Generation Me

It all depends on your perspective...frankly, it is the "I got mine, so screw you and yours" attitude of the right wing conservative movement that has had such a detrimental effect and has produced an entire culture (not just the younger generation) of narcissistic behavior. Conservatives and right wing fanatics who believe they are better, more moral,whatever than anyone who doesn't look, feel, believe and act exactly as they do, and who feel no sense of compassion or empathy for anyone. Arrogantly believing that everyone has had the same opportunities that they had, never comprehending that others may have a completely different experience and that people are different than they are, and that is NOT a bad thing, or an immoral thing. That there is a difference between having compassion for others and just giving away everything is something these folks don't get - they think any kind of public charity is just a grab by the "undeserving," because they had to work to get everything they have and even if they have way, way, way more than they'll ever need why should they have to help anyone else. Besides, since we're MORE..more moral, more righteous, more saved, more sensible, more whatever egocentric delusion they're spewing at any given time...why shouldn't they have MORE, be MORE, or have their opinions count MORE than anyone else?

We have become a mean, discourteous, uncaring culture, and THAT is the result of the incompassionate, zenophobic, monolithic conservative movement. Perhaps the 50's and 60's resulted in a cultural swing too far to the left, but it is the 80's and 90's that have swung us so far in back to the right that some people can't even see the middle anymore. If things follow the historical path, and if we do so before we self-destruct, then things will eventually swing back towards the center and hopefully, we can hold our head up again as a culture and be proud of who we are while still having compassion, understanding and appreciation for people's differences.

You may consider yourself Not duped by Dems, but indeed, it would seem you have been duped by self-serving Cons.

did you ever think that they were referring to the pastors that DO imply a material wealth?

Totally agree with nmitchell. My sister is a first grade teacher and the parents are the same. They think it's cute when their children act up and are rude. She has had parent's come in and yell at the principal about her for putting a student on the wall for 2 minutes! When I was in school we had paddles hanging in every classroom and we knew that there would be a punishment when we did something wrong. I'll tell you what it kept me in line. The kids of this generation scare the h*** out of me! I am expecting right now and I'm terrified for this child. What kind of world will they grow up in?

She got a CAR! Sheesh. My children have to get their cars the old fashioned way - they buy them themselves. Also must be able to pay for their own auto insurance before they can get their liscense. With great priviledge comes great responsibility.

OMG! you are talking about my husband - i think you may have just saved me. Serioulsy. I had no idea there was such a dissorder!

I don't think we're really talking NPD here though, it's just narcissistic tendencies.

As a Christian, you would then be familiar with Chapters 5 - 7 of the Gospel According to Matthew. Christians don't treat others well because we want to get something out of it, or because we are "guaranteed" reciprocal treatment. We treat others well because Christ requires it of us. The Ten Commandments embody what Christ himself fulfilled and pronounced as the greatest commandment: To love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-37). Treating others well is not only an act of obedience, it is an act of love. Die-hard Christians know, after all, that because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, God had mercy on us and forgave us, though we did not deserve it. Out of gratitude and Christian humility, we also, ought to have mercy and show forgiveness and grace towards or others, whether or not they deserve it.
If you read the gospel accounts of Jesus' life, you will see that Jesus didn't stand up for himself when He was being unjustly accused. He didn???t stand up for Himself when He was being scourged and humiliated. You are correct in stating that He, God, condescended to be born of flesh as a sacrificial act of love and grace, for the salvation of humankind. He cloaked Himself in flesh, born into humble circumstances, and died a criminal's execution, for us. He didn't do it to please us. He did it to fulfill His Father's will - that propitiation be made for the sins of mankind. He endured the wrath that was meant for humanity, not to please us or to gain our applause or approval, but because without His sacrifice, we would be condemned for eternity. What happened to Jesus on the cross was an abject injustice, but He endured it willingly, because He knew that His sacrifice would bring salvation to those who would accept it. It's not about "what the world" did TO Jesus. It's all about what Jesus did FOR the world. You stated that no one can convince you that devaluing yourself makes you a better person toward others. You are presupposing that you have greater intrinsic value than those to whom you are showing kindness or courtesy. But are you, really, more valuable or worthwhile? I know I'm not. Compared to Christ, who is the plumb line of perfection, we are all utterly wicked, and utterly undeserving of His grace. So in gratitude, we do the best we can to live as He did. Out of love for God and others. Will there be people who take advantage of our kindness? Yes, there will. But if Jesus endured scorn and contempt, then why should you or I expect anything different? Die hard Christians don't return and eye-for-an-eye and a tooth-for-a-tooth; die hard Christians remember that they would be eyeless and toothless, but for the grace of Christ. I say this out of love for you, a professing Christian sister, in the hopes that you will examine your heart towards God and others in light of scripture, and that you would follow the example of our Savior

OH. MY. GOD. I have read a lot of stupid people on the internet, but I think you may be the dumbest person I have ever seen, so I guess you can be proud of that. You have not only totally failed to absorb any of the moral lessons of Christianlity, you lack even a basic intellectual understanding of it. How can you claim to be a Christian if you have absolutely no concept of the fundamental basis of the religion? The idea that God sacrificed his only son to save the world is the whole point.

If Jesus had been hanging out with the Romans and all about turning in revolutionaries for profit and status, do you know what he would have been? Absolutely nothing. He would have been forgotten 2000 years ago and there would be no Christianity. He was King of Kings because of who he was and his teachings of humility, sacrifice, and justice. These ideas were more powerful than the Roman empire's loves of power, wealth, and decadence and won out.

You are really too stupid to be in society and it will undoubtedly steamroll you long before you ever realize what happened, if ever. You don't have to devalue yourself to help other people. In fact, not helping other people makes you less valuable in the eyes of others and inside yourself. Giving fills you up, not empties you, but you would never know this if all you have ever done is take, take, take in a vain effort to fill up the glaringly obvious holes in your soul.

OH. MY. GOD. I have read a lot of stupid people on the internet, but I think you may be the dumbest person I have ever seen, so I guess you can be proud of that. You have not only totally failed to absorb any of the moral lessons of Christianlity, you lack even a basic intellectual understanding of it. How can you claim to be a Christian if you have absolutely no concept of the fundamental basis of the religion? The idea that God sacrificed his only son to save the world is the whole point.

If Jesus had been hanging out with the Romans and all about turning in revolutionaries for profit and status, do you know what he would have been? Absolutely nothing. He would have been forgotten 2000 years ago and there would be no Christianity. He was King of Kings because of who he was and his teachings of humility, sacrifice, and justice. These ideas were more powerful than the Roman empire's loves of power, wealth, and decadence and won out.

You are really too stupid to be in society and it will undoubtedly steamroll you long before you ever realize what happened, if ever. You don't have to devalue yourself to help other people. In fact, not helping other people makes you less valuable in the eyes of others and inside yourself. Giving fills you up, not empties you, but you would never know this if all you have ever done is take, take, take in a vain effort to fill up the glaringly obvious holes in your soul.

OH. MY. GOD. I have read a lot of stupid people on the internet, but I think you may be the dumbest person I have ever seen, so I guess you can be proud of that. You have not only totally failed to absorb any of the moral lessons of Christianlity, you lack even a basic intellectual understanding of it. How can you claim to be a Christian if you have absolutely no concept of the fundamental basis of the religion? The idea that God sacrificed his only son to save the world is the whole point.

If Jesus had been hanging out with the Romans and all about turning in revolutionaries for profit and status, do you know what he would have been? Absolutely nothing. He would have been forgotten 2000 years ago and there would be no Christianity. He was King of Kings because of who he was and his teachings of humility, sacrifice, and justice. These ideas were more powerful than the Roman empire's loves of power, wealth, and decadence and won out.

You are really too stupid to be in society and it will undoubtedly steamroll you long before you ever realize what happened, if ever. You don't have to devalue yourself to help other people. In fact, not helping other people makes you less valuable in the eyes of others and inside yourself. Giving fills you up, not empties you, but you would never know this if all you have ever done is take, take, take in a vain effort to fill up the glaringly obvious holes in your soul.

To christigirl82: Jesus didn't get nailed to a cross for "devaluing" his self. The qualities of being respectful and having a sense of humility do not mean you will get trampled on by society and quite to the contrary are often received quite well by others as most people do not love a narcissist nearly as much as they love themselves. In fact narcissism is not a quality but a defect and in the world outside of that inhabited by politicians, actors, and some now infamous businessmen, a narcissist would be more likely to receive a pink slip than praise. You don't seem to understand that narcissism is a serious flaw and that not being narcissistic does not mean that you are "devaluing" yourself. What it means to be normal (not narcissistic) is that you are honest and reasonable with your sense of self worth and do not believe that you are somehow automatically entitled to more than anyone else simply because you are you.