Personality Trates &
Psychiatric Syndromes
Jude 1:16, "These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words], having men's persons in admiration because of advantage."
Proverbs 6:16-19
Introduction:
A. Even though the Behavioral Profiles of Bombers and Terrorists may Not Be Infallible, they are the Best Quides available for alerting security personnel to potential problems.
B. Likewwise, "Sowers of Discord" do tend to display Distinctve combinations of Personality traits and Psychiatric syndromes.
1. However, we should avoid the pitfall of carelessly Pre-Judging people.
2. "Sowers of Discord" do Not always fall into a certain stereotype.
C. People should never be treated as Objects, carelessly Labeled, and then Discarded.
Now, Let's Investigate The Behavioral Profiles
of Sowers of Discord.
I. They Generally Have A Negative Self-Image.
A. Self-Image Is An Important Factor In How People Experience Life.
1. If one's self-image is Positive --- society and other people tend to appear appealing, good, inviting, or exciting.
2. If one's self-image is Negative --- the world appears frightening, angry, hostile, and threatening.
B. Therefore -- a negative self-image often creates difficulty in properly understanding or relating to others.
1. They view the world with excessive pessimism.
2. They try to build themselves up by tearing others down.
3. They are consistently negative.
C. Because of this negative attitude (results of a negative self-image) they are always trying to correct problems.
1. They feel that correcting problems is a positive aspect of their ministry.
2. However, correcting problems is not always positive if you are always looking for problems (most of which are not your concern).
3. You don't correct problems by negative statements or sly remarks.
4. The sad aspect is that this usually goes on in their home with their children as well as at church.
II. They generally have a Narcissist Personality.
A. They have an excessive sense of self-importance.
1. They are preoccupied with eliciting the admiration and attention of others.
2. They find it difficult respecting the rights and feelings of others --- their only concern is themselves.
B. They are skilled in the art of deception --- narcissistic individuals are adept at appearing interested in others in order to win popularity.
C. Narcissistic individuals who are "Sowers of Discord" are extremely reluctant to admit wrongdoing.
III. Aggression is a way of life for them.
A. They have convinced themselves that others are treating them unfairly --- thereby justifying their aggressive actions.
B. Passive aggression can be every bit as malicious as active aggression --- characterized by procrastination and constant inefficiency.
C. They also exhibit passive resistance by withdrawing from an activity while making a public issue of it.
1. They are not content to disappear quietly.
2. Usually they let others know loudly and clearly that they are absent and why they are absent.
IV. They are Rigid individuals.
A. When emotional and personal growth stops too soon --- rigidness is one result.
B. Rigidness is characterized by inflexibility of thought --- usually coupled with excessive concern for precise and accurate procedure (as defined by the rigid individual).
C. They ask "picky" questions like:
1. How many times did your committee meet last year?
2. Where do we buy our mimeo paper?
3. How much toilet tissue do we buy at a time --- Is it white or what color is it?
D. Rigid individuals ridicule or ignore differing opinions --- and skillfully overlook contrary evidence.
V. Authoritarianism is another characteristic.
A. Authoritarian individuals are characterized by two seemingly contradictory drives:
1. They need to admire and submit to those considered "powerful."
2. They need to be in authority and make others submit to them.
B. They divide the world into two camps --- those who are "strong" --- those who are "weak."
1. The "strong" --- elicits fear, admiration, and a desire to submit.
2. The "weak" --- arouses a desire to dominate, attack and humiliate or annihilate.
VI. Psychiatric Syndromes --- Paranoid Personality:
A. Persistent, unwarranted guardedness and mistrust of others.
B. Delusions of grandeur.
C. Lack of genuine emotions.
D. Hypersensitivity.
E. Because they distrust others --- they try to find hidden meanings in words and actions --- continually looking for ulterior motives.
F. They commonly experience difficulty in relating to others.
1. Disagreements and arguments are commonplace.
2. They find co-workers and authority figures most difficult to get along with.
G. They rarely seek counseling or psychotherapy.
1. They would interpret a gentle and loving suggestion to seek professional help as a vicious attack.
2. They would be convinced that the therapist is in collaboration with others against them.
H. If, in a social gathering, a leader accidentally forgets to shake this person's hand --- he might blow the incident all out of proportion.
VII. Psychiatric Syndrome --- Anti-Social Personality --- Inability to live within the limits of socially acceptable behavior.
A. "Sowers of Discord" with an anti-social personality are:
1. Usually very likable people, especially at first.
2. They are often bright and spontaneous.
3. They are adept at putting up a good front in order to obtain the admiration and support of others.
4. They are also manipulative --- treating others as objects for accomplishing their own ends.
B. As a result of an inadequately developed conscience --- they experience little guilt or anxiety over the pain they inflict on others.
1. The anguish and humiliation a church leader might experience as the "Sower of Discord" attempts to force him or her out of office will not affect the "Sower of Discord."
2. He will sit and stare at you with:
a. A - vicious - smirk and sneer on his face.
b. No love in his heart.
c. No conviction in his heart.
d. No concern for the cause of Christ.
3. The only anxiety that person suffers is the fear of being unable to achieve his or her purposes.
4. He is incapable of fully understanding the moral concept "cruel" - "malicious" - or "spiteful."
C. Also, They have difficulty maintaining in-dept relationships.
1. They are often popular, having many acquaintances, but they have no intimate friends.
2. They may invite people over to their house or out to eat --- but they are rarely invited anywhere --- unless they invite themselves --- which they are experts at doing.
3. The emotions that they have are shallow and are rarely shared with others.
A Search For The Truth
