On the BTK Killer

The BTK Killer was the president of the local Lutheran chapter. Like so many other serial killers before him, he maintained the façade of, or was raised under, the guise of a “religious man.”

The BTK Killer is what is known in the Bible as a “blind guide”. (Matthew 23) He was a Pharisee, a hypocrite. Unfortunately, all too often, our so-called religious leaders of today are also blind guides. And some of them have hundreds of thousands of followers.

What does is mean to be a blind guide? It means that one’s ego is wrapped up in the identity of being a “Christian” or a “Catholic” or a “Lutheran” or an “Evangelical” or a "Jew" or a "Buddhist", and derives satisfaction and pleasure from being recognized as such by others. Therefore, to receive that satisfaction, the blind guide, the hypocrite, acts externally like a holy person, but internally has thoughts which are at odds with the façade. “But all the works they do, they do to be seen by man.” Matthew 23:5. Here Christ is simply explaining pride, vanity and arrogance. The ego must be tamed! Perhaps the blind guide feels a tremendous sense of guilt and shame because of “evil” thoughts or actions, and is attempting to overcome or make up for those thoughts by appearing holy.

Regardless, the demons, the sins, the ego-attachments of pride, vanity and self-esteem are at work here and they must be mastered.

Because these other religions do not assist practitioners in obtaining control over their own thoughts via correct spiritual practice, as the New Christianity attempts, these blind guides have to repress the thoughts. In fact, the blind guide’s religion may make matters worse by causing the blind guide to feel intense feelings of shame inwardly, or to make the blind guide see his victims as “evil sinners” rather than as human being with problems just like the rest of us. However, repression of thoughts can never work. Remember, thoughts lead to actions-it is as inevitable as the snow outside my window eventually melting. The thoughts will always come back, and, without proper spiritual instruction, will lead to action, sometimes grave and horrific action, because within the blind guide is a deadly cauldron of repressed emotions waiting to explode.

Jim Bakker. Jimmy Swaggart. The Catholic Priest molestors. And now the BTK Killer.

But we must not condemn nor judge the blind guide, nor any other “sinner”, nor any other religion, nor any other human being, because “Just as a thought is made manifest through actions and words, so is our future reward through virtues of the heart. Thus, a merciful heart will receive mercy, and a merciless heart will not.” From The Philokalia, St.Mark the Ascetic, Chapter “On the Spiritual Law”.

However, we must be vigilant! Again, believe nothing without verifying for yourself the truth. Anyone who tells you to believe without questioning is not to be trusted.

And we must practice Watchfulness/Witnessing. Always and Everywhere.

Exercise: When you wake up in the morning, sit in a chair with your back straight and close your eyes. Take 3 deep, long breaths. Repeat to yourself 3 times, "Lord Jesus Christ, please help me to see my thoughts."For 5 minutes, just sit there and simply observe the thoughts that come into your mind. If it helps, put a label on the thought, such as "thought about work" or "thought about having to shovel the snow". Let the thought come into and out of your awareness. If you find yourself wrapped up in your thoughts, simply come back to observing them. Try not to criticize yourself for failing, don't judge any of the thoughts-if you do judge a thought, then label the judgement. Example: Say to yourself, "lustful thought", then, if you find yourself criticizing, then say "thought criticizing or judging lustful thought".  Just making the effort will bring future rewards, as you are sowing seeds. Remember, you simply observe the thoughts that come into and out of your awareness.

Good Luck!

To Come: Watchfulness/Witnessing; Ruminations on the Hindu Sacred Cow and Our New Puppy; and Watchfulness, Attention and Television

Comments

Right on, the "personality cult" that all the millionaire churchmen propagate is nothing but pride and greed. Greed, the sin that nobody really condemns, isn't a rich Christian an anomaly? Many are testing "how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."