Currently
in its 7th season, CBS “Criminal Minds” showcases an
elite team of psychological profilers from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit
in Quantico, Virginia, tackling the mysteries behind the most bizarre and complicated
crimes across the country by analyzing and matching the relationship between
the minds and the behavior of the criminals. Sometimes the team scores big by
using reversed behavioral analysis. This simply means at one point they would move from analyzing the behavior of the criminal to that of the victim. Reversed behavioral analysis involves linking
the criminal with the crime by focusing on the habits and life style of the
victim rather than that of the criminal. As such, the success of the BAU
depends on the genius of the team to think crime, know human behavior like no one else does, sift through a maze of the
most complex evidence ever collected, and gets to the bottom of what is it in
the mind of criminals that drives crime and criminal intent. And that is the
whole premise on which each episode of “Criminal Minds” is built
upon. Simply stated, it is the premise that the essence of what drives all human
behavior [from the most bizarre to the most pious] lies buried deeply inside
the human mind. A particular mind determines ones attitude and response towards
people and things.
The
mind is unique in many ways and can also do many things. It remains the driving
force behind all human behavior. And embedded deep within it is that dominating
tendency for all of us to “act out” what we set our mind upon. For example, a
criminal commits crime not because he is bored or because he has nothing better
to do, but because his mind is set on crime. The human mind could really turn
out to be the strongest determinant of human behavior and character.
After
watching a few episodes of “Criminal Minds”, I began to think
about the possibilities of applying the genius of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to understanding what in the mind of man
drives man to sin? And without having to think too long or too deep,
it suddenly occurred to me that the Bible actually addressed the psychology of
human behavior centuries before the advent of modern cognitive psychology. A
good indication of this is that Jesus Christ taught the principle of the
relationship between the human mind and human conduct and behavior [Matthew 15:19]. He proposed
that our actions reflect our thoughts, and our thoughts simultaneously
determine our actions. What a classic is "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart [mind] brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure [of the mind] brings forth evil things"? [Matthew 12:35]. And the conclusion is that the human mind [heart] constitutes the window for
looking into the state of all human conduct and behavior [Proverbs 23:7].
The
Christian mind provides an alternative way to looking at money, handling crisis, seeing the world, living life, relating to people, and responding to situations and circumstances. And it sometimes
defies all human logic and reasoning. There is a Christian mind towards prayer
and praying, towards sex and love, towards people and nations, towards money
and material possessions, towards relationships, and towards trials and
afflictions. The Christian mind is characterized by moral and ethical integrity
and purpose. Everything (material and immaterial) becomes a means to achieving
the purpose of God in your life and the life of others. The Lord provides a very radical insight into the Christian mind towards man's basic necessities [Matthew 6: 25-34]. It is
about seeing life through the eyes of God. And as such, the emphasis is really on
the faithful expectation of the Christian of the divine providence of the Father.
The Christian mind is rooted in promise, in confidence, in faithful
expectation, and in the knowledge of the power of Jehovah God. It neither
worries about nor is it preoccupied with material concerns. It is centered on
the fulfillment of God’s purpose [Matthew 6:33]. The Christian mind
enables you to see through the eyes of God rather than through the eyes of man.
It provides you with the mind that trusts rather than the one that doubts, and
the one that obeys rather than the one that rebels. The Christian mind seeks daily devotion with God and opportunities to
glorify Him. It is rooted in reality rather than in probabilities. The
Christian mind is very empowering and quite enabling. It empowers one to see
grace in areas where others have seen pain. It enables one to see hope where
others have seen doom. It directs you to see purpose where others can only see
hopelessness. To see light where others see nothing but stark darkness. To see
rain where others see drought. To feel strength where others feel weakness. To
see wisdom where others see nothing but foolishness. To experience peace in the
middle of turbulence. To seek opportunities on the platform of disappointment.
To walk through doors where there is nothing but impenetrable walls. And
finally, it enables you to see a vast oasis where others see nothing but an
ocean of desert. All just because it is the mind of Christ.
The theological mind and the Christian mind are neither
parallel nor are they the same. The theological mind is characterized by vague
extremism and legalism; the Christian mind on the other hand by a balanced
measure of biblical soundness, of focus, of faith, and of practice.
The
philosophical mind and the Christian mind are also not the same. And positive
thinking should not be confused with the Christian mind. This is not saying
that the Christian mind condemns thinking positively. But positive thinking as
an ideology borders on the new age philosophy of “humanism.” As such, it
glorifies the power of the human mind over the power of Heavenly wisdom. To
this contrary, the Christian mind is a mind set on Jehovah God and draws from
the treasury of heavenly wisdom. Also, the logical mind is not equal to the Christian mind
as the Christian mind sometimes defeats simple logic and human reasoning. It is
a totally different way of looking at life.
Jesus
Christ refers to a “pure mind.” [Matthew 5:8]. A pure mind is set
on God and is positioned to see God. And still within the same context he
touches on the “adulterous mind.” [Matthew 5:28]. The adulterous mind is
a mind set on pure lust rather than on true love. And this is not saying that
there is anything pure about lust. If there is anything pure about lust, it is
the reality of lust's existence. An adulterous mind is driven by the flesh and
is rooted in eroticism. The Lord also contrasts a “good
mind” with an “evil mind” [Mathew 12:35; Luke 6:45]. A good mind
is a mind set on God and the fulfillment of His purpose in the life of others.
An evil mind is simply just that. Evil! Dangerous! Wicked! Uncaring! It is
rooted in hedonism and driven by wickedness. It is a mind set on “sin and unrighteousness.”
The Lord provides a glaring insight into the nature and operation of such a
mind” [Matthew 15:16-20; Mark 17: 18-23]. This is one dangerous mind. I
do not know any other way to describe it than simply to say "it is one perverse mind that criminal minds are made of.”
And
there is the “closed mind” [Matthew 13]. A “closed mind” is a mind
set in unbelief and refuses to believe the things of God. It believes the things of man over the things of God. It is a
mind set in humanism and agnosticism. A closed mind claims knowledge but shows
ignorance. It can only see with the eye and only hear with the ear. It is a
mind beguiled by premises and principles of man rather than in trusts of the
promises of God. It neither sees nor hears with the spirit. The closed mind
does not believe in the reality of faith, but uses the framework of logic and
reasoning to attempt to understand the things of God. A closed mind
could be compared to a hard nut. It is just too hard to crack.
The
Christian mind is very fundamental to Christian conduct. It is what the Holy
Spirit uses to form our thoughts and transforms us into the true likeness of
Christ. The power of a Christian to demonstrate Christian character and
conduct, as well as make Christ-like decisions is deeply rooted in the
Christian mind [Philippians 2:5] . And that is one virtue that sets Christians apart from
the rest.
The factors that shape our minds and inherently our conducts are controlled by two opposing forces: (1) World Systems, and
(2) The Holy Spirit. World systems include: culture, society values, family
values, personal values, and the influence of others. Those factors shape our
minds and consequently influence our behavior. Do you know that the Holy Spirit
is a divine agent of behavior change? In His power, He reshapes our minds from
minds that have been corrupted by the systems of our world into minds
that are now set on God and Jesus Christ. He further reshapes minds that were set
on the failed promises of man into minds that are now set on the guaranteed
promises of God. "Therefore, we,who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to meet God's standards in Moses Teachings. Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature's attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature's attitude. The corrupt nature's attitude leads to death. But the spiritual nature's attitude leads to life and peace" [Romans 6: 4-6]. The Christian mind enables you to see things differently than the way people around you see things by empowering you to make spiritual interpretations of your
circumstances and challenges and that of the people in your life. It enables you to see
people as who they can become rather than as what they are. And that is no
crime at all.
As
it regards the analysis of the human mind in order to determine the motivation
behind criminal intents, you also need to know that each episode of CBS "Criminal Minds" operates from
the paradigm of probabilities and possibilities. And if you haven’t figured it
out yet, this article has absolutely nothing to do with CBS “Criminal
Minds” but it has everything to do with the power of God’s Spirit in
reshaping our human minds from its corrupt nature to the spiritual mind that has been made incorruptible through Christ. Then what about that title? Well, please extend to me a forgiving mind as it
is simply my hook to reel you in to read this. And I pray that you discover
life the way God intends.
Written by K. George Olubodun
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