Reprinted from John Bradshaw’s Healing the Shame that Binds You:
“The religious system in general has not given human emotions much press. There are denominations and sects that are highly emotional. And from time to time charismatic renewal groups spontaneously arise to bring vitality and new vigor into the life of a church group. But in general, there’s not a lot of permission to show emotions.
“I see two basic types of religious structures- one I call the Apollonian and the other the Dionysian. Neither really permits a true and healthy expression of emotion.
“The Apollonian type of religion is very rigid, stoic and severe. It can also be very intellectual. In either case, outpourings of emotions are not acceptable.
“The Dionysian is the charismatic or cultic type of enthusiastic worship. These types of worship seem to favor free emotional expression, but, in reality, only certain types of emotions can be shown. There are emotional outbursts, but they have no true connection with feelings. The outburst type of religiosity is often a way to get the emotions over with. They are poured out, but the subject does not experience them for long. Honest emotions, especially anger, are not permitted anywhere.”
It is my observation that there’s definitely a ‘sub-culture’ formed within every charismatic group (maybe not in the early days, but certainly one solidifies as time progresses). This sub-culture forms an emotional language all its own- i.e. customary ways of showing outwardly the ‘heart feelings’ that lie within the worshipper.
The showing forth of these sub-cultural signs and the actual heart feelings themselves are not necessarily one in the same. Charismatic worship customs (the hand-raisings; kneelings; shouts; groans; loudness of voice; verbalized religious clichés; all nuanced by the peculiar makeup of any given group) easily become avenues for people within the group to gain the acceptance and or approval of the collective group- or to enter the spirit of the group and feel 'at one' with others- if only just for a moment- and shallowly at that. (Feeling 'at one' with a group may be what many interpret as 'being in the Spirit'. But is this really the case?)
Questions abound by worship magistrates: “Why is Johnny so quiet today? Isn’t he feeling it? Can’t Johnny sense God’s presence?”
We must allow for the possibility that Johnny actually IS sensing God’s presence and that that is why he IS so silent. Maybe Johnny just hasn’t “caught on” to the Dionysian sub-culture formed among us. Perhaps Johnny isn’t "feeling it." Will ‘acting as if’ bring it on? And what would this mean? Is this the emotional dump Bradshaw highlights above- emotional outbursts divorced from reality? What good is emotional dumping when these emotions are far from the heart of the matter?
We must allow for the possibility that Johnny actually IS sensing God’s presence and that that is why he IS so silent. Maybe Johnny just hasn’t “caught on” to the Dionysian sub-culture formed among us. Perhaps Johnny isn’t "feeling it." Will ‘acting as if’ bring it on? And what would this mean? Is this the emotional dump Bradshaw highlights above- emotional outbursts divorced from reality? What good is emotional dumping when these emotions are far from the heart of the matter?
Let's face it straight on: customary expressions/ responses can easily serve to reinforce or diminish one’s status in the group. We must therefore acknowledge that many may be insincerely giving a supposed “heart-felt feeling offering” while not actually worshipping at all. Add to this the element of mood altering music and we have a very complex, uniquely human brew. Are affections and outward expressions in worship the only signs of genuine worship? Are there not right and good moments to be a bit Apollonian?
In my experience with the Dionysians, worship leaders can be forever looking for these customary signs of feeling. They often rate the quality worship (something uniquely experienced at the heart level of worshipers- and uniquely known to God) on how intense these signs are manifested in their meetings. The immature worship leader gets all excited when he or she sees what they interpret to be ‘emotional vulnerability’ and openness in the church body as a whole; they become discouraged when they cannot see the signs they routinely look for. Who are we emoting for, anyway?
What people often do not realize is that these signs can be nothing more than masks of the worshiper’s true heart-feelings and condition. This is why Dionysian worshipers can so easily “turn it on” and then walk away believing God is not to be found anywhere else in their lives except in corporate, enthusiastic gatherings by powerful worship leaders.
Ah... we may now be approaching the subject of religious addiction- not true worship.
Ah... we may now be approaching the subject of religious addiction- not true worship.
Worship leaders: "Loosen up! Get real!"
