Ephesians 4:19 - The Cult of More

"...who, having gone numb, they gave themselves over to wantonness unto work of every uncleanness in greediness."

-But Paul continues about the world which is lost and separated from God, from His Light and Truth.  They have literally become numb to the truth.  They feel nothing.  They feel no regret, no conviction or remorse, no sense whatsoever of the emptiness and futility of their lives, of the infinite abyss in their heart which is never ever filled in the least little bit by all the things which people pursue and consume in order to try and fill it.  Feeling nothing, they put feelings first, fully engaged in dogged pursuit of whatever makes them feel good.  That’s the new modern moral compass, is it not?  If it feels good, it must be right?  If it feels good, do it?  This is the mantra of the nations, and it’s actually not new at all, as old as the hills, described by this grecian Jew some 2000 years ago.  I want what I want when I want it, and if it makes me feel good I want it, and I will do it.  

-The word is generally translated as ‘sensuality’, which does indeed capture this idea of putting feelings first, that which captivates and stimulates my senses.  But it is stronger than that even - a picture of unbridled lack of restraint, an inability to say no.  And this is exactly what Paul is saying.  The world is into anything and everything that is unclean, and they cannot get enough of it, whatever it is which they are trying to cram into their lives in this vain attempt to fill their perpetually empty heart.  It is the Cult of More - unable to find peace or contentment and never having enough, they want more, they need more, they must have more.  To be in the cult is to not know it even is a cult, brainwashed as I am to think only how the cult thinks, a warped misleading version of truth, often unwilling and unable to extricate myself in the least.  The world says this is all there is, and I better grab as much of it as I can, 'cuz if I don’t somebody else will.  Go for it, just do it, have it your way, survival of the fittest, and so on and so forth.  Me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, more, more, more.  More money, more free time (aka me-time), more travel, bigger house, bigger car, bigger wife, better toys, better stuff, bigger and better ad nauseum - and to say no to self is to stand out, like some strange freakish alien.  Why would I say no?  Why should I not enlarge my barns?  I can afford it.  There’s nothing wrong with it.  And the whole world downs that koolaid, esp. in the affluent West.  We go for more because we can afford it.  No need to say no to more - why should we?  Listen to Paul...