If you were Satan....

[Athetotheist]

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?

[The Nice Centurion]

[Replying to Hawkins in post #120]
The bible teaches that the earth is flat, but Satans mental health is not even in question!

Not even in the endtime prophecys which describe what Satan is about to do in our future.

Would a book that so accurately describes the shape of the earth not even give a hint about its archvillain having mental issues.

[Athetotheist]

I think I mentioned earlier that, if "Satan" were insane, he couldn't rightly be held responsible for his actions.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him, it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

[The Nice Centurion]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him,

It might not be biblical and only a theory that Satan even wants praise!
I mentioned before that it is unsure to say what his endgame aims at.

it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

But not impervious to action!

No matter, mormon doctrine teaches that Christ traveled sitting on a cloud to Zarahemla, Panama right after his crucifixion presumably.

But right after his crucyfixion he was dead for 3 days more or less.

So what better chance for a disguised Satan to visit the Nephites and do the least expected thing. Satan establishing a Church for Christ is so unique that it should have been a prophecy.
Since no one in the Holy Trinity thougt of such a possibility, not one of them cared to make even a vague prophecy for such a case!

Voila - Satan has proven prophecy unreliable by boldly doing the least thing expected from him!

As for counteraction; interminally dead half-gods seldom do that. They tend to have their hands full in Hades.

[William]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him, it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

Would the inaction of this Satan character [re whatever prophesies are designated to him] mean he would have to forfeit praise?

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him, it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

Would the inaction of this Satan character [re whatever prophesies are designated to him] mean he would have to forfeit praise?

It would say more for him than it would say against him.

[William]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him, it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

Would the inaction of this Satan character [re whatever prophesies are designated to him] mean he would have to forfeit praise?

It would say more for him than it would say against him.

So forfeiting praise would amount to gaining praise?

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #124

So what better chance for a disguised Satan to visit the Nephites and do the least expected thing.

This presumes, against archaeological evidence, the existence of Nephites.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #115

So what if Satan instead of sending antichrist made a church for Christ on earth?

Even if "Satan" were to do such, which he presumably wouldn't since it wouldn't bring praise to him, it would require taking action which could be prevented with counteraction. Inaction on "Satan's" part would be impervious to counteraction.

Would the inaction of this Satan character [re whatever prophesies are designated to him] mean he would have to forfeit praise?

It would say more for him than it would say against him.

So forfeiting praise would amount to gaining praise?

If "Satan" were the god of this world, anything not said against him would be said for him.

[William]

[Replying to Athetotheist in post #129]

I tend to follow through re the mythology - Christianity evolved the mythological character of Satan - very loosely based upon the Judaic mythology. Satan re Christian mythology is an indispensable antagonist - without which - Christianity could not have become what it currently is.

I have no horse in that race.