On the one hand, when I see people like Liver King, larger-than-life internet personalities with extreme lifestyle habits, I wonder, what’s wrong with it? If these people have found the secret elixir to health and well-being and want to share about it, why not?
What could be the problem with learning from them and adapting their practices to my own? Why not buy their products and mimic their lives?
If it's in the name of health and fullness of life, why not?
On the other hand, something about the message of Liver King, to "bring out the best versions of ourselves, by re-aligning our lifestyle, diet and behaviors with a Primal way of being," just feels icky.
The New Gnostics
Mark Sayers, in his book Disappearing Church: From Cultural Relevance to Gospel Resilience, defines my discomfort in his discussion on contemporary Gnosticism.
Whereas ancient Gnosticism focused on an escape from the physical world into a disembodied existence, contemporary Gnosticism does the opposite. Contemporary Gnosticism focuses on the physical body and the physical world as a canvas for self-fulfillment and happiness.
If the body and world are the canvas for happiness, then a mundane life is a problem to be fixed (65). The solution is to"escape the mundane to the amazing life" and "turn your body into a perfect looking body" (65). The good news is that there are products, platforms, places, and people to guide you on the journey to self-improvement.
It is easy to see how many directions this view of the world and the purpose of life can go.
One of which is the life of Liver King.
In the name of the perfected body, Liver King sleeps on wooden boards, drinks blood, eats raw liver, and walks a mile bearing his own body weight. In the name of a beautiful life, he lives in a mansion, flies on a private jet, and eats meals served by personal chefs.
From my own experience, I’m willing and eager to drink the kombucha, complete the workouts, and abstain from the sugar. On the other side of the coin, I’m just as eager to enjoy overpriced lattes, indulge in the newest restaurants, and spend money on things instead of saving it for the future.
When the ultimate goal is self-fulfillment and personal happiness, all of these contradictions can live together. If these people and products can help you get there, this is good news. Right?
Who Is In, Who Is Out
But the good news of self-Improvement, of following strict fitness and health regimens and meeting the goals of health, wealth, and body, is one that only exists for the middle and upper classes in the Western world.
The good news of self-improvement is news that says the first will come first, and the last will remain last.
It is news that does not include the poor, the vulnerable, the disabled, and those who live in millions of other situations where choosing certain foods, supplements, and especially personalized hair care is not possible.
While this may be portrayed as good news in the Western world, it isn’t actually good news for the world. It isn’t even good news for the ones giving their lives to it.
Though it appears Liver King has reached the highest peaks of self-fulfillment, there is no way for us to know his heart. Unless he shares about it on Instagram stories, there is no way for us to evaluate how well the story of contemporary Gnosticism is working out in his life.
Many of us will never achieve that level of health (or wealth) of the people we watch on social media. Still, the implicit story and goals of contemporary Gnosticism seep into all of our lives.
It only takes a few minutes of scrolling on Instagram to see hundreds of images and videos of people sharing their diets, daily routines, and products that showcase their “beautiful world” (28). Those few minutes can take me into hours of naval gazing. Suddenly there is scarcity and lack in my life that must be filled with these other things.
Thankfully, this isn't the way life has to be.
When Fulfillment Looks Like Folly
I’ve heard it said that if the gospel preached doesn’t apply to the poorest, the sickest, and the weakest, it is not the Gospel of Jesus. The Good News of Jesus Christ completely turns the promise and pursuit of a perfected body on its head.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3-10, emphasis mine)
To truly be poor in spirit, meek, pure in heart, one who is hungering for righteousness, and all the other characteristics in the Beatitudes, you cannot also be in the fight for self-fulfillment.
As Jesus says, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24).
While this looks like folly to our Western world, the economy of the Kingdom says otherwise. In the priorities of contemporary Gnosticism, being a peacemaker, displaying meekness, and living with a posture of mercy have the appearance of loss and defeat. However, Jesus says that it is actually these who are fulfilled.
The most satisfying gift of fulfillment is not for the people who have climbed their own ladder of self-actualization.
Instead, it is for the people who, like Job, sit in the ash heap with no possessions or family and say, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21).
It is for those like Mary who recognize their humble condition in relation to the "greatness of the Lord" (Luke 1:46-55). This deep, satisfying fulfillment is even for those who, like Jesus, are raised on high, not in status and followers but in humiliation, shame, and death.
These are the ones who enter into the presence of God and receive refreshment, redemption, and eventually resurrection.
"To be shaped by grace in a culture of self, the most countercultural act one can commit in the third culture is to break it's only taboo: to commit self-disobedience." Mark Sayers, 76
Living Upside-Down
For many in the world, the temptation of self-improvement doesn’t exist. But I do not live in that world. I am tempted to work for the lie of self-improvement and self-creation every day in countless ways. If you face the same temptations, join me in pondering these questions and bringing your needs to God in prayer:
How can I steward my body but not obsess about my body?
To what am I giving the most attention, action, or worry? What does that tell me about the purpose of life? Does this line up with God's purpose and will for my life?
Which forms of media do I need to cut out or limit?
How am I tempted to spend my money?
What does Godly accountability look like?
Interested in learning more? Read Disappearing Church: From Cultural Relevance to Gospel Resilience by Mark Sayers.
GABRIELLE WENOS
Wife, mama of Byron, and inconsistent writer.
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