Calvinism and Narcissism Link Examined | Doug Gustafson

It’s sad to not have heroes anymore. You grow up and realize, you can only count on Jesus.

Having had a very narcissistic father growing up, I quickly identified both John MacArthur and James White as being very narcissistic!

I’ve noticed at my old Calvinist church they were more pious than the saints in the Bible. And were more biblical than the Bible.
Good grief the burdens they lay on people - it’s so awful. I’m so glad the Lord brought me out of my old church - it was torture.

This was eye opening. Now I understand why, in my dealings with Calvinists on line, they will typically not answer your questions and not explain what appear to be contradictions in their system, and instead respond with derision and assume that they don't have to explain the obvious to the uninitiated. You can't have a reasonable discussion with them.

THANK YOU!!! Thank you for coming right out and calling Calvinism what it is...HERESY! It absolutely maligns Gods character and re-writes the Gospel!

Here is how the Heresy of Calvinism plays out where the rubber meets the road. I received this text from a dear lady who survived Calvinism.
Truth Amen, and God bless you! SO many believers are severely damaged by this heresy. I've even talked to Christians who tell me about suicides or attempted suicides because this heresy just destroyed them, yet they didn't realize (or yet realize) how wrong it is. I can relate because I was running so scared, never knowing whether I was saved or not. I loved the Lord even then but couldn't live a "holy life", so I didn't know whether I was saved or was a false convert. I saw sin in my life at every turn and was so frightened I thought, a few times, "I'm half tempted to hang myself just to know. Even if it turns out I'm lost, I'm already living in hell with this uncertainty and not-knowing." I realize today that Calvinism kept me focused on myself and my sins, not on Christ or who I am in Christ, that's the insidiousness of it! It takes your view completely off Christ. So either people live with constant fear and a feeling of condemnation, or the opposite like John MacArthur or Tim Conway - they become prideful and self-conceited, so much so they don't even bother to try and hide it. I can only praise the Lord for leading me out of there through various ways and means and now I have assurance of salvation and love the Lord even more. I praise God that you never fell into that trap of Calvinism and bless you for speaking out against it!

Truth in Love

Calvin himself was a narcissist and bully who was okay with murdering someone who disagreed with his theology. Sick.

I recently thought that Calvinism and narcissism were linked. I think it has a Pharisaical spirit behind it, and I think the Pharisees were narcissistic!

In my many decades of sincerely believing in Jesus, the only times I have been personally attacked came not from non-believers, but from Calvinists.

I have been called lost, a false convert, reprobate, sinner, perverted, unregenerate, hell-bound, a vessel of wrath, and simply too ignorant to understand. And it hasn't just happened once, but multiple times.

At first it really bothered me. I was told I was possibly not elect, and that there was nothing I could do about it, so I should simply "turn on some classical music and make some tea" and wait for hell to come. At no time did these people ever try to share the gospel with me.

Gradually, I began to realize that this is just how certain reformed people operate. It's disgusting. None of their warnings are ever said in gentleness or love. Rather, the only tone I have been able to discern is arrogance and superiority, even glee that they are chosen, while I am not.

All these things were told to me despite my explicit confession that Jesus is Lord, who died on the cross and rose again bodily to save me from my sin and a certain eternity in hell. I don't know how to reach this kind of personality.

“Calvinism creates a cult like environment.” So true

MacArthur makes millions off of his books. He has a multi-million dollar home in Los Angeles and another one a few miles away on the coast and a huge multi-million dollar property in Colorado, with a lake and boathouse and the works. I always follow the money when things dont sound right, and 9 out of 10 times, you will see why someone is selling garbage. They are making a bunch of money selling it.

Calvinism inherits the narcissism of John Calvin, the man who burned Anabaptists at the stake for disagreeing with him.

Kevin, you need this guy. Not just on a podcast but on a regular basis, especially in a question and answer chat.. You guys would make a great team together make it happen brother❤

I've been called a heretic for not believing in calvinism

4:19 "Because of what it does to my savior"..... Amen. The argument often proposed to unify Christians and 'get along' by Calvinists, and even non -Calvinists, is " we both believe we're saved... what difference does it make how we think it happened?" ....THAT is a problem! Since most Calvinists are 'converted' to Calvinism sometime after they have become believers, a Calvinist's salvation is not necessarily in question simply because they affirm TULIP. Salvation is based on belief in what Christ did for us. It is possible to be saved regardless of how confused one may later become about 'how' it happened. 🤔Calvinistic evangelism of the unsaved does not begin with TULIP, the dirty 'details' come later on after they are convinced you are 'most likely' one of the 'elect'.
Just as Mr. Gustafson says, issue with Calvinism is it's attack against the nature and character of our Heavenly Father. The unavoidable consequence of TULIP theology is the description of a God who cannot be trusted to have any one person's best interests in mind. It is proposed that God only truly loves the 'elect' as defined by Calvin.... but nobody can ever know who they are... not even the man in the mirror. And whatever you believe about Jesus today is only the result of what God has determined and not really a result of your actual belief. BUT, one never knows for sure if it will last until tomorrow for the same reason.
Satan always attacks the nature of God, it began with Eve in the Garden and Calvinism perpetuates this same lie.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to both of you. My husband and I recently left our church because it became Calvinist. I wish it didn't, but so much of what you both said resonates with us and what we've experienced.

When we die, we will stand before Jesus. Not Luther, not Calvin.
The gig is up! All the dismissals of who's in charge will fall.
The very FIRST words Jesus spoke after HIS baptism were this;
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

I agree 100% with Doug that Calvinism paints a horrible picture of Christ. How much more love are they looking for than what Jesus gave us? Where is their hope?

21:39 Yes, it seems that Calvinists have a hyper-focus on God's power, his omnipotence. And this tendency often becomes a singular focus, almost to the point of worshiping his power more than God himself as he actually is as described in scripture. They begin to assume God uses his power as they might if only they had it. (thank God they do not, John Calvin himself demonstrated what that might be like).
It is more than ironic that it is Satan who is envious of God's power and seeks to exert control over others as much as he can. God does not need to control others his motivation is 'Love' as much as it is who he is, personified. And the 13th Chap of 1 Cor. describes in great detail the nature of God. And the description which Calvinism offers is not to be found there.
I told my daughter when she was little to closely observe the fairy tales and cartoons with 'good' and 'bad' witches and fairies. Eventually they 'all' force someone to do something against their own will regardless of what color their gown is. BUT God is not like that and the Holy Spirit never arbitrarily controls anyone to do something against their own will.

I think that people get sucked into cults and cult like groups because, like you said, lacking problem solving skills. I think just lacking a strong core self to begin with. they're seeking substance, structures significance, and belonging That's why it's always the wounded that get sucked in.