Jim Jones and Jesus

In my previous post on the lowball technique, I mentioned another technique in passing – the foot-in-the-door technique. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase, even if you aren’t quite sure how to articulate what it means. Social psychologists have documented a clear tendency for people to agree to larger requests if they have first agreed to smaller ones. The foot-in-the-door technique manipulates this tendency.

If I want my neighbor to come to my house while I am on vacation to feed my dog and play with him for 30 minutes every day, I’m probably better off not asking for that request immediately. I’m better off first asking if he would mind checking my mail. If he agrees, then I can ask if while he is bringing my mail inside if he would also feed the dog. If he agrees to that, then I can ask if he would mind hanging out with him for about 30 minutes just so he doesn’t get too lonely.

Get the picture? It’s sneaky, but it works.

(For those of you following along closely and see some resemblance between the foot-in-the-door and the lowball techniques, think of the lowball as a variation of the foot-in-the-door.)

Cults often work by masterfully using the foot-in-the-door technique. Recruiting efforts are started by making very small requests. Once a person complies with a small request, the cult leader very gradually and slowly increases the demands. Jim Jones said that his recruiters would ask people as they passed by to help for just five minutes by folding and mailing some envelopes. He was confident in his ability to keep them in the cult if he could get them for just five minutes. At one point he said, “You know, once I get somebody, I can get them to do anything.” And listen to what one of his former cult members said later.

“Nothing was ever done drastically. That’s how Jim Jones got away with so much. You slowly gave up things and slowly had to put up with more, but it was always done very gradually. It was amazing, because you would sit up sometimes and say, wow, I really have given up a lot. I am putting up with a lot. But he did it so slowly that you figured, I’ve made it this far, what the hell is the difference?”

Compare all of this with the experience a good friend of mine had lately. He has just started a rigorous PhD program at a Christian university. During their first week, the instructors and administrators very clearly told the students what they could expect. They would be worked very hard. They would be thoroughly critiqued. They would be stressed and at times feel overwhelmed. Then, as my friend describes it, they communicated with all sincerity and graciousness, “but, oh, we WANT you here. We WANT you to succeed. We will love and care for you and do our best to help you become your best.”

I got to thinking about how our churches approach trying to reach lost people. Do we sometimes fall in to the temptation of using the foot-in-the-door or the lowball techniques? After all, they ARE effective (at least in getting people in the front door). The picture we get of Jesus, though, is more like that of my friend’s PhD program. Jesus says that following him will cost us EVERYTHING and he makes it no secret. But from the very beginning, we can hear him say, “but, oh, I WANT you. And I will love and care for you. Give up everything you have and I will meet all your needs.”

I like that.