The idolatry of self-esteem
By Abbot Tryphon, January 15, 2020
Among the contributors to self-worship, is the possibility of falling into a form of idolatry associated with self-esteem. It is easy to fall into this form of idolatry, since our society has placed a great deal of emphasis on the need for self-esteem. The modern religion of psychoanalysis has promoted self-esteem as though it were the modern equivalent of enlightenment. The priests of this modern, humanistic religion have made millions on the selling of self-esteem, with the end result that we’ve become a society given over almost entirely to image.
Our children have been deprived of childhood, focused as they are, on the acquisition of an archetype image promoted by pop culture. Little girls have been sexualized by a society that has allowed them to be influenced by the music industry. Parents and teachers have been almost powerless in combating the horrid influences that have torn the childhood innocence away from our little ones.
Little boys have not escaped the insidious warping of childhood innocence, immersed, as they’ve been, by a society that has become hyper-sexualized. The whole of society has entered into such a hedonistic state, as to be largely untroubled by the cultural changes that have befallen the twenty-first century. Image has become all important to many people, with plastic surgery, face lifts, and tummy tucks becoming the new normal, with large numbers of people suddenly dissatisfied with their looks, and their bodies.
The need for self-esteem has displaced the role of humility, so valued a hallmark for a well- adjusted, good person, and pride enters the heart. This demon of pride can only be driven away by intense prayer and by not doing or saying anything that contributes to the sense of self- importance. That self-esteem which gives rise to pride, seals us to the same fate which cast down the highest of the angels. Let us turn quickly away from pride and not ally with it, lest we surrender our life to others, and your substance to the merciless (cf. Prov. 5:9).
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
~Abbot Tryphon, The Morning Offering, https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/morningoffering/2020/01/idolatry-2/.
Humility
And the surrender of self-will
~Abbot Tryphon, October 12, 2020
There is freedom from stress, anxiety, and even anger, when we place our trust in God, and in him whom God has set over us as our spiritual guide. The invading enemies to our salvation have power over us only when we depend on ourselves.
Without humility, there can be no victory over the demons that would destroy the soul. When we set ourselves up as our own spiritual guide, we end up feeding the ego and give power to the enemy.
Comfort and joy can only be part of our life when we surrender our self-will to the will of God. Having a good confessor, or a spiritual father, helps destroy the ego, and leads us into the loving embrace of God.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
~Abbot Tryphon, The Morning Offering, https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/morningoffering/2020/10/humility-4/.
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