Is it maybe possible that there are 2 red johns? Hear me out...

The real red john has visualize-like followers.
Meaning that they seem brainwashed , they look at red john as a God . They speak as if he is bret styles actually. On a quest of love and stuff like that.
*red john followers commit suicide or happilly get killed after they are caught. They key word is happy. And they never talk. Ever. At most they say tiger tiger and thats it.

Macalister the BA Red john. This guy created a secret society of cops,
Judges, lawyers, and basilly law enforcement. The BA do not seem brainwashed . They have no real doctrine or mission statment. They dont care about "love" at all. They like
money and power and and cover up illegal law rnforcment infractions.
When they get caught they do NOT go easy or happy. They got shot in the back and are told the opposite .
They also talk in more instances of red john followers when pressured by real law enforcement.

*Maybe Macalister used the persona of Red john becuase
1. He thought the real red John was dead
2. He thought the real red john retired(partridge even said
"The real red john hasnt killed in years".
3 He didnt give and shit about the real red john becuase macalisters identity was a secret.
Using serial killer is great distraction to cover up certain murders and stear police in the wrong direction.

**Maybe the real red john has a more "visualize" upbringing.
Maybe he/she hasnt killed in years and is laying low.
The real red john seemed to stear patrick to the BA.
He gave patrick clues which lead to the BA being exposed and taken down.
The real red john was very angry with the BA for using his name and being currupt in general.

I know it sounds crazy but you have to admit there does seem to be a big difference between the red john followers and the BA.
The church scene is a great example:
Cordero is BA and that crazy lady was a typical red john follower.
Macalister didn't seem to know she was even there .