What's With Christians and the Nine-Pointed Satan Star?

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

It was sophomore year of high school. The worst year for all humans who dare to embark upon being a teenager.

I was sitting and waiting for my bible teacher to show up after his hall duty. The sun was out, beaming right on myself and my peers. We were about to learn about cults, which either meant watching a documentary about the perils of listening to Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath (cue the devil horns as I type this) or about those crazy Rajneejis (until I got the full context in that amazing Netflix documentary).

But I wasn’t thinking about cults and how scary they were. And I was just starting my post-hardcore scenester phase too, so I wasn’t dwelling on how I’d be rolling my eyes throughout the “rock is from the devil” movie.

Unrequited love had struck back. I just experienced the brunt of the bad news that the love of my life didn’t like me back. I was heartbroken. It was as if an avalanche had burst, and all these big feelings, which I knew I had but which I wanted to stop, came literally pouring down. So I, as a 15 year old male in the midst of a class surrounded by other similarly insecure, hormonal, and judgmental 15 year old peers, began to sob.

And not mild tears. We are talking full on ugly cry, and this sob session lasted ten minutes uninterrupted. My peers, probably so dumbfounded and baffled at this sudden display of emotion, didn’t respond. And how could they? My teacher arrived, and when he did I found the time to slip out into the hallway and compose myself in the bathroom.

I am a 4 on the Enneagram. Or that nine-pointed Satan star that trendy Christians are always talking about.

I came across the tool as my pastor discussed its utility in his own life during a sermon. Describing his perfectionist tendencies, he explained he was a 1 on the Enneagram, and that he was in the anger triad. Triad, I thought? I perceived this church was mildly heretical because they rejected ‘all Christians are Republicans’ rhetoric (just kidding). But triads? And the symbol itself? It was a pentagram. With nine points rather than five. Was he turning into the anti-Christ in front of my eyes?

But the next line he said stopped me in my tracks.

“Though I do not explode with anger, my anger comes out as seething resentment.”

Something about that clicked with people I had known in my life. And though his vulnerability was well received by me, I finally had language to describe what had bothered me about him before.

I had thought he was an OCD, well-spoken spiritual TED talk guy who would never reveal any dirty laundry or sin issues.

Bt there it was, plain as day. He struggled with resentment. And he said this tool helped him, and his family, and even in his pastoring of the church.

Now I was curious.

Below I will give a 10,000 feet, brief, and very paraphrased description of each type:

1s are in the anger triad, as mentioned before. These folks are hard-workers, interested in reforming or improving things around them, and have a fierce and cruel inner critic that tells them, constantly, that they aren’t “good” enough morally.

2s are in the shame triad. These folks are also hard-working, willing to clock in hours and hours for those they love, and are often spending mental and emotional energy dwelling on their relationships. They think they aren’t lovable so they become immensely loving to compensate.

3s are in the shame triad. These folks don’t appear to be in the shame triad or to be overly motivated by feelings but they run off of them. Being others referencing, they know exactly what to do, say, and be to appear successful to those around them. This hides their shame of not knowing who they are to themselves.

4s are in the shame triad. These folks believe something is missing in their essential DNA that would allow them to live a fulfilling life. To compensate, they often become artists, creatives, or other helping professions to give themselves a sense of value and meaning externally that they don’t feel internally.

5s are in the fear triad. These folks are very interested in acquiring information. Though they are not quick to speak, they usually hold the most information and mastery over subjects of their interest. They attain this information out of fear that they won’t know what to do or how to handle the complexities of life.

6s are in the fear triad. These folks are some of the best troubleshooters around. Often envisioning the worst-case scenarios, sometimes to the point of absurdity, 6s tend to struggle making decisions due to an underlying fear that their intuition is not good enough to bring them to the best choices.

7s are in the fear triads. These folks are often the most boisterous, outgoing, and optimistic of all the types. Thinking a thousand miles a minute, underneath their sheer relentless optimism is a fear that if the cracks in the armor show and negative feelings arise, no one will be able to take care of them when they are hurting.

8s are in the anger triad. These folks are the most direct of types, very rarely not disclosing their thoughts or opinions on most matters. Though often deemed bossy or domineering, these types, rather, don’t want to be controlled by anyone, and this extends to a strong sense of protecting those around them they perceive as being controlled.

9s are in the anger triad. These folks are the sweetheart of the Enneagram, and you won’t find more easygoing, relaxed people of all the types. Underneath their seemingly always “chill” exterior is a loss of self when merging with the needs of a group, partner, or work setting, something which they secretly resent.

The descriptions above are crude, and far from perfect. But I did it as an example of trying to understand eight other kinds of people.

Whether you love the Enneagram (if so, message me and let’s chat!) or the MBTI or Strengths finder, or, rather, hate the idea of being put in a box (probably a 4 or a 5 then), these tools, key word, tools, are helpful in making us more loving people.

They also help us love ourselves better too.

I thought I was uniquely broken. Uniquely flawed. Uniquely dysfunctional.

But I wasn’t. I am broken, and flawed, and dysfunctional in a very specific way. And according to the Enneagram, there are eight other kinds of people who are uniquely broken, uniquely flawed, and uniquely dysfunctional.

These tools should not be used as an excuse for our behavior. These tools should be used as a means to understand and love those around us better.

I can no longer go for melancholic musical binges of Brand New and Sufjan Stevens, hours long social media browsing, and total isolation from those around me when I am feeling down. That is the trap of the 4; to withdraw and escape from the world by going into hiding because “no one would be able to understand.” If I don’t give others the capacity to understand, or if I feel as if they don’t understand enough, I allow myself to continue in my old self.

I don’t open space for the Spirit of God to renew my mind, and to show my newfound holiness and righteousness by rejecting the old patterns of self destruction and rejection. In order to put on my new self, I must understand the old self. I must comprehend why I get melancholy at the drop of the hat, and I must allow those around me to remind me of the new self I am becoming.

To close, the Enneagram is a tool, in case I haven’t emphasized that enough, and it is not a definer. If you are a 1, you are more than a 1, if you are a 2, you are more than a 2, and so on.

There is a distinction between our propensities and tendencies as people and our shackle-inducing labels we place over ourselves. 7s are more than outgoing party-goers; they awaken life where there was death. 3s are more than achievers; they are hard-workers whose self-assured vulnerability brings stability to chaos, etc. etc.

We are more than we limit ourselves to be. We are more and better than our own bloated or deflated egos. We are sons and daughters of God, uniquely gifted, uniquely qualified, and uniquely empowered with gifts to bring flourishing, productivity, kindness, generosity, faith, hope, but most importantly, love.

So use tools like the Enneagram to find out who you think you are in order for God to reveal who You actually are.

Just be you, in Christ.