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I was looking at the Inspired Walk website yesterday, as I do occasionally. I’ve found some great content there in the past, and recommend you check it out when you get a chance.
One article that caught my attention was What Does the Bible Say About Narcissism?
The article is based on a passage in 2 Timothy 3:1-5:
“You may be quite sure that in the last days there will be some difficult times. People will be self-centered and avaricious, boastful, arrogant, and rude; disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreligious, heartless and intractable; they will be slanderers, profligates, savages and enemies of everything that is good; they will be treacherous and reckless and demented by pride, preferring their own pleasure to God. They will keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it. Keep away from people like that.”
Having dealt with narcissists, I have learned how they tick, and much of what I have seen concurs with this Inspired Walk article. Under the “Signs and Effects of Narcissism,” there are twelve bullet points, and I found truth in all of them. You should read them and see how they line up with your experience with narcissists.
But one point in particular caught my attention, because it’s such a “go to” quality in the narcissist, and one that often trips up the seeking person in examining the narcissist..
Point 11 says, “As a defense mechanism, they project their own faults and failures onto others.”
This one really hit for me.
The narcissist likes to dominate the conversation, either through their use of answers or questions. This way they keep the attention on themselves when they speak, and on the other person when they are questioned.
So any time you question them, they will turn it back and question you for questioning them!
The narcissist will never truly answer any question about themselves if answering the question honestly will show any serious fault in them. Instead, they will go on offense–questioning your motives for asking, or will even question your ability to even see clearly enough to ask your question!
It is quite bizarre, but it is such an effective technique for the narcissist, as it plays so well–particularly on the seeking kind of person who tends to check themselves first. In addition, some narcissists like to tell others to “keep your eye on yourself.“
Taken to it’s logical extreme, this would allow a narcissistic car thief to question your motive for asking them why they’re stealing your car!
If “keep your eye on yourself” was the operating principle in life, then we might as well have no laws at all, as every criminal could successfully counter every accusation against them!
A friend of mine told me the other night that this is a trick that gurus regularly use when questioned, so that they can always maintain the upper hand. It makes sense, as keeping the questioner off balance–or keeping anyone off balance–is the key to winning the fight.
Don’t fall for this b.s.: YOU’VE asked the question–it’s time for THEM to answer–NOT YOU!
A world of narcissists
As Paul said in 2 Timothy, we are living in the days of rampant narcissism. And the narcissist has such an advantage as decent people are generally self-effacing. I have had this problem in my life–always looking at what I did or thought first, and therefore often letting bad people off the hook.
I have learned to “keep my eye on myself”–while also learning to fight outward battles too. Picture the martial artist who only “keeps his eyes on himself”–he’d get his butt kicked!
The true meaning of “keep your eye on yourself” is to–from the inside, see the inside AND the outside.
In reality, the narcissist is a paper tiger–with no real courage–once you see their tricks… and see them for who they really are.
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He communicates clearly and fearlessly during perilous times about natural health, success, and freedom. To reach Patrick, email him at [email protected].
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Indeed very true. I have learned to keep the focus on the subject matter more and more, even as the narcissist or someone in bad denial, attempts to dodge the points by refocusing on the messenger, or questioner (me). It actually is a leftist tactic that the communists have mastered over the years; an automatic thing of demons to project their own motives into people who see them in others and have a moment in time where they need to be exposed to the host. If those hosts have little to no objectivity to the demon’s thoughts, the judgment will be believed about the messenger and their time to be helped will pass them by. Maybe another day…who knows.
Thanks, Fabian, good points. Yes–commie/demon tactics. Such an important topic. I’ve seen how easily swayed myself and others have been by the psychigicsl-spiritual tactics of the narcissist. The Bible says that all but the most stable souls will be swayed. When we begin to believe IN God, and not in man, things begin to change for us.
I’ve learned a lot and discovered so much about myself through this journey & what it is to become more real, honest & truthful; living true & by TRUTH. I’ve seen how people like Dabian are the channels & portals for deception and the devil. Fabian, a true blue roy-bot & everything Roy denounced and warned us about. A very spiritual revelation for me and hopefully others who seek TRUTH. The handwriting on the wall is to be awake to who you listen to and the putter voices you allow through the gateway of your mind. JLP IS A MUCH LESSOR EVIL than the Narcissist Fabian’s and Arman’s of the world.
First of all Walter, please try spelling my name right; it shows you actually care about what you are expressing. And you have no moral indignation for Jesse in your comment but claim I am bad, and even refer to Roy in that claim, (who was a good friend of mine). Please be specific in what I am writing that is wrong. If you can. All general judgments for no reason other than?….did I ever address you personally and it struck a nerve? Very odd.