Thread by @JoLuehmann

Let’s talk about impostor syndrome and Christianity.

A thread:

According to the APA, imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that causes someone to believe they are inadequate, a failure or unqualified, even though all evidence indicates the opposite.

(1)

Savior Complex is a psychological construct that makes a person feel the need to “save” other ppl*. Ppl who exhibit savior complex tendencies try to change others, can’t listen without giving advice, interrogate instead of have conversations, have codependent tendencies,

(2)

and see themselves as a teacher and expert just by virtue of being them, not because they actually are either.

* peopleskillsdecoded.com/?s=savior+comp…
Self-favoring biases, self preservation, and their self-other asymmetry in social comparisons by Vera Hoorens.
(3)

Psychologist Alfred Adler was the first to describe the superiority complex as a behavior that suggests a person believes they are superior to others*.

Ppl who have a superiority complex hold the belief, implicitly or explicitly, that they are superior to others.
(4)

They are convinced they are better than, even if they deny that cognitively, their behavior and the way they engage with others shows otherwise*

*…ical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/superiority+co…
healthline.com/health/mental-…
(5)

According to the APA a messiah complex is the desire and compulsion to redeem or save others or the world. Ppl with a messiah complex may harbor the delusion of being divine or appointed by God*.
(6)

The difference between the savior complex and the messiah complex is that the messiah complex is associated with the belief that one is “chosen” by a deity, extraordinary, a gift to a group of people or the entire world.
(7)

The messiah complex is often associated with cultic behavior. The savior complex is more individual beliefs that can be a part of a cult or not. The messiah complex is the savior complex on steroids.

* * dictionary.apa.org/messiah-complex
** journal.medizzy.com/messiah-comple…
(8)

When Christians say “God qualifies you”, or “He qualifies the called, doesn’t call the qualified”, or “it’s not about what the world says about you, but what God says about you”, that’s not a way to oppose impostor syndrome,

(9)

it is often a way to excuse and promote their savior complex, or even their messiah complex, and it is dangerous.

When Christians go on mission trips or “inner city” missions and perform jobs they are not qualified to perform, they aren’t battling impostor syndrome,

(10)

this is an iteration of savior complex and superiority complex (white saviorism and white supremacy are all over it). If you feel like you shouldn’t be doing something you are not qualified to do, that’s because you shouldn’t, that’s not at all impostor syndrome.

(11)

When pastors and leaders counsel people or give medical, financial, or relationship advice without having any training on counseling, or without having any experience or education on the subject matter.
(12)

They are not doing that because “God called them” and they need to be confident in “who God says they are.” They are doing it because there is latent messiah complex underneath, especially if the advice is framed as “the word of God”.
(13)

Nepotism inside of churches and favoritism is often disguised as “God qualifies the called” as well. And as such it is connected to the savior/superiority/messiah complex. If pastors and leaders want to help people in their communities...

(14)

...then they would get the education and training to do so effectively. Otherwise they see themselves as saviors by virtue of being them, or being born in the “right” family and that’s more in line with a complex, and it’s dangerous.
(15)

Using “God” as a qualification is not a way to combat impostor syndrome, it is simply a way to excuse your savior/superiority/messiah complex. The only appropriate thing to do with a complex is to heal from it and stop letting it dictate your behavior.
(16)

Using God, or asserting that you won’t let “insecurities” stop you from doing what you’ve “been called to do” is doubling down on the harm you are already causing. This is not how you combat impostor syndrome.