Authority figures often want to be worshipped.

The most difficult thing that authority figures can do is resist the temptation to be worshipped. When Vespasian became Emperor, he resisted deification. Not many in that position had that much control of their egos.

In our own time, we saw the leaders of Romania, China, and Korea achieve a degree of deification. One of the three appears to still be as worshipped as ever.

Those who do not worship are quickly identified. If they cannot be bribed or threatened to worship the ruling political authority, or its preferred idols, they are impoverished, jailed, or killed. Deifying leaders is a great way to be able to loot those who don’t go along with the deification process, so greedy underlings usually begin the deifying.

In most of the West, global warming has become one idol whose embrace separates the favored from the pagans.

Author's Notes:

Related:

Today’s Reading describes Protestants for…

We can imagine what Jonah looked like to people of Nineveh, with his skin eaten away by digestive...

Catholic “Jesus Receivers” connect…

Catholic “Jesus Receivers” connect Isaiah, The Prophets, and The Psalms to Jesus and us. ~ Question 1: “How...

God’s Words lead us to be among His obedient…

The oddest Catholc belief? "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the...

Religion and Politics meet in Today’s…

Why did Jesus let Pontius Pilate and Herod stop being enemies and become friends on Palm Sunday, when...

From God to Isaiah to Jesus to Paul to us:…

Catholics look closely at what Jesus is handing to His First Catholic Pope. ~ Question 1: “Where does...

Priest holding the monstrance with incense clouds

What “Jesus Receivers” did and still do…

Catholics are blessed to make the phrase ‘Jesus Receiver’ part of our understanding. ~ Question 1: “What is...