Neutralizing the Al Queda Movement

I thought this post on the Forgotten Ways blog by a guy named Brant Hanson was neat because I tend to look at the institutional system and explore how to be more effective.  Here, we look at a networked system and explore how to make it more ineffective.  These characteristics are ways of doing things in most of our churches.  If we could get Al Queda to do this, they'd be rendered just as ineffective.

To effectively neutralize the Al Queda movement, let's get them to do the following:

1.  Complexify the message - Right now, it's so simple, it can pass from one to the next and be easily grasped by the uneducated, the young - everyone.  This is dangerous because it's highly contagious and people on the street feel capable of enlisting others in the cause.

2.  Construct a less "flat," more hierarchical structure - Currently small, underground groups can move nimbly and autonomously, complicating efforts to thwart them.  A more regimented, stratified approach where some members are left thinking "I can't know enough to do anything" would bring the movement to a halt.

3.  Foster "expert" culture, and barriers to entry to the "expert" class - Promote the idea that the message is not only highly complex, but only some can truly understand it.  Construct extensive barriers to entry to the presumed expert class.  Promote the idea that cells lacking a certified member of expert class are not equipped to be activated.

4.  Focus on knowledge, rather than doing - Complexification and expert-class development will make cells spend immense amounts of time studying the work, even debating theories of the work, rather than doing it.  Better yet . . .

5.  Equate STUDYING the work with the work itself - The cells are called to act, of course.  But if we can convince operatives that the work is in trying to understand the complexity of the work, they'll be effectively neutered.  We need to get them to spend large amounts of time in study, gathering to study, believing we don't know enough, hiring new experts to teach them again and again, and attending teaching events.  They'll actually believe they're doing the work when they attend teaching events by experts.  This will render the cell, and the whole movement, harmless!  Convince them that the most radicalized, militant among them are merely called to bring other non-activated members to the cell events.

6.  Sabotage cell multiplication - VERY important!  Cells that operate under simple principles with motivated operatives that are devoted to multiplication are very, very dangerous, fast-growing and pop-culture endangering.  We must stop this in its tracks and this is done in multiple ways.

A.  Foster egos and small-time celebrity - By convincing operatives to set up individual fiefdoms, fewer autonomous cells will be activated.  Rather, the emphasis will be on building larger, individual cells with numerous unactivated members. 

B.  Make the basic structure highly difficult to replicate - Al-Queda cells currently are, by necessity, simply-structured and easily replicated.  Propogate the idea that for cells to begin, there must be planning, experts and capital that are simultaneously accumulated.  Expert motivational speakers will be necessary, plus paid staff with highly specific training and talents.  Operatives will see massively "successful" large cells and attempt to duplicate them with very limited success because of the huge inputs required.  This will greatly inhibit growth. 

C.  Convince philosophy-aligned, but non-active members to choose from among the most entertaining, high-quality cells that offer services for them - Not only will this engender a harmless, internal focus; it will require immense amounts of resources and energy.

7.  Make operatives really, really busy - Replace simple, animated mission with lengthy lists, charts, and programs for cell maintenance.  Convince them that this institutional maintenance is actually the mission itself.  This will leave them with no time for conducting actual mission.

8.  Get Al-Queda to seek government approval - Offer tax incentives if necessary.  The larger cells requiring large edifices will also require tremendous amounts of capital.  This will also allow a measure of control by threatening the cell's tax status and thereby threatening funds for internal programs, when necessary.  Better, they'll consider actual operational cells that exist without this government approval to be invalid!

9.  Co-opt Al Queda with the larger culture - Once members are convinced that cell maintenance and study are actually their "mission," the rest of their lives can be harmlessly integrated with the culture at large.  They'll be indistinguishable from non-members.

10.  Convince members to wear Al-Queda t-shirts with funny sayings and stuff - It'll work to thwart an evil message.  It even works with the good ones.

Comments

[Dan B]

Mike,
That is an interesting blog that certaining has a pretty good analysis on the state of many churches in America, however I would take him to task on a few things....I think the assumption that the Islamic organization Al Quaida is "flat" and not heirarchial is false. There is a chain and there is pecking orders that are handed down. Now if you are speaking of the myriad of Islamic terrorists groups that exist, yes as a whole it is more flat and pretty disorganized. To be honest the Islamic movement to subdue the earth to Allah would be entirely more effective if they had a more organized structure. In the Church, structure is not bad so long as it produces life....likewise, structure is good among militant Islamic groups so long as it produces more effective results of terrorism.
Also, I wonder where he is coming from on statement #4. I wonder what his view on the importance of knowing is in the Christian life, if any? Is he being critical of Christians making things more complex when they are simple of is he railing on any kind of deeply involved study. If it is the latter than he needs to think about what he did in preparation for writing a book. If he is critical of an overemphasis on knowing and not doing then he lines up with Jesus (Matt 7:26,27) However,if it is the case that you or he, or anyone else is critical on an emphasis on knowledge(doctrine/theology)he certainly does not line up with Jesus, "sanctify them in truth,your word is truth" Jn 17:17; or with the Apostle Paul where 14 times in Romans and 1 Corinthians he asks the question 'do you not know?' insinuating that what you know effects how you live. Doctrine certainly can be dead, but with the power of the Holy Spirit it brings life.
I like many things about organic church movement, but there are two specific gripes that I have with it....the kind of disdain and suspision of any kind of leadership, and the notion that doctrine is not important (which is really ridiculous when you think about it because everything that comes out of anybody's mouth that has to do with God is doctrine.) God is not honored or glorified by being worshipped without truth. We can all hold hands and say we are just being led by Jesus or the Spirit, but that means nothing unless you get specific about what God is like and what He has done and will do in the future. Doctrine is glorifying to God so long as it is attached to heart.
I guess thats enough ranting for now...Im just so tired of the assault on theology and doctrine.

[2nd man united]

Dan B-

“The movement would be more effective if they had a more organized structure.”

I'd be interested to learn in what ways they would be more effective, since the author of this post is claiming the opposite.

Let's clarify that no one is claiming that structure is bad. You can't escape some kind of structure. But, we are saying that - Unhealthy (worldly) structure = death, Healthy (Godly) structure = life, and “structure determines function.”

As far as your two gripes with the organic church movement: If a church has either of those characteristics that you mentioned, they would then fail to be classified as an organic church. An organic church doesn't have disdain for leadership, it has disdain for an unhealthy (worldly) leadership structure brought about and practiced in unhealthy (worldly) ways. It looks to follow the Biblical model of developing and practicing leadership. It also does not have a notion that doctrine is not important. It has a notion that study and doctrine should not consume our Christian life, but support it and motivate it toward action.

I think the author of the post is implying that many Christians get caught up in a Christian life that does nothing but study Christianity and don't use that knowledge to effectively advance the Kingdom through action. They study, study, study and look up 10 years later and their church is the same; same size, same faces, no Kingdom advancement. I've been there. I used to go to church and listen to sermons, go to classes, etc. on Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, et al. That was the extent of my Christian life, instead of the Body of Christ being my Christian life. It's still a work in progress for me.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Learning together,

Mike