The Drama of Powerless Christianity

There are two types of Christians, the powerless and the powerful.

My intention for this Drama substack, in general, is to, for the most part, keep religion out of it. But, I do want to devote one article to Christianity and its relation to the Drama Triangle. Like everything in life, you can see the good and the bad. Some Christians are filled with power, others are slaves, powerless.

My Background in Christianity

If left to my own devices I would call myself a Christian. However, because other people have different definitions, I don’t know if you’d agree with me. But I want to explain upfront my relation to Christianity, because, for the Christians reading, I want you to see that I know what I’m talking about and I’m not actually bashing the religion. I’ll also end the article by talking about powerful Christianity.

I grew up Christian, in a Catholic household. I’ve read the bible all the way through, albeit skipping Psalms. I attended some youth groups and missions when I was a teen. I didn’t spend my time studying it or thinking about it for decades, and like the prodigal son, I later returned.

After I had a dream in 2015, that I believe was a kick in the pants from God, I repented of some past sin and re-devoted myself to God in a way I hadn’t been before. I started studying again and started a YouTube channel. I gained over 10,000 subscribers due to my bible study videos.

When I prayed to not be deceived, I was led to study the trinity and hell and found out a lot of the mainstream Christian beliefs were wrong. I was led down a rabbit hole by God and now I don’t believe the bible is the infallible Word of God. You can check out my article on how, using logical arguments, the bible itself actually says it’s not.

Powerless Christianity

I once read a book entitled “Confronting Powerless Christianity.” I’m not bringing it up to recommend it or not. I bring it up because the title stuck with me. Many Christians are walking around feeling powerless. Let’s explore why.

In powerless Christianity, the “savior” role in the Drama Triangle is played by Jesus or God. The “victim” role is played by the sinner. The “persecutor” role is played by the Devil, Satan, or demons. As I’ve discussed in my intro to the Drama Triangle post, when you are in a co-dependent relationship (which is what the Drama Triangle breeds), then you feel powerless.

Co-dependence in the Drama Triangle

If you are co-dependent with others, what they do (or don’t do) changes your day. For instance, people with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) are willful slaves of Trump. That is, they could have a great day, get a promotion or win the lottery, and find out Trump said or did a thing, and all of a sudden their great day turns to crap. They let Trump have utter control over whether or not they emotionally have a good day or a crappy day. Certainly, they wouldn’t view themselves as slaves to Trump, but it is what it is. If you are affected by what he says, you’ve given control over to him in a way. In fairness, this also happens with some Republicans scapegoating Biden.

Fighting Demons With Christ

So, back to Christianity and demons as these invisible beings out to make your life a living hell. I used to believe this. I believed demons tormented Christians simply because they hated Christians. My views have gone through multiple changes and I will not get into what they are now. But I know this belief exists in some Christians because I’ve felt it and seen it in others. So I would lean on Jesus to get out of it. An example of this is when I was having sleep paralysis (which I believed to be caused by demons). I would call out, “Jesus” during it and wake up. I would wake up because of my faith, but that’s a whole other topic. The sleep paralysis would keep coming back until I got out of the drama triangle.

I had a belief that Jesus could save me from the demons, but, at the time, I didn’t have a belief that the demons ever would stop attacking me. This is the same sort of dynamic a leftist has that Biden would help “save” people from Trump, but not that Trump wouldn’t stop “persecuting” them by lying to his supporters and “encouraging” them to harm the “victims.”

Waiting for a Savior Feels Like Powerlessness

In the drama triangle, there is always a belief that the persecutors can come back at any time and do more damage. There is also a belief that the “victims” will always need to call upon the “Savior” to save them. That is what causes a victim mentality. If you have to wait for someone or something else to “save” you, then you are a powerless sitting duck until they get there.

Savior- or Christ-Complex

There is another way Christians can get entangled in the Drama Triangle that I’d be remiss to not explain. The “persecutor” is still played by demons in this version, the sinners are still “victims,” but the Christian, in this case, may take on the “savior” role themselves.

For the people who believe that unsaved people will burn in hell-fire for eternity (which I don’t), they believe they need to “save” those sinners. The hellfire preachers go around trying to scare people into a belief system. As I’ve mentioned before, many times the people playing “saviors” end up looking like the “persecutors” to others (the supposed sinners). I’ve never been one to force my beliefs onto others, but I know this happens and I’ve been the one being accosted.

Because of my anti-trinitarian views, someone decided I was a heretic and that anyone listening to my views would be damned to hell, so they had to “save” my listeners. I was lied about in a YouTube video by someone who never actually watched my videos and didn’t know what he was talking about. His viewers, like flying monkeys, then all came to my channel to “save” others by attacking me in the comments section. Years later he made a video apologizing for his content and deleted all videos.

My Advice

If you have ever or would ever try to “save” people in this manner, please remember that you’re only going to be viewed as a “persecutor” and no one will be convinced or “saved” by your actions. And, by trying to “save” them you are admitting that you believe you have more power to “save” them than God does. If God hasn’t convinced them of whatever it is by now, why do you think you can?

“So in the present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these people, but to leave them alone. For if this idea or this movement has a human origin, it will collapse. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you might even find yourselves fighting God!" Acts 5:38-39

Powerful Christianity

Competing “Gospels”

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” John 8:34

The word “gospel” means “good news.” I’ve explained on my channel that it is anything but good news to say that we’re still slaves to sin. (If you listen to the video, I’ve come a long way since then. So feel free to ask me questions about my beliefs rather than assume I believe all the same things.)

The general gist of the video is right. And the general gist is that many Christians believe that they will be forever sinners until they die. They don’t believe it’s possible to stop sinning. By your faith you are saved. If you have no faith that you can be free from sin, then you can’t be. Only those who have faith that they can be free, and no longer slaves, will be.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24

If you are a slave (or servant) to sin (as Jesus said all who sin are), then you are not a servant of God. And, I’ve seen firsthand people’s reactions to me saying that it’s possible to stop sinning. They do see someone saying that (literally bringing the gospel) like an enemy, like a heretic who needs to be squashed.

Jesus came to free the slaves and said everyone who sinned was a slave to sin. I do not understand anyone being upset to hear that it’s possible to stop sinning, that is, unless, they don’t want to give up their addiction to sin.

Jesus told people to “go and sin no more,” to not “give the devil a foothold.” We have the option to not sin. But there are many beliefs to untangle, like “original sin,” Jesus supposedly being the creator, and the bible being infallible.

I can explain in-depth why I disagree with all of those because I’ve studied them all. Ask me if you want to know more.

I know there are a lot of cognitive dissonances that come up because I had to go through it myself. But I wanted to be free from sin. I didn’t want to be its slave any longer. It’s impossible to truthfully study it out if you don’t want to be free.

I believe there are competing “gospels” in the bible. Depending on where your spirit is, you can hear one or the other. The “bad news” is that we will be stuck like slaves to sin until we die. It’s a Gnostic belief that we’re stuck in sinful bodies and need to wait to die to be pure again.

But, powerful Christianity comes from the true gospel. The good news (gospel) is that those, who believe Jesus actually freed them, can move from being a slave (servant) to sin to a slave (servant) to righteousness. If you have faith that it is finished, then you can take personal responsibility and get out of the drama triangle.

The Essenes on being a Slave to Sin

The early followers of Christ were known as Essenes and/or Ebionites. Some of their writings are still available. The Clementine Homilies 8 speaks on the demons as being our “lords” by our own choice. The following was supposed to be the law from YHWH to the demons after the flood.

Chapter XIX. The Law to the Giants or Demons

“‘These things seem good to the all-seeing God (YHWH), that you (demons) lord it over no man; that you trouble no one, unless any one of his own accord subject himself to you, worshipping you, and sacrificing and pouring libations, and partaking of your table, or accomplishing anything else that they ought not, or shedding blood, or tasting dead flesh, or filling themselves with that which is torn of beasts, or that which is cut, or that which is strangled, or anything else that is unclean.

But those who betake themselves to my (YHWH’s) law, you not only shall not touch, but shall also do honour to, and shall flee from, their presence. For whatsoever shall please them, being just, respecting you, that you shall be constrained to suffer.

But if any of those who worship me (YHWH) go astray, either committing adultery, or practising magic, or living impurely, or doing any other of the things which are not well-pleasing to me, then they will have to suffer something at your hands or those of others, according to my order.

But upon them, when they repent, I, judging of their repentance, whether it be worthy of pardon or not, shall give sentence. These things, therefore, ye ought to remember and to do, well knowing that not even your thoughts shall be able to be concealed from Him.'”

Chapter XX. Willing Captives

“Having charged them to this effect, the angel departed. But you are still ignorant of this law, that every one who worships demons, or sacrifices to them, or partakes with them of their table, shall become subject to them and receive all punishment from them, as being under wicked lords. And you who, on account of ignorance of this law, have been corrupted beside their altars, and have been satiated with food offered to them, have come under their power, and do not know how you have been in every way injured in respect of your bodies.

But you ought to know that the demons have no power over any one, unless first he be their table-companion; since not even their chief can do anything contrary to the law imposed upon them by God, wherefore he has no power over any one who does not worship him; but neither can any one receive from them any of the things that he wishes, nor in anything be hurt by them, as you may learn from the following statement.”

They believed demons had no power over anyone who refused to sin. Even the language of demons fleeing from people who refuse to sin is in there.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

But, when people choose to sin, they are willfully giving the demons power over them, “as being under wicked lords,” rather than the righteous lord/master Christ or God. I don’t think it matters if you believe these are literal demons or psychological ones. I believe this works either way.

Christianity without the Drama

So, Christians who take personal responsibility for their sin, repent, and choose to take different actions are no longer slaves to sin/demons. This is the action that kicks them out of the drama triangle. They’re no longer co-dependent with demons. They may call Jesus their “savior” as he taught them what they needed to learn to exit the drama triangle, but they personally took the action to resist sin. Jesus can’t help you to make that decision, you have to decide for yourself to resist temptation.

What the Devil?

Israelites don’t see “Satan” as an evil entity who hates Christians or the “chosen people.” Jesus and his followers didn’t either. Satan, in the bible, is much more like Mr. Slugworth in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Consider how “satan” is portrayed in the book of Job. He’s a tempter, to see if you’re pure and worthy of the heavenly kingdom, but he works for God, not against God.

You can also view him as a prosecutor and Christ as your advocate in the court case concerning your sinful life. For more in-depth information on this viewpoint, see my article Why Should We Appreciate Satan (the Devil) Rather Than Fear Him?

You can view any temptations that you run into as opportunities to “earn” more heavenly rewards through your resistance to them.

“If God's gifts are our blessings, and the devil's assaults are also our blessings, what remains to harm or depress us? If good is good and evil is equally good to the enlightened, then a realm of life is entered where we rejoice always, in everything give thanks, and in all things are more than conquerors.” Norman Grubb

Without the devil as a “persecutor,” and the understanding that you, through the spirit inside of you (the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead | Romans 8:11) can stop sinning, how could you feel powerless?

The Greater the Faith

I can understand why atheists would find it difficult to have faith that things will work out well in the long run. But, for all the Christians who believe things are going to work out in the long run, they should have faith that they’re here, now, for a reason. They should want God to use them right now to do His will. They should have faith that they can accomplish magnificent tasks.

When you complain, it’s coming from a place of negative emotions, such as fear for perceived victims. You can’t figure out solutions from a state of fear because your mind closes them down. When you relax and have faith that things will work out, solutions start to come to you because your mind has opened up. This is when you get divine inspiration (“hear” from God). People inside of the drama triangle won’t be able to figure things out, but people outside of the drama triangle will be able to come up with solutions.

The greater your faith, the more open your mind is to see all of the ways things can work out for you. This means people with a lot of faith will be able to solve problems much better than people with very little faith. This is one reason why communism can’t work, by the way. They can’t figure out how to get what they want because they’re always focused on what they don’t want.

Since I am telling you the benefits of having faith, I’ll also share a video I made with some tips on increasing your faith. You don’t have to be a Christian to do these things.

Conclusion

Powerless Christianity

The reason for “powerless Christianity” is their lack of faith. They don’t believe they can stop sinning, so they think they’ll be forever slaves to sin (and thus slaves to demons) until they die. They believe other sinners will also be slaves to demons, so they will sometimes try to “save” others through preaching (usually the bad news “gospel”) to random people. Because they feel like slaves to sin or demons they see themselves as “victims” in the drama triangle.

They will identify themselves as “sinners.” I remember trying to have conversations about Christ telling people to stop sinning, and there was one person on Facebook who repeatedly would say, “You sin every day.” This person could not believe that they or anyone else could stop sinning. Can you see how powerless that belief would make you feel? It’s anything but “good news.”

Powerful Christianity

Powerful Christianity has faith that they can do things to better their situation. They don’t believe demons or satan are working against them, so they’re not co-dependent with them. They take actions, through faith, that will better their lives. These kinds of people take personal responsibility, rather than scapegoat and say, “The devil made me do it.”

These are the sorts of people who will not really identify themselves as “sinners” (in the present), but conquerors of sin through their faith in Christ. They had faith in him, which means they believed him and what he taught, so they obeyed him. Faith requires works. This is why Christ asks others, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say?” The power is in the doing. The doing requires belief (faith) that you can.

I’m leaving the comment section open to free subscribers on this one. Please, feel free to ask any questions you may have. I know it may be a lot to take in if you’ve never heard this perspective before.