People who inhabit faith systems often espouse high moral, ethical ideals. Words used include, compassion, justice, love, community, generosity, inclusion etc. The problem with all groups – and faith groups in particular – is that the IDEALS espoused are often a long way away from the REALITY LIVED. That, in and of itself, is not a problem. If key people in the faith group understand that principle they can develop strategies to bridge that gap. This requires brutally honest self-reflection, plus a willingness to invite critique from as many sources as possible.
In Clinical Pastoral Education this process is called ACTION-REFLECTION. Under supervision, people providing care for others explore and reflect on their actions. Quality supervision within an organisation, committed to Best-Practice, offers the best opportunity to ensure people receive the best care possible. Absence of supervision is often discovered when ethical breaches occur.
Many faith groups fail dismally in this process due to a resistance to admitting the need to engage in such a process in the first place. If we are a just and compassionate group how could this accusation that we are unjust be true? This reveals the inherent narcissism within faith groups with high ideals. Once the resistance to feedback is established and reinforced by conversations with others within the faith group, the narcissism forms a closed loop. This is called the SELF REINFORCING NARCISSISTIC LOOP. What to do with the prophetic voices naming the problem? Simply make them heretics and exclude them from the group, or worse. The faith group then expresses sadness at the lost ones needing to be excluded and moves on unchanged.
psychology and hope 