Opposition versus Obsessive antagonism
It goes against the natural inclinations of most of us to label someone evil. Yet as the film, Betrayed, the Clergy Killer’s DNA suggests, there are those whose intentions have become so distorted that either suggesting they are evil, or possessed, seems appropriate. It is important to recognize that not everyone who is critical is also evil. There are oppositional people within a congregation whose opinion simply is critical of the way things are being done. Such people can actually be helpful. Most criticism has some element of truth within it and we can learn from those who disagree with us.
An Evil Person Within the Community
However, as the film suggests, there are people who are obsessed with the need to attack the pastor or the leadership of the church. These are people who are dealing with a significant power issue within their own selves. They can’t abide having someone challenge them. Such people must find something wrong with the person in a leadership position. Most often that is the pastor.
Their opposition is a zero sum game. There is no room for compromise. For someone to win, someone has to lose. To paraphrase a statement drawn from the Vietnam war, they are willing to destroy the church in order to save the church.
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Outwardly, such people may appear personally kind and full active members of the church. On the inside, however, they are obsessed with the need to destroy the pastor or the leadership of the church.
As part of their strategy, they may well draw into their group people who are mostly in the oppositional framework. These people have disagreements with the pastor but they are not focused on destroying the pastor.
Evil Is Weakened When Exposed to the Light
There is an element of truth to those books on vampires who suggest that they must work at night because they lose their power in the light. Clergy Killers also have the most power when they work in the dark and behind the scenes.
This works to the pastor and the sessions advantage. When the leadership of a congregation brings issues to light, issues don’t seem as clear cut. It becomes clear that there are a variety of opinions within any community and no simple answers.
Next blog, I will begin to share a process by which such issues can be exposed to the light of day.
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A Star and a Tear, my new mystery novel about a pastor who emerges from grief to help track down a serial rapist who has a religious fixation, is now available on Amazon.amzn.to/1aTDdgs . I hope you will both enjoy a good mystery and draw together a group to discuss some of the issues raised by the story.
