[the charismatic] genesis of a monster

Warren Jeffs

Monsters don’t fascinate me - there but for the grace of …

However, their genesis is interesting, just as the Genesis of the Daleks episode was interesting. The charismatic definitely has some “pull” which he discovers early and by a process of trial and error, manages to identify its source.

For some, as you know, it’s the power of words and passion, like Adolph and for some it’s physical charisma and the latter is the hardest to combat because words come and go but a beautiful boy stays a beautiful boy.

It starts with little things, questioning this, questioning that and soon it appears some people are following all this silently. Girls mysteriously appear at his side and it surprises and delights him that they really actually want to be there. He’s still a bit bashful, maybe but has some sort of inner drive, some sense of direction or else is endlessly seeking it.

The line, it seems to me, is the defect in character where he actually starts the self-congratulation with little nods to himself – he’s just that little bit better and finds people hanging on his words as well as his natural charm.

Perfect example – Jim Morrison. You could call it ego though that hardly explains it all – everyone has ego. As Tull mentioned, it’s about being able to bend this rule and that rule with virtual impunity and it’s forgiven.

To a much lesser extent I have a certain “pull” myself of a quite minor nature – still, it does turn heads and might just be my ugliness. If I walk into a café the girls do start to flock and that’s where the trouble begins.

If you don’t have firmly rooted spiritual harmony at that point, which most of these guys don’t, the temptation to “believe your own publicity” becomes oppressive, especially if it is a weak man who is susceptible to the charismatic “call to greatness”. Then he starts to avail himself of the talent at hand and as he sees how easy it is, the temptation is there to bathe in it.

That’s the genesis of the monster and now he becomes more and more hedonistic, less and less open and starts that long path to degradation where he actually starts to justify what he knows deep down is wrong. He starts to build a code of life which his charisma allows him to persuade with eloquently and immediately inducts the closest admirers as disciples and they, in turn, begin to put out the word and seek followers.

But some trainee monsters have some element in them which arrests this process and I'm not sure why – perhaps it’s some element in the character which gets people’s backs up [in my case I know it’s so] or maybe it’s a sort of Darth Vader Final Moral Last Gasp which does it and methinks that this story is about such a one as this, concerning Warren Jeffs, who’s led the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints since 2002, taking over from his father:

In telephone calls Jan. 24, Jeffs told family that he "had been immoral with a sister and a daughter" when he was 20 ... He goes on to renounce his role as the church prophet and says the Lord had "revealed to him that he was a wicked man."

It is not clear who Jeffs is speaking about, and Jeffs does not elaborate on the conduct. Some listeners responded by telling Jeffs he is the prophet and was being tested, according to the documents. “Among FLDS members, who cover their bodies from neck to ankle, even small physical gestures would be considered inappropriate,” said Ken Driggs, a Georgia lawyer and polygamy expert.

Jeffs came a cropper and it might be his conscience which finally got to him – who knows? His charisma maybe was not sufficiently high to drag him down into the circle of admirers and narcissistically preen himself and drink their accolades as a vampire drinks blood.

Seems to me that the one who continues on from here enters into some state of or form of madness and it can’t be described as a healthy or “good” madness. The end result is megalomania, of course - or else it branches off into satiating desires of some kind – sexual, political, wealth – maybe all at the one time.

It worries me greatly that this fixation with immorality and self-flagellation and the really weird biblical language in which some Christians immerse themselves is also not healthy and can only act as a breeding ground for the genesis of monsters – witness Christian TV.

Seems that though the gift of the spirit is a mightily powerful thing, I wonder if some people aren’t strong enough to fully let it download and are operating with the operating system definitely onboard but with a Leopard-like blue screen instead of a clear, sustainable vision.

The last thing which worries me is if a leader for "good" is highly charismatic. For a start he is stealing the thunder from the Lord who gave him his start and then again, if he was truly possessed of the holy spirit, he wouldn't need his charisma anymore - he now has all he needs to find happiness.

By some sort of convoluted bizarre twist, the more contented he becomes, the less charismatic he becomes anyway - happy people don't usually bestride the world - it's the malcontents and troubled who do that.

Just my little contribution to All Saints Day.