So Tomassi of Rational Male fame, laments what he calls, “The bastardization of the Red Pill,” in a post called The Awareness. From what I can glean, bad press, observable misogyny, and of course, women, have stolen the concept and gotten girl cooties on it. Also, Cassie Jaye produced a movie about the red pills.
My point for several years now has been that the red pill matrix is already a bastardization, a cultish perversion of Christian doctrine and values. What makes it such a distortion and perversion is that it has been completely separated from Jesus Christ and from any aspects of thelogy that may be uncomfortable or inconvenient.
For example, rather than coming to Christ, one simply “comes to red pill awareness.”
Tomassi states, “Along with this awareness comes a measure of anger, but mostly this is due to having long held ego-investments revealed for what they are – internalized beliefs that were developed as a result of Blue Pill social conditioning.”
Actually within faith we would call “ego-investments,” relinquishing pride and submitting to Christ. “Blue pill” conditioning would be called sin, deceptions, lies of the enemy.
Here’s one subtle difference however, submitting to Christ requires taking responsibility and admitting you are a sinner in need of a Savior. No one is really a helpless victim who developed sin through no fault of their own, as if my only problems stem from, “blue pill conditioning” unfairly thrust upon me by the culture.
Tomassi continues by saying, “I am reminded of the explanation of the 32nd Law of Power: The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes from disenchantment.”
Here too is another not so subtle problem, what is truth? Is it how we feel? Our ability to reason? The amount of success one has with women? Our pursuit of power, wealth, and status? Little red and blue pills?
As humans, truth is so subjectively perceived, we must actually go outside of ourselves to find it. So we often call the bible the Word of Truth or even the Sword of Truth. Outside of the bible, outside of God, there is really nothing more than moral relativism and moral ambiguity and “the truth” becomes an entirely subjective matter of opinion.
In John 18 we have a chilling example of subjective truth in action, where Pilate asks, “…Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king, To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice….”
And Pilate simply replies, “What is truth?”
Red pills don’t really have Jesus Christ, they don’t really have the bible, their perception of “the truth” is going to revolve exclusively around how they feel, what they get, how they personally will benefit. These things are called red pill truth.
Tomassi continues, “Once a man comes into this awareness, once he sees the code in the Matrix, once he realizes how all-encompassing it is, the old him literally ceases to exist. He may well be the same man with the same personality, the same gifts and the same disposition, but his Red Pill awareness makes living in his old paradigm an impossibility.”
The old him? I believe we actually call that dying to self, putting on the new man. Christ makes you a better version of yourself, we cast off the old man, we become a new creature.
So you see, “red pill praxeology,” is already a bastardization, a collection of hijacked ideas already laid out in the bible, but rather than taken in context and used as tools to bring us closer to our Creator, to transform us into better versions of ourself, it is being presented as an ideology that can be sought completely outside the context of Christ, the bible, or religion at all.
Gone is the submission to Jesus Christ, that has been replaced by human pride. Gone is surrender and humility, sacrifice and service. The rewards for this new and improved so-called “red pill awareness,” now revolve exclusively around pride, human status, and oddly, often the number of women you can conquer.
Tomassi is a man of faith. So is Dalrock, Day, Donal, and a whole slew of others who seem hell-bent on replacing Jesus Christ…. with a Hollywood movie designed to mess with your head. None of these guys will listen to me, but if they did I would beg to know why they felt the need to try to replace Jesus Christ with the Matrix and why they cannot see how this might be so terribly wrong?
The truth is that you just cannot serve two masters. One is either a Christian or one is a red pill. Those who believe they can do both are trapped in an entirely different kind of Matrix altogether.
Tomassi concludes with what struck me as a rather sad and tragic projection, “And this false hope, one that conveniently ignores the uncomfortable parts of Red Pill awareness, is what will be sold by profiteers no matter what title they apply to it.”
born again, there is no other way, thanks for the post, amen
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The problem of misinterpretation has plagued the community of the faithful for centuries. Not only do we risk misinformation by ignorance of proper etymology but also right declaration of the facts surrounding scriptural narratives. Most people don’t know this, but Mohammad wrote his texts based on mis-information that was presented to him by Alexandria Jews. Of course, they had rejected Jesus Christ so, their story was not consistent with scripture. The Quran tells of a unique version of the persons of Jesus Christ, Mary, and even, Abraham.
Taking bible passages out of context can create the dangerous illusion that the story must be true because, after all, scripture supports it. But when deception is the intentional motivation, such proclamations become false belief systems.
A quick example of how easily scripture as twisted is posted below.
If I wanted to teach that Jesus was condoning violence and, like Mohammad, endorsing a holy jihad, I can easily support that with scripture = “One of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear” – Mt. 26:51. “Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” – Lk.10:37.
So, without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, proper interpretation of scripture is impossible. While I fully agree with your statement – “As humans, truth is so subjectively perceived, we must actually go outside of ourselves to find it” – WHO we go ‘outside’ of self to, is of utmost importance!
God ALONE is TRUTH; He ALONE can reveal TRUTH.
Indeed, – “Red pills don’t really have Jesus Christ, they don’t really have the bible, their perception of “the truth” is going to revolve exclusively around how they feel, what they get, how they personally will benefit. These things are called red pill truth.” Thanks be to God who guides us into ALL truth!
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Oh, amen to that. The Holy Spirit really has to guide our understanding or else we do wind up out in the wilderness somewhere. I sometimes say the bible is the one book where the Author shows up to read it to you. How that manages to happen is a great mystery, but it is true. 🙂
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MJThompson: I’ve been thinking about what you wrote for a few days now and I hope you don’t mind answering a question. How do we square it when two (or more in some cases) people approaching Scripture in the way you have outlined in addition to a sincere submission to the Holy Spirit arrive at different interpretations? I could think of many examples, but a few are: End time eschatology, the Trinity, the level of involvement women are allowed in the church, the nature and purpose of sexuality, the role of the Holy Spirit in the church, the form and practices of worship. How do we know who is right?
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Eavan – Regarding your question = “How do we square it when two (or more in some cases) people approaching Scripture in the way you have outlined in addition to a sincere submission to the Holy Spirit arrive at different interpretations? … How do we know who is right?” This is of course, THE subject of centuries of debate among scholars of theology and interested believers for centuries. My answer is certainly NOT going to end the controversy, but I shall humbly submit these thoughts for your personal prayerful contemplation.
There are several ‘levels’ of reception upon which the proper understanding of interpretation must be objectively considered. The rational mind desires a practical, reasonable explanation, well defined to fit perfectly within preset boundaries, while the spiritual essence prompts a much broader realm of possibilities. The awareness of the duality of shared experiences constrains the thought process to evaluate everything in terms of opposites: good or evil, right or wrong, up or down, in or out, etc…
So, each to their own – opinions will vary from individual to individual – making a comprehensive ‘right’ answer rather elusive, if not outright impossible. But, while it may be difficult to prove to another the truth that has resulted in an abiding conviction within, I do believe that the Holy Spirit indeed guides each and every true believer into TRUTH. Each person CAN and WILL know who/what is ‘right’ as God reveals it – as ONLY HE can.
Of course, acceptance of THAT requires reception through one’s spirit – more a ‘sense’ of ‘heart-knowledge’ than mere ‘head-knowledge’. Equally obvious, should be the personal awareness to an individual that they have either received the Holy Spirit or not. Again, ONLY the Holy Spirit can confirm such awareness to an individual by His PERPETUAL presence within.
In more pragmatic terms: the deeper the study of scripture, the broader the sense of one’s lack of precise understanding. Scripture defines itself as under divine inspiration, therefore it contains God’s revelation to man. Because it has existed throughout multiple generations of mankind, the revelation is progressive. Successive generations behold fulfillments to prophecies, and THEIR understanding of former revelations is enhanced.
Therefore, while ultimate TRUTH is static, the PRESENT manifestation remains fluid to adjust to each individual’s personal need for assurance. This too, must be received within a spiritual persuasion; GOD is not confined to the physical limitations of time and space, nor human intellect.
When considering interpretations that form specific doctrines (especially those that disagree), it is of utmost importance to rely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit to secure for oneself what is right. When the sincere motivation is to know for certain, God gladly provides a personal assurance with spiritual confirmation – an abiding ‘KNOWING’ that you know.
But if the motivation to seek truth is merely to prove to others that you are right, such desire for distinction will only cause endless confusion and frustration. Professing to be wise, they became fools … God gave them over to a debased mind … and also approve of those who practice them.” – Ro. 1: 22-32. Misery craves company, and so false dogma’s circulation continues generation after generation.
The universal acceptance of any doctrine that continues to be widely debated should be sufficient evidence to indicate that it is NOT absolute truth. Of course, there is much about GOD that He has chosen to remain a mystery in THIS present realm of existence, but that which is NECESSARY to attaining eternal life and right relationship with God has been clearly revealed by HIM to those who really love Him.
At this point, the spiritual much be allowed pre-eminence over the rational. Faith acknowledges what exists beyond what can be experienced by the natural senses. Separating human beings from all other life forms, we alone are afforded the possibility of drawing back the ‘curtain’ to peek into the spiritual realm. The pure at heart will capture a glimpse of God & retain it as TRUTH. The merely casual observer will perceive it as an opportunity for self-gratification & mishandle it.
Those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, suppress the truth in unrighteousness. [Ro.1:18; 2:8] Those who sincerely seek the glory of God, proclaim the truth in HIS righteousness. The Spirit of Christ within a person ALWAYS recognizes the Spirit of Christ in another truly born again believer, AND ‘right’ doctrine. Any subtle ‘check’ in one’s spirit becomes awareness that somethings not ‘right’. Having ‘handled’ the TRUTH, the mere counterfeit is glaringly obvious.
The belief in God being a PERSON, capable of personal communication with YOU, is essential to such comprehension. The atheist or agnostic cannot entertain such a sublime experience. But an individual with personal experience is never at the mercy of even the loftiness of arguments. Reality is grounded in FACT, regardless of opinions.
We may not all be as astute in our comprehension of spiritual reality. There are indeed varying degrees of scriptural knowledge based upon one’s state of spiritual maturity. But we are all equal as necessary parts of the true Body of Christ (providing His Spirit is in us). Apart from HIM we can do NOTHING; but through Him we can do all things. Included in ‘all things’, is the ability to rightly discern interpretations and doctrines. The emphasis must always be on God giving the revelation, and along with it the abiding conviction of truth.
How anyone can trust God for their eternal destiny, yet NOT trust Him to personally fulfill His promise to reveal all truth, is an enigma. Conversely, to think that such truth can be received from other than a personal revelation from God is equally inexplicable to me. I hope my humble opinion answers your question, NOT as a boldly stated dogma, as though indisputable – but as an invitation to continue to appreciate what God Himself has already revealed to YOU.
I have written many related Articles that explore a more in depth analysis of the ‘science’ of scriptural interpretation, available on my blog. I do NOT promote any specific doctrines, but hope to inspire the personal examination of scripture utilizing the proper ‘tools’ of right research under the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit. I do Not attempt to declare WHAT you should believe, but HOW you should come to rightly discern truth for yourself.
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Tomassi of course, will not respond to me since he believes he already has all the answers to the world’s problems, but he did mention this post and said,
“Christians” get upset that TRP points out how the FI has saturated their religion for so long. They think Christianity is the original Red Pill & they should know better, but it’s TRP that’s lifting the curtain on the FI in their churches”
By “FI,” he means Feminine Imperative. He seems to believe that his red pill is lifting some kind of curtain, exposing great secrets about the church or something. Sigh.
Here’s the deal, I am not worried or upset about that at all. I am upset that Tomassi and the others are perverting doctrine and misrepresenting Christianity. I am upset about the vulnerable men who read that stuff and then waste half their lives wandering around in the abyss. I am upset about the lies and deception. I am upset about wolves in sheep’s clothing and how you sell those men short. You could be handing them a relationship with their Creator, healing, redemption, the opportunity to grow as whole people in Christ, but instead you short change them, you rob them of an opportunity and send them out into the wilderness, chasing some foolish red pill praxeology.
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I’ve suspected for a long time that ‘taking the Red Pill’ is a cultish conversion process, something like parallel version of baptism or the born-again experience; only a fake one for cultish ends.
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Where does the term “pills” come from?
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In the movie “the Matrix,” you can take the blue pill and remain in the Matrix or you can take the red pill and open your eyes to the truth.
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That is hilarious. I have never seen the Matrix – along with most main stream movies!
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LOL! You are very wise. I often wish I could wash half of that garbage from my brain.
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Aren’t many of those who follow the red pill also Christians? Can the two coexist?
As for Cassie Jaye and her film, I haven’t seen it but I want to. I think what she’s doing is completely within her right to do and it’s also going to be interesting to most people, no matter where you stand on the mrm, feminism spectrum. It might have been a bit cheeky of her to call it The Red Pill, but not in a bad way. Is it really an argument about who supposedly owns the term? How silly.
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“Aren’t many of those who follow the red pill also Christians? Can the two coexist?”
Yes, many of the red pills claim to be Christians. Others like Tomassi, attempt to compartmentalize their faith and their red pill identity as separate and so present themselves as secularist.
Can the two co-exist? I don’t really know, but I don’t think so. Something is just really not right there, it’s dark and evil.
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RE: “Can the two co-exist?” Rhetorical, but not satirical – the fact is, they DO co-exist. Not in a ‘perfect world’, but we’re not there, yet. Until EVIL is entirely eradicated, deception shall continue to compete for our comprehension of ‘truth’. Thus Christ Himself warned – many will come in His name, deceiving many. Why not separate the wheat from the chaff? They must co-exist for now, to prevent irreparable harm to the ‘wheat’. Awaiting the ‘harvest’, true believers can rest in the assurance that THEY are covered by the redemptive blood of Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit – barring contamination from without, and preserving purity within. Such is the reality and abiding hope of born again believers!
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Hi Insanity Byes,
I know Ralph and Ritu. I teach about Christianity to my history students.
I met you at Donna’s blog party. Maybe you can check out my blog if you need a blogging tip or two. That’s what I write about. For example, I recently wrote How to Get 842 page views to your blog in less than a day
http://www.mostlyblogging.com/get-842-page-views-to-your-blog/
I also have several blog parties each month like Donna.
Janice
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Tomassi writes: “Along with this awareness comes a measure of anger, but mostly this is due to having long-held ego investments revealed for what they are—internalized beliefs that were developed as a result of Blue Pill social conditioning.”
If one substitutes the term ‘bourgeoisie’ for ‘blue pill’, this statement says exactly what Communists teach about conversion to their doctrines. A genuine spiritual conversion certainly wouldn’t be accompanied by anger at the world.
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I hear you. It really does start to resemble something like a pseudo conversion into communism.
In his piece Tomassi tries to reconcile a couple of major problems with his pills, the inherent nihilism, the endless anger, and the hopelessness. For some reason I always think of the French revolution, with the goddess of reason on the throne.
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I loved your reference to Pilate asking Jesus, “What is truth?” History tidbit: The Greeks conceptualized this idea of “truth” as being both the essence and the source of life. For the serious Greek philosophers, it was all about discovering “truth”, i.e. the essence and source of life. The Romans continued that “quest”. So when Pilate asked his question of Jesus, he was really asking “What is the essence and source of life?” And it is definitely not Red or Blue, Democrat or Republican. Jesus came with a radical concept–that the essence of life and the source of life is Him and we experience this through surrender to Him. So, I would agree with you that you cannot coexist with the pill and the Truth. Blessings!
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Red pill? Blue pill? To know the truth by taking a pill? To fall more deeply into delusion by taking a pill? Perhaps. But to know the truth by taking a pill. What a silly idea! Until we have the capacity to see ourselves as God sees us, we will not know the truth. So the question is what do we do until then?
We can gather data. Since each of us has a limited point-of-view, we can talk to each other and compare notes. Name calling and other forms of rudeness tends to interfere with that process.
We can try to understand the nature of our Creator and why He created us. Some call this form of research religion. However, I prefer to think of it as establishing a conversation with God.
Where do we gather data? We can examine the physical world. We can examine our hearts. We can consider the philosophy of those who have proven themselves wise, some how, some way.
What is the greatest threat to our success? Presumably, God wants us to learn about Him. However, we may not honestly wish to learn about God. To learn about God, we must have the humility first to consider the point-of-view of our fellows. Then, after we have learned how to listen, we must strive to see ourselves as God sees us.
How does God see us? I don’t truly know. I am just glad the Bible says He loves us as His children, for compared to our Creator we are as nothing.
To listen carefully, to delve deeply, to see what is actually there, we must love what is real. We must love the Truth enough to accept it. Jesus told us to love God with all that we are and that we have. He said to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. That is the only way we will ever know the Truth.
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That’s so well said, Tom! Just perfect.
I really liked what you said about, “establishing a conversation with God.” That’s it in a nut shell! We could call it, “opening the lines of communication with our Creator.”
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This Matrix thing is on Deep Web too. So ridiculous, people try to deny God b7y a movie. Terrible comparison I must say. But the real deal is: people are lazy and don’t like to read The Bible or any other great book.
Humanity is doomed, and the Rapture is coming. God bless you, best wishes to ya. 🙂
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