Copyright Timothy G Cameron May 2015: A Culture of Humiliation & the Death of Selfishness (Dying to Self) with minor updates.
Changing behaviors starts with evolving beliefs from and then beyond controversy. When did so-called Christians start to celebrate a culture of humiliation? When did so-called non-Christians start the culture of humiliation? You are a sinner, I am not a sinner, yeah I know whatever. Like drugs generally, the Culture of Blame is so boring or mind-numbing.
I/YOU instead of WE creates the problem it intents to remedy. Yeah, I know, and so are bullies trying to thrive or prey on the problem they create.
Every comment we make about the shortcomings of others is a wasted moment where we are not loving others or ourselves. Like a baby out of wedlock used to be labeled a ‘bastard’, and the mother (and ironically historically in the U.S., never was the father the ‘whore’).
Remember Monica Lewinski? Did you know she almost committed suicide? Do you cares about that? Let's re-marginalize her and limit her value as a reflexive pronoun.
Did you know ‘Sinner’ used to mean, "be humble" but now it means be mean or unforgiving? I love God and have experienced “impossible” as a matter of daily course, a New Normal. Admittedly, I have broken all but one of the Ten Commandments. By the Grace of God I am able to love God through the Gift of the Holy Spirit NOT because I admitted being a ‘sinner’ or because I was "good enough", but rather, was gifted...get it, GIFTED, no fault or credit of my own, to rise above my past.
I was loving God, and the Holy Spirit entered me (for more details, buy my book and read the chapter Spiritual Phylactery), and it happened where? While I was in a prison cell! God didn't ask the Warden if it was OK to visit me and didn't wait until I was 'off paper' to send The Comforter.
Christ said all the law and prophets hinge on Love. Only EGO (Satan if it makes you feel better) points to the illusion of self (small s). So feel free to pick apart this wordiness and marginalize me. If someone doesn't like me or what I say, or if I don't like me or what I say (resentment), take it to God. God is the reason I am still here on earth. If you hear my words, you are not listening. It is not about me or you.
To the pure of heart, all things are pure. If I am not offended in the first place, then there is nothing to forgive; forgiveness becomes irrelevant. If I am focused on God, then I am held and surrounded even if my body is being abused. The enemy is an illusion. An abstract way to look at this is related to Einstein’s statement about miracles, that is, ‘Either nothing is a miracle or everything is a miracle'.’ Some among us are familiar with the following: “There is One who has all power, that One is God”, may you find God NOW.
The absence of self (ego) permits pure Love, so don't fear powerlessness or the Reaper. Die to self. Apathy is not a virtue, and guilt-mongering cannot survive in the light of empathy.
Building on ee cummings’ wisdom, “Who pays any attention to the syntax of things will never wholly” (holy) love anything. Keep your eye single to the Glory of God and your life will be filled with Light.
Copyright Timothy G Cameron May 2015 edited 4/30/2019