Removing the Collar of Inferiority

Removing the Collar of Inferiority

As I was watching television the other day there was a show on that talked about the experiments done by Jane Elliott in 1960's. It was called "Blue Eyes-Brown Eyes". She took her 3rd grade class and told them that "Blue Eyed" students were proven by scientists to be superior and smarter than "Brown Eyed" students. She placed cloth collars on the "inferior" students then administered tests to the students she had given in previous days and found that the scores for the "blue eyes" had improved and the scores for the "brown eyed" students had worsened. The next day she told the class that the day before she had lied to them that really "brown eyed" students were smarter and the "blue eyed" were less intelligent. Upon retesting the "brown eyed" students excelled and the "blue eyed" students scores plummeted. Ms. Elliott related in an interview. "It was just horrifying how quickly they became what I told them they were," she said, noting and described how one of the blue-eyed ("inferior") girls changed from a "brilliant, self-confident carefree, excited little girl to a frightened, timid, uncertain little almost-person."

I was already familiar with this experiment "having taken psychology in pre-med and med school. After having watched the video of the experiment I found it as despicable as I had remembered. The group that was told it was inferior acted distressed and depressed. To my horror this television program showed more recent studies had been done with older students and it showed them with the "inferior" students wearing collars of cloth again so they would be easily identified by the other students. Even though all the students were told "up front" that this was just an experiment to show how racisms and prejudice worked, within hours the collared students not only did worse on tests but were so depressed many were in tears. I heard one student say "I don't think I could ever pass that test even if I wasn't wearing the collar. This was as sad as it was scary to watch.

I reflected back on that T.V. program this morning at Church and I wondered how many people walked through the doors this morning that were wearing a "collar of inferiority". How many people came in today that were disillusioned and depressed by a label or "collar" someone else had placed upon them? How many were living up to or rather down to this false portrayal of who they are? The good news (gospel) is, that God loves us so much He has made a way to break these bonds off of us and for us to know who we truly are in His eyes. The Scriptures call this a ''yoke of bondage" and for many, as it was for me, this bondage is religion. At the age of six I would see my mother cry because the Nuns at the school I attended would pull her aside and say to her "your son is going to hell because he is not baptized and it is your fault", and somehow I thought I was no good because I put her in this position. At age six I didn't understand everything that was going on all I knew was my mother was crying and it was because of me. It was shortly after this time when one of those Nuns caught me sucking air and making a whistling sound in class. She lifted me out of my seat by the ear and dragged me by it to the bathroom where she grabbed a small bar of soap shaped like a cat, took me outside and jammed the soap bar into my mouth. She held it in my mouth with her hand till I thought I was going to die. There is no love or grace in religion, just rules and regulations and if you dare to break them you are judged and this invisible collar of inferiority is slipped around your neck. No one else can see it, but you know it is there.

Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For others this "yoke" is placed on them by a parent, family member, peers or even themselves. It doesn't matter how it gets there, it is there, and the weight of it condemns the wearer to a life of inferiority and loss of self worth. The truth is, God loves us and finds us worth so much that He sent His son to die for us and redeem us from that curse.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:8-10 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory (very apparent), much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory (appearance). (10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory (becomes nothing) in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: ?

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation (evil experience) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted (tested) above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (a thing placed on one's shoulders)

Ephesians 6:16-20 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Philippians 3:13-16 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (16) Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Labor G2872 Thayer Definition: 1) to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief) 2) to labour with wearisome effort, to toil 2a) of bodily labour Part of Speech: verb

heavy laden G5412 phortizo? Thayer Definition: 1) to place a burden upon, to load 2) metaphorically to load one with a burden (of rites and unwarranted precepts) Part of Speech: verb

Yoke G2218 zugos Thayer Definition: 1) a yoke 1a) a yoke that is put on draught cattle 1b) metaphorically, used of any burden or bondage 1b1) as that of slavery 1b2) of troublesome laws imposed on one, especially of the Mosaic law, hence the name is so transferred to the commands of Christ as to contrast them with the commands of the Pharisees which were a veritable 'yoke'; yet even Christ's commands must be submitted to, though easier to be kept 2) a balance, pair of scales

Burden G5413 phortion Thayer Definition: 1) a burden, load 1a) of the freight or lading of a ship 2) metaphorically 2a) of burdensome rites 2b) of the obligations Christ lays upon his followers, and styles a "burden" by way of the contrast to the precepts of the Pharisees, the observance of which was most oppressive 2c) faults of the conscience which oppress the soul Part of Speech: noun neuter

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all that grow weary and exhausted and are overburdened with ceremony, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my coupling upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my coupling is easy, and my obligation is light.

Grace and Forgiveness - Unreasonable Expectations and Impossible Demands Hope of Glory - Fear of Death Perfect Law of Liberty - The Law of Sin and Death