The Self-Lover!

TheDiscipleMD

I have always been a firm believer that everyone should have a “good” self-esteem. That it is important to feel good about who you are so that you may go forth with confidence and self-assurance. Feeling good about oneself is important in accomplishing the work of the Lord. However, this “attribute” of self-confidence needs to be bridled within the teachings of the Savior. It seems to me that Jesus Christ, while confident in his calling, was not condescending and self aggrandized in his words or actions. Rather, he gave honor to his father in all that he did.

Satan, on the other hand, has a characteristic that is starting to become quite prevalent in today’s society. Several years ago I was reading in the USA Today and, coincidently came across an interesting article. I quote:

“By definition, narcissism is “excessive self-love” and stems from a mythical youth who fell in love with his own reflection. In recent years, it’s become a buzzword with myriad other meanings — from egotism to selfishness to hubris…Narcissism started getting attention in psychiatric literature in the 1980s after the American Psychiatric Association identified it as a personality disorder, which the group estimated affects 1% of population. But a study last year in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that the prevalence of the disorder is now more like 6.2% of the population.” (USA Today, Life Section, September 29, 2009).

The story of the “mythical youth” could very well originate from the true story of Lucifer. Satan’s “self-love” overpowered his spirit and he became obsessed with gaining glory for himself. I have heard the term “the me generation” to describe the baby boomers. Being one, I would like to deny it but in so doing I would not be telling the truth. The “me generation” has now raised their children to be “narcissistic”, and filled with the love of oneself. This self- love teaches the opposite of service and love for all man. We now have fathers who feel little or no obligation to support their own. They abandon their responsibilities and leave broken lives in their rearview mirrors. Woman who repeatedly have children out-of-wedlock because they “love having a child” and because it fulfills them! They give little thought to the welfare or future of the child. The narcissist is interested in one thing, “themselves”. Like Satan, who was cast out of the heavens, the time will come when those who follow his narcissistic ways will find themselves abiding in the Telestial kingdom.

“These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God…we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore.” (D&C 76:103-106, 109).

I might add to the list above, “narcissist” or the self-lover because the self-lover encompasses all of the above sins.  It is clear that the world in which we live promotes “narcissism”. The braggart is held up as an example to emulate. Humility is seen as a weakness not as a strength. Shame is almost no longer found in our dialect as the uplifting of the individual has taken place of the promotion of the family.  The financial, emotional and spiritual cost to us all has been devastating. Indeed, the self-lover doesn’t consider the cost of his excessive ways to society because they are above it.

May we check ourselves, from time to time! May we take time to look “in the mirror”. I pray we don’t “fall in love”with our own reflection. Instead, let us remember whom we serve, and who gives us our daily breath. May we remember the two great commandments of loving our neighbors and God, which is the glue to keeping our nation under God.

 

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