1. An exaggerated sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes he is "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends
7. Lacks empathy
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him
9. Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behaviors or attitudes
Translation: They treat other people like objects.
The criteria for narcissistic personality disorder is antichrist - it is the condition of the unredeemed soul. The criteria for NPD is also the criteria for all citizens of Hell. There is no pill that will help people with this condition - no therapy - in fact, counselors can spot a narcissist pretty quickly in therapy because they actually get worse. The more the counselor focuses on them, the more they inflate their ego. Only Christ's redemption can save them.
Here is the scariest part - the DSM - the book of psychological disorders used for diagnosis, has removed NPD from the latest edition. The reason disorders are removed is because the behavior in question has become normalized. In other words, Western culture has become so haughty that narcissism has become common place.
We need Christ to help us overthrow the Old Man / false self - our ego; we need to experience His love for us so we can become vulnerable to love others - sympathy must turn to empathy, which must turn to love / forgiveness / unconditional love for God and neighbor. Without it we are damned.
And for all those that think love is wimpy and pathetic - you need to pray for empathy. Love is repentance - if you are loving others, you are putting them before yourself! If we were able to love like we were created to do, there would be no sin. Hippies tried to do this without God - that is why they failed.
Contempt, sarcasm, indignation, self righteousness, bragging, arrogance, exaltation of self over neighbors are traits of the damned and incompatible with love. Using these traits to preach the gospel is using the means to justify the end - it teaches those we are trying to save to hate and resent, not love.
A couple of years ago, Dennis Rader - BTK killer - was convicted of at least 9 killings over a thirty year period. During his career as a killer, he moonlighted as a Deacon at his church and a boy scout leader. I remember watching his sentencing - he was allowed to speak, in order to ask forgiveness from the families and somehow convince the judge that he was really a good guy and was simply misunderstood. As he stood up to address the court, it was obvious that he had been waiting for that moment all of his life - he was the superstar he had always knew he was! Then he proceeded to show everyone that he could really relate to his victims - he attempted to show empathy. The guy was smart and articulate, but the closest he could get to empathy was to point out activities he victims liked to engage in as hobbies - "Nancy liked to garden - I like to garden!" You might be interested in youtubing it - I believe it is a good example of how the Devil will attempt to explain himself to God at Judgement. Narcissists are incapable of love because they are incapable of the most basic foundation of love - the ability to be vulnerable.
No comments? IMO this is what we should be talking about, rather than other people's sins and how the world is going to Hell. This is the journey of our sanctification - the road from selfish to selfless.
2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes he is "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends
7. Lacks empathy
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him
9. Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behaviors or attitudes
Translation: They treat other people like objects.
The criteria for narcissistic personality disorder is antichrist - it is the condition of the unredeemed soul. The criteria for NPD is also the criteria for all citizens of Hell. There is no pill that will help people with this condition - no therapy - in fact, counselors can spot a narcissist pretty quickly in therapy because they actually get worse. The more the counselor focuses on them, the more they inflate their ego. Only Christ's redemption can save them.
Here is the scariest part - the DSM - the book of psychological disorders used for diagnosis, has removed NPD from the latest edition. The reason disorders are removed is because the behavior in question has become normalized. In other words, Western culture has become so haughty that narcissism has become common place.
We need Christ to help us overthrow the Old Man / false self - our ego; we need to experience His love for us so we can become vulnerable to love others - sympathy must turn to empathy, which must turn to love / forgiveness / unconditional love for God and neighbor. Without it we are damned.
And for all those that think love is wimpy and pathetic - you need to pray for empathy. Love is repentance - if you are loving others, you are putting them before yourself! If we were able to love like we were created to do, there would be no sin. Hippies tried to do this without God - that is why they failed.
Contempt, sarcasm, indignation, self righteousness, bragging, arrogance, exaltation of self over neighbors are traits of the damned and incompatible with love. Using these traits to preach the gospel is using the means to justify the end - it teaches those we are trying to save to hate and resent, not love.
A couple of years ago, Dennis Rader - BTK killer - was convicted of at least 9 killings over a thirty year period. During his career as a killer, he moonlighted as a Deacon at his church and a boy scout leader. I remember watching his sentencing - he was allowed to speak, in order to ask forgiveness from the families and somehow convince the judge that he was really a good guy and was simply misunderstood. As he stood up to address the court, it was obvious that he had been waiting for that moment all of his life - he was the superstar he had always knew he was! Then he proceeded to show everyone that he could really relate to his victims - he attempted to show empathy. The guy was smart and articulate, but the closest he could get to empathy was to point out activities he victims liked to engage in as hobbies - "Nancy liked to garden - I like to garden!" You might be interested in youtubing it - I believe it is a good example of how the Devil will attempt to explain himself to God at Judgement. Narcissists are incapable of love because they are incapable of the most basic foundation of love - the ability to be vulnerable.
No comments? IMO this is what we should be talking about, rather than other people's sins and how the world is going to Hell. This is the journey of our sanctification - the road from selfish to selfless.
welcome to CyB and bless you!
