The Group by Dean Gotcher

The Group.

by
Dean Gotcher

"It is usually easier to change individuals formed into a group than to change any one of them separately." "The individual accepts the new system of values and beliefs by accepting belongingness to the group." (Kurt Lewin in Kenneth Bennie, Human Relations in Curriculum Change)

"[Kurt] Lewin emphasized that the child takes on the characteristic behavior of the group in which he is placed. . . . he reflects the behavior patterns which are set by the adult leader of the group." (Wilbur Brookover, A Sociology of Education)

"Change in methods of leadership is probably the quickest way to bring about a change in the cultural atmosphere of a group." "Any real change of the culture of a group is, therefore, interwoven with the changes of the power constellation within the group." (Barker, Dembo, & Lewin, "frustration and regression: an experiment with young children" in Child Behavior and Development)

"One of the most fascinating aspects of group therapy is that everyone is born again, born together in the group." (Irvine D. Yalom, Theory and Practice and Group Psychotherapy)

There is a dynamic (called "group dynamics") that takes place when we are in a group. It is our natural (carnal) desire for approval from others and our natural (carnal) fear of rejection (rejection being one of the most painful experiences in life). It is strong enough to pressure us into rejecting the truth, i.e., into accepting a lie in order to be approved, i.e., accepted by "the group." When emphasis is shifted (in a meeting) from doing right and not wrong, according to established commands, rules, facts, and truth to approval by "the group," i.e., consensus aka affirmation, the participants paradigm, i.e., their way of feeling, thinking, acting, relating with their "self" and others, and responding toward authority is 'changed.'

"In the dialogic relation of recognizing oneself in the other, they experience the common ground of their existence." (Jürgen Habermas, Knowledge & Human Interest, Chapter Three: The Idea of the Theory of Knowledge as Social Theory)

When our "self interest," i.e., our carnal desires are 'justified' by "the group," we become intoxicated with, and therefore addicted to and possessed with what the "group thinks," blinding us to the truth. It is what the dialoguing of opinions to a consensus process (meeting) is all about, with psychologists, i.e., psychotherapists, i.e., facilitators of 'change,' i.e., Transformational Marxists (all being the same in paradigm) "helping" us 'liberate' our "self" from the father's/Father's authority so we can do wrong, disobey, sin, i.e., be our "self" with impunity, i.e., with group approval (affirmation).

Prior to therapy the person is prone to ask himself, 'What would my parents want me to do?' During the process of therapy the individual come to ask himself, 'What does it mean to me?'" (Carl Rogers, on becoming a person: A Therapist View of Psychotherapy)

Karl Marx wrote: "It is not individualism [the child subject to the father's/Father's authority, doing the father's/Father's will instead of his own] that fulfills the individual, on the contrary it destroys him. Society ["human relationship based upon self interest," i.e., finding one's identity in "the group," i.e., in society] is the necessary framework through which freedom [from the father's/Father's authority] and individuality [being "of and for self" and the world] are made realities." (Karl Marx, in John Lewis, The Life and Teachings of Karl Marx) "

The real nature of man is the totality of social relations." (Karl Marx, Thesis on Feuerbach #6)

Sigmund Freud believed "the individual is emancipated in the social group." "Freud speaks of religion as a 'substitute-gratification'—the Freudian analogue to the Marxian formula, 'opiate of the people.'" "Freud commented that only through the solidarity of all the participants could the sense of guilt [the guilty conscience for disobeying the father/Father] be assuaged." (Norman O. Brown, Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning of History)

"Once the earthly family [with children having to submit to their father's authority, i.e., having to humble and deny their "self" in order to do their father's will] is discovered to be the secret of the holy family [with the Son, and all following Him having to submit to His Heavenly Father's authority, i.e., having to humble, deny, die to their "self" in order to do His Heavenly Father's will], the former [the earthly father's authority system, with children having to trust in and obey the father] must then itself be destroyed [vernichtet, i.e., annihilated] in theory and in practice [in the children's personal thoughts and social actions—no longer having fellowship with others, based upon the father's/Father's commands, rules, facts, and truth (customs, traditions, doctrine) but, through dialogue, "building relationship" with one another based upon their common "'self interests'" (carnal desires) instead]." (Karl Marx, Feuerbach Thesis #4)

While the father/Father holds each child personally accountable for their particular actions, engendering individualism, under God, those who use group pleasure to 'change' children (in order to initiate and sustain control over them) make them subject to group approval, i.e., to what the "group thinks," making "humanist relationship" instead of doing right and not wrong according to the father's/Father's commands, rules, facts, and truth the 'drive' and the 'purpose' of life. This is the heart and soul of 'liberalism,' socialism, the "new" world order, globalism, Marxism, etc.,. It is not that we do not participate in groups. It is that doing right and not wrong, according to the father's/Father's will directs our steps instead of our carnal desires of the 'moment,' which we have in common with "the group."

"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:15

"Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil." Proverbs 16:5-6

"It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverb. 3: 5-6

"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." Jeremiah 17:5

"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matthew 12:50

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 10:32, 33

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

"... and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:3

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13