#108 – “End Times”, a psychological perspective

The “Left Behind” series of books and movies have sown seeds of fear, doubt and anxiety, with life-changing and life-long psychological impact.

We’ve already heard in the previous two episodes that many people who grew up in the era of the “Left Behind” series of books and movies were negatively impacted by those forms of entertainment/indoctrination. Some would say they were traumatized, the most frequent complaint being the fear of having missed the Rapture or of somehow being made to take the mark of the Beast. But many also experience life-long and generalized anxiety, fear, and depression which they trace back to those formative years. Those books and movies also shaped the minds of that generation: they are always suspicious of every multi-government initiative being the leading edge of “the one world government” … of rising politicians and celebrities being the soon-to-be-revealed Antichrist … of every innovation in banking being “the mark of the Beast”. And polling agencies tell us that they’re less likely to care about pollution, climate-change, rising sea levels, and habitat destruction … and the respondents will explain it’s because they think “Jesus is coming back any day, and then it’s all gonna’ burn anyway.”

That’s quite a legacy that “Left Behind” has …. left behind. Which is why we’ve decided to produce four episodes in response to the recent release of another “Left Behind” movie back in January. Sure, this movie probably won’t be a blockbuster by Hollywood standards. It will probably only last a few weeks in big chain theatres, and maybe a bit longer in the smaller independent ones. But you can be certain that it will continue to be played in Evangelical churches, youth groups, rallies and colleges … and individual homes … across North America all year, maybe longer that. And it will be subtitled for release in other countries. We heard last week of the burgeoning wave of Pentecostals in the Southern hemisphere  — one estimate says a billion by 2050 — who fully embrace this very toxic form of Apocalypticism (and many share a border with Muslim countries). So this recently-released movie will certainly be seen by many more people than the Hollywood box office numbers might indicate, and will shape the minds of yet another generation of Evangelicals!?

In this episode, we’re going to talk to two clinical psychological experts who specialize in a new and growing form of mental trauma: spiritual abuse. They come from two opposite ends of the faith spectrum: one an atheist Exvangelical, and the other a firmly-committed believer. But they share the common perception that this “End Times” thinking is dangerous and destructive. We’ll hear their stories and insights regarding the damage experienced by their clients.

We’ll also ask both of them whether it’s possible that Apocalyptic-thinking is an inherently human trait. Both of them agreed that it looks like it is: our evolutionary heritage engrained into us a constant fear of mortal threats all around us waiting to pounce. As Marlene put it: “our nervous system is wired to be afraid … that’s what we’re starting with”. And Evangelical producers of these “Left Behind” books and movies are exploiting that, and “dialing it up to eleven”!

As always, tell us what your thoughts are about this topic …

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy a previous one in which Kerry Noble gave his dramatic personal story of being completely immersed into an Apocalyptic Evangelical paramilitary group who thought they needed to prepare for the Second Coming through guns and bombs (Episode #92). You may also want to listen to our previous episode with Dan Koch talking about clergy abuse (Episode #89), or two other interviews with Janice Selbie (Episode #46) and Marlene Winell (Episode #47) dealing with religious abuse.

Find more information about Dan Koch at his web-site, his podcast, his music page, and this link to a free clinical tool that he developed for assessing spiritual abuse.

Find more about Dr. Marlene Winell at her web-site and that of her counselling service called Journey Free, which offers help for individuals seeking one-on-one recovery coaching; a group support (online forum and virtual support meetings 3 times a month); a professional development program; and upcoming retreats (the next one being June 8-11 in Cape Cod).

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