In the discipline of logical reasoning, there is the assertion that there exists logical fallacies. What people sometimes use as logical reasons for an argument or proposition are simply not valid or sound.

I have been thinking about the slippery slope fallacy. A very simple way to describe this supposed fallacy is to describe it as an argument that suggests that if a small or minor action is taken it will lead to major consequences. In other words, if you take a small action it will put you on a slippery slope that ultimately leads to bad or undesirable consequences. Sometimes there is a distinction made between a slippery slope event and a slippery slope argument.

The reason I think about this is that I think we hear this argument often in discussions relating to Christian living. “If we allow this change, we will end up in a bad situation”. An example of this might be, “If we allow covering strings to be removed it will just be the first step to the headship covering being abandoned altogether.”

I have personally thought about certain things this way. My musing on this causes me to ask myself, “Is it always a logical fallacy or would there be times that it is true that small changes can put you on a slippery slope?”

One might probe deeper and ask why the slope is slippery. Is it slippery because what was restraining us originally was a physical or tangible boundary and if that boundary is removed we no longer have anything restraining us. If long-held boundaries of a culture are suddenly removed, what will happen?

If the cultural boundary is the primary restraint in my life, what does that say about my heart and my spiritual maturity? Can boundaries in an unintended way stunt spiritual growth and maturity?

But, there may be other perspectives in this discussion. Can cultural boundaries also have a stabilizing impact, especially for new and immature Christians? Parents set boundaries in their homes for their children. These boundaries are based on the wisdom the parents have gained in life and not necessarily always on direct Bible commandments. You will not find anything in the Bible about youth needing to be home by 11:00 p.m. It is understood that children and youth do not always have the maturity to choose in a healthy way own their own. I understand we cannot equate the home to the church, but are there any practical applications from the home that can be applied to the church as a body? Are there ways in which culturally applied boundaries are beneficial?

It would seem that fear is a primary emotion in the slippery slope reasoning. I think that most of us, especially if we are older, understand the fear of “losing what we have”. Is fear a good emotion? Certainly there are times when it can be a life saver. Fear can instill caution, which can be life-preserving. But fear can also paralyze. In this sense fear can be a bad emotion. Paul told Timothy, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.

How do we remove the fear factor from our personal lives and our church culture and grow with a spirit of power, love and a sound mind (good reasoning)? What dynamics would need to change? What are your thoughts?