Those who play team sports know the value of a crowd eagerly cheering them on. A high-school football team grinding toward the goal line works a little harder and feels a stronger impulsion to win when the crowds are verbally pushing it forward.
Plenty of times in life, people feel more encouraged to inch toward their goal if enthusiastic fans are shoring them up. A pop singer might feel that way. Politicians often look for that kind of backing. There's something about human nature that presses forward when it is fired by widespread support.
But not everything in life draws that kind of support—even if it's of tremendous value to onlookers. In fact, there are some areas in life that can be endangered rather than aided by popularity. One of them is religion.
