Hardshell Cognitive Dissonance

Britannica defines "Cognitive Dissonance" as

"the mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information. The unease or tension that the conflict arouses in people is relieved by one of several defensive maneuvers: they reject, explain away, or avoid the new information; persuade themselves that no conflict really exists; reconcile the differences; or resort to any other defensive means of preserving stability or order in their conceptions of the world and of themselves."

Said another:

"Any person will act so as to reduce conflict between their thoughts, their emotions and their behavior. When these things are at odds with each other a person experiences 'dissonance" (the opposite of harmony). Cognitive dissonance is when what a person knows is right is at odds with either what they feel is right or what they are doing." ("How Cults Manipulate People" - here)

Cognitive dissonance is a state of mental conflict occurring when a person holds contradictory beliefs at the same time. This conflict produces feelings of discomfort and the person then will seek to relieve the conflict by convincing himself that there is really no conflict (denial), or by adopting some other type of defensive maneuver to suppress the reality of the contradiction.

In the above diagram there is dissonance (conflict or lack of harmony) between belief and behavior, but it also may include conflict between various beliefs or facts. When a person faces such dissonance, he will seek to remove it in several ways. Sometimes the person will change the behavior to fit the belief, and sometimes vise versa. When conflict is between beliefs, one will either attempt to deny the conflict (often unsuccessfully), seek ways to harmonize them, or else reject one of the beliefs in favor of the other.

I firmly believe that the "Primitive Baptist Church" experienced such "cognitive dissonance" during her formative years, between the 1830s and the end of the 19th century. How each church and individual dealt with this dissonance is seen in what happened at the end of the 19th century when several divisions over doctrine and practice occurred.

I also believe that the PB psyche is still experiencing this dissonance as they receive new information about their history and erroneous beliefs. I certainly believe that the information we have given to the denomination has helped create this dissonance.

Now, dissonance is inevitable. What we do in reaction to it is what is most important.

Let me close with this little homily on these words of Paul:

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (I Tim. 2:25-26 kjv)

The words "oppose themselves" are from the singular Greek word antidiatithēmi (ἀντιδιατίθεμαι) and is a present tense compound verb in the middle voice. I believe that this word involves the kind of doctrinal dissonance of which I have been speaking.

"They who err from right thinking are to be dealt with as tenderly and considerately as they who err from right living." (Expositor's Greek)

Let us not resort to “mental gymnastics,” leading to self deception, often through rationalization, in handling contradictions in our minds about our beliefs and practices, but let us be ever willing to change any belief or practice that is not in keeping with the word of God.