One of the most intriguing processes in life is the development of the butterfly. From egg to caterpillar to pupa, then eventually to butterfly. Amazing!

Not all caterpillars develop into butterflies though.

Now there is a particular variety of caterpillar that is described as processionary. Because they have the habit of dutifully and blindly following each other, no matter how they are lined up or where they are going, even if to destruction.

As part of research studies, John Henry Fabre placed some processionary caterpillars in a circle, and for 24 hours they dutifully followed one another round and round and round. The caterpillars are said to have engaged in activity without productivity; terrible!

Fabre subsequently lined them up around a saucer, and then placed pine needles – their favourite food – at the centre of the saucer. And for 6 days, the processionary caterpillars were moving round the saucer. And were dying from starvation and exhaustion, even though abundance of choice food was just 2 inches away.

The above illustrates exactly how most people live their lives; blindly or mindlessly imitating the practices, actions, and inactions of others, especially predecessors. Sort of, “This is how they did it in the past, or this is how they have been doing it, so let us also do it that way, and continue doing it that same way and not bother to know why, and also not bother to evaluate the results, let alone improve the results”. Sometimes, even when people have sufficient information, wise enough reasons, and inconsequential freedom to compel themselves to do things in a much better way. And sometimes that better way is to simply stop doing the wrong thing!

Every normal child is naturally wired or preprogramed from birth – by virtue of the genetic code or DNA blueprint – to imitate what he or she consistently gets exposed to; especially what he or she sees and hears. In that sense, you grew up as a perfectly normal child, imitating what you have been exposed to. Without questioning anything. You naturally get absorbed into the cultural framework of ‘People like us, think this way’ and ‘People like us, do things this way.’ This extends to all levels of culture: family, tribe, school, work, religion, etc.

Indeed, as part of the functions of the brain, and especially to keep you safe, your biological system or physiology is more predisposed to helping you to maintain the status quo. Since the consequences of maintaining the status quo is more predictable, and your system processes that as being safer. Your biological make-up loves it!

So proverbially, I have been a processionary caterpillar in many ways. Similarly, you have also been a processionary caterpillar in many ways. Thankfully, you will soon get to know how to prevent this from causing avoidable difficulties and regrets. Before then, some real-world examples…

In the mid-1900s almost all diseases had something to do with poverty. But the children who were dying from cancer seemed to come from mostly rich or affluent homes. This was strange! A huge problem that defied all logic.

A medical doctor by name Alice Stewart felt that her greatest contribution to medical science would be to find the cause of this problem and help solve it. A good way to make her mark in life. She worked very hard, and eventually discovered that largely, the children who had died from childhood cancer belonged to mothers who had been X-rayed during pregnancy.

The findings were published in the Lancet. And she won an award very much like the Nobel Prize. Everybody was excited about the findings.

Now, what would be the most logical step to take from such a finding? Stop x-raying pregnant women; right?

Well, the medical establishments did not stop x-raying pregnant women until some 25 years later. Despite the rampant deaths, even in the light of the convincing findings, nothing really changed for some 25 years!

25 years!!! They chose to be blind to the realities – wilful blindness – for this long.

Of course, there could be some nuanced reasons, but none could be justifiable enough; especially since the x-raying was eventually stopped. So why not earlier enough, especially when lives were at stake?

You remember the dilemma an executive by name Joe faced when he felt strongly that the medical device they were in the process of producing had potential harmful effects? You remember how it turned out that each person in the team had the same questions and doubts but were all afraid to raise the necessary concerns? That was wilful blindness right there! Thankfully Joe saved the day by blowing the whistle. It probably would have been as catastrophic as the childhood cancer deaths caused by x-raying mothers during pregnancy, as recounted above.

There are so many of such incidences in the medical profession. Today we find it shocking to note some of the defunct medical practices that were seemingly normal years ago. There is every reason to suspect that there may still be some medical practices that should cease. And some medical practitioners do know about such unhelpful practices, except that they may be afraid to firmly raise the necessary concerns, and are reluctantly following the rule book. Tomorrow’s generation is going to find some of these practices unbelievable and wonder what was wrong with us.

I talked a bit about Seth Godin earlier on; one of the giants in the world of Marketing today, and it shall be so for a very long time. He is the brain behind arguably the most effective marketing approach or philosophy in the world today. What has come to be known as permission marketing; he invented and pioneered it. Well, as a result he got kicked out of the Direct Marketing Association; a trade association for professionals in the industry as the name clearly suggests, and now known as Data & Marketing Association.

To them, Seth’s revolutionary idea was a heresy; completely forbidden or untenable! It flew in the face of conventional wisdom at the time. He was expected to stick to what already existed; he was supposed to maintain the status quo! To basically keep being a processionary caterpillar.

Well, the good news is that a few years later they rescinded their decision; they called him back into the association. Bingo!

One typical example of this processionary caterpillar syndrome is… waiting to ‘complete school’ before consciously working to earn income; the age at which most people start earning income is too late and unhealthy! Since money is so important, why not start making it very early; especially since a lot of adults have money inadequacy issues?

I have always engaged in enterprises to earn income along my schooling right from age 5, and was still either the best or among the best in every class I have been part of; so it is possible! However, I’m not absolving myself of the said processionary caterpillar syndrome because, even in my case then, I saw it more as a hobby rather than serious business so I didn’t take it that serious until after University; how sad! Indeed, just before entering the University, I got a contract to sew clothes for export to Canada; when it was time to finally move to the University campus to start the chosen course of study (Architecture / Design) I gave up the contract. When I moved in to campus, to my surprise, there was a student in the room opposite mine; he was sewing shirts for delivery to shops in town. And guess what? He was a medical student; studying to become a medical doctor! Others on the floor were into other forms of commercial activities while pursuing their various courses of study; I eventually settled into producing greetings cards, wall hangings and printing t-shirts.

By the way, guess what my very first business was? Making toy cars and coal pots out of empty milk and milo cans, and selling them; I was about 5 years old.

Naturally, you may also be recounting some opportunities you might have missed because of similar and other processionary caterpillar syndrome situations. Let us see how you will fare from today onwards whether you will just slip back to the status quo or you will take steps to avoid unhelpful routines. Do not be a person who looks himself in the mirror and soon after forgets how he / she was looking (James 1:24).

Galileo Galilei (most noted as the greatest astronomer of all time) made major contributions to the fields of physics, astronomy, cosmology, mathematics and philosophy. He is considered the father of modern science, and most noted for inventing an improved telescope that made him to observe and describe the moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, the phases of Venus, sunspots and the rugged surface of the moon with high levels of accuracy. His meticulous work in astronomy led him to confirm that, true to what Nicolaus Copernicus had theorised a century earlier, the earth actually revolves around the sun, something we take for-granted today. At that time, conventional wisdom, and especially the official position of the Church, which was essentially the ruler at that time, held that the earth was the centre of the planetary universe. Therefore, Galileo’s position, teaching and advocacy that the earth was not the centre of the planetary universe and that the earth and other heavenly bodies revolved around the sun, and that the sun was rather the centre of the planetary universe (contradicting conventional wisdom, and the official position of the church) was therefore considered heresy. He became an enemy to the establishment and his contract with the University of Pisa was not renewed, upon expiry. His book, “Dialogue” or more officially, “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems” written in 1632, was banned by the religious authorities. Indeed, in 1616 and in 1633 also, he was hauled before the religious authority’s Inquisition; to face trial as an enemy of the state, and to face possible prosecution. He was interrogated and threatened with torture, having been charged with being “vehemently suspect of heresy”. He was compelled to plead guilty, and was thus made to denounce his findings, in order to receive lighter punishment. He was then placed under house arrest for the rest of his life; a period that lasted for 9 years. It was much later in 1744 (after more than 100 years) that Galileo’s “Dialogue” was removed from the Church’s list of banned books. And in 1992 (after some 350 years) Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul II made official statements to admit that the Church was wrong, and that Galileo was right; they apologised and indicated regret for how the Church had treated Galileo.

Religious people seem to fall victims to processionary caterpillar syndrome the most. Too often religious people do not know for certain what their reference holy books or holy scriptures actually say, and how those books or scriptures came about. And sadly, most of them do not care! Most are content with flowing with the masses and living by the dogmas of their religious institutions and that of their local groups; traditions and dogmas often handed down orally by their leaders. And would dare not cross-check and verify any of the claims. This is especially so because for most part, and through the effort of people they trust such as family members, these traditions or dogmas are introduced to them when they are very young, way before ‘their power of observation and their ability to analyse and make intelligent decisions on whether to accept it or reject it‘ sets in; I’m not taking myself out. To the extent that, even when they grow up, most do not make it a point to objectively research the beliefs that have been handed to them.

Indeed, because of this, when most are presented with some quotes taken directly from their own religious books, they somehow ignore what the actual sentences of what they believe is the word of God are objectively saying, and give their own interpretations usually based on what they have heard in the past, often erroneous; totally ignoring what the quotes actually say.

I was once having a conversation with an engineer who graduated from a very reputable university, and was one of the leaders in a ‘megachurch’ with international branches. And he made a statement to the effect that Saul got changed to Paul when he encountered Jesus. So I sought to draw his attention to it that there was nothing like that in the Bible. But he was very sure about his claim, saying that it had been recorded in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible. So I asked him to point to it in the Bible for my appreciation. He was having some difficulty locating the said scripture, so I asked whether he was referring to Acts 13:9, and he quickly opened to Acts 13:9 and said “Yes, here it is”. Okay, but “read it” I said. He read it again and somehow managed to still convince himself the more that Saul was changed to Paul. But what does Acts 13:9 actually say: “Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said”.

Clearly this scripture does not claim, not even remotely, that Saul was changed to Paul; what the scripture says is as clear as daylight, that the man was called Saul, and he was also called Paul. Note that the actual conversion experience on the road to Damascus occurred much earlier, in Acts 9. And well after his baptism, and he escaping death, and going to Jerusalem, etc. he was still being referred to in the scriptures as Saul. Jesus called him “Saul, Saul” when he had the vision that led to his conversion. Later, in a vision to Ananias of Damascus, “the Lord” referred to him as “Saul, of Tarsus”. When Ananias came to restore his sight, he called him “Brother Saul”. The first time he was called Paul was in Cyprus, much later after his conversion.

Indeed, there is no justifiable reason to doubt that the time he was called Saul, he was also called Paul. There was no change of name; Saul and Paul are dual names of one man, both before his conversion and after his conversion. And there is nothing strange here; dual names are common in the Bible: for example Ahasuerus was also called Xerxes, and Esther was also called Hadassah. Matthew 4:18 says “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.” Read that again.

Many people in life have many names. My dad has two English names in addition to three traditional names that I know of, and he gave me two English names as well in addition to three other traditional names. At home my siblings and neighbours call me Kweku, but my mum calls me Abeiku. At secondary school most called me Egyir, and at the university and church most call(ed) me Dave; funnily enough there was a time two people were arguing in my presence that I was not called David but rather Dave. Those do not suggest — not even for a moment — that I changed my name; no! So to-date different people call me by different names depending on the company I find myself at any point; it is one and same me but known by different names depending on the relationships. It is a similar situation Saul (Paul) found himself. I discuss this further in a footnote. [1]

Is it possible that Saul actually changed his name to Paul? Yes it is possible (again just a possibility, and persons or books outside of the Bible might say so) but the Bible itself does not say so. And the name Saul did not denote a bad person who had to be converted to Paul a good person; at the time he was called Saul, he was also called Paul.

Many Christians have been prayed for or prophesied to that, “Just as God changed Saul to become Paul when he encountered Jesus God would change their story to glory!” As as though to signify that Saul denoted a bad personality and needed to change to Paul to denote a good personality; like… “God will change your name from Saul the destroyer to Paul the restorer!” Again there is nothing like that in the Bible but it appears not to be ceasing anytime soon.

There are several statements Christians make and attribute to the Bible that are inconsistent with what the Bible actually contains and truly teaches. The same happens in other religions as well. Not willing to correctly cross-check to either confirm or otherwise discard is the real problem here; it is such a strong inertia. And it creates False-Faith; more about that towards the end of this chapter.

A few years ago I was made part of a church committee responsible for planning a crusade. Upon seeing the hours of meetings, and the huge budget required, I asked: “What is the principal objective of this crusade? “To win souls for the Lord” they said. So I suggested that, if the objective was to win souls, then a tenth of the budget could be used in other — more relationship-based — ways to win more than 10 times the number of souls that crusade could possibly yield. The head pastor looked at me strangely, and retorted… “But David, a church must do a crusade!” They went ahead. And the results of the crusade? Bizarre! Precious man-hours and funds were essentially ‘wasted’ in the name of “a church must do a crusade!”.

The temptation to be a processionary caterpillar, and just keep doing the same old things fueled by old thoughts, is not easy to resist. It is as if there is some romance in following our old thoughts and habits.

Kudos to persons who can tolerate diverse opinions, assess same and change their minds when presented with objective verifiable facts that contradict what they had believed prior. It is not an easy thing to do!

According to Rita Mae Brown, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” In that sense, processionary caterpillar syndrome is so serious that it is tantamount to insanity.

What is the solution? Apply the Zing4Life! principles, techniques and strategies (more about this in Chapter 5). You can begin by asking a lot of questions, such as: Why are we doing this; what do we seek to achieve? Will we achieve what we seek to achieve by doing what we are doing or will be doing? We have been doing x, y, and z for so long, what has been the impact, and is there a better way? Ask all the questions! Indeed, “Until you question what’s already in your head, you will do what’s already in your head. Until you question that, you’re hypnotised” as Robert T Kiyosaki cleverly puts it. Question everything! You see, “The greatest risk in life is to depend on others for your security.”

I believe that, true ‘Education’ must sow in us a penchant to continually ask questions, the right questions, and all the questions; until we are completely satisfied with the answers, because “The biggest challenges and problems we face cannot be solved with comfortable conversations, whether it’s in your own head or with other people;” in the words of Tim Ferris.

In addition to getting to know and apply the Zing4Life! principles, techniques, and strategies, one very potent way to avoid the negative influence of the processionary caterpillar syndrome is to be very much interested in the background / life story (biography) of high achievers in life. You may decide to find out about the key personalities behind key inventions and popular brands. People often assume that somehow God has just favoured them, or that they were lucky, but it is often the case that they took / take certain unpopular practical steps, against the status-quo; steps that you can also take to achieve similarly amazing results.

The sudden appearance of the use of Paul instead of Saul in the Bible is indeed curious, but we find scholarly explanations that make sense. The Bible does not explicitly state that Saul changed his name to Paul when he converted to Christianity. Again, the transition from Saul to Paul is not explained in the Bible text itself but is generally understood to reflect his shift from primarily ministering to Jewish communities to a broader ministry among the Gentiles.

Paul had dual nationality.

Having come from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5) his name was related to the most famous member of his tribe: King Saul. In Cyprus, Saul (also called Paul) rejected magic practiced by Bar-Jesus/Elymas, but King Saul practiced magic (somewhat deemed to be sinful) and was killed by God. Thus, some suggest that Saul (Paul) decided to use his other name Paul in a bid to dissociate himself from King Saul’s sin.

He was also a Roman, and his Roman name was Paul, a name the Gentiles were more accustomed to.

Saul (Paul) became “apostle to the Gentiles”. And thus needed to use his Roman name in his many travels. So it was not a name change (not in the real sense of a name change) directly attributed to his conversion per se but more associated with his quest to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel of Jesus.

It is important to note what the Bible says or does not say, and to respect that. We can find possible or scholarly explanations beyond what is recorded in the Bible, and put same in a caveat. It is not the same as saying that it is what the Bible says. So to suggest that God changed Saul to become Paul when he encountered Jesus (as as though to signify that Saul denoted a bad personality and needed to change to Paul to denote a good personality) is not biblical. And therefore, disingenuous to push that down as though that is what the Bible says. No! God did not change Saul’s name to Paul, neither did Jesus. Indeed there was no such name-change as such; at the time he was called Saul, he was also called Paul.