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{"id":290,"date":"2011-03-09T21:54:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-09T21:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2011\/03\/authority-part-2\/"},"modified":"2011-03-09T21:54:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-09T21:54:00","slug":"authority-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2011\/03\/authority-part-2.html","title":{"rendered":"Authority, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

What power do authorities in the common world have \u2013 what can they really do? Soup Nazis<\/a> may be able to keep you from getting their soup, but they can\u2019t throw you in jail. <\/p>\n

I think many of our authority issues with people like this have little to do with the legitimacy or illegitimacy of their decisions. It has more to do with the power differential inherent in authority. We have to realize that these obnoxious authorities are extremely limited in their scope. They are not our superiors. <\/p>\n

I used to buy a lot of wine at World Market. Then they started insisting on seeing ID first. As much as I\u2019d like to think I look like I might not be 21, the white in my beard and the glasses I have to have to read a wine bottle scream otherwise. Checking my driver\u2019s license serves no useful purpose and is not required by law. It\u2019s required by lawyers who want to be able to say \u201cit\u2019s our policy to check everyone\u2019s ID so it\u2019s all the minimum wage clerk\u2019s fault\u201d if they\u2019re accused of selling alcohol to minors. <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t shop there any more. Most grocery stores don\u2019t ask for ID and some of the high-end grocery stores have a better selection. I think their authority is illegitimate, but they have the power to set the conditions of sale. Until I have the power to force them to change (not likely), I\u2019ll respond in the only way I can. <\/p>\n

The Soup Nazis of the world have little authority and even less power \u2013 we shouldn\u2019t give them any more by playing their games. Take your business elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Many cases of authority issues go back to childhood and problems with our parents. This is getting close to the amateur psychoanalysis I promised to stay away from, so I\u2019ll just say that if you\u2019re an adult, your parents have no authority over you unless you keep giving it to them. This goes double if they\u2019re dead. The same is true for former teachers, bosses, spouses and partners. Don\u2019t be afraid to renegotiate a relationship \u2013 or drop it, if it\u2019s causing you more harm than good.<\/p>\n

A lot of times when I see authority issues in churches, they\u2019re masking deeper issues. I\u2019ve seen people get upset with a decision they agreed<\/i> with \u2013 that they thought was legitimate \u2013 just because they weren\u2019t consulted first. I\u2019ve seen people insist on policies \u201cto keep something like this from ever happening again\u201d when what happened wouldn\u2019t have been prevented by a manual full of policies. I\u2019ve seen ministers ignore the input of experienced, spiritual lay leaders \u201cbecause I\u2019m the minister and you\u2019re not\u201d and I\u2019ve seen lay members ignore the input of experienced, spiritual ministers \u201cbecause you\u2019re no better than anybody else\u201d (obviously I\u2019m not talking about the same minister in both of these examples, or the same lay people). <\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t authority issues \u2013 they\u2019re ego issues. They have nothing to do with the legitimacy of decisions that were made. These are people who needed their sense of importance reinforced so badly they were willing to set aside their beliefs and values and demand recognition. <\/p>\n

By the way, these examples weren\u2019t all in UU churches. This isn\u2019t a denominational issue or a liberal\/conservative issue \u2013 it\u2019s a human issue.<\/p>\n

I have authority issues. I can\u2019t do anything about real power differentials, but I can make sure they don\u2019t go past their limits \u2013 and that includes time limits. I can keep the focus on the real issues and not on my \u2013 or anyone else\u2019s \u2013 ego. <\/p>\n

Knowledge is power \u2013 especially knowledge about the parts of ourselves we\u2019d prefer to pretend don\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"