I remember a TV preacher once asking his broadcast audience, "If you were Satan....." I don't remember the rest of the question, but I seem to remember that he was talking about prophecy and arguing that Satan was up to some diabolical mischief ("If you were Satan, isn't that what you would do?").
A lot of detail in Christian scripture about what is to happen before Jesus returns is tied to the activity of "Satan". The appearance of the "antichrist", in particular, is supposed to be part of Satan's last gambit before he goes down to utter defeat.
Since it was asked of me how I would react if I were Satan, I think it's fair for me to answer. I know that "Satan" is supposed to be a being of superhuman intelligence, but I can't help thinking that if such a being actually existed and if I were that being, I could do a lot better.
If I were "Satan", I would scrap the antichrist plan. If it's all laid out in the Bible, then everyone knows what to expect and you've lost the element of surprise. With that one simple deviation from the prophetic scenario, the whole thing would be gummed up. No antichrist, no mark of the beast, no abomination of desolation, no anything I was supposed to do as Satan to set the stage for the return of Jesus. And without those prophetic components in place, Jesus couldn't return to fulfill prophecy. And how could anyone stop me? I wouldn't be taking some action which could be prevented; I would be defeating prophecy by not taking action.
So let me pass the preacher's question on to you. If you were "Satan", what would you do----or not do----to thwart prophecy?
If you were Satan....
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #41[Replying to William in post #40]
So the focus would then have to turn to the question;
Q: What are we informed about, as to why it would be necessary for Jesus to return?
The answers to that question would give indication that if the antagonist in the Christian mythology did not do what was expected [predicted] then the necessity for Jesus to return would not occur.
Prophecy = "a prediction of what will happen in the future."If I were "Satan", I would scrap the antichrist plan. If it's all laid out in the Bible, then everyone knows what to expect and you've lost the element of surprise. With that one simple deviation from the prophetic scenario, the whole thing would be gummed up. No antichrist, no mark of the beast, no abomination of desolation, no anything I was supposed to do as Satan to set the stage for the return of Jesus. And without those prophetic components in place, Jesus couldn't return to fulfill prophecy. And how could anyone stop me? I wouldn't be taking some action which could be prevented; I would be defeating prophecy by not taking action.
If my doing [whatever it was that the prediction said], would lead to the inevitable return of Jesus, then by not doing it, this would shift the paradigm to it not being necessary for Jesus to return.If you were "Satan", what would you do----or not do----to thwart prophecy?
So the focus would then have to turn to the question;
Q: What are we informed about, as to why it would be necessary for Jesus to return?
The answers to that question would give indication that if the antagonist in the Christian mythology did not do what was expected [predicted] then the necessity for Jesus to return would not occur.
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #42[Replying to William in post #41
If the return of Jesus becomes unnecessary, the prophecies of its necessity are nullified.
It would be necessary for Jesus to return in order to fulfill the prophecy of his return.What are we informed about, as to why it would be necessary for Jesus to return?
If the return of Jesus becomes unnecessary, the prophecies of its necessity are nullified.
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #43[Replying to Athetotheist in post #42]If my doing [whatever it was that the prediction said], would lead to the inevitable return of Jesus, then by not doing it, this would shift the paradigm to it not being necessary for Jesus to return.
So the focus would then have to turn to the question;
Q: What are we informed about, as to why it would be necessary for Jesus to return?
The answers to that question would give indication that if the antagonist in the Christian mythology did not do what was expected [predicted] then the necessity for Jesus to return would not occur.
I was asking the question relative to the world, rather than to one person's part in the prophecy.It would be necessary for Jesus to return in order to fulfill the prophecy of his return.
[What I said.]If the return of Jesus becomes unnecessary, the prophecies of its necessity are nullified.
If Jesus is never ordered to return, it would have to be because his presence in the affairs of humans is no longer required.
It would not matter if "once upon a time it was written". If it did matter, then how could Satan defy doing what the prophesy has it Satan will do?
viewtopic.php?p=1083062#p1083062
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #44If you don't know the myth by now, I am not going to be able to educate you in it.William wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:58 pm [Replying to Willum in post #18]
Support this statement.The angels rebelled.
I wish i could help, but either you don't know of the rebellion, or you are being argumentative.
Either way, I neither feel no obligation to make up for your education, or alternatively, if you are aware, there is certainly nothing I could say could change your position.
I will never understand how someone who claims to know the ultimate truth, of God, believes they deserve respect, when they cannot distinguish it from a fairy-tale.
You know, science and logic are hard: Religion and fairy tales might be more your speed.
To continue to argue for the Hebrew invention of God is actually an insult to the very concept of a God. - Divine Insight
You know, science and logic are hard: Religion and fairy tales might be more your speed.
To continue to argue for the Hebrew invention of God is actually an insult to the very concept of a God. - Divine Insight
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #45No one considers the possibility: What if Satan Double-thinks here ?Athetotheist wrote: ↑Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:12 am I remember a TV preacher once asking his broadcast audience, "If you were Satan....." I don't remember the rest of the question, but I seem to remember that he was talking about prophecy and arguing that Satan was up to some diabolical mischief ("If you were Satan, isn't that what you would do?").
A lot of detail in Christian scripture about what is to happen before Jesus returns is tied to the activity of "Satan". The appearance of the "antichrist", in particular, is supposed to be part of Satan's last gambit before he goes down to utter defeat.
Since it was asked of me how I would react if I were Satan, I think it's fair for me to answer. I know that "Satan" is supposed to be a being of superhuman intelligence, but I can't help thinking that if such a being actually existed and if I were that being, I could do a lot better.
If I were "Satan", I would scrap the antichrist plan. If it's all laid out in the Bible, then everyone knows what to expect and you've lost the element of surprise. With that one simple deviation from the prophetic scenario, the whole thing would be gummed up. No antichrist, no mark of the beast, no abomination of desolation, no anything I was supposed to do as Satan to set the stage for the return of Jesus. And without those prophetic components in place, Jesus couldn't return to fulfill prophecy. And how could anyone stop me? I wouldn't be taking some action which could be prevented; I would be defeating prophecy by not taking action.
So let me pass the preacher's question on to you. If you were "Satan", what would you do----or not do----to thwart prophecy?
In this way: " Humans know the Endtime Prophecys from the Bible. Surely they are so bright, not to think I am as dumb to do exactly as Prophecy prophecies. Therefore I will do exactly as the Bible prophecies, for that must be what they least expect! "
Of course Satan would give humanity too much credit here, still it sounds like a plan Satan could make.
Last edited by The Nice Centurion on Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:41 am, edited 2 times in total.
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For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #46It would be a nice Idea to have a sticky extra-thread where Moderator actions from the whole forum were allowed to be commented on.DrNoGods wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:32 pm [Replying to Willum in post #34]
Moderator CommentBut you really need to consider the value of your website, and how it is abused, and a PM to you won't accomplish that, will it?
PMs are the correct method (per the Rules) for discussing moderator actions, to avoid disrupting threads. So please use that avenue for disagreements or comments on moderator actions.
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Moderator comments do not count as a strike against any posters. They only serve as an acknowledgment that a post report has been received, but has not been judged to warrant a moderator warning against a particular poster. Any challenges or replies to moderator postings should be made via Private Message to avoid derailing topics..
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you drown a man in a fish pond, he will never have to go hungry again”
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #47[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #45
That isn't what a serious rebel would do.
That's the kind of plan "Satan" would make if he were absolutely doorknob-stupid. "Everybody's expecting me to take this simple course and nullify prophecy to be victorious, so I'll fool them all by playing my assigned role and going down to defeat just like the prophecies say. That'll show them all what a rebel I am!!"No one considers the possibility: What if Satan Double-thinks here ?
In this way: " Humans know the Endtime Prophecys from the Bible. Surely they are so bright, not to think I am as dumb to do exactly as Prophecy prophecies. Therefore I will do exactly as the Bible prophecies, for that must be what they least expect! "
Of course Satan would give humanity too much credit here, still it sounds like a plan Satan could make.
That isn't what a serious rebel would do.
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #48Hmm - I already in this thread hinted at the fact that Christians have taken the only way they have, out of this logical dilemma: They assume that Satan somehow thinks that somehow he can fullfill bible prohecy until before the outcome of armageddon and then put everyrhing around and win armageddon.Athetotheist wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:10 am [Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #45That's the kind of plan "Satan" would make if he were absolutely doorknob-stupid. "Everybody's expecting me to take this simple course and nullify prophecy to be victorious, so I'll fool them all by playing my assigned role and going down to defeat just like the prophecies say. That'll show them all what a rebel I am!!"No one considers the possibility: What if Satan Double-thinks here ?
In this way: " Humans know the Endtime Prophecys from the Bible. Surely they are so bright, not to think I am as dumb to do exactly as Prophecy prophecies. Therefore I will do exactly as the Bible prophecies, for that must be what they least expect! "
Of course Satan would give humanity too much credit here, still it sounds like a plan Satan could make.
That isn't what a serious rebel would do.
(Though, Christians cannot explain why he thinks that and in which way he thinks he can or will win.)
I know; With your question you wanted us to find out that the Bible Universe (BU) is too illogical to exist. But you cant sincerely make an OP and expect us to answer what you want.
Back to topic; In the BU prophecys have to be fullfilled or they are no real prophecys anymore.
No one ever had the chance to see what happens If endtime prophecys do not happen in the endtime.
No endtime ? A raging Jehovah running amok ?
See that your OP states a bigger problem than you intended it to be ?
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you drown a man in a fish pond, he will never have to go hungry again”
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #49[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #48
And I have already pointed out that Rev. 12:12 leaves no room for that.I already in this thread hinted at the fact that Christians have taken the only way they have, out of this logical dilemma: They assume that Satan somehow thinks that somehow he can fullfill bible prohecy until before the outcome of armageddon and then put everyrhing around and win armageddon.
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Re: If you were Satan....
Post #50Athetotheist wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:32 am [Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #48And I have already pointed out that Rev. 12:12 leaves no room for that.I already in this thread hinted at the fact that Christians have taken the only way they have, out of this logical dilemma: They assume that Satan somehow thinks that somehow he can fullfill bible prohecy until before the outcome of armageddon and then put everyrhing around and win armageddon.
Oh, Okay! I see this gets deeper and deeper into exegesis!He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
What do you think, at what point does Satan know that he will lose?
I mean: If he knows it from the start he might say to himself: "In this case why should I not be a nice little devil, and also play along with prohecy ?"
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you drown a man in a fish pond, he will never have to go hungry again”
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"
"Only Experts in Reformed Egyptian should be allowed to critique the Book of Mormon"
"Joseph Smith can't possibly have been a deceiver.
For if he had been, the Angel Moroni never would have taken the risk of enthrusting him with the Golden Plates"