Finding God in the godless - Can God be found even in Hell?

In my younger years and especially when I went through a more anti-religious period in my life, I indulged quite a bit in a genre of music called black metal. Though there are a few bands that stand out like sore thumbs who expound on lyrical themes other than the mainstream, the vast majority of the genre is very heavily Satanic, Pagan, anti-Christian, or all three at once. I have always found the Pagan ethos admirable and still enjoy Pagan-themed lyrics. Though some of the Church Fathers would condemn exploring Pagan myths, others saw in them a way to work an anti-venom in order to cure wounds. There is in Paganism an ethos that I've been finding wanting in a "robot Christian" world. I'm not saying all Christians are like this, but I think the obsession with political power in Christendom and the fact that Christians are not used to real persecution in the Western world has made many Western Christians stagnant in the Faith.

So I had listened to a Grecian black metal several years ago called Rotting Christ. That was the name of the band. The name always came off blasphemous. What it is particularly unusual is that their lyrical themes actually express themes of Pagan mythology, Ancient Near East religious tradition, and various other things of the sort. It's hardly the anti-Christian focus of other black metal bands. If it weren't for their name, they would probably have a bigger following. It would be incredibly difficult to find any sense of holiness in their band's name, founded by two brothers from Greek. There was, famously, a photograph taken by Andres Serrano. It was called "Piss Christ" and it was a photograph of a Crucifix which was bathed in urine (or what looked like urine). A group of Catholics attacked the image back in 2011 as part of an anti-blasphemy campaign. But a British nun, Sister Wendy Beckett, famously defended the image as a reflection of what we've done to Christ. In fact, it seems that in this world, it is people who would attack the perceived blasphemy unquestioningly who make far worse Christians. What if the name "Rotting Christ" isn't so much of a blasphemy but a reflection on what culture has done to Christ in rejecting Him? This is very similar to the "God is dead" statement of Friedrich Nietzsche. It's not so much a statement of fact, but in context of man's sentiment to removing God from the picture. If God is ultimate Creator, then even nihilism must ultimately come from Him, regardless of whatever distortions in the philosophy there are.

The album I have started listening to again is called Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy. This is an indirect reference to the trial of Socrates where he mentions that he has a "demon" (daimonion). In ancient Greek tradition, the word does not mean the same as it came to be in Christian tradition as referring to spiritual entities who had fallen into malice. Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy means "Unleash Your Inner Demon". Speaking of the Socratic "demon" and not of the Christian understanding of demon. This is the equivalent of saying "unleash your inner spirit". Socrates was put to death for defying the authorities of his time and for teaching children philosophy that was opposed by the authorities. The later Christian Platonists invoked the authority of Plato and Socrates very often and Plato's influence is still seen in much orthodox Christian theology today. Though the statement can also have a much more rebellious statement. I think of the statement made by Jesus that the second greatest command is to love your neighbor as yourself and yet we speak of self-love as a sin because we fail to communicate that the love to your neighbor is a different kind of love than the self-love warned about. It's not that loving yourself is evil, because if you fail to do that, you cannot love your neighbor properly, but there are multiple words in other languages for love while English has the one word.

The first track on the album, "In Yumen Xibalba" is about the Mayan underworld and realm of the dead. It starts off dark, gloomy, and with a strong element of a doom metal riff that then transgresses to a power metal riff finally letting you know you've arrived at your destination. Though the underworld might not necessarily be a place you find God in, nor is getting attacked by the undead warriors and various animals seem like a place to find God in, the Prophet David says otherwise (Ps. 139:8). God is omnipresent. Even in the darkest areas. In fact the fast-tempo power metal riff seems to almost present a different mood from the first part of the song. Power metal's effect is to make the listener feel powerful in spite of overwhelming odds against his person. What could be more powerful than the knowledge that God is still present?

"P'unchaw kachun / Tuta kachun" is a Quechuan phrase that means "Let it be Day / Let it be Night". The focus on the song is about ancient cultures and cultic ritualistic practices. It's the sacred and the profane. Here we see a guarding of the sacredness. In Catholic tradition, there are certain ritualistic practices that should not be profaned. The Western world has lost a lot of its sense of the distinction between sacred and profane. Many disregard the holiness of the Lord's Body they receive in the Eucharist. While Catholic practices are not directly referenced by any means, there is in Paganism a much stronger sense of this sacred and profane distinction that most Catholics used to hold to but no longer. I actually mourn over this loss of spirit. "Grandis Spiritus Diabolis" is an inverted version of the "Our Father" directed to the Devil. This one makes me think of that part in The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis where a worshiper of Tash, the demon-god, is brought into Aslan's restored world in the end because all service that was done to Tash for honorable purposes was actually done to him. "Gilgames" also makes me reflect on the same thing. Especially their already established intuition for the distinction between sacred and profane lacking in many modern Christians.

"Cine iubeste si lasa" is a dark rendition of a Romanian proclamation against faithless lovers. "Cine iubeste si lasa / Dumnezeu sa-i dea pedeapsa" roughly means, "May God punish those who love and quit". It is a warning to never back away from a loving commitment and a calling to stay firm in one's commitment to love that which one places love in. In our world which is dominated by divorce, it is interesting to see this come up on an album involved in such an otherwise dark genre. "χξς" is mostly Biblical Apocalyptic references. "Ahura Mazda - Anjra Mainu" is a song about the Zoroastrian deities. Though there seems to be no doubt that Zoroastrianism inspired much of the Gnostic heresies, especially with concepts of ditheism, the theology of ancient Zoroastrianism has stark similarities to Christianity as well. Obviously, they aren't the same religions, but with concepts such as a battle between God and the created fallen angel (Christianity) or a good god against a bad god (Zoroastrianism) being a cosmic event and effecting the ongoing course of the material world, it shouldn't be any wonder that much of these concepts still exist in heretical forms of Christianity.

"Iwa Voodoo", "Rusalka", and "Welcome to Hel" are predominantly Pagan-themed. "Iwa Voodoo" is about the loa in the African Voodoo religion. "Rusalka" is a feminine spirit, associated with water, found in Slavic folklore, who is hostile to men and often times tries to lure them to their deaths. Much like a siren. "Welcome to Hel" is about the Scandinavian underworld (not to be confused with the Christian version of Hell). These showcase that the human individual, in various cultures, still possesses spirituality that has been endowed upon him by God from man's very creation.

Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy is a musically strong, fast-tempo, dark, and lyrically heavy album focusing on differing ancient cultures. It starts with a Mayan underworld and finishes off with a Scandinavian underworld. While I wouldn't recommend Christians be listening to music such as this, I think that is clear that even in the darkness, God is still present. It's impossible for anyone to shut Him out, no matter how far they try to stray from Him. Especially with a melody like "Cine iubeste si lasa" in our world where we put adulterers in power and praise them as a standard to follow.

Looking for God in a godless world - Slipknot's All Hope is Gone (1)

Just the title All Hope is Gone sounds like there should only be despair and gloominess. And yet, there are several prophetic lines throughout this entire album. Indeed, perhaps the title of the album and being released in 2008 during the Obama Presidential campaign, is coincidental, but aren't coincidences God's way of remaining anonymous? There is much to be reflected on in the hope that is offered by man and the hope that is offered by God. As much of the album's theme is focused on criticism toward the State and societal decay, it seems that the hope that is gone is not the one that God offers, but the hope that the princes and the sons of men can ever hope to offer is gone. "Put not your trust in princes nor in the sons of men" (Ps. 146:3) is a line I often remind myself of and is one of the very many reasons I have been consistently libertarian in my political philosophy. Conformity and power will always lead to corruption of the good which is what many of the songs on this album discuss.

The album begins with the introductory instrumental ".execute." and then proceeds to "Gematria (The Killing Name)". With a lot of screaming, blast-beat drumming, and tremelo-picking throughout the album, you can gather extreme anger directed at societal decay. Gematria is a numerology that is rooted in ancient Judaism. It's what's referred to in the Book of Revelation when the number of the Beast is discussed. "Oh, this is so typical, apocalyptical". It then identifies America as the killing name. It doesn't feel or discriminate. "We'll burn your cities down" is a line often repeated. Before the main chorus, "What if God doesn't care?" is repeated twice. While there is an obvious reference to American foreign policy from neo-conservatism, there is also a very strong point to take the lyrical themes metaphorically. How politics corrupt and corrode religious ideals, turn things into apocalyptic references and make apocalyptic points about how voting for the "wrong" party leads to introducing all of us to the Antichrist. Etc. It gets tiresome for those living in this two-party State who have experienced oppression from both the major political parties.

"Sulfur" is another incredible track on the album. It reflects on feelings of guilt and shame, and that while life will be filled with suffering, it is to be acknowledged that "I'm not a failure but I know what it's like". Too often, repentance is conflated with the constant feeling of guilt and impending doom. But this attitude toward repentance can lead to what is called despair. It is hopelessness that there can be redemption. "Sulfur" is a song about perseverance.

Stay, you don't always know where you stand
'Til you know that you won't run away
There's something inside me that feels
Like breathing in sulfur

There is also another indirect jab at religious hypocrisy and judgmentalism. "And I'm a sinner to most but a sage to some / And my Gods are untrue". People's opinions about whether the God you worship is untrue or whether you're a sinner or a sage to some don't matter. The question is whether you've learned to stand faithfully and dismiss those views that people have of you. The only Judge Who ultimately matters in the end is God.

"Psychosocial", which immediately follows "Sulfur" is the song most relevant for today's world, especially with the happenings in Iran and the intensity of it all. There's too many themes in it. Sometimes, I find myself just thinking about the line, "The limits of the dead!" Exactly what this means is open for interpretation, but looking at the lyrical direction of the song, you see similarities to "Gematria (The Killing Name)". "I did my time, and I want out!" It's a feeling of a desperation, being crushed within a system that tries to deaden your soul. "Packaging subversion, pseudo-sacrosanct perversion" shows how our political leaders corrupt sacred ideals of freedom and religion and then pervert them for their own agendas, leading people blindly to accept that they are really fighting for righteousness and goodness when it's about their resources and power. "Go drill your deserts, go dig your graves / then fill your mouths with all the money you will save!" Our political rulers and their sheeple will often times to manipulate those who oppose wars that we overthrew a brutal dictator. In the end, the ruling class gets resources and the people often times just get a replacement puppet-dictator and the cycle continues. The chorus is done in clean vocals which gives a symbolic idea to the fact that we're still standing in light of this and we can still persevere.

And the rain will kill us all
We throw ourselves against the wall
But no one else can see
The preservation of the martyr in me

"There were cracks in the road we lay, but where the Temple fell, the secrets have gone mad!" is a reference to the corruption of religion by political leaders and the clinging to political power. This political manipulation of religion is prevalent today when I see people denouncing religious people for voting one way or the other as if acting like their vote for one party's candidate over another is an abandonment of their Faith. I think it's the people who embrace that mentality that actually end up abandoning their Faith in favor of political idolatry though. "Now there's only emptiness / venomous, insipid / I think we're done / I'm not the only one". How many of us have lost friends due to political differences? And we finally get to the most fun part of the song where we're all coming together to shout, "The limits of the dead!" It's a reflection of the martyrdom that we stand in from being oppressed into conformity with all of those trying to lead us into the societal decline. Those who refuse to go along with that decay are dead to the rest of the world but those who go along with the decay are also in a dead state as well. So what are our limits? Before the final chorus comes a full-fledged indictment against the ruling class - "Fake anti-fascist lie / I tried to tell you but / your purple hearts are giving out / can't stop a killing idea / if it's hunting season / is this what you want? / I'm not the only one!" Once again referencing how our political leaders will corrupt ideas of freedom to generate propaganda in order to get us thinking that we're actually fighting a war for a holy cause.

Honestly, this album is too good to leave a reflection off so I'm going to end up making this reflection a multi-part reflection. I will conclude for right now with "Psychosocial". 

The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Review

I had been wanting to watch The Exorcism of Emily Rose for a while and last night, it went on sale via the Apple Store and so I didn't hesitate to get it. I was not disappointed. It is partially a supernatural horror and partially a legal drama with a heavy focus on the question of exorcism and the overlap between the possible realm of the spiritual and the naturalist. The movie ends up pitting the spiritual against the naturalist, the Truth against the lie, and the Church against the State. It is a State that is hostile to the Church that must be convinced of the spiritual reality of the Victory of Christ over the demonic, but the State refuses to see itself as subjected to the demonic. Right from the beginning, we see the spiritual battle unfolding.

The movie opens up right after the death of Emily Rose, the titular character, most of her story will be shown in flashback during the court questionings of the witnesses involved in the story. The priest, Fr. Moore, is at the house and a medical examiner comes in to give his conclusion of cause of death to the officer. The officer then charges Fr. Moore with negligent homicide. It now must be determined who shall prosecute. The prosecution calculates the prosecutor must be a Christian, preferably a Catholic, and that he must be seen as Church-going and friendly toward the Faith. While this is a calculative decision, it is remarkable as to how in the real world such Satanic thinking operates. We are often presented with a "devoutly Christian" politician presented to us by the media who happens to have firm agreements with the faithlessness of the World because it is only under such an appearance of light that Satan could ever deceive us. How many times have we heard the drivel that Nancy Pelosi or Tim Kaine or Joe Biden are "devout Catholics" while they openly oppose every single Church doctrine?

It so happens that the prosecuting attorney picked is a regular Church-going Methodist. A Protestant. The defense attorney is an agnostic with doubts about her own past. And it is in that remarkable mixture that we are presented with the conversion power of the Church over a heresy. Throughout the course of the trial, we see the defense attorney come under both spiritual attack and receive spiritual protection in her own time of need as she becomes more and more open to the idea that there are spiritual powers that we come into conflict with. The priest, Fr. Moore, is more focused on presenting the Truth of the story of Emily Rose and he does not fear being portrayed as a madman.

Throughout the trial, we see the materialistic side presented by the prosecution to prove the case of negligent homicide. When I consider my old Protestant views and how much of it favored the idea of syncretism of the materialistic viewpoint with Christian theology even when both were incompatible, I see the manifestations of the Enlightenment mindset which Protestantism has given birth to. The "man of faith" is ultimately seen as the faithless and the skeptic. It is he who is exposed as the unbeliever. Whereas the agnostic is shown to have much more faith than she even realizes throughout the movie. It is something that many people don't recognize among our current world how faithless those they present as faithful are. It is the Satanic nature of today's world to present as faithful those who oppose the very Faith that is claimed to represent in an effort to undermine the very essence of the Faith. And that is where the real spiritual battle in the movie lies.

The priest, we find, does not intend to defend his own self. He only intends to present what he believes is the Truth. That is the very Truth of the Victory of Christ. He wants to make it known to the jury, not that he is a martyr, but that Emily Rose is a saint. He does not fight the battle but he puts the battle into the hands of God and the saints and lets them fight the battle. The movie also contains quite a theodicy in it where Emily Rose relates in a note to the priest a brief encounter she experiences with the Virgin Mary prior to her death and how it is in that which she ultimately chose to accept her continued sufferings so that others may come to belief.

The movie is based on the real life exorcism of a German girl named Annelise Michel. Annelise Michel was a college student who went through the exact same struggles as Emily Rose. It was presumed by the Church and the clergy that she was possessed and needed exorcism. The overlap between the spiritual and the material was forgotten and she was ultimately left malnourished and died. The priests involved, and her parents, were convicted of negligent homicide by German authorities. But today, the grave site of Annelise Michel is a place of pilgrimage among many German Catholics who even ask for her intercession as a saint. Through the sufferings of Annelise Michel, many have been brought to Faith. I won't reveal the ending of the trial of Fr. Moore in the movie as that would be a spoiler, but I would strongly recommend it. There are scenes that can be frightening so I would not recommend children see it, the theological message is very important.

Josiah, King of Israel

Josiah succeeded the kings Manasseh and Amon. Manasseh, like Josiah, was young when he was king, in fact 12 years of age. Manasseh did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Amon, like Manasseh, was also given over to demons, and he too did evil in the sight of the Lord. He worshipped the idols that his father Manasseh served and abandoned the Lord. Though he was 22 when he took over the Kingdom of Israel. The people conspired against him and assassinated him. His son Josiah would be placed on the throne of Israel at age 8. It is important to note that Josiah was the king of Judah. Israel had split into two kingdoms by this point, the northern kingdom was given over to idolatries much more grievously than Judah so the northern kingdom would be delivered to the Babylonians much sooner than the Kingdom of Judah. Unlike his father and grandfather, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. Josiah's mother was Jedidah and he would reign for a total of 31 years in Israel. It was under Josiah's reign that Israel was called forth from the worship of false idols once again.

Josiah's servant Hilkiah found the Book of Law which had been lost to the Israelite monarchy for quite some time. It was doing a routine counting of money in the Temple in which this high priest found it. The high priest, showing it to the holy king, began to read from it. When Josiah had heard every word from it, he tore his clothes for he had begun to realize the grievous errors of his predecessors on the throne of Israel and how they had abandoned the God of Heaven and Earth by assenting to the worship of pagan deities. He sent the high priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan the secretary, and his own servant Asaiah to inquire from the prophetess Huldah of what awaits the nation of Israel for he realized how great the offense of Israel's was in the sight of the Lord.

Huldah warned the men of the coming destruction of Israel. How the words of the prophets from the book which the King of Judah read shall be fulfilled. But because the King of Judah showed great repentance upon hearing the words of the prophets, rent his clothes, and mourned over the kingdom, he would be spared of the coming destruction to the Kingdom of Judah. He would be allowed to die in peace and to be buried with his ancestors. He would not have to see the destruction coming to the Kingdom of Judah which his successors would have to see for their idolatries. Upon hearing these things, Josiah was led to greater penance. He began a sweeping series of reforms to the Kingdom of Judah.

He commanded the high priest Hilkiah to bring out of the temple the idols of Baal and Asherah and had those idols burned. He also defiled the altars to the pagan deities, the demons, who were worshiped by his ancestors, tearing down the high places dedicated to these demons from Geba to Beersheba, defiling the altar to Topheth so that no daughter would pass through the flames in a sacrificial act to the demon Molech and he tore down the houses for the male prostitutes of this fertility goddess Asherah. He tore down the two altars built up by his grandfather Manasseh and continued throughout the land. Wherever there was an altar dedicated to one of these demons, he tore it down and defiled it. Wherever there was an altar constructed to Baal, he took it down and defiled it. Only the Lord of Heaven's Armies was to be worshiped by Israel. The readings from the books of the Law had reformed his heart and he proceeded courageously against the will of the people to call Judah back to the worship of the one true God and away from the demons they had found themselves dedicated to.

Moreover, he commanded the Passover be observed once again. Judah was so sold out to these pagan deities that they had neglected to observe the most important Jewish feast of all. The Passover was instituted under the Holy Prophet Moses and was to be observed as remembrance of the plagues wrought out upon the Egyptians while the Israelites were held in captivity under these wicked heathens. They were to keep it in remembrance of what the Lord had done for them in delivering them from their bondage. This important holy feast had been neglected. It was during the Passover that Our Lord even instituted the New Covenant becoming the Pascha (Passover) for the New Israel (the Church). There is no greater Jewish feast than the Passover and Josiah would restore its celebration. There was no king like Josiah. But still, the Lord's wrath was enkindled against Judah for the idolatries that Manasseh had sold Judah out to. The Lord was still desirous to remove Judah from the earth. Yet Josiah was not to see this in his lifetime for Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo by the Pharaoh Neco. Josiah's successors, Jehoahaz and Jehoiakam did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

When the country is moving in the wrong direction spiritually, there may be no way to turn it around save through a national repentance of the kingdom. This is what Judah needed. Though we may have solace for a temporary period of time, it is inevitable that a country committed to its worship of idols will continue on this deadly track. This is exactly what we observe in the reign of Josiah. We see a period of solace from the deadly worship of idols but immediately after he falls, the country is led astray yet again. Broad is the road leading to destruction and many will find it. Narrow is the path to eternal life and few will find that. Always take the straight and narrow path. St. Josiah, pray for us!

The Leveling is Coming

"[T]he less idea there is an age, the more the age will vacillate between volatile enthusiasm (which creates heroes and geniuses of the moment) and indolence, and leveling becomes all the more a decadent urge, a sensate stimulation that excites momentarily and only makes matters worse, rescue more difficult, and the probability of destruction greater. ... Now everything is arranged so that rabble-barbarism can have its day. ... [T]he public keeps a dog for its amusement. This dog is the contemptible part of the literary world. If a superior person shows up, perhaps even a man of distinction, the dog is goaded to attack him and the witty fun begins. If it were really witty, really elevating, or even something noble conceived in dspair, it would be wrong and the public would cease to be base. But now everything is arranged. The nasty dog tears at his coattails, indulges in all sorts of rough tricks⁠—until the public is tired of it and says: That is enough now." Søren Kierkegaard, Pap. VII B 123 n.d., 1845-46

The cure is quickly becoming worse than the disease at the moment. It may already have been that for the moment. The latest plot by our leaders is to pay off those who have been crushed by the State with money from other people. This is the current leveling. Sure, it is income equality. We shall be secure financially, but what has been done is leading us to greater destruction. I won't say too much on this topic for Kierkegaard has put into writing what I have been unable to put into words. The State has taken no responsibility. Will the State accept responsibility? No, it will assert the cat did it. The responsibility therefore is on the cat to build up what the State has destroyed. This is flat-out evil, it is sinister. Whether it's in "combatting racism" or in providing stimulus checks, it seems the State has decided to manufacture this fictional entity of the public to promote their benefit for when they speak of "common good" it seems odd that those benefitting appear to only be members of the State and their allies in society. At any rate, to destroy livelihoods is inexcusable terrorism. That the State is at fault for that is clear for no virus or beast ever ordered the crushing of livelihoods. But the State's solution is to destroy the lives of more taxpayers just so it can promote the "welfare of the nation". It will print more money, pay more checks to its citizens, hike tax rates. The train we are on is veering to a wall that will destroy us. It must be rammed off the tracks somehow. For destruction, the State has embraced the idea that more destruction is necessary to repair the damages. We are not looking at a mere government here. We are looking at something far more comparable to that beast of the sea from Revelation. More dupes will generate the foolish propaganda that taxation continues to be necessary. More dupes will continue to inject the idea we need to promote more government welfare to care for our brothers. More dupes will continue to carry out this lie. What is happening right now is the State has been caught in the action of its wrongfulness. It can't hide it any more. So it will continue to lie and cheat to cover up its ass.

Masks of charity?

There is a common theme coming from the mask-fascists declaring that this is a matter of charity. A matter of love toward your neighbor. A matter of coming together and uniting. I am not persuaded by these arguments. I have studied socialist and revolutionary movements to know better. But more precisely, I have studied the teachings of the Church to know better. St. Gregory of Palamas talks about the pagans stating,

"[W]e know that if they [the Hellenic writings] have something beneficial, they have obtained it from us without fully understanding it. On examination, we also understand that they give it a different meaning. And if one of the fathers says the same thing as one of these worldly men [the Hellenists], the similarity is only in words. The meanings are quite different. In fact, according to Paul, the one has the nous of Christ, while at best, the others express human reasoning." (The Triads, Bk. 1, 1.11)

So it is unsurprising to hear so many people talk about love and charity and saving lives but is this really founded in the true charity of divine agape or is it founded in the deficient human reasoning of the gods of chaos? Every revolutionary movement starts off seeking something beneficial. Every revolutionary movement is about uniting people to a common good that is for the benefit of the nation. If I may here cite a reference to the heavy metal band Blind Guardian's album Beyond the Red Mirror. Regardless of whether you think the style of music is evil or not, the storyline shows a group called "The Nine" overthrowing the old order of "The One". Many aspects of the album can seem almost political at times as the first song on the album, "The Ninth Wave" almost appears to be about the rise of an earthly dictatorship. The opening lines of "The Ninth Wave" are as follows:

(We are a nation)

I will cleanse all your thoughts

(We will wipe them out)

Now my children

(For the sake of the nation)

Let us carry on in glory

(We are a nation)

Be my fellowman!

(We will wipe them out)

Let there be light!

(For the sake of the nation)

Precious and bright

(As dark night embraces)

As dark night embraces my mind!

"The Nine" intend to usher in an era of nihilism. They intend to completely destroy the old world. "The One" is a divine figure. "The Nine" boast about how there is no real salvation. There are no gods, no one can save you. But they also go beyond a state of nihilism. It is a state that seeks to make their act of the overthrow of "The One" seem worthy. "The Nihilist rebellion and antitheism responsible for the 'death of God' give rise to the idea of the 'new age': the transformation of man himself into a god." (Fr. Seraphim Rose, Nihilism, 92) And if indeed man is a god, then he must clearly make himself worshiped as a god, no?

And this is the root of the obsession with the pandemic by our media and our political ruling class. It has become blatantly more and more obvious to those in the Resistance that the social controls implemented by our political elites have minimal, if anything, to do with actual health policies. Most of the leaders involved in making these policies have no health experience, failed health experience, or haven't even interacted with the virus on a daily basis. The pandemic has become an obsession to embrace our inner fascists without us even thinking what we've become. We cannot think what we've become because our world has fallen into the abyss. So we repeat mantras that give us the confidence that we are working toward the benefit of the human race when we are actually nose-diving toward its own detriment. We cover up our faces to hide our beauty thinking that we actually hold a godlike power to stop and slow the spread of a virus that escaped from a level 4 lab in China and state this as our "act of love" toward our fellow man.

The modernist heresy is the spiritual error that you are in control of your world. That you can control things in life. That you can control your health. The Christian belief is that these are gifts from God. Every breath of life is a gift he has given to you. Every chance of suffering is for your perfection. But to think you can control a microscopic virus is disillusionment at best, and beyond nihilism at worst. It is the status that you yourself are god and capable of stopping the inevitable from happening upon you. Our political elites sure haven't stopped the spread of any viruses with their dictats, that's for certain. What they have stopped is our love for our fellowman. Our being there for each other. Our being side-by-side with each other. They insist that those who hold these views just want everyone to die from a disease. They are disillusioned by their own anger toward the God who has given them life.

The Christian mission seeks eternity. It is one thing for one to shelter in place voluntarily. That is a noble goal if they truly believe they are doing it to save someone. It is another thing to coerce the rest of society to follow suit. To mandate that society be distanced to such an extent that we now stand tethered by mere threads holding us together and to one-by-one clip them apart from each other separating us from each other. We are "united" under their whims to a common goal but only in a fictional sense. We are separated and broken off from each other. This is where they want us to be. They have not charity.

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." (1 Cor. 13:4-8)

If it is a "public duty" to wear a mask in public such that you are threatened with jail time or must end up in court if you aren't wearing one, then your wearing one is not actually an act of charity. It is an act of suffering. Suffering can improve charity so it is put up with but it cannot ever become an act of charity. If love truly endures all things, then it must be able to endure a virus. We are living in a world where our leaders tell us to be charitable and yet their charity cannot endure a virus. Their charity cannot endure all things. Their charity is deficient. Their charity insists on its own way. It is irritable and resentful toward those who seek to challenge it. We must pray for them and know how much we have failed to be charitable in full. We must use the suffering to improve our own charity but it cannot be said that being blindly obedient is ever an act of charity.