How do some get to blind obedience?

 I listened to a sermon that brought out an interesting point that may have some application to how individuals give themselves over to charlatans.

For their superiors there were three levels of obedience. Your obedience could be one of three kinds:

• The lowest grade is the obedience in performance.

You do what you're told even though you may disagree with the whole idea, think that your superior is a fool, or think you know what he should have told you to do. You obey, but unwillingly. Ignatius who was the founder of the Jesuits, in his judgment, this grade of obedience was very imperfect.

• The second grade of obedience, you may still think the superior is a fool and that you know what he should have commanded, but out of obedience to Christ...

And that's where the hierarchy locked in the brethren and put guilt trips on them and fear-trips on them, that if you disobey the ministry you're disobeying Christ. No one ever asked: What if the ministers are disobeying Christ? This is pure Catholicism! pure Jesuitism! pure Satanism! This is what Satan wants people to do: check your brain in at the door, be intimated and fearful.

You decide you will do what he says willingly. The point here is that you are so intent in pleasing Christ that your obedience is transformed from unwillingness to willingness. In effect, you choose the same as your superior. At this stage, Ignatius comments, there is already joy in obedience.

Doesn't that sound familiar? No, there's oppression in that kind of thing!

• There is yet one more, the highest grade of obedience. You do not merely do what you're told without showing any overt opposition, nor do you merely choose to will as your superior wills, to do willingly what he commands. Now you agree mentally with your superior.

You have the obedience of intellect. Unconditionally you think like your superior. You submit your judgment to that of your superior so far as only the surrendered will can sway the intellect. This highest form is what Ignatius calls blind obediences.