Attachment to a charismatic religious figure and development of virtues: Followers of Jalaram Bapa

Abstract

This article reports on a 10-year longitudinal study across nine cities in five countries of Jalaram Bapa followers. Jalaram Bapa (JB) is a Gujarati Hindu eighteenth-century charismatic God-like figure. The aim was to examine how attachment to JB leads to the development of virtues. Data were collected from 12,069 followers during phase 1 (2002–2003) and 11,034 followers during phase 2 (2012–2013). They were compared to an equal number of Gujarati Hindu non-JB followers. Results showed that faith development, God attachment security and virtues development of JB followers was incremental and higher compared to non-followers. JB followers who performed their devotion through social service, food charity and community kitchens and whose phase 2 faith maturity and God attachment security scores were higher, were more virtuous. Charismatic humans who assume God-like images in the psyche of their followers promote an attachment. These implicit religious experiences could be used for public good.

Keywords

• faith development
• attachment
• god attachment
• virtues
• charismatic religious figure
• jalaram bapa
• followers