The Power Delusion

by Tony Campolo

If you are playing power games. If you are feared more than yo uare loved, if you need to control most people around you. The power delusion is about you...

Genres: Leadership

165 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1983

About the author

Anthony Campolo was an American sociologist, Baptist pastor, author, public speaker, and spiritual advisor to U.S. President Bill Clinton. Campolo was known as one of the most influential leaders in the evangelical left and was a major proponent of progressive thought and reform within the evangelical community. He also became a leader of the Red-Letter Christian movement, which aims to put emphasis on the teachings of Jesus. Campolo was a popular commentator on religious, political, and social issues, and had been a guest on programs such as The Colbert Report, The Charlie Rose Show, Larry King Live, Nightline, Crossfire, Politically Incorrect and The Hour.

Reviews

[Michele Herrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Paul, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here are my favorite quotes.

Amazed at how many unhappy marriages he came across in his studies, Waller tried to discover the cause of all of this misery and failure. He found his answer in the craving for power inherent in human nature. In both dating and marriage, each person endeavors to gain power over his or her partner. One way to do this is to withhold love. Therefore, the person who loves the least has the most power, and the person who loves the most has the least power. Waller calls this "the principle of least interest." All of us have seen this principle expressed in real-life situations. In serious dating, the person who is least in love, and least interested in continuing the relationship, is in control and can call the shots. Without ever learning Waller's "principle of least interest," most young people instinctively understand how it works. In dating, each partner is cautious about loving too much for fear of the consequences. Each tries to get the other person to love the most , and neither dares to love until he or she is sure that the other person is at least equally in love. When the game is laid out this clearly, its horrible character is exposed. What God means to be a mutually gratifying relationship is perverted into a destructive power struggle. instead of following God's design to love each other, people withhold love because of their desire for power. (p.17-19)

Magic is a means of gaining the power to dictate what the spiritual forces do. Contrariwise, religion is a system where in people surrender themselves to spiritual forces so that they migt be servants, thorough whom those spiritual fores can minister in the world." (p. 57 from Braslow Malinski)

Nobody is surprised when a church takes out a mortgage to improve its facilities or put up a new building. People expect the church to do things to aggrandize its own statue and to proved for its own people. What amazes the world is when the church is willing t o sacrifice itself for the welfare of others, when ti expresses love without thought of return, and when it is willing to lose everything for the sake of the suffering peoples of the world. (p. 117)

'there is not much you can do to somebody who doesn't have anything, who is already dead, and who rejoices in persecution.' This young man knew the secret that made the early church such a dangerous threat to the society of its day. Peole who have such an attitude toward property and life are free from societal control. (p.135)

[Jansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor topical connection with title. A simplistic and naturally good mentally that I feel lacks an accurate understanding of just how wrongly power can be manipulated and perverted. Has a few good concepts about how to live a good life. But would have been more acceptable in a different book under the guise of a different topic.