The Hollow Men
ObtainingBalance
Posts: 1,446 Member
“…Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without color,
Paralyzed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men.”
(T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men)
The image is sort of creepy, collapsed men of dust groaning at the realization that they pursued the wrong kingdom. But the example is an accurate one of us, if we spend our lives clutching gods that we have created.
Your god(s) don’t love you.
Achievement, beauty, respect, love, popularity, wealth…
We keep idols all the time. How do we fight them, push them away from the temple that is our soul?
Don’t believe in their power. We only chase them because deep down we believe they have the power to give us what we need.
Like sometimes I dwell on my body image, and I believe that the only way for me to be happy in life is to have the perfect body -- that right there is a lie from the enemy. While treating my body well is great, I need to make sure I have the right motives and I don't slack on God time or get too obsessed with my looks.
If we replace God with idols, we won't be satisfied. It will be a disordered love of ours, one that will never fully satisfy our souls.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13 kjv)
The hollow men groaned because they and their lives never had substance. They chanted over and over in regret, "For Thine is the Kingdom ... for Thine is the Kingdom ..."
Let’s not be like those hollow people; We have the truth in front of us if we would only look.
“The LORD is my portion, said my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” –Lamentations 3:24
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without color,
Paralyzed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men.”
(T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men)
The image is sort of creepy, collapsed men of dust groaning at the realization that they pursued the wrong kingdom. But the example is an accurate one of us, if we spend our lives clutching gods that we have created.
Your god(s) don’t love you.
Achievement, beauty, respect, love, popularity, wealth…
We keep idols all the time. How do we fight them, push them away from the temple that is our soul?
Don’t believe in their power. We only chase them because deep down we believe they have the power to give us what we need.
Like sometimes I dwell on my body image, and I believe that the only way for me to be happy in life is to have the perfect body -- that right there is a lie from the enemy. While treating my body well is great, I need to make sure I have the right motives and I don't slack on God time or get too obsessed with my looks.
If we replace God with idols, we won't be satisfied. It will be a disordered love of ours, one that will never fully satisfy our souls.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13 kjv)
The hollow men groaned because they and their lives never had substance. They chanted over and over in regret, "For Thine is the Kingdom ... for Thine is the Kingdom ..."
Let’s not be like those hollow people; We have the truth in front of us if we would only look.
“The LORD is my portion, said my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” –Lamentations 3:24
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Replies
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AMEN!
Thank you for this lesson.0 -
Great post. I'd never heard of the Hollow Men before. I used to be buddist and just recently went back to being a Christian. I had a friend who was a buddist and she really pushed me into the chanting and worshiping of budda. I'm glad I threw away everything that had anything to do with it and started fresh. it was hard because the devil definitely wanted me to stay a buddist. I finally just threw everything away and said I would never chant again. I've been praying instead now and when I feel like I'm in a pickle I pray instead now. Anyway, I learned my lesson and see how silly I was and how great God really is! He is the only one for me!0
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Wow! Great reminder. It is so easy to get caught up in the Health cult attitude. Worship of your own body and health are just as bad as worship of food and drink or other things!0
