Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist
I saw this clip this week about a study called the Five Monkeys Experiment. 5 monkeys were placed in a cage with a ladder holding bananas at the top. Initially, the monkeys would take turns going up the ladder for the bananas, but when one succeeded the other monkeys were sprayed with freezing water. It didn’t matter which monkey made the attempt, the rest would suffer.
In time, the other monkeys would beat up the one who tried to get the bananas, stopping the water before it began, keeping them all safe and comfortable.
The next phase of the experiment was to replace the monkeys one by one. As can be expected, each monkey who attempted to get the bananas was punished by the others. The thing is, the automatic response had stopped. There was no freezing water anymore. In time, every monkey was replaced, and yet they continued to punish any monkey who tried to get the bananas. Nobody dared try to get the bananas anymore. They were all too scared to step outside what had been handed down to them by the other monkeys.
If you would like to see an explanation of this experiment, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PvBo75PDo (there is some cartoon violence – be warned!)
I’ve been mulling this experiment for a few days and wondering how we “go along” with the way things have always been done, without really knowing why we do them. It reminds me of that family that always cut the ends of the roast before they put it in the oven, and when they finally questioned why, it was because grandma didn’t have a big enough pan to fit the whole roast! They just continued with the tradition because it was the way it had always been done.
We get caught in ruts like this in the church even when it ceases to bring results. I don’t need to go into the ways we resist new ways of worshipping, we’ve all been part of those discussions!
As a society, we get caught in the same trap. Somewhere, back in the beginning, we learned not to trust the other monkeys and now we just ensure they know their place. Eventually, even though every monkey has been replaced, we just adopt the patterns of our ancestors.
This is why critical thinking is so important. This is why asking pertinent questions about “the way things are” should be welcomed and explored.
The world is going through a time of upheaval. It feels like alliances are breaking down and a realignment of the world order is underway. We in Canada are feeling particularly vulnerable as we are facing an existential threat. Like the 5 Monkeys experiment, we know that fear and violence are powerful motivators. But every crisis is also an opportunity. It would be such a shame if we didn’t take this opportunity to consider how to build a more just and equitable society. We can’t just continue like the monkeys in the cage, maintaining the status quo at all costs.
We have the same opportunity in our churches. The old way of doing things, the old denominational structure, the church of the past isn’t thriving anymore. Perhaps we should take some solid time to question why we do things the way we do, and what our vision for ministry should be going forward. It might feel like a crisis sometimes as we try to make budgets and fund amazing initiatives, but there are also opportunities if we’re willing to question the status quo and consider new ways of being.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know, whatever happens, God is with us. We are not alone. There is always Joy. There is always Hope. There is always Love.
God of all,
Free us from the Monkeys in the Cage Mentality.
Give us courage to reframe our communities and our country by asking the right questions and rejecting unhealthy ways of being.
Walk with us in this time of crisis. May we find the opportunity to serve you faithfully and work together for a new world of justice, equality, and peace.
Amen.