Adults need to question to learn

The NakedPastor is talking here about how abusive churches turn people into “the sinners that they hate,” but I think this list is pertinent in many, many ways to any situation in which you have adults who are honestly seeking to learn:

• resisting being controlled is interpreted as stubbornness
• questioning a leader’s actions is interpreted as rebelliousness
• doing other than exactly what you’re told is interpreted as disobedience
• questioning authority is interpreted as not submitting to authority
• stronger offense creates stronger defense that is interpreted as obstinacy
• talking about your questions with others is interpreted as divisive and seditious
• knowing a leader is human with weaknesses is interpreted as disrespectful
• when you decide the church is not healthy and leave, it is interpreted as being unfaithful
• thinking for yourself is considered maverick
• trying to learn how to live your own life is considered immature and unruly

We need to come alongside people and nurture the former things this list is complaining about, because when we don't do that, when we use the latter labels, we turn people away from us and from our institutions.