Well there is the kool-aid thinking for sure.
Things you can do for your constitutional gun rights besides join the NRA:
Vote
Serve your country
Pray
If being a financial benefactor to the NRA to protect only one of your Constitutional rights makes you feel better than giving your all, by all means...Give!
If you have done NOTHING to protect your gun rights then you deserve to lose the fight.
The members of the NRA will still fight for your second amendment rights even when you wont.