West Port Experiment

This was a really helpful article on manipulative ministers. In particular, certain things stood out to me. First, there is such a thing as “benevolent manipulators,” as there is such a thing as true and sincere believers who manipulate. Anyone can manipulate, whether periodically and minimally, or habitually and intractably. Not all who manipulate are befanged, salivating monsters; they can be your sweet grandmother or your devoted, soft-spoken pastor. But a cigar is a cigar.

Some signs of the benevolent manipulator include: “They will subtly question your loyalty. They will be suspicious of anyone who leaves the ‘group.’ They will often undermine anyone who might pose a threat to their influence. They will try to convince you that any concerns or actions not aligned with their agenda stem from personal weakness. And so on.”

Another rather observant section is where is speaks of the tactic of the “surpise meeting.” I have experience this from several individuals over the years; and in retrospect, I can see that whether or not they were fully self-conscious of their manipulation, it was anything but fair and selfless. “This can manifest as an impromptu gathering or a sudden phone call. The key aspect is that they catch you off guard. The purpose is to confront you when you’re unprepared, giving them a strategic advantage. They’ve had time to gather their emotions and arguments, while you are entering the situation with little prior thought. Consequently, you become more susceptible to being steered and manipulated.”

There’s a lot more to say about manipulation and manipulators, but this is a really good article. We shouldn’t be overly suspicious, of course. And yes, “love believes all things.” But we ought also to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”