There is an evil afoot, an insidious disease creeping on all of humanity, spread by social media unbeknownst to many, and it’s the fact that important personalities are being made out as being infallible. That the charismatic clergy who has the anointing and a seemingly tight relationship with God cannot be questioned. That politicians who we voted for and who are doing things that sit right with us cannot be corrupted by their greed and power and that the end results of their policies justify the means. That teachers, administrators or parents who started well with the best interests of their students, wards and children cannot be selfish and act against them.
The growth of the Maga cult—a term many use to describe the unwavering, almost religious support for certain political figures—has made me reflect deeply on this. The phenomenon isn’t unique to any one country or group; we’ve seen it play out time and again in history eg Hitler, Mussolini etc . People rally behind a leader, ideology, or movement with such intensity that they refuse to acknowledge any flaws or contradictions, worse still, they expect absolute allegiance from others, making it nearly impossible to engage in balanced and enriching conversations.
I remember speaking to someone some years back, his pastor had recently endorsed a “prophet” someone that was considered an outlier in the pentecostal Christian community.When I spoke to him about it, the news had just been carried by a mainstream newspaper and he denied it forcefully stating it was a lie and that his pastor could never identify with such a person. A week later, when it was public knowledge and the pastor had informed their church community, I confronted him and the story had changed. The same guy he had called a charlatan some days back was now a prophet used by God just because his pastor had told them so.
But here’s the thing: you don’t have to subscribe to an entire ideology to appreciate some aspects of it e.g I have been told all of my Christian life that yoga is a religion and demonic,however I have found that some of the stretches do not involve religion and are beneficial to my physical form. You can like a person or respect some of their values without agreeing with everything they stand for. You can hold a different opinion, consider another perspective, and still remain firm in your beliefs. Unfortunately, in today’s world, this middle ground is seen as weakness, betrayal, or even hypocrisy.
I’ve always believed that our values define us, that they shape our decisions, our relationships, and the way we engage with the world. But in a society that thrives on division, where people are either for or against, loyal or disloyal, it has become increasingly difficult to hold onto one’s values without being labeled as an enemy or a traitor.
One of the biggest dangers of any form of extreme loyalty—is that it erodes critical thinking. When people decide that a leader or ideology is infallible, they stop questioning and accept narratives without scrutiny, defend actions they would have otherwise condemned, and vilify anyone who dares to challenge the status quo.
History has shown us time and again that this kind of blind allegiance can be dangerous. Leaders become emboldened when their followers refuse to hold them accountable. They become reckless, knowing that their base will defend them regardless. And the result? A culture where truth is subjective, facts are dismissed, and morality is bent to fit political expediency.
I have always maintained that no one or nothing is beyond scrutiny and that includes my faith for I do not believe in a faith that cannot be questioned. A leader who shares your values today might betray them tomorrow. A movement that started with good intentions can become corrupt. And if you have tethered yourself to them without question, you risk losing your own sense of right and wrong.
One of the strangest things I’ve observed in this cult mentality is the inability to separate a person from their flaws. People act as though admiration must equal complete agreement. But why? I can admire someone’s work ethic without endorsing their politics. I can appreciate their intelligence without justifying their actions. I can acknowledge their achievements without excusing their failures. I can support one policy and reject another from the same administration or even agree to and reject certain aspects of the same policy. This ability to hold multiple truths at once is what makes us rational human beings.
Unfortunately, the world doesn’t see it that way anymore. If you say something positive about a controversial figure, you’re accused of supporting their worst actions. If you criticize them, you’re labeled a hater. They see every differing opinion as an attack, every critique as betrayal. They shut down conversations before they begin, creating an echo chamber where only their own voices are heard. But what kind of world does that create? One where people are afraid to speak? One where dissent is punished and obedience is rewarded? That is not the hallmark of a strong movement; it is the sign of a fragile one.
Life isn’t black and white. People are not entirely good or entirely evil. We all have contradictions. The difference is whether we acknowledge them or pretend they don’t exist.
I’ve had conversations with people whose views are vastly different from mine. Some have even made compelling arguments that forced me to rethink my stance. Did that mean I abandoned my values? No. But it meant I sharpened them, refined them, and ensured that they weren’t based on mere sentiment but on reason and principle. In today’s cult dynamic we see an unwillingness to even consider opposing viewpoints. We live in an era where people don’t just want you to listen; they want you to agree. Anything short of complete endorsement is unacceptable. But listening to a different perspective or even experiencing other perspectives doesn’t mean you accept it. It means you are willing to understand where someone else is coming from, even if you ultimately disagree. This is the foundation of intelligent discourse.
Staying true to your values in a world that demands conformity is not easy. It requires courage to say, I respect you, but I don’t agree with you. It takes strength to acknowledge someone’s good qualities while rejecting their bad ones. And it takes wisdom to listen to opposing viewpoints without losing sight of your own. The reality is that not everyone will understand this. Some will call you disloyal, accuse you of fence-sitting, or demand that you pick a side. But staying true to your values isn’t about pleasing people; it’s about maintaining integrity.
I have always believed that real strength is found in conviction, not in blind allegiance. A person who can stand alone in the face of pressure is far more powerful than a crowd that moves with the tide.
So, to those like me, who are able to decipher between good and bad, who know that grey lines do exist, let them call us whatever they want. Let them misunderstand ourstance. In the end, the truth always prevails. And when the dust settles, we will still have the one thing that truly matters—our integrity.
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise.” – F Scott Fitzgerald