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A PSICHOANALYTIC STUDY ABOUT LEADER-PARISHIONERS RELATIONSHIP AT "THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD" CHURCH (LA LUZ DEL MUNDO)

Dr. César Mascareñas de los Santos
Dr. Jorge Mascareñas Ruiz

            ** This article has two parts.
 

INTRODUCTION

Human brain is formed by thousands of millions cells distributed in more than 100 areas and 12 different lobes. A great deal of its function is still somewhat of a mystery, and yet almost anything that happens in human behavior, normal or abnormal, may be attributed to this organ together with the central nervous system.¹

Medicine, psychiatry in particular, studies and analyzes man’s behavior and conduct from a scientific perspective. Knowing the mechanisms and functions of the brain are among the objectives to diagnose the mental pathology that dwells in humans and to formulate adequate medical therapy so as to treat disease both in individuals or group levels.²
 

 

ANTECEDENTS, MATERIAL AND METHODS

In 1994, Dr. Steven Kent, investigator at Edmonton University in Alberta, Canada, published a psychohistoric study of the controversial leader of a religious group known as "The Family" (previously the "Children of God").³ This study examines in depth the characteristic traits of David Berg’s personality, their cause and its effect in social behavior of his followers. For this analysis, Dr. Kent used as sources autobiographical facts from letters written by Berg to his parishioners as well as interviews with former members and relatives (including one of his daughters) who knew him personally. This study has had wide acceptance in academia because of its impeccable ethic and scientific methodology.⁴

Erick Erickson also performed studies using the psychohistoric investigative method to examine the personality of religious figures such as Martin Luther⁵ and Mahatma Gandhi⁶ (his conclusions were published in 1958 and 1969, respectively). These studies together with Thompson’s in 1963 and Moore’s in 1974 add up to a complete work on the founder of Wesleyanism.⁷

The psychohistoric method is scientifically adequate to study and evaluate individuals’ causes of behavior and personality, whom, for reasons of time or space, are not available to make them a direct medical investigation. It is also efficient for studying the repercussions of such personalities upon their social environment and to make a presumptive diagnosis.

In our present analysis, we have selected this method to study the personality of Samuel Joaquín. Reasons are obvious. The maximum leader of "The Light of the World" has systematically refused to explain to Mexican society the actions for which he is accused.⁸ At the same time, it is far fetched to imagine the possibility of his acceptance to an invitation of some medical association to occupy a psychiatrist’s couch. This is evident by his refusals to our repeated invitations to establish a personal dialogue.⁹

Fortunately, science does not bind our hands in such cases. There is an adequate and effective method to support our diagnostic impressions and what may be obtained from them. The material reviewed to prepare this study comes mostly from primary sources of information whose contents, seen with external and internal objectivity, were found to be genuine and relevant. Some of the main sources for the investigation are specified below:

1. Fieldwork performed about The Light of the World church by various investigators; (De la Torre, Becerra y Reyes and Bernal).
2. Personal interviews with former members from the elite of the group known as the unconditional ones.
3. Interviews with former pastors and leaders of The Light of the World church who have personally known Samuel Joaquín through many years.
4. Video films of testimonials from former members of The Light of the World.
5. Magazines and literature edited by The Light of the World.
6. Letters signed by Samuel Joaquín Flores to his followers.
7. Hymnbooks of The Light of the World.
8. Newspaper files of public statements made by Samuel Joaquín Flores and various contingents of The Light of the World.
9. Personal conversations with active members of the association.
10. Sermons of militant ministers in audiocassettes.
11. Rites and religious ceremonies in video films, inside the main temple in La Hermosa Provincia in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
12. Historic literature and chronicles about the origins and development of the church The Light of the World, produced both by dissidents and active members.
13. Public statements made by the organization about its main doctrinal postulates.
14. A huge photographic file about the leader and his association.

The purpose of this edition make it impossible for us to make a more detailed description of such material, which is available to the academic community for any further research.
 

 

BRIEF HISTORIC CHRONOLOGY

To get a better sight of what happens nowadays in The Light of the World, it is necessary to go back in time and get acquainted with its beginning.

The Light of the World, whose complete name is "Iglesia del Dios Vivo, Columna y Apoyo de la Verdad, La Luz del Mundo" (Church of the Living God, Column and Support of Truth, The Light of the World), was established in 1926 by Aarón Joaquín, father of the present day leader, Samuel Joaquín Flores. Aarón, mystic leader and unquestionable maximum authority in the organization, performed what were considered apostolic actions during almost 40 years. He was a charismatic leader who at that time was able to influence the behavior of many people. Soon he became venerated as a prophet and as God’s apostle in an exclusive and absolute sense.¹⁰  A halo of mystery was woven around the figure of Aarón Joaquín as a supernatural being which gave him a strange influence and control over his followers.¹¹  Afterwards his figure was perceived by his followers as if he were the new Messiah.¹²  Samuel Joaquín Flores grew under the shadow of this peculiar paternal figure.

When Aarón Joaquín died in 1964 (circumstances of his death are unclear), the position of high leader of The Light of the World was empty. It seems the founder’s death was unexpected; otherwise, one could explain there was no public announcement of his successor. However, this place was taken by Samuel Joaquín one day after his father’s demise, when he was 27 years old.¹³ As soon as he took possession of his new position that included the prerogatives of King, High Priest and Prophet, the characteristic traits of Samuel Joaquín’s personality began to emerge, evolving in time to become the pathological features of his present character. During that initial period, Samuel Joaquín procured the group’s hegemony and vindicated his leadership after a span of internal struggles and doubts about its legitimacy.¹⁴ Since then, his figure inside the organization has been increasing with messianic and divine attributes.¹⁵

Upon becoming the high priest of his church and because the position entailed great political and messianic expectations, Samuel Joaquín developed a pathological psychiatric condition to enable him to carry the weight of his newly acquired position.¹⁶ This is obvious, among other things, because of his paranoid obsession in forming an internal elite that grants him absolute loyalty and unconditional obedience.¹⁷ This elite group would later be known as the unconditional ones.

 

Diagnostic Impressions on Samuel Joaquin´s Case

Up to this point evidence indicates that from his risen to power as maximum leader of the The Light of the World, Samuel Joaquín presented a psychiatric disorder known as Malignant Narcissism, or a type of psychosis called Paranoid Delirious Disorder. Both pathologies are similar in their external aspects but differ in their internal dynamics. Paranoid Delirious Disorder is characterized by feelings of omnipotence and persecution that cause the person to confuse reality and fantasy, insofar as his own identity is concerned.¹⁸   Malignant Narcissism, on the other hand, presents external aspects similar to psychosis, with the difference that in this case the patient unconsciously feels like a superior being.¹⁹ But when the narcissistic patient presents sociopathic traits, the fact of being a great personality is not unconscious, he consciously pretends to be one. That is, in psychosis true identity is unknown and delusion is real, while sometimes in narcissism pathological grandeur is simulated to obtain advantages and gratification by deceiving others.

Both diseases show delusions of grandeur and paranoid behavior added to a great lack of sensibility for other human beings as well as an excessive demand for personal attention.²⁰

 

DELIRIOUS IDEAS AND PARANOIA

A delirious idea is defined, according to psychiatry, as a "false belief, which is not susceptible of being modified or corrected by logical persuasion or by exhibition of opposite evidence".²¹ Paranoid delirious ideas are those that are characterized by presenting persecution obsessions, of being followed, observed, of imaginary plots, etc.²² The person with delirious paranoia generates an environment of hostility and aggression in his midst. His condition also provokes a continuous state of anxiety.²³

As mentioned above, from the onset of his leadership, Samuel Joaquín presented paranoid behavior, as exemplified by the formation of his famous group of "the unconditional ones", men and women who submitted to him absolutely for life. Thus, Samuel Joaquín wrote on one occasion to his immediate followers:

"While you work, I want you to study, in the dictionary, and in your own understanding the meaning of the word UNCONDITIONAL (sic) a) spiritually, b) morally and c) materially. God grant that there will always be in you the strength of spirit that you showed me at the beginning, so that you may work at my side with sincerity…" ²⁴

Besides creating a special group of unconditional men and women in morality (with whatever that implies), Samuel Joaquín’s paranoid obsessions provoke an anxiety that impels him to hide behind an impressive group of personal security men to enable him to perform his pastoral duties at ease. Thus, he is surrounded at all times by an escort of bodyguards to protect him, his home and his assets.²⁵ Why