Dangerous Psychology

During the civil war in El Salvador, dissenting opinions were not tolerated. In addition to the campesinos and disenfranchised, many priests and academics were killed for opposing the oppressive government. One martyr was Jesuit priest and psychologist, Ignacio Martin-Baro.
Last summer I read a collection of Martin-Baro´s writings, entitled Liberation Psychology: It is an integration of social psychology and liberation theology. His work greatly affected me, as it encapsulates many of my passions in one stream of thought- theology, psychology, research, politics, social consciousness, concern for the poor and desire to change the status quo. He advocated for the development of a bottom-up psychology in contrast to one that primarily serves the needs of those with wealth and power. A psychology that does more than alleviate individual suffering, but a psychology that seeks to change societal structures that produce trauma, war and discrimination. I wish I had his book with me, I would share with you some of his words... After reading it, I felt like I wanted to take a leave of absence from Fuller to go study with Martin-Baro. I am currently working with some other students to prepare a poster presentation examining Martin-Baro´s ideas that we will present at a conference in New Orleans this fall. So far he had been the writer that has struck me deepest.
Instead of coming to study with Martin-Baro, I came to El Salvador to visit his grave.
He was killed in 1989 alongside five other Jesuit priests and their housekeeper and her daughter. They were killed right here in San Salvador at the University where they lived and worked. They were killed by the Salvadoran army for writing and teaching and publishing thoughts against the regime that advocated for justice and redress for the poor and disenfranchised.
We visited the university which has a small museum and a garden in their honor.
It contains many photos, some of their belongings, and parts of the autopsy reports. Martin-Baro had a hand-written copy of Yesterday by the Beatles, with the cords marked. He loved to play the guitar.
I almost threw up after seeing some photos of their bodies. They were mutilated, and tortured. There were pictures of human flesh in the grass.
Martin-Baro was shot in the head and his body was mutilated.
It struck me that shooting him in the head was the best way to destroy what was most threatening- his mind. What a tragic loss. A man who brilliantly integrated his faith and his work into his whole life. A man I would have liked to talk to, to learn from, to sit with. A friend through pages. A man who lived simply and quietly with a great love for the people of his country and a desire to see peace and justice come to those who needed it most.
I went into the chapel and cried.
Trying to understand how love and care and innovation can become a martyred body. how psychology can be dangerous. how a beautiful human can become a bloody mess.
How is it possible?