Dr Paul Allen

In their recent book Good Faith: Being a Christian When Society Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons document that 84 percent of Americans believe that “enjoying yourself is the highest goal of life.” Further, 86 percent believe that to enjoy yourself you must “pursue the things you desire most.” And 91 percent affirm this statement: “To find yourself, look within yourself.” In our day, the Westminster Catechism answer has been inverted: “the chief end of man is to glorify and enjoy himself forever.” One could even make a case that self-worship is the world’s fastest-growing religion. It is certainly the world’s oldest (just read Gen. 3). Moreover, this religion lies beneath many of the most hot-button social and political issues of our day. Six Commandments These are the sacred commandments of this ancient and still-trending world religion: Your mind is the source and standard of truth, so no matter what, trust yourself. #theanswersarewithin Your emotion...

“Follow your heart” is a creed embraced by billions of people. It’s a statement of faith in one of the great pop-cultural myths of the Western world — a gospel proclaimed in many of our stories, movies, and songs. Essentially, it’s a belief that your heart is a compass inside of you that will direct you to your own true north if you just have the courage to follow it. It says that your heart is a faithful guide that will lead you to true happiness if you just have the courage to listen and act. The creed says that you are lost and your heart will save you. This creed can sound so simple and beautiful and liberating. It’s a tempting gospel to believe.  Until you consider that your heart has sociopathic tendencies. Is This the Leader You Want to Follow? Think about it for a moment. What does your heart tell you? Please don’t answer. Your heart has likely said things today that you would not wish to repeat. I know mine has. My heart tells me that all of reality ought t...