Apocalyptic preachers must also insist that pathology is not in the Apocalypse itself but is rather in the mind of the one who reads the Apocalypse. He mentions a number ways that the human mind can potentially corrupt our understanding the Word of God. Reaction formation is essentially a defense mechanism against anxiety. For example, the strong preaching of Jimmy Swaggart against sexual sin appears in retrospect as a fear-reaction against his own sexual impulses. Another example of reaction formation might be the professor who raises the volume of the voice as a substitute for the self-perceived weakness of the argument.
Selective attention is the simple human ability to screen information.
For example, when my sister was a child mom took her to the doctor because of a hearing problem. 9 To prematurely read present experience in the light of eschatological conflict could lead to the withdrawal and isolation of the believing community from a world that desperately needs the salt of Christian grace. Transference happens when a person reacts to a current situation or individual based on past feelings and experiences. For example, a member of the church may transfer their hostile feelings toward a parent onto the pastor in the counseling process. Most of us probably are not completely comfortable with the apocalyptic depictions of violence.