cYahweh\u2019s world was a world in which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":208,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2957,2967],"class_list":["post-36516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mounk","tag-dlgp03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36516"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36522,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36516\/revisions\/36522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}