IN the previous entry, we read a modern tale of pride and prejudice. A “Christian” woman attempts to transform her friend into another man-hating freak. Jane in our story is about as Christian as the modern pagan pictured above. Sierra Bender, who may be a perfectly nice person for all I know, is author of the book, Goddess to the Core. The ancient pagans worshipped deities in an immortal realm. The feminine divine today wears yoga pants and lives next door. Sierra’s promotional material states: 

Goddess to the Core will transform you into a complete, self-assured, and well-balanced goddess. With a broad base of practical tools and spiritual inspiration, Bender gives you a workout for all four of your bodies: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Experience how these bodies have “muscles,” and discover how neglecting them can lead to disharmony and ill health. With Bender’s “inside-out workout,” you will learn to sculpt these four bodies. By empowering, balancing, and working out each one, you will claim your worth, take command of your space, sculpt your shape, and balance your emotions and your mind while remaining in your true spiritual center—the Goddess within.

And, this:

With Sierra’s “inside-out workout,” you empower, balance, and work out each of the four bodies, claiming your worth, taking command of your space, sculpting your shape, and balancing your emotions and mind while remaining in your true spiritual center—your feminine essence—the Goddess within.

You will learn how to:

• Manifest what you require, desire, and deserve
• Break thru unhealthy thought patterns and beliefs
• Release pent-up emotions and baggage, lose weight, and sweat your stress away
• Strengthen your core by following your body’s innate intelligence
• Rejuvenate by connecting to Mother Earth, the most powerful Goddess of all
• Revitalize your sensual and sexual nature and radiate a luminous Goddess glow

                                  — Comments —

Jeff W. writes:

That men or women can become as gods is one of the devil’s most effective lies. In each generation, many fools can be found who believe it is possible. Sadly those who try to become as gods only become more prideful, self-centered and hard-hearted.

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Christians know that the path to godliness is one of humility and self-denial. Christians do not become as gods. They instead become humble servants who know that they are sinners.

Kristor writes:

Jeff W. is right: Christians don’t become as gods. They become gods, period full stop. Theosis is a very old Christian doctrine. But one doesn’t become a god by trying to become a god. One becomes a god by forgetting about oneself entirely, and deciding instead to be a servant and soldier of the Living God. Even when we wear crowns in Heaven, the whole point will be to throw them at his feet.

Joe Long writes:

I find it remarkable that goddesses would need or desire to lose weight. Traditionally, such beings have often been depicted as physically rather grand. A goddess can command worship regardless of obesity. Goddesses also tended to be remarkably procreative, neither willfully sterile nor (of course) barren through circumstances beyond their control. 

Now a succubus, on the other hand, must be physically attractive to men; that’s part of the job description. She produces nothing but deceptively attractive torment, the draining of vitality, and (I presume) her own self-esteem. 

More than one Christian writer has proposed that some pagans worshipped personified ideals or even prefigurations of the true God, while others actually worshipped demons. (G.K. Chesterton made such a remark, I believe.) Some women asserting their own divinity are perhaps not “merely” asserting that they are personifying a spiritual ideal (unbelievable hubris though that is in itself!) … any madman can assert that he is a god. To cavalierly offer OTHERS godhood requires the malice of the serpent himself.

Laura writes:

Why of course, goddesses don’t need to lose weight. For heaven’s sake, the last thing they need is toned muscles. The idea of Venus going on a diet is ridiculous. Diana was very athletic but she was born that way. I think if one is going to seriously cultivate goddess-ness, one should spend a lot of time reclining on couches in the nude, growing fatter and more fertile by the day. I could see advantages to that way of life, if I don’t say so. But, it’s very impractical.

Peter S. writes:

To add to Kristor’s point, the distinction between the traditional Christian and modern secular visions of God in relation to man may be entirely encapsulated in the following pair of quotes:

“God became man that man might become God.”
– St. Athanasius

“Man is God and God is man.”
– Karl Marx

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