Those of us who know the signs of the times are prepping, hopefully spiritually, and some, physically.
I find that for the most part, those who are prepping, getting ready by pursuing Christ as the focus of their daily lives are healthy, whole, and, even humorous people. I have always believed that a sense of humor was a sign of health and even holiness. I do not mean the raucous type of trickster humor, but the wit of a Thomas More, or Chesterton.
Prepping for heaven is the call of all Christians. We ask humbly for grace and opportunities to share God's love by caring for others, serving God and preparing for eternal life.
But, prepping is not the same, oh no, as being paranoid.
Now, on this blog, I have written upteen times about those ostrich-Catholics who do not "get it", that we are a Church heading for times never seen before on earth.
Today, I write about the extremes of the opposite problem, the paranoia of some Christians, who isolate themselves in deceit, rage, fear, and close the door to others in their lives.
Here is a min-definition, or rather, a description of the symptoms of paranoia.
Sad to say, I have met some people lately who exhibit some, if not all, of these symptoms.
Symptoms of paranoia and paranoid disorders include intense and irrational mistrust or suspicion, which can bring on sense of rage, hatred, and betrayal. Some people suffering from paranoid personality may have a high capacity to annoy or enrage others because of rigid and maladaptive behavior. Some identifiable beliefs and actions of paranoid-related disorders include mistrust, taking offense easily, difficulty with forgiveness, defensive attitude in response to imagined criticism, preoccupation with hidden motives, fear of being deceived or taken advantage of, inability to relax, argumentative, abrupt, stubborn, self-righteous, and perfectionistic.
Paranoia resists treatment, as frequently, because of the nature of the illness, the paranoid person blames others for their discomfort, fears, and isolation. Sadly, the paranoid person does the opposite of what would bring healing-becomes so defensive as to push away others and deny the illness.
Dangerous attitudes bloom in the mind and soul of the paranoid person, who cannot rest or trust God and, therefore, cannot trust any other person.
Preppers are not likely to be paranoid, but far-sighted people who can see the logical consequences of the actions of governments or individuals.
Conspiracy theories abound today, but those who are paranoid do not need conspiracy theories, as they make up their own versions of reality.
The world judges preppers, even saints who speak of the Kingdom of God and the ultimate goal of all of us as heaven, as complete loonies. Many saints have been accused of being "out of touch with reality", when the truth is that the truly holy person is in touch with the real, the most real, Who Is a Person, God.
Thousands of religious people were put into the Gulag as "nut-cases", as "delusional" because they were true Christians. Those who hate Christ and His Church, and who gain control over the rights of others to practice their religion, too often have the power to determine "sanity".
In the future, one can see how being politically incorrect will be considered a disease, a mental aberration.
Following Christ means being more sane that those who pretend that there is no spiritual world and that God does not exist.
Pray for those paranoid who are vulnerable now more than ever.
Pray for those who become hostile, or angry, or defensive. Pray for those who hold grudges and perceive attacks on their characters when none occur. Pray for those who isolate themselves. This personality disorder can be caused by many things. Woundedness may be one.
Those who always reference all details, conversations, or events to themselves exhibit paranoia.
In this Age of the Narcissistic, paranoia becomes more common. Many occultic groups are made up of those who are either narcissists, or paranoid, or both. Self-referential behavior marks the paranoid.
The ancient symbol of the dragon eating its tail refers to the over-self-reflective. This thing is called the ouroboros, and appears in some occultic groups as a sign of Gnosticism. Some yoga, which is a religion, refers to the ouroboros of cyclic energy. Of course, such energies are false, or worse, demonic.
Pray for the paranoid. Sometimes one who suffers from such a trait can be healed, or delivered, depending on the source of the paranoia.
Bring peace to those who do not know peace.
And, be a prepper, without falling into the paranoia trap.