Dissonance

In music, dissonance occurs when you have two notes that are in an interval that doesn't please your ear. One such interval is "The Devil's Interval", or the tri-tone. This is essentially a C - F# interval. Played in the right context, however, it can be used to resolve to a more pleasing chord.

I learned a new term on Saturday -- Cognative Dissonance. Cognative Dissonance occurs when what you do and what you believe is in conflict with each other. Romans 7 shows us some great examples. Way to often, when we see cognative dissonance occur in our own life, the response is to either doubt what we believe, or define a new version of what is right (see Romans 1).

I have heard that there is a study that show an amazing number of High School graduates fall away from their faith when they attend College. I wonder if this is due to cognative dissonance? While intellecutally, these students are challenged and those challenges are often blamed for changing student's faith, I suspect a bigger factor is that there are too many temptations that are not appropriately handled. Once they are not appropriately handled, it can lead to a cognative dissonance. It is then easier to give up on my faith than to correct the source of the problem.

Now, my concern is, if Kyle is heading out into the world in a few years, away from Mom and Dad, he will undoubtedly face these issues -- even the Apostle Paul did. The common response from many is to tighten down the screws of legalism. Control the behaviour and you control the person. I can't believe that this sort of response shows that overflowing grace talked about in the Bible. I don't however, have an answer other than prayer.