Dying for a Selfie

March, 2014—an online article surfaced that announced the American Psychiatric Society had declared taking selfies was a mental disorder called Selfitis. The article even gave 3 levels of illness:

• Borderline selfitis : taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day but not posting them on social media
• Acute selfitis: taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day and posting each of the photos on social media
• Chronic selfitis: Uncontrollable urge to take photos of one’s self  round the clock and posting the photos on social media more than six times a day

We all know folks who might fall into each of these categories.  You know, scrolling through your FaceBook newsfeed, mixed in among the “what I had for lunch” and “I’m so mad at my family” rants we all get to see the most famous selfie.

We might need to start a foundation for those caught in the selfie fray, or maybe have a color run to get the word out. We could design posters: Stop Selfitis Now! It Begins With You and place them in school halls and break rooms all across America.

We could do these things if the story was accurate, but alas, it’s bogus.

What is a fact is people are actually dying as they push the boundaries to get the most daring selfie.  Selfies such as posing with a lion…that’s right, a real, in the wild lion. How about dangling off a bridge or pulling the pin from a hand grenade?

Yellowstone Park has issued warnings about selfies with Bison after 5 separate selfitis sufferers were gored because they were a bit too close.

A San Diego man earned himself a $153,000 hospital bill after getting a snakebite selfie.

India has actually implemented a “No Selfie Zone” at one of their festivals for fear of the snap-takers causing a stampede.

On the upside, Australia is capitalizing on the selfie trend by installing GigaSelfie Platforms at some of their amazing tourist sites.

Whether authorities are encouraging safe selfies or banning them, they agree that the selfie is making the statement “It’s all about me! I post my pics, people like my pics, and I feel a great surge of self-worth and acceptance.”

Folks from every generation—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Y and Z are infected with selfitis. It crosses all lines.

Even as we might shake our heads or snicker at a few goofy pics, I am reminded that this “illness” has been around since the dawn of time.

The term “sin” is not PC and the “enlightened” of our world want to tell us that guilt is bad and there is no such thing as right and wrong. This means there’s no such thing as sin. And in turn, no need for a Savior. 

Selfitis is addressed over and over again in the Bible (which is also not PC), reminding us that anything done from a selfish ambition is sin.

Galatians 5 gives us a list.  The acts of the flesh (or self) are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

No one really wants to look in the mirror, or at the latest posted selfie, and admit any part of the Galatians list applies to them. But we are all guilty, even the “enlightened” of our generation who refuse to take a self-inventory instead of the next selfie.

The great news is God provided the antidote for our sins. He didn’t just nullify them; he made a way to eradicate them. Accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus, we can be free of the sins that would take our souls to hell for eternity. Hell, another subject that is not PC.

The rest of Galatians 5 gives us the description of what is present in the lives of people who “live by the spirit,” in simple terms- live to please Jesus, or those who belong to Jesus. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I’m so glad that God, knowing all things, provided a cure for selfitis. This old world needs to know there’s a better way.

From FaceBook, to Instagram, tumblr. to Pinterest to the pages of real life, we don’t have to live for the next self-serving moment.

We can live by Philippians 2: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

Now, that’s worth tweeting!