Fear: Duane W.H. Arnold, PhD
Fear
Have you ever been afraid to talk?Ā I donāt mean afraid of what youāre going to say, but afraid to form the words in your mouth and say them.Ā I once knew of a little boy who at the age of five suddenly became afraid to speak.Ā He had no problem at home with his parents and brothers, but when he started school he learned that he didnāt sound like everyone else.Ā He stuttered terribly and could not form his words. The shame of being inarticulate and misunderstood forced the little boy to withdraw into his own inner sanctum and to say very little, for he did not want to hear the laughter of others.Ā Teachers, parents and friends badgered him and tried everything they could to get him to speak, but the overwhelming power of fear kept him from saying the things that were welling up inside him.Ā Finally, one teacher took special notice.Ā She saw the fear that kept the boy within himself. She arranged for tests and speech therapy. Yes, the boy had to endure the taunts of other children, as he left the class for āspecial educationā. He heard the name calling and the whispers of āretardā as he made his way to the classroom door, time after time, over the course of seven years. Midway through the therapy, surgery was required to repair a portion of his mouth and tongue, but the teacher that had taken interest in him was always thereā¦ in the speech therapy room, seated next to the hospital bedā¦ always telling the boy not to be afraid.Ā Eventually, he was able to form words and, in time, to control his stutter.Ā The point of the story is that fear can seldom motivate us to do the things that we ought to do or even that which we want to do.Ā It takes another kind of empowerment.Ā
As I look around today, however, it seems to me that fear has increasingly become the currencyĀ of the time.Ā We fear the politics of the other side.Ā We fear socialism or fascism.Ā We fear the Proud Boys or Antifa.Ā We fear the vaccine for Covid-19 or we fear the lack of a vaccine.Ā We fear Trump or we fear Biden.Ā Now, we may consider some of these fears to be justified, but I am concerned as to what is happening to us as individuals when our lives are governed and/or motivated by fear. Ā We may believe that painting apocalyptic scenarios somehow advances our point of view, but it also robs us of the grace and love that we owe to one another, especially as believers.
Increasingly I have come to believe that fear has very little power to motivate, especially in the long term.Ā Like those providing prophecy updates over the last 50 years, we have to keep coming up with the new thing to be afraid of this year, whether itās caravans of migrants or the politics of The Squad.Ā Moreover the effect of fear is largely negative.Ā Fear cannot cause us to love more deeply or to dare more courageously.Ā It may allow us to be self-satisfied in our certain opinions, but at best it produces a kind of sterile contentment that produces little real benefit to the world. It also allows us the self-congratulatory sense that we alone know what should really be feared as we evolve ever yet more convoluted conspiracy theories.Ā
I guess what I really want to ask is, where do love and grace fit into lives that are dominated by fear? Ā
Reading Paul Tillich, I came across this:
āGrace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness, it strikes us when we walk through the deep valley of a meaningless and empty life, it strikes us when we feel that our separation is deeper than usual because we have violated another life, a life which we love or from which we were estranged.Ā It strikes us when our disgust for our whole being , our indifference, our weakness, our hostility and our lack of direction and composure have become intolerable to us.Ā It strikes us when, year after year, the longed for perfection of life is not there, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.Ā Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness and it is as though a voice was saying, āYou are accepted, accepted; accepted by that which is greater than youā.ā
Or, perhaps more simply, āEye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart and mind the things which God is preparing for those that love himā.
This is not an apocalyptic vision based upon fear in which we build higher the walls that separate us from others.Ā This is an all encompassing view of grace and love that motivates, empowers and shapes our lives. It is that perfect love which casts out all fears – those of the moment, those of the future and those which we harbor hidden in our hearts. Fear will cause us to remain as silent to the world at large and as wrapped up within ourselves at that little boy who struggled to get the words out that all the others mocked. Grace and love will cause us to be like that teacher who looked beyond my inability to speak and through the course of years transformed my life.Ā
As a friend of mine likes to say, make your own applicationā¦
You put it perfectly that fear is āthe currency of our time.ā The entire presidential campaign is soaked with fear and the campaigns purposefully stoking and exploiting peopleās fears. I like how the Apostle John explains it..fear brings torment. Iāve struggled with an anxiety disorder for much of my life, so fear has been a constant companion. But so has Jesus been a constant companion. Always soothing my fears, comforting me and encouraging me. Like the teacher in your story, He sees beyond all that and like Tillichās writing, I have heard Him say, āyou are accepted.ā The grace Iāve been shown far outweighs all the pain from fear I continue to experience. To be accepted by the One who is greater than I is truly the highlight of my life. Fantastic article, Duane. Thank you.
Mike E.
Many thanks! Grace and love are greater than fear, indeed…
I think we may live in agitation more than fear. I have not had cable TV in over 4 years. No FOX, no CNN etc.
I am visiting my Sacramento area family. My hotel has cable. Flipping around I note that their sole purpose is to keep the viewers agitated and I guess in fear.
My alternative is to watch infomercials. Have you ever seen or heard of the generator GENERAC? Pretty cool and Chuck Norris peddling exercise equipment.
Get rid of cable and live the more peaceful life.
One question on the current fear sweeping the Church is this:
Does the following situation represent
an Evaaangelical, fear based cognitive dissonance?
1. Judge Barrett is reportedly a member of a Catholic community, The People of Praise.
2. Judge Barrett is claimed to be influenced in her ideology by religious teachings, those being Catholic.
3. Judge Barrett would arguably be under the spiritual headship of the Vatican.
4. The Westminster Confession identified the Pontiff as the anti-Christ.
Chapter 25. O the Church
Section 6.) There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ.(1) Nor can the Pope of Roe, in any sense, be head thereof; (but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God.(2)
the article is timely and important, insightful and prescriptive, and both personal and broadly applicable. That was a mouthful. I would posit that fear in your examples isn’t either /or, but both/and. I, to borrow MLD’s preferred terminology, am agitated by both T & B, the virus and the vaccine, antifa(rt) and proud wannaboys. I also suggest that the reverse is true–fear repels love, it insulates and resists love–and therefore we have the strong terminology in your scripture that perfect love “casts out” fear. Not to oppose your conclusions–just interacting with your ideas. Thanks again–filistine.
NP,
the thought never crossed my mind. The politicization of the court is much more troubling to me than the issue you raised. In general, I have sensed a more generous tone toward the Catholic branch in recent years and the rhetoric from evangelicals far less frequent. I would hope that trend continues. The evangelical system has enough mud on its fenders to stop casting it Rome-ward.
Nathan, the Lutheran Confessions also identify the Pope / the Papacy as the anti Christ.
Religion should not enter the SCOTUS discussion. I don’t think anyone questioned RBG’s membership in a religious cult that requires you to cut off the foreskin of a baby to be presented to your god. (much more weird than anything the new nominee’s cult does)
Nathan
I think evangelicals and RCs will have an alliance of convenience… although neither really understands the other. It is the ethic of pragmatism.
filbertz
“I also suggest that the reverse is trueāfear repels love, it insulates and resists love…”
Fear, in the long run, cannot empower…
3. Judge Barrett would arguably be under the spiritual headship of the Vatican.<<<
I hope not the current occupant of the Vatican.
Xenia
Pope Francis is more closely aligned with Catholic Charismatics than any previous pope. Barrett is connected to the Charismatic group, People of Praise…
Agreeing with Xenia’s 9:30 am…. Some of the RC priests i have known would also
Pope Francis has lost the plot.
Some have observed that John Paul II mau have been the last Pope to understand the Faith…
Em
I’m more partial to Benedict XVI…
Well, Dr. Duane, he did have the humility and honesty to know when to step aside…. Perhaps a part of God’s plan for these times?
Em
Indeed. He is also a very intellectually able and charming man…
3. Judge Barrett would arguably be under the spiritual headship of the Vatican.
FWIW, that was the anti-Catholic prejudicial POV that was common before JFK became our first Catholic president in 1960.
What I fear is an invoice for $70k for a hair cut.
I dont consider my statement to be anti- catholic. We don’t actualy know what Judge Barrett believes other then to observe the outward appearance. And, she is associating with a devout RCC community. Whatever RCC developements currently taking place, the Holy Father is Pontifex Maximus.
I don’t think we have to go back as far as the Reformers see a complicated Evangelical support for this nomination.
I’ll put forward the following example. Not because of the size of following or influence, but for the creative book title.
-Dave Hunt authored, A Woman Rides the Beast. Its a catchy mid-90’s title. Mr. Hunt’s programming was carried on CSN over a period of years.
Lets say we had the ability to survey Mr. Hunts listeners/supporters still living in 2020. My guess is that 90% or greater would be staunch supporters of not only the Administration, but of the Nominee choices. Two of those choices happen to be Catholic. Now, 90% percent plus, is just a guess, but there’s reason for me to pick such a high percentage. You would think this would be problematic.
I don’t see this as moral relativism. M/R would be the Access Hollywood tape. A willingness to overlook situation A ( Access) because we desire outcome B (Conservative Court Nominee). B is greater then A in a moraly relative sense, because it’s a relative matter of conscience.
But the Confession is not exactly morally relative.
Nathan,
In an ideal world, Senators would question the candidate to assure themselves that the candidate would “judge” on the basis of the Constitution, and not on her personal religious beliefs.
In an ideal world, the candidate would agree to serve her neighbor, in the vocation as a justice, according to the Law (i.e., the Constitution), but only in so far as it does not conflict with the Word of God.
There is no biblical rationale for the Pope being the Word of God, the Vicar of Christ, or able to add, amend or otherwise change the Word of God. This would be a legitimate avenue of inquiry for the Senate, in a perfect world.
Really? I love Pope Francis. He reminds me of Jesus. š¤·āāļø
And, she is associating with a devout RCC community. Whatever RCC developements currently taking place, the Holy Father is Pontifex Maximus.
NP,
Good gravy. Your logic isn’t logical. So what if the Pope is PM? How does it follow from that, that Judge Barrett has anything to do with the Vatican??
Well i learned one thing tiday… It is judge Barrett… I thought it was Barnett. š
That said, Barrett has said that the role of judge relies on interpreting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, mot the judge’s personal faith… Will that require recusals? Dunno
Bob1. All gravy aside, I’m not the one dedignating the Pope to be anything other then Pope. I was referencing the Westminster, some Reformers, more Reformers, a few centuries of history, and some recent history, broadcast over the Calvary Satelite Network. That will di for starters. That is where the Anti-Christ designation is coming from.
I’m just trying to figure out what happened to the Confession. Is it suddenly on pause?
NP,
To which Confession are you referring?
Nathan, the confession that the Pope is the anti Christ is not on hold – at least not on the Lutheran side. However, the fact that ACB may be a deceived follower of Christ (because of the deceptive teachings of the papacy) does not enter into her legal vocation…at all.
Bob1. Westminster Confession 1646/48. See above comment in beginning of thread. MLD. Is referring to Luther’s earlier continental teachings. Both of these are wartime eras and the combatants took themselves seriously.
If we jump forward circa 2000, the Dispensationalist version of Anti-Christ is more of an anti-Fundametalist in a tailored suit, but he is still the evil villian.
Im just wondering what happened to the Douglas Wilsons, MacArthurs, etc? Piper?
Circa 2000 meaning…Left Behind series.
NP,
Historical correction — the US Presbyterians removed the AntiChrist the Confession. They, like many, recognized that the historical situation in the US to be much different than it was in Europe at the time of the Reformation.
https://www.crossway.org/articles/is-the-pope-the-antichrist/
Should be, “AntiChrist paragraph from the Confession.”
Thank you, Duane. This is powerful. Iāve spent a lifetime letting fear of inadequacy keep me from so much. The corpses of lost opportunities and ruined relationships cover the roads Iāve traveled. I have nothing but grace to uphold me now.
-Philidephia 1742. AntiChrist.
-Charleston 1767. AntiChrist.
-Philidelphia 1788. Not specified. A colon is changed to a period and the AntiChrist discription etc. is not discussed.
-New Hampshire 1830. Confession format is changed. Mentions only Church Officers are Bishop, Pastor and Deacon. No retraction of 1689 is mentioned.
-Second London Confession finds new appeal in the Southern States in Second half of 1800’s. (Tom Nettles- Founders Ministries)
I think it’s less then clear if the Pontif is or is not AntiChrist in the US, or was only a European version prior to 1789.
One thing is clear, I have not personaly heard any Reform Baptist raise any concerns.
Captain Kevin
“I have nothing but grace to uphold me now…”
Given the options, better to trust in grace than anything else.
Dr. Duane @ 2:50 am
Amen, amen amen….
I seem to remember a hymn that says, among other praises, Grace – “tis music in the ear… ”
This summer is one that i pray the Church never goes through again… “Tis grace that brought us safe thus far and (God’s) grace will lead us home.”
Lord, You know I’m going to need grace today… Thanking You in advance.. . š š
God keep all who visit here today
‘Afraid to talk’ is exactly the point. I remember when fear of decrying homosexual behavior crept into my conscious thoughts when standing to preach. It wasn’t profound mind you but it was very clear and present. Now there is an implicit intimidation when speaking about marriage, gender, race, and the race intimidation includes a vast array of new definitions. Political correctness was sold as manners but really it was speech intended to shift the power structures. It is working. You’re damned right there is fear.
If the intent of the article is that there is nothing to fear then it falls on deafness. Anyone who has seen the monstrous nature of humanity knows there is indeed a reason to tremble. The admonitions of our faith to not fear are an equal and opposite antidote but only in the souls of those who have prepared themselves to face imminent death. Death is the ultimate fear and the means of death is its’ lieutenant.
In the body politic the 20th century provided all the evidence we need that there are plenty of reasons to fear the shifting thought patterns of a culture.
Drew Brees spoke of standing for the national anthem and he was cowed immediately only to wear the name of a likely rapist and child kidnapper as an homage to a worldview he hates but cannot withstand. There is a micro photo of our immediate situation. Fear? We can overcome it with our faith – unto death. We can also overcome it by refusing to bow.
Duane your wonderful testimony and surprise ending both heartens and resolves the matter. By the grace of God we will not be afraid or intimidated or silent. That is my application.
BD
Many thanks… I truly believe that it is only grace and love that will enable us to say the words that lie hidden within us and those words, born of grace and love, will express that self-same grace and love in what we say to others.
Whatever RCC developements currently taking place, the Holy Father is Pontifex Maximus.
One other thought here: currently a majority of the current Supreme Court justices are Roman Catholic.
Do we need to be fearful of this? Are they taking orders from Rome?
No and no.
bob1,
Many American Catholics are probably similar to Protestants in spiritualizing their faith. The new candidate may be like that or she may be a true believer. A relevant question for her would be: If faced with a case that in which the law was contrary to her faith, would she vote with her faith or would she recuse herself? I think that’s a fair question.
BTW, Joe Biden is RC as well…
Ever notice this immediately turned into “NO POPERY!” and Pope = ANTICHRIST!
The Treaty of Westphalia ended the Reformation Wars in 1648.
Looks like some still haven’t heard the news.