Satan in the World Today

[StuartJ]

The Devil is an actual person rather than a concept, Pope Francis has claimed. Satan is smart and should not be argued with, the Pontiff told TV2000, a Catholic broadcasting network. "This is evil, it is not a diffuse concept, it's a person," he said.

(https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 10621.html)

And according to Pastor John: "The extent of Satan’s influence is global; it covers all nations".

(https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/ ... tive-today)

Could it be that Satan has entered the hearts of we Atheists ...?

Could it be the global influence of the smart, evil person known as Satan that drives us to battle the truth of the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ ...?

Are we to blame ... can we shift responsibility ...?

[Aetixintro]

[Replying to post 1 by StuartJ]

I have the impression that one lends the ear to Satan's voice and then "seduced" or "lured" to evil in whatever way.

Either way, evil removes the Bible from your lives one bit at a time, until it is entirely gone! Evil people have no Bible in their lives, thus The 10 Commandments must be primary rather than "howling Jesus" in that careless way.

Thus further, celebrating Jesus on the cross may be one way for evil to take place in your hearts! Jesus' pains on the cross are no good. Beware!

[marco]

Can you prove that Satan is only a fictional being? It would seem that the troubles of the world are caused by someone...The majority of humans seems to believe that these troubles comes from a non-physical force.

We might require the help of Satan to prove he's fictional. I wonder how one sets about proving a superstition is a fiction.

Going by "the majority" isn't going by reason and logic. There are 15 million people in Somalia and they would almost all agree that Muhammad is God's number one prophet. Does an accident of birth carry proof of anything?

[showme]

If Satan were a fraction as powerful as people claimed, we would all be in his power, period.
Fortunately, it's a fiction.

The "dragon"/Satan gave his authority to the beast (Revelation 13:4), and the "beast" in question is Caesar (Revelation 13:3-8). "Another beast" (Revelation 13:11) following Julius Caesar, and having the same authority given by the dragon, was the beast with two horns like a lamb, the Roman emperor Constantine, who instituted the Roman church, and he was to deceive those "who dwell on the earth" by means of his church and the two horns like a lamb, the Christ like leaders, Peter and Paul. Peter's heir, the pope, now holds the office of Pontifex Maximus, the same position that Julius Caesar usurped from the high priests of the pagan church. The devil's current duty is to gather all the kings of the world to Har-Magedon by way of his demon spirit. (Revelation 16:13-16). All those practicing sin, are sons of the devil (1 John 3:8), and under the power of the devil.

[showme]

Can you prove that Satan is only a fictional being? It would seem that the troubles of the world are caused by someone...The majority of humans seems to believe that these troubles comes from a non-physical force.

We might require the help of Satan to prove he's fictional. I wonder how one sets about proving a superstition is a fiction.

Going by "the majority" isn't going by reason and logic. There are 15 million people in Somalia and they would almost all agree that Muhammad is God's number one prophet. Does an accident of birth carry proof of anything?

Apparently the god of the people of Somalia left them high and dry, and they all would like to get out of town.

[marco]

The "dragon"/Satan gave his authority to the beast (Revelation 13:4), and the "beast" in question is Caesar (Revelation 13:3-8).

In what possible way would one describe the military leader, Caesar, as the "beast"? What nonsense! Pontifex is simply the word for a "bridge builder" or interpreter, then a prophet or priest. One of Caesar's positions was as chief priest of state, and so he was termed pontifex maximus. From the word pontifex you get pontiff, which is the Pope's title as priest. The Pope's position isn't the same as Caesar's.

Relating this, including poor Julius Caesar, to the rubbish in Revelation is worse than guessing from tea leaves. Why involve Caesar in the idiocies of Revelation? In any case it is usually Nero who incurs the rage of the colossi who interpret Revelation for us.

The devil's current duty is to gather all the kings of the world to Har-Magedon by way of his demon spirit.

So where do we find a list of "duties" given to the Devil - and by whom? We ridicule pagan superstitions; surely this is worse and more childish.

[JoeyKnothead]

From the OP:

Best I can tell, Satan is the excuse so many Christians use to explain how come it is they don't act like 'em like them one of 'em.

Satan is the ultimate get out of Christianity card.

It's the trump card to anyone who'd question, or act opposed to their goofistic claims of 'em them knowing they personally know 'em them the mind of a god they can't show exists, but boy howdy, he agrees with him everything it is they have to tell.

Satan is the scapegoat Jesus wishes he could be.

[marco]

Apparently the god of the people of Somalia left them high and dry, and they all would like to get out of town.

Yes it's a common fault with Abrahamic Gods - rather than Satan. During the Holocaust he let children suffer, heedless of prayers. Islam wiped out lots of Christian churches and established Muhammad as the chief executive. Things go on in the world today EXACTLY as they would were we under the control of chance. Hurricanes happen. So let's not suppose God's neglect is restricted to Somalia.

Incidentally when Somalis move, they pack Allah with them.

[showme]

[Replying to post 1 by StuartJ]

well, most likely the pope speaks in terms as in the three persons of God in catholic terminology so would he say in respect to Satan's existence in the catholic view.

but blame? na, no one is making you do anything, but be where you already are in respect to the God of Jesus Christ or Satan.

Au Contraire. The pope confessed to the media that when he stole the cross from his confessors dead body, that it was the evil/devil within him that did it.

[showme]

Apparently the god of the people of Somalia left them high and dry, and they all would like to get out of town.

Yes it's a common fault with Abrahamic Gods - rather than Satan. During the Holocaust he let children suffer, heedless of prayers. Islam wiped out lots of Christian churches and established Muhammad as the chief executive. Things go on in the world today EXACTLY as they would were we under the control of chance. Hurricanes happen. So let's not suppose God's neglect is restricted to Somalia.

Incidentally when Somalis move, they pack Allah with them.

You miss the point with respect to Judah/Jews and Ephraim/Israel. It is God who is bringing judgment down upon their heads (Hosea 5). It would be the house of Israel/Ephraim, which is scattered among the nations, and many are your lost sheep, known as "Christians". More judgment is to be rained upon them until they "acknowledge their guilt" and "return to the LORD". (Hosea 5:15-6:1) As for the Muslims, Edom, the clay of Daniel 2, they have more crushing in their future. (Daniel 2:35).

And when Somalis/Muslims move, they often bring death and destruction with them. Sweden and London have areas were the cops will not even venture.

[marco]

Au Contraire. The pope confessed to the media that when he stole the cross from his confessors dead body, that it was the evil/devil within him that did it.

There is surely enough wickedness in the world for us to condemn without demeaning the simple comments the Pope made about a priest he very much admired. He calls himself, in jest, "a robber."

" Immediately that robber that is in each of us came out and while I arranged the flowers, I picked up the cross of the rosary and with a little effort, I pulled it off. I looked at him and said, ‘Give me half of your mercy.'�

All that comes out of this is a picture of a nice, simple, sincere individual. It is wise to heed the old Anglo-Saxon maxim: " Honi soit qui mal y pense."