Narcissism and the Rise of Split/Splinter and Sliver Apostles
Until I was about 45, I never knew what a narcissist was , or at least had only vague ideas of what the mental state of one given to such actually meant. In hind sight , and in my own WCG experience, I was surrounded by them and it should be obvious now after all these years of the rising Apostles, Prophets and Wanna Be's , the Worldwide Church of God, was infested with them waiting for the right time to rise to their perceptions of ministry and power. I do recall a few times listening to the sermons or ideas of or having to react to members rage at what their local minister was doing to the local church or to them personally, and wondering whatever happened to "Let him who is greatest among you be your servant."? I understand Ron Dart also noticed that and said as far as he was concerned that was the only scripture about Church Government that mattered. Yet it certainly has escaped the split/splinter and sliver types beyond comprehension.
We have all here on Banned heard the term and seen it defined but let's remind ourselves:
A 2012 book on power-hungry narcissists suggests that narcissists typically display most, and sometimes all, of the following traits:[7]
- An obvious self-focus in interpersonal exchanges
- Problems in sustaining satisfying relationships
- A lack of psychological awareness (see insight in psychology and psychiatry, egosyntonic)
- Difficulty with empathy
- Problems distinguishing the self from others (see narcissism and boundaries)
- Hypersensitivity to any insults or imagined insults (see criticism and narcissists, narcissistic rage and narcissistic injury)
- Vulnerability to shame rather than guilt
- Haughty body language
- Flattery towards people who admire and affirm them (narcissistic supply)
- Detesting those who do not admire them (narcissistic abuse)
- Using other people without considering the cost of doing so
- Pretending to be more important than they actually are
- Bragging (subtly but persistently) and exaggerating their achievements
- Claiming to be an "expert" at many thing
- Inability to view the world from the perspective of other people
- Denial of remorse and gratitude
It is not just a male Apostle issue
Why those who still follow those who have risen to the top of the ash heap of the WCG , with all of their obvious inflated views of themselves , to the point of seeing themselves spoken of in the scriptures , remain blind to this psychological state of mind in their leaders is beyond me. It seems the mind grows numb when the more outlandish and ridiculous the claims of the leader are repeated weekly from their bully pulpits.
They ARE wrong, wrong, wrong in their bold pronouncements , over and over and over again, and still the sheep are stuck in the pen hanging on every word. It goes against the natural reaction of humans to quickly release or brush off a spider or a snake. Why not in these cases? Is the message so strong and so threatening as to what will happen to YOU if you don't believe ME, the member goes brain dead and cannot think critically about what they are being told? Are they afraid they will "not make it into the Kingdom"? or get fried like the errant Jews and non-RCG types?
How many times can one be bullied into selling homes, sending in retirement monies or giving property and resources to these wolves in wolves clothing? Why do they quickly believe it when a man says, "And yes Brethren, I am an Apostle" as if just declaring it makes it so. Not to mention getting "double portioned" under dubious circumstances. And the many many more blatantly stupid and false statements these offshoot Apostles make that we are all very familiar with here at Banned.
If you are a lurking follower of Mr. David C Every Title in the Bible is ME, Gerald Just Leave Your Families Behind and Follow ME, Ron I Will Get It Right Someday, Bob We and ME at the Continuing Church of God , Rod I'm Not Kidding Fellows and Girls or any other human being who feels compelled to tell you how all of life, history and the Bible points to them, take a good read of the common and well known traits of the narcissists among us and those given to religious delusions about themselves and think it over long and hard. Your own future mental health and that of your family and children are definitely at stake.
It is a sad testament to mankind , that whatever endeavors they do in an organized fashion, that a SocioPath inevitably always will find there way to the top. It doesn't matter if it is a Little League, or social club, and yes , every church too. Painfully, it is that way in politics too, and whoever you might like, Stein, Johnson, Clinton or Trump, they are all sociopaths too.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting quote from Tony Robbins-
ReplyDelete(And an insight on to why people follow sociopaths)
"When everybody is unsure what to do, and there is somebody who FUC%^&G knows, everyone pays attention. Someone who has certainty , EVEN IF THEY ARE DEAD WRONG, will find and lead other people"
That's exactly right Connie. It takes the rather soul-less qualities of narcissism to climb over the backs of others and take over. It's probably put Kings, Priests and Politicians in place since humans became conscious of themselves.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective and looking at the symptoms, mental illness, not well if at all understood at the time, accounts for many of the personalities and behaviors in the scriptures as well.
One author notes that narcissists don't repress their inner self, they don't have one.
First of all, narcissism is not a mental illness, it is a mental disorder.
ReplyDeleteNext, there are several similar mental disorders which are easy to confuse: Narcissism, sociopath, psychopaths and borderline. Sociopaths may or may not be narcissistic, but psychopaths always are.
If it will help, back in July, The Painful Truth had an article on sociopaths.
It wouldn't be out of the question that some may be disturbed by the idea that as members of the WCG (and other sects of the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia), we were all sociopaths. If you check the article you can see why. It may be an incentive to remove oneself from Armstrongism.
Hope this helps.
It may also be helpful to consider that the Leadership of the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia are also Brain Dead.
ReplyDeleteIt's not always the diagnosis or the label that tells the complete tale. It's how the particular quality is channeled or exercised. People have taken such qualities as ADHD for example, and through their intellect and the counsel of others, used it to the benefit and advancement of themselves and those in their circle of influence. Large corporations require a special leadership skill set to remain profitable, and to continue to be of service to humanity. Boards of directors are employed to guide, and reign in the narcissistic or dispassionate sociopaths who are so effective in administering the organization. There is accountability with reasonable limitations, coupled with some ruddering.
ReplyDeleteThe problem in Armstrongism is and was that the collection of narcissistic and sociopathic personalities were only accountable to the chief narcissist, who lacked the benefits of any sort of ruddering, with the possible exception of counsel he received from his wife. The narcissist who was capable of the greatest rage kept the other narcissists in line to suit his own purposes and objectives because they knew that their lives and lifestyles were totally beholden to him. They had sold out to him very early in their adulthood. This is the way in which they differed from the rank and file membership, who were not employed by the church or college, and would not have lost anything by leaving, other than some questionable friends.
I'm convinced that as humans, all of us have qualities which have the potential to be used to help or to hurt ourselves and others. We witnessed the proverbial running amuck of those who aspired to be our spiritual guides. Their victimization of us ended up (tongue in cheek) giving the narcissists and sociopaths a bad name!
BB
I use love like fuel
ReplyDeleteThe pain it drives my engine
It's a source without renewal
Without environmental protection
I said I'll strip mine into your heart
I drill deep and sap you dry
Break you down and sell the parts
For what money just can't buy
Because I use love like fuel
The pain it drives my engine
I use love like fuel
I use love like fuel
I need to feel rejection
To feel anything at all
It grants me worldwide connection
With all things great and small
The anguish gives me vision
I can't say how long it lasts
But the more I have collisions
The more I want to drive fast
Because I use love like fuel
The pain it drives my engine
I use love like fuel
I use love like fuel
Send me up for murder
And I'd feel like I was free
Because I never wanted to hurt her
But it came so easily
Unaware of what I'm taking
I can effortlessly crush
It's only when our hearts are breaking
That I'm nourished by the rush
'Cause I use love like fuel
The pain it drives my engine
I use love like fuel
I use love like fuel
Ooh love like fuel
I use love like fuel
John Popper - Miserable Bastard
If there was ever a album that could represent the good, bad, and ugly of religion. "Zygote" is the one for me. That whole album "Zygote" was a spiritual awakening for me and at the perfect time, too. It is KNOT in scripture, it is IN us. That is where 'things' are worked out and developed. Our lives, our lies, Our experiences, good and bad, and how we choose to respond, says more about ourselves and God than any so-called "holy writ".
Once you wake up, Growing in dirt, Home, Love for free, Open letter, still speak for me in ways that so- called written scripture never ever could. Get free, stay free!
Peace!
DBP
Sometimes people miss their chance to turn an injury into an advantage.
ReplyDeleteThe term "Christians" ('little Messiahs') was first used as a derogatory term; someone called President Jackson a jackass, so the donkey became a political symbol. Bob Thiel missed his cue over 'almost arrested'.
Bob mentioned in an article how he was 'almost arrested' for keeping the Sabbath as a government employee. When he reacted badly to Banned saying he was 'almost jailed' he took offense and thought it related to disobeying an order in the Army so that he could keep the Day of Atonement.
The Apostle Paul was arrested, beaten, imprisoned, charged before the Sanhedrin, and not only openly admitted it, but considered these things an honor. So, Bob should feel it an honor to be labeled Almost Arrested for what he did. Unlike Six-pack Flurry...
On the other hand, I did read in a non-COG source where a "Dr Thiel" had some legal problems over interstate mail order sale of some health products, but that may not have been Bob. In that case, he should spell it out, Almost Arrested for Obeying God. In Hebraic thinking, you are known for doing things, not making claims to being something. Almost Arrested sounds more like 'persecution' than taking offense to a blog entry that challenges a claim to an elite office.