John Valadez
DEATH TO THE WORLD
“Rouse thyself, thou who sleepest, and rise from the dead, and the Christ shall shine on thee.” +St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (5:14)Too often do we become diverted in the cares of mass and social media, teleporting through computer mainframes and cellular devises to a land sadistically bent on self-worship. It seems these days that at birth we are plugged into a computer grid of ever-distracting chaos, gazing on a vacant throne only occupied by phantoms of our own fantasies. This is something that has been talked about over the last few decades throughout academia and scattered across millions of blogs. We are loosing ourselves in distraction, letting our hearts beat with the sound of incoming notifications and “likes.” As of late, we have seen the media frenzy over Caitlyn Jenner and Hollywood’s cultish fan club that enforce his decision to mutilate himself. Even a bot was used on twitter to change masculine nouns to feminine ones when posting about him, forcing people not just to tolerate the issue, but bow their knees to it.
Worship over his appearance on Vanity Fair has ensued and those who do not prostrate before the cover icon refuse at their own demise, excommunicated from a new social norm. Such is the state of today. The world is getting worse and it might keep going that direction, but too often do we swallow the pill of the media, even if it is in the negative. The worship of Caitlyn Jenner and the treatment of those who do not bow down is a reality, however it is only another blindfold to the true epidemic of our times. There is something more sinister happening other than Jenner that is eating at the very core of our beings and the fabric of humanity. Nietzsche began to sing a lullaby that has been blasted into our ears across time, sending a dramatic wave of slumber and apathy down to our very age. In this dream world, lethargy exists so profound that seeking has been put to death and replaced with dispiritedness.
Death to the World’s publication was birthed in a time when there was unrest, rebellion, and disgust with the material core of our society. Now, there is nothing. Lack of movement exists and triviality has become the norm. Why do we wonder then that Jenner is worshipped? There is no question, there is just complete obedience to the media machine that seeks to stamp God out of every last one of us, that seeks to break the legs of the resistant in order to force obeisance. We cannot serve two masters and it is too often that we jump up to post our own opinions, giving into the murky pool of lukewarm spirit. God is not updated like your IOS software; He does not change with the times. The concrete universal truth of His Church, built on the blood of martyrs, should not just be referenced like a Google search or a Wiki article. It is not to be rationalized by an every changing swarm of modern ideals and opinion. It is for transformation and renewal, for both crucifixion and resurrection of the mind. Scholastics who have become Saints of our times did not attain Christ through educated hypothesis or book learning, but through crucifixion of the mind and a renewal of self in the image of Christ. They woke up and refused to slumber.
Sleeper, Christ is calling you. Arise from the apathy epidemic and open your eyes to a cause for life and give up your senseless world. Refuse the dreamland of this age and drift from the pools of the lukewarm. Rise and fight, for the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by the violent and the violent take it by force. We do not receive life without shedding sweat and blood. Let us rise from the smoggy clouds of sloth, regard our comfort as chains, and embrace crucifixion for renewal and resurrection. Awake and die to thyself.
John
Valadez is an artist, writer, and editor for Death to the World. Being
part of the 'zines original resurrection in 2006, he has helped out at
festivals, events, and seen Death to the World grow. When he is not
writing or answering e-mails, he is playing with his son or spending
time with his wife.
Namesake: St. John Maximovitch.
Age: 28.
Slava: Lazarus Saturday, 2006. 
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