I\u2019ve noticing recently more use of the “don\u2019t sow discord among the brethren” in my research and interactions with others, but this certainly isn\u2019t something new.\u00a0 Remembering back to my IFB days I distinctly remember this being a topic of sermons on a regular basis.\u00a0 I also remember that whenever a disagreement came up the warning was usually something like \u201cwell, let\u2019s not sow discord\u201d and as a result the discussion would end.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost as if the IFB tries to use the \u201cdon\u2019t sow discord\u201d argument in the same way that Lex Luthor tries to use kryptonite on Superman.<\/p>\n
This is still happening, unfortunately, and in large part typically for one of two reasons.\u00a0 Either it\u2019s a manipulative tactic to get people who show a glimmer of individual thought back under the control of the brainwashing so they will stop the free thinking and so that damage control will be easier or it\u2019s a guilt tactic to make people (like us) who have actually broken free from the chains of legalism to feel ashamed for speaking our minds.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve lost count of the number of times that an IFBer (or someone else who is just unhappy with us) rips us a new one because they think we are \u201csowing discord among the brethren\u201d (all the while wondering why they are allowed to \u201csow discord\u201d with me, but I\u2019m not allowed to do it).\u00a0 This guilt tactic is employed mostly when they have nothing else to say in defense of their belief system, but it\u2019s also largely used to try and convince us that what we are doing is harmful to the cause of Christ.\u00a0 The problem?\u00a0 They NEVER (ok well hardly ever) use scripture to support their (what amounts to nothing more than a) philosophical temper tantrum.<\/p>\n
My gut tells me that leaders use this to manipulate situations that leave them with a loss of control.\u00a0 What better way to reign in someone who is trying to say something contrary to their beliefs then to tell them they are guilty of the sin of \u201csowing discord among the brethren\u201d?\u00a0 We see this all the time.\u00a0 Someone stands up and speaks out against the horrible terrors of this abusive cult like denomination for the sake of healing and recovery of spiritual wholeness (i.e., this site) and the IFB counters with \u201cyou should be ashamed of yourself for sowing discord among the brethren!\u201d.\u00a0 The irony, of course, is that the IFBers are quick to point out someone else\u2019s \u201csowing discord\u201d but conveniently quick to ignore their own abusive and manipulative spiritual tactics that serve to \u201csow discord\u201d among those in their congregation (I guess it\u2019s only \u201cdiscord\u201d to the IFB when it opposes their teachings).<\/p>\n
This idea of \u201csowing discord\u201d is a very subjective concept. \u00a0What does \u201csowing discord\u201d even mean anyway?\u00a0 Well if you are IFB it means just about anything that goes against your belief system.\u00a0 Its understood meaning in my IFB circles growing up was anything\u00a0that caused hard feelings.\u00a0 It was taught in a very subjective context that was way too broad.\u00a0 So broad, in fact, that someone could say that anything was “sowing discord\u201d” simply because they didn\u2019t like what you were saying or doing.\u00a0 And of course that\u2019s the rub, another way that the IFB maintains control over what you say and do.\u00a0 Say or do something that isn\u2019t in agreement with their “standards”?\u00a0 You\u2019re labeled as a “sower of discord” (punishable by death, not literal death, but death of the soul \u2013 of course I\u2019m being a bit dramatic, but\u00a0you get the point).<\/p>\n
The IFB leaders would use this verse as a way to squelch any type of open discussion or dialogue contrary to what they were teaching.\u00a0 If someone had a question that challenged a particular teaching (even if it was a legitimate question due to a lack of understanding) and threatened the authority of the Man of God, he would respond that “we shouldn\u2019t be sowing discord”, proceed to effectively hand wave the issue raised\u00a0and conveniently move it to the side to be forgotten.<\/p>\n
So, I\u2019d like to dive into scripture to find out the truth regarding this notion of \u201csowing discord\u201d and see what it\u2019s all about.\u00a0 We find the actual words “sow discord” in only two verses in about a half dozen translations (actually they all read \u201csoweth<\/span> discord\u201d).\u00a0 I bet you can guess what one of those translations is\u2026 if you guessed anything other than the KJV you haven\u2019t been paying attention very well \u2013 shame on you.\u00a0 The two verses are Proverbs 6:14 and Proverbs 6:19.<\/p>\n For those of you who know me well enough already know that I believe that context is king when it comes to scriptural interpretation.\u00a0 These verses are no different.\u00a0 Keeping Proverbs in context, chapter 6 is a continuation of some daily wisdom for everyday life.\u00a0 He\u2019s not giving commandments, he\u2019s not telling us what we should or shouldn\u2019t do.\u00a0 He\u2019s telling us what we should be careful of and starting in verse 16 he tells us 7 things that the Lord hates.<\/p>\n Careful reading of the entire chapter reveals that the idea behind these verses is one who is constantly and consistently stirring up trouble \u2013 or being a trouble maker.\u00a0 Verse 12 reads: \u201cHere is a description of\u2026wicked people: They are CONSTANT liars,\u2026They stir up trouble (read \u201csow discord\u201d in the KJV) CONSTANTLY.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t about the person who occasionally has a disagreement or someone who puts up a website to speak out against his perceptions of evil among the body of believers (wink, wink).\u00a0 This is someone who \u201cplots evil\u201d and then acts out that plot (see the beginning of verse 14).<\/p>\n The idea is someone who goes around like a sneaky drama queen gossiping about one person to someone then going over that that person they were just gossiping about and gossiping to them about the person they were just gossiping to (I know that\u2019s a bit confusing, but just think about it for a minute, you\u2019ll get it).\u00a0 This is a person who DELIBERATELY and knowingly causes people to fight and argue for the sake of their own enjoyment and entertainment (or for whatever reason they have \u2013 maybe a personality disorder?).\u00a0 \u00a0Then we get to verse 19 and we see once again that this is an evil minded person whose heart is seeking to deliberately cause division among the body of believers.<\/p>\n No, this isn\u2019t about someone who shows disagreement, it\u2019s about a wicket and vial person whose intent is to purposefully and deliberately cause \u201cdiscord\u201d among people.<\/p>\n I hear some of you saying \u201cBUT what about those other passages that don\u2019t use the words \u2018sow discord\u2019, but talk about causing strife among people?\u201d\u00a0 Well I respond to that by saying \u201cOK, what are those other passages?\u201d\u00a0 We are told throughout scriptures to be careful about our interactions with others, but this idea of \u201csowing discord\u201d is unique and each passage has to be interpreted in light of the context.\u00a0 If you have another passage in mind that you\u2019d like to bring to my attention, please let me know and I will consider it as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve noticing recently more use of the “don\u2019t sow discord among the brethren” in my research and interactions with others, but this certainly isn\u2019t something new.\u00a0 Remembering back to my IFB days I distinctly remember this being a topic of sermons on a regular basis.\u00a0 I also remember that whenever a disagreement came up the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2190],"tags":[2191],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/914"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/914\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baptistdeception.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}