False Authority Syndrome

Adapted from an article by Brian Gochenour

 Most people who claim to speak about computer viruses have little or no genuine expertise. Some virus experts described it as “False Authority Syndrome”—the person feels competent to discuss viruses because of his job title, or because of his expertise in another computer field, or simply because he knows how to use a computer. Along the same line, most of the people who make proclamations about how to take care of the human body are not medical professionals, nor are they trained in medicine at all.  They are opinionated, but ignorant and dangerous.

Even the U.S. Air Force highlights the concept of false authority syndrome in Tongue and Quill, their official publication on the effect of writing: Don’t be swayed (or try to sway someone else) based on the opinion of an unqualified authority. The Air Force is chock-full of people who, because of their positions or authority in one field, are quoted on subjects in other fields for which they have limited or no experience.

False authority syndrome impacts the religious beliefs of so many in the church today. We have too many unqualified men attempting to exert influence over the Lord’s body. This has always been true (1 Tim. 1:7). Many would not have to give thought before rebuking esteemed men from the denominational world, yet the same give no thought to accepting whatever the esteemed of the church say. There’s not a man living today qualified to be quoted as an authority on truth! For example, “it is okay to (insert statement) because Dr. Soinso said,” should never leave our lips. No man living deserves such respect, and his titles do not justify our offering it.

We would not have a problem with people accepting the statements of a false authority, if every Christian would rely a solely upon God’s word. Who cares if the speaker is confident, compassionate, knowledgeable and friendly if his logic or his knowledge of the truth stinks. Doing things in “name of Jesus” requires a constant operative reflection upon his authority and not on one’s own ideas.

Too much credence is given to the practices of congregations which number over 500 members, and too little thought to whether they are scriptural. Too much credence is given to what you think, and too little thought to doing what God requires. Too much credence is given to those members who “know how things can be done better,” and too little thought to the parameters of action established by the omniscient Father.

Yes, at times the church can be described as having false authority syndrome. So how do we prevent it?  Here is the end-all cure. Have book, chapter and verse (in context) for every single practice you support, without any reference to “he said, she said, somewhere it says, I feel, but they do, why not, I like, I do not think, I may be wrong, it sounds good, it is worth a shot.”

For you see, all the above phrases appeal to a false authority, and for Christians trying to follow Christ, those phrases just do not cut it. Let us stand for the authority of Christ out of respect for our Maker (Col. 3: 17).

–Beth Johnson, blogger for: