Cult of the Individual: By Tim Kernan
Life is the great indulgence – death, the great abstinence. Therefore, make the most of life – HERE AND NOW! … “Why continue to think of these desires as shameful and something to be repressed, if you now admit they are natural?” (Satanic Bible)
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9) Jesus Christ, the Lord
The contrast between the passages above is amazing. The first passage is from the Satanic bible; which is now widely available online. It takes a predictably Satanic view that life literally IS the “great indulgence” and death the abstinence. It then emphatically, and somewhat bizarrely, calls the reader to live in the here and now, focusing on the indulgence in the present.
I have to admit after perusing the “Satanic bible” myself I was somewhat surprised that it wasn’t just a book of witches potions using ingredients like rats tails and bats wings. Instead, I was shocked and a little spooked to see that it was a lucid and well argued case for… selfishness.
It contrasted for me so clearly the difference between Satan’s and Jesus’ teachings; Jesus’ teaching is about self denial and sacrifice. Contrast really does make a difference because I could immediately see areas in my life where my perspective was more Satanic than Christlike. Where Christ teaches that a disciple must daily take up the battle against the self and face persecution Satan teaches his adherents to blindly plunge their faces into the trough of selfish pleasure.
Once I had understood the concept of self denial better, my eyes were clear to see how much Satan has “evangelized” the world in our generation. The photo at the top of the page is a picture I took within five meters of entering my local grocery store. Its message, in bold text and placed at a child’s eye level, is staggering in its brazenness: BE SELFISH.
This message of indulgence has literally created a culture of individualism so strong that the term “Cult of the Individual” could sadly not be more fitting. Of course this term was originally used by Marx with regard to tyrannical dictators however it is fitting in this context as well because today we are faced with something even more dangerous than a single tyrannical dictator. Today we have created a whole society of autonomous individuals each with their own tyrannical dictator, their oppressive focus on themselves.
As Paul wrote: “There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. ” (2 Tim 3: 1-5)
Those last days are today and as disciples we need to gird ourselves for battle.
In a society that propagates indulgence we proclaim Christ’s sacrifice
In a society that propagates wealth we proclaim Christ’s giving
In a society that propagates pride we proclaim Christ’s humility
In a society that propagates abuse we proclaim Christ’s kindness
In a society that propagates slander we proclaim Christ’s grace
In a society that propagates feral young people we teach them Christ’s self control
In a society that propagates self reliance we proclaim Christ’s plan that each person be taught to obey. (Matt 28:20)
It will not be long before splashy London headlines and persecutors show their hate for God by attacking you. Like Paul your leaders will be accused of being “ring leaders of the Nazarene sect” Acts 24:5 and once again it will be said of the Christians “people everywhere are talking against this sect.” Acts 28:22
Although we prefer to multiply in peace and quiet we will hold to the example of our first century brothers and sisters who multiplied in strife and trouble. Are you ready to take on the Cult of the Individual? Are you ready to be the salt that stings and cleans the wounds of the world? This is a serious call with big stakes. As our bible talks multiply and disciples begin to share their faith in more and more places in the city, God’s way and Satan’s way will inevitably have a showdown. While it may be daunting, we all know how the story ends. Let’s keep encouraging one another with that fact as we approach the holiday season!
To God be the Glory,
Tim Kernan
