In part 2 of a series on how to spot evil, Elizabeth Prata of The End Times deals with narcissists, sociopaths and psychopaths of society. She explains how to spot people, including professing Christians, who exhibit antisocial behavior — and her depiction of these people is chilling. Evil “does come in a beautiful package,” says Prata. She warns us not to be, “lulled by Hollywood’s depiction of it and don’t be fooled if you unfortunately meet up with this kind of beautiful and deadly evil.”
What does the Bible tell us about evil? “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). So now listen to Elizabeth describe what’s under the light so that you won’t be fooled by appearances. She writes:
In classical mythology. Narcissus was a youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water and pined away from unsatisfied desire and was transformed into the flower that bears his name.
In part 1, I began with a reminder that evil exists. This reminder is necessary nowadays due to the increasing penchant of people to deny the fundamentals of the faith.
I also established that though we are all evil pre-salvation, there are degrees of evil within people that are more deadly than others. Not everyone is as bad as they could be, but some people are. These essays are about how not to be deluded if you unfortunately encounter one of these more evil people.
I ended the previous essay by showing that two of the most beautiful living organisms in the world are also beautiful, the very deadly water hemlock plant, and the deadly but beautiful cone snail. Oftentimes it is the most beautiful that is the most deadly.
In this essay, we will discuss specifically how evil comes in a beautiful package, and then end with a final warning not to be deceived.
The world wants you to think that evil is only the malevolently grinning jack-o-lantern on the left. However, it is actually the handsome and charismatic serial killer on the right. (Ted Bundy)
In this post-modern society with saturating images coming at us 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, we’re told by image-makers that evil looks like a Joker with smeared makeup, like a Jason with a hockey mask, or bloody axes with screaming teenagers in the background. Satan is the universe’s most subtle creature and he knows that’s just too easy.
Evil is actually not a cartoon character on the left but the gentle, wannabe artist Adolph Hitler on the right.
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| Left, cartoon character evil Joker. Right, all too real Adolph Hitler as a boy |
In fact, evil is the soft-spoken, meek priest who molests your children. Evil is the diligent and organized masterful orator named Adolph Hitler who secretly hates Jews and will burn them in ovens. Evil is not the cartoon character Cruella De Ville, but the Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who was beautiful, of the nobility, but history’s worst female murderer.
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (August 1560 – 21 August 1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the Báthory family of nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary. She has been labelled by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer, though the precise number of her victims is debated. Báthory and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young women between 1585 and 1609. The highest number of victims cited during Báthory’s trial was 650. Wikipedia
Genesis 6:5 says that The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
It’s clear that we have different degrees of sin when we consider the warnings of Scripture. There are at least twenty-two references in the New Testament to degrees of rewards that are given to the saints in heaven. There are different levels, different rewards, and different roles in heaven. The Bible warns us against adding to the severity of our judgment. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, “He who delivered me over to you has the greater sin” (John 19:11). Jesus measures and evaluates guilt, and with the greater guilt and greater responsibility comes the greater judgment. It’s a motif that permeates the New Testament. RC Sproul, Are There Degrees of Sin?
These are the personality-disordered narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths of the society. In no case that I know of do these evil people approach us with ragged clothes smelling of sulfur and gripping a bloody axe. In no case that I know of does an evil woman wearing a Dalmatian coat and smoking an elongated cigarette cruelly cackle to your face, thus alerting you to her evil. These more evil people will always appear as kind, beautiful, and helpful. They will appear never to hurt a fly and will tell you with all apparent sincerity that they want the best for you.
These more evil people are people with no conscience. These are the people who actually revel in the chaos they create, and they do it on purpose. These are the people who never murder, never cheat on their wives or husbands, never seem to do a harmful thing. Yet these are the people who make absolutely no attempt to apologize, reach agreement, be conciliatory, strive for peaceable harmony, or anything close to the normal relationship currency we’re used to. They lie, manipulate, gaslight, control, and they do it all with a smile.
They will seem to be kind, but they will not be. If unfortunately encountering one of these people, we will ask ourselves,
‘Did my friend just lie to me, again? Can’t be, probably a mistake.’
‘Their actions show that they hate children, but that can’t be, I must be mistaken.’
‘They don’t seem to even care that they are causing chaos and upset in our marriage. Can’t be, I am likely be wrong on this.’
It’s not a communication error, it’s not your fault, it’s not just a mistake that can be cleared up. It’s that the person is evil. Though we strive to give people the benefit of the doubt, and we should, some people are just plain evil. Fact. They won’t murder you, but they like to hurt you in just as evil ways, in the sweetest manner possible. Not just once, but every day, as a life goal. Continue reading
Related:
Are You Armed For Battle? by Marsha West
Malignant narcissists are real! We encounter them every day but are not likely to recognize them because they come in different guises and are well cloaked–unless you have close dealings with one, such as a parent, spouse or friend. A malignant narcissist has a seared conscience (no empathy) and enjoys inflicting pain on others.
From personal experience and study, I have learned ALL of the following qualities are embodied in the character of a malignant narcissist:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5
Hi Maggie, one just needs to turn on TBN see the definition of narcissistic behavior.
“Avoid such people.” There is much wisdom in that admonition. Malignant narcissists damage people who are exposed to them. Once someone knowingly and willingly chooses the path of evil, it is best to leave it in God’s hands to deal with them.
Psychology uses the term “narcissistic personality disorder,” but the origin of the problem is spiritual.
“Psychology uses the term “narcissistic personality disorder,” but the origin of the problem is spiritual.” Amen Maggie – the world has a habit of relabeling sin and moving accountability away from the individual. No one is to blame and all are victims in our modern world. Pulpits fail to preach on sin and the wickedness of mankind, the sin nature we ALL have inherited from Adam – all love darkness rather than light, so it isn’t as though we are ‘victims’.
There is a famine of sound, biblical preaching/teaching in the land. There is so much apostasy and so many wolves, but it is just as our Lord said it would be right before He comes.
Be watchful, and pray for His coming.
I learned this truth from watching this video testimonial by Johanna Michaelsen, it really opened my eyes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Qy1j2LBmU
Hello Denise,
If you haven’t yet, I recommend you read her book The Beautiful Side Of Evil.
“So by this we know that all non-saved people are evil.”
Uh, no. My eyes tell me different. Certainly evil exists in the non-religious.. but good exists there also. No matter the affairs of man, God knows his own.