The Inner Child and the Warrior: The Spiritual Roots of Social Justice
Guardians of the Inner Child
When it comes to Social Justice, some see it as just “woke nonsense”, whilst others see it as the fight against the oppressors. I see Social Justice in the truest sense like the Korybantes protecting the inner child and that what is vulnerable. They protect the inner child from the titans that want to tear it apart. The inner child. The sacred flame.
They all protect the inner child in the middle. From the Titans. Koryos are like wolves and bears. But sometimes they are lions or tigers too! They all there protecting inner child from people who act like titans. In Orphism to be like a titan means that they betray themselves. Their own needs and sense of self. The societal systems or individuals that reject vulnerability and perpetuate harm. The ones carrying the boulder is Sisyphus and Atlas. Peterson is a big fan of the “Ultimate Load”.
And I like the Korybantes and Koryos but also Arkteia, they all have Aulos and Askaulos as music instrument. And they do dances. They have flutes and drums. Do feasting, and recite poetry. Are in nature too.
The Psychological Dynamics
The opposition to social justice isn't simply about ideological differences; it's rooted in deeper, unconscious fears. Conservatives who resist social justice may be reacting to their own unhealed wounds and unmet childhood needs. The "chaos" they perceive in caring for minorities stems from their fear of emotions they can't control, both their own and others'. There is often a lack of fulfilled dependency needs in childhood. Dependency; our reliance on others for love, care, and safety is natural in early life. When those needs aren't met, it creates a wound. Facing the suffering of minorities reminds people of their own pain, which they've often suppressed. To cope with this suppressed pain, some individuals cling to rigid structures; logic, order, and purity. These provide a sense of control and stability, helping them avoid the discomfort of confronting chaos, vulnerability, or emotional complexity.
The criticism of social justice as "weak" or "coddling" is not correct at all. It is about acknowledging the pain of others and, by extension, one's own. Which is an act of bravery. Empathy also demands an openness to emotional connection, which can feel risky or overwhelming for those unaccustomed to it. In Greek mythology, the Korybantes were warrior-dancers who protected the infant Zeus by making noise to drown out his cries, hiding him from the predatory Titan, Cronus. Social Justice is about protecting the "inner child", the vulnerable essence of humanity from forces that would harm or suppress it. Those who suppress it for dogma and control often project onto others the archetype of Kronos or even Moloch. Yet it is a reflection of their own state of disconnection. The swallowing (repression) of their own inner child.
The Orphic Insights into the Situation
In Orphic traditions, Titans are not just external oppressors; they symbolize a betrayal of one's true self. The fear, rigidity, and coldness of those opposing social justice reflect this betrayal. They deny their own need for care and vulnerability, projecting that denial onto others. Sisyphus, condemned to eternally push a boulder uphill, symbolizes the relentless, futile striving of those trapped in cycles of self-betrayal and disconnection. This could represent individuals or systems that perpetuate suffering by prioritizing rigid effort, control, or power over genuine care and freedom. He embodies the exhaustion of being caught in a system that devalues vulnerability, joy, and emotional richness qualities embodied by the inner child. Similarly Atlas, tasked with bearing the weight of the heavens, represents the crushing burden of responsibility without reprieve. His symbolism aligns with a worldview that glorifies stoicism and endurance at the expense of tenderness, emotional expression, and interdependence. Which all ties into the scapegoat complex, which represses such things and is obsessed with taking the “Ultimate Load” and to suffer for others.
In Orphic tradition, Kronos (and by extension, the Titans) represents forces that sever connection to the divine and to the authentic self. The Titans dismember Dionysus, a mythic act of disintegration that mirrors psychological fragmentation or the suppression of one's inner life. Titans betray their own humanity by becoming enslaved to power, greed, and domination. In a modern context, they symbolize systems or individuals that reject the sacred and vulnerable aspects of existence. The inner child is at the core of human dignity. Something that is seen as Dionysian chaos to be controlled and locked away. That needs to be submissive to a “father”, as the inner child by them is seen as evil.
The Usual Tactics Being Used
Most people including Christians are unconscious of these dynamics tied to the scapegoat complex. It is their own big true “sin”. To keep nailing Jesus to the cross. Those who lean heavily on the scapegoat complex and a rigid, dogmatic worldview, often rely on manipulative tactics, often unconsciously. To feel secure in their faith, they often need to "win" spiritual or moral authority over others. Where their own unresolved inner wounds (shame, guilt, fear) are externalized onto others. Convincing someone else they are sinful or in need of saving allows them to momentarily escape their own inner critic. They further seek external confirmation of their beliefs by persuading others to agree, reinforcing their worldview. Which is the scapegoat complex trying to justify itself. Playing the roles of accuser, victim-child, priest and external redeemer. Often seeing the “Other” as the scapegoat (victim-child), or the lost wanderer who is full of sin. Which is the burden carrying scapegoat they project onto others to externalise their own shame, guilt and fear. By “saving” others, they avoid confronting their own woundedness or inconsistencies in their beliefs.
Here are some manipulative methods they may use, knowingly or unknowingly:
A. Guilt-Tripping
What It Looks Like: Statements like, "If you don’t accept Christ, you’ll be damned," or "Don’t you care about your eternal soul?"
Why It Works: They exploit fear of judgment or rejection, triggering unresolved guilt or shame in others. Which plays into the victim-child aspect of the scapegoat complex.
B. Shaming
What It Looks Like: Pointing out perceived flaws, sins, or failures, often in a condescending tone: "You’ve turned away from the truth," or "Your soul is lost."
Why It Works: They assume others carry internalized shame and can be coerced into compliance by amplifying it. Which plays into the victim-child aspect of the scapegoat complex.
C. Fear-Mongering
What It Looks Like: Threatening eternal consequences, such as hell or damnation, to pressure someone into agreement.
Why It Works: It preys on primal fears of punishment or abandonment. Which plays into the victim-child aspect of the scapegoat complex.
D. False Authority
What It Looks Like: Claiming their perspective is the only valid one because it’s "from scripture" or "the word of God."
Why It Works: It creates a sense of certainty, intimidating those who feel less knowledgeable or confident in their spiritual views.
E. Love-Bombing
What It Looks Like: Offering conditional acceptance or affection, saying things like, "I care about you, and that’s why I want to save you."
Why It Works: It manipulates a basic human desire for belonging and love, making the recipient feel obligated to conform. Which is trying to play onto the wanderer aspect of the scapegoat complex.
Many are not intentionally manipulative. Instead, they are acting out their own unresolved psychological and spiritual wounds. Their need to "save" others often masks their own need for reassurance or healing. They are acting out trauma behaviours due to their own woundedness and the inner repression of their own authentic Self. So they can not stand to see it in others. Some may intentionally use manipulation as a tool to assert control, dominate conversations, or fulfill a sense of spiritual superiority. These individuals tend to have deeper issues with power and ego.
The rigid belief in saved vs. unsaved, good vs. evil, or heaven vs. hell fosters a need to "convert" others at any cost. Fear of personal sinfulness, judgment, or damnation motivates them to project their inner conflicts outward. Dogmatic faith discourages self-reflection, focusing instead on external solutions (e.g., evangelism, saving others). Their sense of spiritual worth often hinges on "proving" their faith by bringing others into agreement. Yet in the deepest sense their dogma is build on shifting sands and is inherently fragile. Which is why often the accuser comes out to try to instil fear.
The Sacred Duty of Social Justice
If you work on healing your own inner child and work through the trauma, you become more and more immune to these tactics. That is why the Korybantes and Arkteia are so important. They symbolise that protective container within that nurtures the inner child and keeps it safe. And it gives one the spiritual fortitude to withstand the fear tactics. As the Koryos and Arkteia, including the Korybantes are beyond the fear of death. They are the children of Zeus, who overthrows the tyranny of Kronos. In that way Social Justice is a sacred duty. To protect the vulnerable within ourselves and to become like the Korybantes or Arkteia and protect that in others.
Protecting minorities and the vulnerable (symbolized as the inner child) is something sacred and divine. The Titans (forces of oppression) represent betrayal of the self and the rejection of humanity’s sacred essence. In contrast, advocates for justice are protectors of the sacred akin to priests, warriors, and celebrants in ancient rites like the Korybantes. It is about preserving the very essence of human dignity and spiritual wholeness. The Titans’ rejection of the inner child and vulnerability isn’t just an external societal issue; it’s rooted in unresolved personal trauma and disconnection from the self. We can not allow the Titans (those who betray their authentic self), dictate our own inner world, or that of others. Social Justice is about all humanity standing against forces that dehumanize and oppress.
We are warriors, artists, and healers. Fighting for justice requires creativity, celebration, and care not just logic or combativeness. It is through sharing art, to be creative and celebrate authenticity that we dismantle the scapegoat complex one work of art or writing at a time. We are warriors protecting the sacred, much like the Korybantes protecting the inner child. It is our sacred and moral duty to do so. As protecting and nurturing the inner child, is at the same time about creating a better future for all future generations. Where trauma and harm are not perpetuated. Where the reign of the Titans ends. The reign of the ghost mommy that sells themselves out, their own needs and authentic self.