April 13, 2011

The Wizard of Oz



Remember the movie, “The Wizard of Oz?” From this story, you can make a relevant application in regards to today’s church situation and its so-called authority structure.

To recap very quickly, as Dorothy and her companions finally fetched the wicked witch’s broomstick and returned to see the Wizard, they are met with thunderous roars, fire, smoke, as well as yelling and screaming from the Wizard. How dare they challenge him and his authority as they seek to present the Wizard with the witch’s broomstick.

The fire, the thunder, the smoke, and the roars are all very intimidating and cause Dorothy and her friends to cower into submission…….until…..UNTIL her little dog Toto, runs toward a closet area and pulls back a curtain to reveal a little man hiding behind a facade of authority and power; talking through a microphone, pulling levers and flipping switches to make noise, smoke, and fire. All very impressive and a big show until he’s finally exposed and says, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”

Do you see the correlation? The so-called Wizard is a power abuser. He’s a depraved man who has lusted after power, authority, and control, and through scheming and planning, he has achieved his lust-filled hearts’ content – albeit through a facade and a very impressive show. When someone uncovers his charade, they become the problem and must be silenced.

Oh how very relevant indeed in today’s local institutional church.

The “Wizard’s” of today (so-call pastors and elders) are no different. Those who position themselves as “having authority, control, and rule” over God’s people do so under a charade and a facade of a supposed and imagined “rule and authority.”


Click here to read the article in full:  THE WIZARD OF OZ



http://www.wickedshepherds.com/

A RELIGIOUS SOCIOPATH

Religious Sociopath's relate to true Christians as wolves relate to sheep. The Bible warns of this. Wolves will come to divide and scatter sheep. The apostle Paul warned Christians in his day for three years, day and night with tears, knowing wolves would come and leaders will rise up within their midst, twisting the truth to mislead so they can get their own following. The apostle Peter also warned of this happening.


It’s not if, but when.

What better disguise for a wolf than as a shepherd of the flock! The sheep tend to think the pastor is there to herd them, guard them, take care of them, and minister to their needs as a shepherd does over his flock. The wolf knows this and conveys it; he exudes it; he radiates love and concern, and he projects humility of wanting to help others, and preaches with charisma that as their Shepherd he needs to be submitted to, trusted, and pitied when others are against him. The Shepherd’s costume is his disguise. He is a false shepherd, a deceitful worker, turning them away from the true Shepherd.

A Religious Sociopath is a highly intelligent person who is manipulative and cunning with superficial charm. Justifying his selfish motivations as permissible because “God wants me to do it for the good of the group,” he does not recognize the rights of others. His motivation is sometimes revealed in the indecent ridicule of humiliating victims, justifying it by saying he needs to “keep order” or to “protect his flock.” If he can get away with the ridicule, he gains more control.

A Religious Sociopath enjoys the opportunities to intimidate and ridicule, relishing the fear followers have of him as a powerful leader with secret delight. When wrongdoing is committed by devoted followers, it is just another opportunity to humiliate them, but he needs to mask his secret pleasure of it.

Religious Sociopath's feel they are entitled to have their way, since it is their right to abuse people. Being extremely sophisticated liars, they decide to believe their own lies at will. They are extremely refined in their quickly thought out persuasive answers, knowing to whom and when they can lie and get away with it. Friends and other people are just opportunities to exploit and control. They do have friends for many years, but the friends all end up as victims because a Religious Sociopath does not truly love others. The love, friendliness, and compassion is feigned. It is actually hatred. There is no remorse for those who are hurt or crushed by them. They don’t truly empathize, but have contempt, disdain, and scorn for others and for God. The sympathy is feigned.

A Religious Sociopath has total control over a group. He quickly claims a very dominant style of leadership, claiming his authority cannot be challenged or questioned, just as God can’t be challenged or questioned. In time, he comes to believe he is a powerful person who knows so much more than his followers. His followers simply have to obey. He is entitled to their obedience. There is no personal respect for the lives of others, their dreams, their relationships. He is indifferent to the damage caused to others, and as needed, blames them for the carnage he, the Religious Sociopath, caused.

A Religious Sociopath preaches and believes the Holy Spirit is using only him, and the Holy Spirit in practice cannot teach others, motivate others, or comfort them. Only the Religious Sociopath can teach and provide comfort; all others need to go through him or the leaders who follow him. He loves deception and is intimately familiar with mind control techniques.

A Religious Sociopath says what it takes to satisfy people for the moment, but does not follow through or deliver on promises. He conceals his deep contempt for sincere Christians as he politely helps them understand what he wants them to do.

A Religious Sociopath is deeply insecure, having his own deep seated fears. He is highly intelligent and only puts himself in situations where his dictator type behavior will be tolerated or even admired. When he is caught, he mildly apologizes to diffuse the concerns as he embezzles pity to escape accountability, and then tries to continue on to cause more damage.

A Religious Sociopath seeks to look as normal as possible, fitting in with his lingo and clothing to deceive, charm, and disarm with his charisma. His true goal is to serve the seven abominations in his heart: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and sowing discord within Christian groups. He will accuse those who oppose him of what he is guilty of to avoid detection. If he portrays this himself, he won’t last. To get away with it, he needs a disguise, he needs to deceive. Shepherd’s clothing is an excellent camouflage, a miry pit disguised as a watering hole.

A Religious Sociopath wants to control every aspect of his victim’s lives for his own self gratification, concealing it within lengthy messages, scripture woven with truth and lies to conceal the true motivations. This brew of truth and perversion allows him to gain the confidence of sincere Christians who know the Bible, and then slowly deceive them with false doctrine over time.

Religious Sociopath's crave the admiration and approval of others, but at the same time hate those who they control with their deception. Their doctrine is motivated by their licentious lust for control; for the need to have even more naive victims who will willingly do what they ask. They feel no remorse for the devastation in people’s lives and relationships, just as Proverbs 26 states.


READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE:  A Religious Sociopath
 
 
http://www.wickedshepherds.com/