If One were to need to understand what came after the 60's they would first need to understand what came before the 40's and post war. Then one would see how were still dealing with the same old issues that have not changed and why some historians shed away from our paganism sins that confirm re-branding's of same old nothing new's under the sun.
Blessed are the poor is spirit - not the arrogant.
The essential psychological problem of human evil, I believe, is a particular variety of narcissism....one that particularly afflicts the will. p 80
Malignant narcissism is characterized by an unsubmitted will.All adults who are mentally healthy submit themselves one way or another to something higher than themselves, be it God or truth or love or some other ideal....They believe in what is true rather than what they would like to be true. In summary, to a greater or lesser degree, all mentally healthy individuals submit themselves to the demands of their own conscience.
Not so the evil, however....They are men and women of obviously strong will, determined to have their own way. p 78 Such people literally live "in a world of their own" in which the self reigns supreme. p 162
The Narcissist: Disguise and pretense
While they seem to lack any motivation to be good, they intensely desire to appear good. Their "goodness" is all on a level of pretense. It is, in effect, a lie. That is why they are the "people of the lie". The wickedness of the evil is not committed directly, but indirectly as a part of this cover-up process. p 76
Those who are evil are masters of disguise; they are not apt to wittingly disclose their true colors--either to others or to themselves. p 104 Because they are such experts at disguise, it is seldom possible to pinpoint the maliciousness of the evil. The disguise is usually impenetrable p 76....Naturally, since it is designed to hide its opposite, the pretense chosen by the evil is most commonly the pretense of love. p 106
The Narcissist: Refusal to acknowledge sin
It is necessary that we first draw the distinction between evil and ordinary sin. It is not their sins per se that characterize evil people...The central defect of the evil is not the sin but the refusal to acknowledge it.p 69
If evil people cannot be defined by the illegality of their deeds or the magnitude of their sins, then how are we to define them? The answer is by the consistency of their sins. While usually subtle, their destructiveness is remarkably consistent. This is because those who have "crossed over the line" are characterized by their absolute refusal to tolerate the sense of their own sinfulness.p 71
The evil hate the light--the light of goodness that shows them up, the light of scrutiny that exposes them, the light of truth that penetrates their deception.p 179 Rather than blissfully lacking a sense of morality, like the sociopath, they are continually engaged in sweeping the evidence of their evil under the rug of their own consciousness.p 76
The poor in spirit do not commit evil. Evil is not committed by people who feel uncertain about their righteousness, who question their own motives, who worry about betraying themselves. The evil in this world is committed by the spiritual fat cats, by the Pharisees of our own day, the self-righteous who think they are without sin because they are unwilling to suffer the discomfort of significant self-examination.
Unpleasant though it may be, the sense of personal sin is precisely that which keeps our sin from getting out of hand. It is quite painful at times, but it is a very great blessing because it is our one and only effective safeguard against our own proclivity for evil. p 71-72
The Narcissist: Self Image of Perfection
Utterly dedicated to preserving their self-image of perfection, [the evil] are unceasingly engaged in the effort to maintain the appearance of moral purity. They worry about this a great deal. They are acutely sensitive to social norms and what others might think of them. Outwardly [they] seem to live lives that are above reproach. The words "image." "appearance," and "outwardly" are crucial to understanding the morality of the evil.p 75
The Narcissist: Excessive intolerance of criticism
In Martin Buber's words, the malignantly narcissistic insist upon "affirmation independent of all findings." p 80 Self-criticism is a call to personality change...The evil are pathologically attached to the status quo of their personalities, which in their narcissism they consciously regard as perfect. I think it is quite possible that the evil may perceive even a small degree of change in their beloved selves as representing total annihilation. p 74
The Narcissist: Scapegoating
[Evil is] the use of power to destroy the spiritual growth of others for the purpose of defending and preserving the integrity of our own sick selves. In short, it is scapegoating. 119 A predominant characteristic...of the behavior of those I call evil is scapegoating. Because in their hearts they consider themselves above reproach, they must lash out at any one who does reproach them. They sacrifice others to preserve their self-image of perfection. p 73
Since the evil, deep down, feel themselves to be faultless, it is inevitable that when they are in conflict with the world they will invariably perceive the conflict as the world's fault. Since they must deny their own badness, they must perceive others as bad.
They project their own evil onto the world. They never think of themselves as evil; on the other hand, they consequently see much evil in others...Evil, then, is most often committed in order to scapegoat, and the people I label as evil are chronic scapegoaters....The evil attack others instead of facing their own failures. p 73-74
The Narcissist: Intellectual deviousness
[A] reaction that the evil frequently engender in us is confusion. Describing an encounter with an evil person, one woman wrote, it was "as if I'd suddenly lost my ability to think"....This reaction is quite appropriate. Lies confuse. The evil are "the people of the lie", deceiving others as they also build layer upon layer of self-deception.
The Narcissist: Coercion and control of others
[Evil is] the exercise of political power--that is, the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion--in order to avoid...spiritual growth...Because their willfulness is so extraordinary--and always accompanied by a lust for power--I suspect that the evil are more likely than most to politically aggrandize themselves.....There is a remarkable power in the manner in which they attempt to control others.p 78
[In describing one of his patients, Peck says] Charlene's desire to make a conquest of me....to utterly control our relationship, knew no bounds. It seemed to be a desire for power purely for its own sake. p 176 She wanted the reigns in her hands every moment. p 158
The Narcissist: Lack of empathy
Theirs is a brand of narcissism so total that they seem to lack, in whole or in part, the capacity for empathy...Their narcissism makes the evil dangerous not only because it motivates them to scapegoat others but also because it deprives them of the restraint that results from empathy and respect for others.
In addition to the fact that the evil need victims to sacrifice to their narcissism, their narcissism permits them to ignore the humanity of their victims as well....The blindness of the narcissist to others can extend even beyond a lack of empathy; narcissists may not "see" others at all.
There are boundaries to the individual soul. And in our dealings with each other we generally respect these boundaries. It is characteristic of--and prerequisite for--mental health both that our own ego boundaries should be clear and that we should clearly recognize the boundaries of others. We must know where we end and others begin. p 136-137
The Narcissist: Greed
[The evil] are, in my experience, remarkably greedy people. Thus, they are cheap. p 72.
The Narcissist: Symbiotic relationship
Another form of devastation that narcissistic intrusiveness can create is the symbiotic relationship. "Symbiosis"--as we use the term in psychiatry--is not a mutually beneficial state of interdependence. Instead it refers to a mutually parasitic and destructive coupling. In the symbiotic relationship neither partner will separate from the other even though it would obviously be beneficial to each if they could. p 137
I doubt that it is possible for two utterly evil people to live together in the close quarters of a sustained marriage. They would be too destructive for the necessary cooperation....In every evil couple, if we could examine them closely enough, I image we would find one partner at least slightly in thrall to the other. p 119 For adults to be the victims of evil, they too must be powerless to escape....They may be powerless by virtue of their own failure of courage....bound by chains of laziness and dependency. p 119-120
Evil in families
It is my experience that evil seems to run in families. p 80 If evil were easy to recognize, identify and manage, there would be no need for this book. But the fact of the matter is that it is the most difficult of all things with which to cope. p 130 [Evil] will contaminate or otherwise destroy a person who remains too long in its presence. p 65
The evil deny the suffering of their guilt--the painful awareness of their sin, inadequacy, and imperfection--by casting their pain onto the other through projection and scapegoating. They themselves may not suffer, but those around them do. The evil cause suffering. The evil create for those under their dominion a miniature sick society. p 123-124
It happens then, that the children of evil parents enter adulthood with very significant psychiatric disturbances. ....It is doubtful that some can be wholly healed of their scars from having had to live in close quarters with evil without correctly naming the source of their problems.
To come to terms with evil in one's parentage is perhaps the most difficult and painful psychological task a human being can be called on to face. Most fail and so remain its victims. Those who fully succeed in developing the necessary searing vision are those who are able to name it. p 130
Book Share Reference: The People of the Lie - M. Scott Peck, M.D.
The Bible says, “My friends, stop thinking like children.
Think like mature people.” 3
The only barrier is the way we think.
We the People' can
make this paradigm tilt effectively by a unified moment-by-moment dependence
on God.
Like an intercontinental missile, "We the People" can aim a prayer at the heart of any political Folly whether we are ten feet
or 10,000 miles away.
Politico's may refuse our love
or reject our message,
but they are defenseless
against our prayers.
What should we pray for? The Bible tells us to pray for
opportunities to witness,11 for courage to speak up,12 for those
who will believe,13 for the rapid spread of the message,14 and
for more workers.15
Another way to develop prayer thinking is to read and watch
the news with “Great Commission eyes.”
Wherever there is change
or conflict, faith can be sure that God will use it to bring people to
him.
People are most receptive to God when they are under
tension or in transition.
Because the rate of change is increasing in
our world, more people are open to hearing the Good News now
than ever before.
Much of what we waste our energy on will not matter even a
year from now, much less for eternity. Don’t trade your life for
temporary things.
Jesus said, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted
from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” 19
Paul warned, “Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world
thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.” 20
“You can’t take it with you”—
but the Bible says you can
send it on ahead by investing
in people who are going there!
What have"We the People" allowed to stand in the way of our mission?
What’s keeping "We the People" from being revered as world-class Christians?
Whatever
it is, starting today we need too begin to let it go.
“Let us strip off as one body united under God anything that slows us down or holds
us back.”
Whether it was Sarah according to the Bible claiming she was too old to be used by
God or Jeremiah claiming he was too young, God rejected their
excuses. “‘Don’t say that,’ the Lord replied, ‘for you must go
wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
And don’t be afraid
of the people, for I will be with you and take care of you.’” 25
God has already demonstrated his correction call(s) (2017 -2018) repeatedly: as Birth right you are required to fulfill God’s five purposes for lives as commanded in no excuse.
Jesus said,
“Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of
the Good News will ever know what it means to really live!” 27
The
Great Commission is your commission, and doing your part is the
secret to living a life of significance.
Don’t let the errors of evil people
lead you down the wrong path
and make you lose your balance.
2 Peter 3:17 (CEV)
Blessed are the balanced; they shall outlast everyone.
Give yourself a regular spiritual check-up. The best way to
balance the five purposes in your life is to evaluate yourself
periodically. God places a high value on the habit of self evaluation.
At least five times in Scripture we are told to test and
examine our own spiritual health.4
The Bible says, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith.
Don’t drift along taking
everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. . . . Test it
out.
If you fail the test, do something about it.” 5
For your spiritual health you
need to regularly check the five vital signs of worship, fellowship,
growth in character, ministry, and mission.
Jeremiah advised,
“Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and
reorder our lives under God.”
Become amazed at how much this tool will help you balance your life
for health and growth.
Paul urged, “Let your enthusiastic idea at
the start be equaled by your realistic action now.” 7
Be glad Moses obeyed God’s command to record Israel’s
spiritual journey?
If he had been lazy, we would be robbed of the
powerful life lessons of the Exodus.
Our greatest lessons
come out of pain, and the Bible says
God keeps a record of our
tears.10
You owe it to future generations
to preserve the testimony
of how
Culture (“everyone is doing it”), tradition
(“we’ve always done it”), reason (“it seemed logical”), or
emotion (“it just felt right”) unacceptably flawed by the
Fall has redundantly trickled down and back long enough!
What we need is a perfect standard that will never lead us in
the wrong direction ever again.
The most important decision you can make today
is to settle this issue of what will be the ultimate authority
for your life.
Decide that regardless of culture, tradition, reason,
or emotion, you choose the Bible as your final authority
Determine to first ask, “What does the Bible say?” when making
decisions.
Resolve that when God says to do something, you will
trust God’s Word and do it whether or not it makes sense or you
feel like doing it.
Adopt Paul’s statement as your personal
affirmation of faith: “I believe everything that agrees with the Law
and that is written in the Prophets.” 12
Problems force us to look to God
and depend on him instead of
ourselves.
Paul testified to this
benefit: “We felt we were doomed to
die and saw how powerless we were to
help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the
hands of God, who alone could save us.” 9
You’ll never know that
God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.
God can bring good out of the worst evil.
He did at Calvary.
“to work together”: Not separately or independently.
Much of what happens in our world is evil and bad, but
God specializes in bringing good out of it.
Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the
more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual
muscle and moral fiber.
What
happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what
happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your
character will last forever.
The Bible often compares trials
to a metal refiner’s fire that burns
away the impurities.
Peter said,
“These troubles come to prove that
your faith is pure. This purity of faith
is worth more than gold.” 15
A
silversmith was asked, “How do
you know when the silver is pure?” He replied, “When I see my
reflection in it.” When you’ve been refined by trials, people can
see Jesus’ reflection in you.
James said, “Under pressure, your
faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” 16
The Bible says Jesus “learned obedience through
suffering” and “was made perfect through suffering.” 17 Why would
God exempt us from what he allowed his own Son to experience?
Paul said, “We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go
through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go
through the good times with him!” 18
The secret of endurance is to remember that your
pain is temporary but your reward will be eternal.
Moses endured a life of problems “because he was
looking ahead to his reward.” 24
Paul endured
hardship the same way.
He said, “Our present
troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet
they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that
will last forever!” 25
Don’t give in to short-term thinking. Stay focused on the end
result: “If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us
later.” 26
God doesn’t expect
you to be thankful for evil, for sin, for suffering, or for their painful consequences in the world.
Instead, God wants you to
thank him that he will use your problems to fulfill his purposes.
Refuse to give up. Be patient and persistent.
The Bible says,
“Let the process go on until your endurance is fully developed, and
you will find that you have become men of mature character . . . with
no weak spots.” 30
Character building is a slow process.
Whenever we try to avoid
or escape the difficulties in life, we short-circuit the process,
delay our growth, and actually end up with a worse kind of
pain—the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance.
When you grasp the eternal consequences of your character
development, you’ll pray fewer “Comfort me” prayers (“Help me
feel good”) and more “Conform me” prayers (“Use this to make
me more like you”).
You know you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of
God in the random, baffling, and seemingly pointless
circumstances of life.
If you are facing trouble right now, don’t ask, “Why me?”
Instead ask, “What do you want me to learn?” Then trust God
and keep on doing what’s right. “You need to stick it out, staying
with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.” 31
Don’t give up—grow up!
Thinking about My Purpose
Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every
problem.
Verse to Remember: “And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Question to Consider: What problem in my life has
caused the greatest growth in me?
Transformed by Truth
People need more than bread for their life;
they must feed on every word of God. Matthew 4:4 (NLT)
God’s . . . gracious Word
can make you into what he wants
you to be
and give you everything
you could possibly need. Acts 20:32 (Msg
When Cain sinned, his guilt
disconnected him from God’s presence, and God said, “You will
be a restless wanderer on the earth.” 1
That describes most sessions today— the wanderings through doctrine manipulated by obligatory memories not of God.
The Bible says, “Obsession with self in these matters is a
dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a
spacious, free life.” 2
Many people are driven by materialism.
Their desire to
acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives.
This drive to always
want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will
make me more happy, more important, and more secure, but all
three ideas are untrue.
Possessions only provide temporary
happiness.
Because things do not change, we eventually become
bored with them and then want newer, bigger, better versions.
It’s also a myth that if I get more, I will be more important.
Self-worth and net worth are not the same. Your value is not
determined by your valuables, and God says the most valuable
things in life are not things!
The most common myth about money is that having more will
make me more secure. It won’t. Wealth can be lost instantly
through a variety of uncontrollable factors.
Real security can only
be found in that which can never be taken from you—your
relationship with God.
One day through correction perhaps much sooner than expectant a birth right will stand before God, and he will do an audit of it's marketeers lives, as final exam, before world.
First, “What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?” God won’t
ask about religious backgrounds or doctrinal views. The only
thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you
and did you learn to love and trust him? Jesus said, “I am the way
and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.” 17
Second, “What did you do with what I gave you?” What did
you do with your life—all the gifts, talents,
opportunities, energy, relationships, and
resources God gave you? Did you spend
them on yourself, or did you use them for
the purposes God made you for?”
Preparing John Q. Public to potentially live in dire consequence due to others has two central questions concerning those
who follow the crowd usually get
lost in it.
The first question may determine where you spend eternity.
The second question may determine what you do in eternity.
Being controlled by the opinions of others is a guaranteed way to miss God’s purposes for your life. Jesus
said, “No one can serve two masters.” 5
There are other forces that can drive your life but all lead to the
same dead end: unused potential, unnecessary stress, and an
unfulfilled life.
Thinking about My Purpose
Point to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to
peace.
Verse to Remember: “You, Lord, give perfect peace to
those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in
you.” Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)
1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
Time and money traditionally only becomes a major league problem wherever quality in leadership thinking freely choose to ensnare themselves with known disobedience offenders who seek to shortcut Truths 'Virtues' in their way.
