The Modern religion is literally the Cult of Narcissism. It was founded in the 1960’s by the entertainment industry, sports industry, and advertisers using vanity to sell everything from basketball shoes to cereal to underwear.
The Catechumen is taught its main commandments: 1. Perfect the beauty of the body at all costs, 2. Make the acquisition of wealth and influence, and a social status based on one’s pursuit of wealth and, influence, an absolute goal, 3. Elevate self-esteem to the highest achievable level, 4. Regard oneself as the most important entity in the universe.
Entering its church, one must be decked out in the latest style and bling. In the vestibule, one first venerates its religion’s icon, the god Narcissus, taking a selfie with the statue and posting it all over social media.
Entering the main body of the church, one looks at themselves in a mirror and genuflects. Passing down side aisles, adoration is made at side altars to the gods of Vanity, Pride, Avarice, Envy, and Wrath.
In this religion, the gods of Gluttony and Sloth are regarded as demons impeding self progress, but the extra devout may also pay tribute at the altar to the god of Lust.
Ascending one person at a time up to the high altar, the deacons have erected a life size image of each parishioner on the high altar flanked by tall candles, incense rising in the air, gothic sounding pre-recorded chants by Madonna playing in the background.
The summit of worship being to lay prostrate before the altar of Self. Because loving oneself is what is most important in this life. Of course.
And there is no opportunity for penance or counsel from the pastors for those exhibiting signs of humility, meekness, simplicity, charity, or religious devotion to the Creator.
Such a person will be automatically and irrevocably excommunicated, cast out into the dark cold abyss of loneliness and complete alienation.
This is the spirit of our contemporary American society. The Church of Narcissism is our contemporary religion.
Everything else before led up to this, including Modernism and Liberalism taking over our traditional religious institutions since the nineteenth century. The result is not as much churches reoriented away from the supernatural realm to natural goals, but a secularization in which most either in principle or at least in daily practice adhere to this new substitute for organized, traditional religion. And that is the cultural Worship of Self.