Are You A Fuzzy Monkey?

 Is Genesis 2:18 true? After all that the Lord God had made He came to the conclusion that He had not done His best. God had made the heavens, the earth, the seas and dry land. He had made plants and all kinds of sea creatures and finally, He created man. A remarkable feat of creation when one considers the complexity of our cardio vascular system, our ability to see, and the ability of our muscles to move us and allow us to get from place to place. Add to that our mental capabilities and we are, indeed, a marvel. Yet for all this God said, "It is not good". What could possibly qualify as "not good" in the midst of all that? Oh, it is "not good for man to be alone". We were designed to be social beings. Just give a thought to the nervous system so sensitive that you to feel a stray hair tickle your arm. We were designed to touch, to feel, to know the warmth of another human being that cares for us. 

Just how important is this function of touch and tender connection? Well, as my mind has been wandering back to the early days of my education, Harry Harlow, wandered into the grey matter. Harlow is best known for his social or psychological studies using rhesus monkeys. The experiment was pretty simple. He took baby monkeys and placed them in cages with wire mom monkeys with bottles attached and other monkeys in cages with fuzzy mom monkeys with bottles attached. The wire mom babies did not fare well. In fact many died or developed severe behavioral problems. Not so with the fuzzy moms. Their baby monkeys grew up, for the most part,  healthy and normal. Harlow tested the monkeys further by putting in both a wire mom monkey with the bottle and the fuzzy mom with no bottle at all. The baby monkeys would leave the fuzzy mom, nurse from the wire mom and then scurry back to cuddle with the fuzzy mom. His conclusion was that warm, nurturing, touch was essential for proper development. He discovered that it was not good for baby monkeys to feel alone. 

What is true for rhesus monkeys is true for human beings as well. We do not do well in isolation. We need family, we need community, we need one another. It is not good for us to be alone. The touch of another human being is vital to our well being. It has been God's plan for human beings to function as a community. The Scriptures are filled with phrases that contain the words, "one another". When prisoners are put into solitary confinement or isolation it is not a reward. Children placed in mass wards in orphanages, with little human contact, do not develop well. Many do not survive. We were not created for perpetual "social distancing". We were designed for community and comforting touch.

God recognizes the need to isolate those who carry a potentially deadly disease. Leviticus 13 gives instructions to isolate someone with possible leprosy to protect the community. Quarantine for contagious members of the community was not just allowed, but necessary. However, we are now told that everyone is a potential threat. Everyone must isolate. No one should have contact with another. The message of fear has replaced the need for social interaction. We are told it is not just dangerous but life threatening to get within six feet of another human. We are told to lock ourselves away and avoid other people, even family members. Even though much research shows that the threat is not what it has been. The death rate has plummeted and the recovery rate is very high. Still the fear mongers tell us to stay alone, to avoid others, to enjoy our solitary confinement. It is for our own good. If we disagree, rules are declared to force us to comply.

There are a consequences to this mandated isolation that do not get much publicity. Throughout the United States thousands of seniors have been isolated in nursing homes and assisted living centers. Some have been denied the opportunity to be taken to the homes of their children or grand children. No, for their own protection they are locked away from human companionship, the touch of a child's hand or the embrace of a loved one. Not for days but for months. In New York alone, thousands have been isolated to die alone. Some from a virus, some from loneliness. Some, who enjoyed the simple things of life have given up in isolation. Now, depressed, they just wait to die. No fuzzy monkey available to bring some comfort or warm touch. Isolation breeds death.

The other neglected group are the recovering addicts and mentally ill who need both accountability and comfort. I personally know of those who, laid off from work, isolated at home, not able to be with friends, have returned to the comfort of drugs, both prescription and illegal. That toll in destruction and death will likely never be measured. I wrote a post a few weeks ago, "Which Spirit" reminding us that there is a spirit who desires to, "rob, kill, and destroy". That spirit thrives in the isolated lives of the vulnerable. His quiet voice calls the addict to his drugs, the depressed to their pills, those who suffer from a variety of emotional challenges and Post Traumatic Stress, to just yield to the battle and end their lives. So they do. All alone in their quiet apartment cages, longing for the touch of someone to talk them out of the pressure they feel to end the pain. However, no friend can come. No brother or sister can comfort. For they too are isolated in their own government mandated isolation chamber homes. So they die alone, protected from the deadly virus.   

Our nation, if not the world, has become an enormous laboratory experiment. "Let us see how large segments of population deal with extended isolation." "Let us see how much fear we can instill to keep the experiment going." I am not suggesting there is no threat or that the vulnerable ignore reasonable precautions, however, social science and the Word of God tell us that there will be consequences for the ongoing isolation and fear. When we violate God's design to replace them with man's edicts of "safety" there will be a price to pay. Our oldest generation has become the victim of fear and isolation. Others that government sets out to "protect" are left with wire monkey moms and no comfort as they spiral into the darkness of their own personal pain. But,we know, not all the monkeys are expected to survive the experiment. There is always an acceptable cost when we run the tests and evaluate the process. Not to sound cynical, but have you noticed the government folks, like those in white lab coats, still travel, still wander about talking to folks, still have their social calendars. Perhaps for them, they know that it is not good for man to be alone. That is just for the little monkeys. But, you know, it's for their protection.          

Pavlov's America

 It seems one cannot fully escape one's past. Our minds have the uncanny ability to drag up things we did not know we could remember. Forty-four years have come and gone from my college graduation day. Yet, random things I was required to read find their way to the frontal lobes and pierce my thoughts and cause me to ponder. My studies were multi-faceted, with equal credits in psychology, sociology and Bible and a collection more in history and speech. An interest and further pursuit in cultural anthropology has been the unintended consequence. It has led to a, perhaps, unusual approach to my study of God's Word and my presentation of the Scriptures each Sunday morning. Keeping in mind the Jewish culture, idioms, history of the time and the background of the speaker or writer, as well as the audience, consumes a portion of my preparation. Knowing that Paul was a practicing Jewish Rabbi and a pharisee writing to his disciple, Timotheos, who was likewise a practicing Jew, both faithful to Torah and Jewish tradition, may well place Paul's correspondence in a different light. Our tendency to look at Scripture as if it was written to Americans with no thought to the original culture and history may rob us of the richness of the text. We may even create difficulties in interpretation that can be resolved if the context of the culture and history are considered. However, this is a unintended rabbit trail. My real point goes back to the psychology thing.

In my college days I was treated, exposed and, perhaps, mildly infected with the works of such psychologists as Pavlov, Skinner, Harlow and others whose investigations into behavioral psychology were a hot topic back in the 70's. They were interesting and required reads at the time. The question of nurture and environment verses a growing interest in the genetic links to behavior stirred controversy within the academic community. These became woven into cultural anthropology as one sought to understand how societies functioned and passed on traditions and variations of cultural norms. The concept of "stimulus and response" became a tool to evaluate how and why people did what they did. Pavlov's accidental discovery of salivating dogs became his claim to fame, as it were, and it has been copied and used as a foundation for a significant part of behavioral psychology. If you are not familiar, Pavlov noticed that when he fed his test subject dogs they began to salivate at the presence of his lab assistants even before the bowl of meat powder arrived. The very sight of the lab assistants generated a response. The lab assistants were replaced with a bell or a flashing light, creating the same response. The dogs associated the bell or light with food and began to drool before the food got there. 

The experiment was rehashed in a number of variations. Each time, without any intent by the subject, a response was triggered by stimulus. Positive reinforcement could encourage or alter a behavior. We have been borrowing this for years. "Make your bed and you get a quarter". The child will begin to make their bed automatically, at least as long as the quarters keep coming. The positive behavior will eventually become a response in the expectation of the reward; even if the reward discontinues the behavior will persist. This may wane if the reward is withheld for a period of time. Negative reinforcement was found to be more powerful. A light comes on and voltage passes through the floor of the rat's cage. He jumps on the wooden shelf to avoid the shock. After short amount of time the light comes on and the rat is on the shelf. You can discontinue the shock treatment, however, the rat will be on the shelf every time the light comes on. It will take a long time before the rat will test the floor to see if the shock still occurs. I am not suggesting you tag your child with a cattle prod every time their bed is not made; however, hanging the cattle  prod just outside their bedroom door will likely result in a made bed for quite some time to come. The simple reality is, you can control people's behavior with either a positive or negative reinforcement.

Pavlov's findings have taken on an experiment on a grand scale. A national, perhaps even international, scale. My point is not to promote one opinion or another, but, perhaps we need to think about the bigger picture. "Masks probably do not help", "Masks might be helpful", "Wear a mask to flatten the curve", "Wear a mask to help protect yourself if you are vulnerable", "Wear a mask or you will die",  "Wear a mask or you will kill others", "Wear a mask or you cannot shop". "Wear a mask or get arrested and fined". So we wear a mask. For some it is an inconvenience. For some it is assumed this will pass. For some it is life threatening due to anxiety, PTSD, or respiratory problems. However, for many, it is now a necessity. A matter of life or death. The message to provide the negative stimulus has taken hold. When the light comes on, the threat of the upcoming shock has them grab their mask. The desired result of controlling the subject has been realized. The negatively reinforced message has been ingrained and the poor little mouse will jump on the mask shelf in fear and never be able to know if it is safe again. The experiment to see if control can be achieved through fear has been a success. Now we can introduce new control factors. "The vaccine is there if you want it", "The vaccine is there for the vulnerable", "The vaccine will keep you safe" "If you refuse the vaccine you will kill others", "The vaccine is required by law", "You cannot shop without proof of the vaccine", "It matters not if you have recovered from covid19, the vaccine is required". "We can provide your children with a curriculum", ""We require that your children use this curriculum", "Your children will not be able to go to college or get a job unless they complete this curriculum", "If you do not comply, we will take your children." 

Far fetched? Just check out the history of so many countries that responded to the government's "provision" and "protection". Social utopia has a cost. Just your freedom and your rights. Government knows best. Hear their bell? Put on the mask. Pavlov would be so proud.         

Which Spirit

Have you noticed, if you have lived for a few years, that the world seems to follow a pattern of change. We follow cycles in the seasons, in the days and months and also in human history. Solomon was right when he said, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). However, there are some constants. God is always good, always loves, and is always working toward the realization of His Kingdom. He is the God of life, and not just life, Jesus promised "life abundant", in John 10. The Lord also gave us another constant. In this world, there is a thief who comes to rob, kill, and destroy. While we live on this earth those two realities are with us. Now we know that light will defeat darkness. Good will triumph over evil and God will be victorious. Yet, until that day the battle continues. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:2. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The spirit that wants to rob, kill, destroy, divide, spread fear and anxiety is always there to attempt to keep us from, life abundant, love, unity, truth and freedom. In essence there are two spirits that are at work around us. The question is, which one do you support.

What makes the battle even harder to engage in are the tactics of our enemy. He is a thief, so he is subtle in his attacks. He is an adept liar, and deceiver. 2 Corinthians 11:14 gives this warning, "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." We can be influenced by  false teachers, false prophets and people in power who are set out to deceive and control us. While Christ promises us that we have no need to fear the enemy tells us to be afraid, to be very afraid. The Lord told us that we are free, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). The enemy tells us to give up our freedom in exchange for a false promise of protection.So how do we proceed? What can we do? Matthew 7:20, gives us some help, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them." People, preachers, teachers, and politicians, can say pretty much anything. But what do their actions reveal? Which spirit do they support and serve?

We are at a time in American history when many of the shadows have been burned away so that the forces of light and darkness have become more evident. At least more evident in the 67 years that compose my life. We have the amazing privilege and responsibility that the people back in Bible times never had. We can have a say in who has power over us. The lines are clearly drawn as to which spirit holds sway over those who desire to be given the positions for the governing of this nation. One party and its candidates hold to the value of life, seeing every life as a gift and treasure from God. No matter what pigmentation, mental capability, economic position, born or in the womb, all of these lives have value and are created by the very hand of God Himself. The other sees life as a biological chance to be disposed of  by the judgement and whim of mankind. They not only devalue life but stood up in NY to celebrate the freedom to execute a child even as it leaves the womb. Others feel that a child should not be considered viable until its quality of life can be ascertained. The unworthy burdens to society can mercifully be left to die. God sees the little ones and the older ones as precious. This pandemic has shown the hand of some in leadership who have assigned the elderly to die alone in nursing home where no visitors may visit them, In some cases it is illegal for family members to take there parents and grandparents out of the institutions to bring them home to care for them as a family. Protect life, or kill and destroy. The fruit reveals the spirit.

I am old enough to have lived through some difficult times and have seen riots and destruction in days past. In those days there was an agreement that these were tragic and needed to be brought to an end. Now protesters, who literally rob, kill, and destroy, are encouraged and protected by governors and mayors of one political party. They have declared the violence to be covered by "free Speech" while denying churches and synagogues, and other places of worship to meet. Liquor stores, strip clubs and casinos are essential but Bible studies, little health food stores, churches and small businesses are not. All on the whim of one person who has assumed power. One party supports family life disrupted, family businesses destroyed,  families encouraged to be divided and take sides. All in answer to the spirit's call to rob, kill, destroy, divide, and dishonor the God who made them. The other party asks for a stop to the violence, destruction, and murder, Calling for the moral strength needed to protect the innocent and vulnerable. We were all appalled with the death of George Floyd. A death that should not have occurred and those responsible should be brought to the full measure of justice. But what of the actual hundreds of young men, women and even children of color that have died on the streets of Chicago and other major cities in the past weeks? Don't their lives matter? The spirit of darkness is celebrating the death and mayhem that strangles many of our cities. Those who over see the chaos from the comfort of their governor and mayoral mansions make excuses and de-fund the police. One party political party dominates this oversight of this anarchy and encourages the chaos.  Which spirit is winning? By their fruits you will know them.

I am grieved over the loss of life, the loss of freedom, the destruction of  lives and livelihoods. Cites overcome by fear and darkness. Perpetual attacks with the intent to divide and compartmentalize people and society. In the midst of this a dear brother I met at the gym is diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. He is in the hospital. I cannot visit, not even playing my "Pastor's" card. We text scripture verses and links to praise and worship songs. Only immediate family can see him. My daughter suggested that I pretend he is my son and sneak in past the hospital security. That is when I first mentioned that he is African American. Pigmentation has never mattered to either of us. We have known each other for a dozen years. Talked and laughed and shared prayer requests. Now my prayers are for him. That the One who gives life will spare his. The spirit of darkness has had enough victories in the past few months.

This is not intended to be a political post. It is about a spiritual war that rages here and around the planet. It is not new and it will not end with an election or change in political power here or anywhere in the world. However, those we elect will take us either further into the realm of "rob. kill, destroy" or toward the preservation of life for the most vulnerable of us, the unborn and aging. One toward the government control and freedoms curtailed. The other toward personal freedom and responsibility One toward legalized destruction and fear and one toward the protection of property and prosperity. One toward curtailing religious liberty and labeling Biblical morality "intolerance"  and the other toward religious freedom and freedom of speech. An honest evaluation of the choices before us support my concerns over the spiritual war that envelopes our communities, our states, our nation and the world. Two spirits. One brings life, freedom, and hope over fear. The other says,  kill, destroy, and be very afraid. Which spirit will you support?