Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 27
The relationship between malignant narcissism and pedophilia demands further research,
especially since it may be that some narcissists have sex with young people for a number of
reasons. First, these youth are not likely to present personal challenges to the frail self-
concepts that narcissists have, being younger, less experienced, and neither emotionally,
physically, or (in the case of the ancient Greco-Romans) socially threatening. Second, the
unbounded grandiosity of some narcissists may lead them to believe that anyone, if not
everyone, would value and benefit from having sex with them. Third, the devious nature of
narcissists to get what they want would manifest in them using or creating structures within
their organizations to procure sexual partners.
Narcissism as a contributor to religiously based pedophilia has not been the subject of a
major study, and it should be. The condition has appeared as a significant factor in abuses
that a number of priests have committed against children and teens (Sipe 1990, 135 1995,
19 2003, 166, 221, 254) and that one male Pentecostal minister (Mario lvan ‗Tony‘ Leyva)
perpetrated against hundreds of young boys (Echols 1996, 268). Likewise, the Canadian
leader (lvon Shearing) of a numerological sect called the Kabalarians was convicted of
twelve counts of sexually related crimes against females as young as twelve years old
(Gazette 1997), and the psychologist who interviewed him for possible parole concluded
that his ―presentation [w]as remarkably selfish, egocentric, and narcissistic‖ (National
Parole Board 2003, 3 Court of Appeal for British Columbia 2000, 19). Alexander is by no
means the clearest example on which to build theory about the relationship between
religion, sexuality, and child sexual abuse, since fundamental differences on these topics
exist between the Greco-Roman world and ours. His actions, however, suggest that
(homosexual) pedophilia within cults possibly has a history of almost two millennia in the
West (see also Doyle, Sipe, and Wall 2006).
While Alexander‘s sexual behavior toward boys is exploitative and probably violent,
degrading, or both [―sleeping with them and using them offensively in every way‖ (Alex.,
41)], the clearest indicators of his malignant narcissism are his violent reactions toward
people and groups who oppose him. On various occasions, Alexander tries to kill people
whom he sees as opponents, one of whom was Lucian himself. Previously I had postponed
discussing ―strong reactions to criticism and defeat‖ and ―intense aggressive reactions to
threats to self esteem‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 83, 92) as narcissistic traits that Alexander
shares. Now I place them within the context of Alexander‘s narcissistic rage.
―Murder as an act of malignant narcissism‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 107) is among the most
serious manifestations of the disorder. Research indicates that some malignant narcissists
―associated murderous feelings with the pain of being chronically humiliated or feeling like a
nobody, or with the experience of being rejected and abruptly losing status‖ (Ronningstam
2005, 107). For them, ―narcissistic killing [is] a righteous act of retaliation, a desperate
effort to gain control, and to protect and raise self-esteem‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 107).
Lucian provides three examples of Alexander attempting to seriously hurt or kill opponents,
which included Alexander‘s failed plot to drown him.
When ―a number of sensible people‖ began seeing through Alexander‘s ―imposture with all
its theatrical accessories‖ (Alex., 25), Alexander retaliates with a proclamation that the
Roman province of ―Pontus was overrun with atheists and Christians, who presumed to
spread the most scandalous reports concerning him.‖ If the citizens of Pontus ―value the
God‘s favour,‖ then they will ―stone these men‖ (Alex., 25). The record does not say
whether the citizens of Pontus act upon the proclamation, but in another instance a crowd
begins to act on Alexander‘s order to stone a critic.
In this instance, an Epicurean attempts to expose Alexander at a ―great gathering‖ over
which the ‗prophet‘ presided.
The relationship between malignant narcissism and pedophilia demands further research,
especially since it may be that some narcissists have sex with young people for a number of
reasons. First, these youth are not likely to present personal challenges to the frail self-
concepts that narcissists have, being younger, less experienced, and neither emotionally,
physically, or (in the case of the ancient Greco-Romans) socially threatening. Second, the
unbounded grandiosity of some narcissists may lead them to believe that anyone, if not
everyone, would value and benefit from having sex with them. Third, the devious nature of
narcissists to get what they want would manifest in them using or creating structures within
their organizations to procure sexual partners.
Narcissism as a contributor to religiously based pedophilia has not been the subject of a
major study, and it should be. The condition has appeared as a significant factor in abuses
that a number of priests have committed against children and teens (Sipe 1990, 135 1995,
19 2003, 166, 221, 254) and that one male Pentecostal minister (Mario lvan ‗Tony‘ Leyva)
perpetrated against hundreds of young boys (Echols 1996, 268). Likewise, the Canadian
leader (lvon Shearing) of a numerological sect called the Kabalarians was convicted of
twelve counts of sexually related crimes against females as young as twelve years old
(Gazette 1997), and the psychologist who interviewed him for possible parole concluded
that his ―presentation [w]as remarkably selfish, egocentric, and narcissistic‖ (National
Parole Board 2003, 3 Court of Appeal for British Columbia 2000, 19). Alexander is by no
means the clearest example on which to build theory about the relationship between
religion, sexuality, and child sexual abuse, since fundamental differences on these topics
exist between the Greco-Roman world and ours. His actions, however, suggest that
(homosexual) pedophilia within cults possibly has a history of almost two millennia in the
West (see also Doyle, Sipe, and Wall 2006).
While Alexander‘s sexual behavior toward boys is exploitative and probably violent,
degrading, or both [―sleeping with them and using them offensively in every way‖ (Alex.,
41)], the clearest indicators of his malignant narcissism are his violent reactions toward
people and groups who oppose him. On various occasions, Alexander tries to kill people
whom he sees as opponents, one of whom was Lucian himself. Previously I had postponed
discussing ―strong reactions to criticism and defeat‖ and ―intense aggressive reactions to
threats to self esteem‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 83, 92) as narcissistic traits that Alexander
shares. Now I place them within the context of Alexander‘s narcissistic rage.
―Murder as an act of malignant narcissism‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 107) is among the most
serious manifestations of the disorder. Research indicates that some malignant narcissists
―associated murderous feelings with the pain of being chronically humiliated or feeling like a
nobody, or with the experience of being rejected and abruptly losing status‖ (Ronningstam
2005, 107). For them, ―narcissistic killing [is] a righteous act of retaliation, a desperate
effort to gain control, and to protect and raise self-esteem‖ (Ronningstam 2005, 107).
Lucian provides three examples of Alexander attempting to seriously hurt or kill opponents,
which included Alexander‘s failed plot to drown him.
When ―a number of sensible people‖ began seeing through Alexander‘s ―imposture with all
its theatrical accessories‖ (Alex., 25), Alexander retaliates with a proclamation that the
Roman province of ―Pontus was overrun with atheists and Christians, who presumed to
spread the most scandalous reports concerning him.‖ If the citizens of Pontus ―value the
God‘s favour,‖ then they will ―stone these men‖ (Alex., 25). The record does not say
whether the citizens of Pontus act upon the proclamation, but in another instance a crowd
begins to act on Alexander‘s order to stone a critic.
In this instance, an Epicurean attempts to expose Alexander at a ―great gathering‖ over
which the ‗prophet‘ presided.
