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 Athetotheist in post #207]
What about the PASSWORD you need if you want to buy/pay something online ?

Does everyone in the world shop online?

Absolutely not, and I expected that argument.
But -
1) Does everyone in the bible really mean every single being? If you say: "Every bankrobber goes to prison!", I suppose you would not mean it literally.
So isnt it reasonable that the prophecy too, doesnt really mean that really every single person does that.

2) There are already plans to off real money and let everyone shop with cards. That would not always be online shopping, but online paying - with PASSWORD.

3) People tend to store that SIGN/PASSWORD in their HEAD and most people tip it in with their RIGHT HAND.

[The Nice Centurion]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #206

You do everything to avoid a direct comment on my answer. So much, that you prefer to give a counter question instead.

I asked a counter question and commented on your answer.

You implied you would still prefer an inactive thwarting Satan, but you did not say why my way would be bad. That is hardly a real comment.

And on my new answer here: Satan could time travel, if he is able to, and hinder the prophecys to be made.
So prophecy would be also thwarted in a way.

You want to go with that, fine. But even if "Satan" could time travel, he might potentially be prevented from time traveling, whereas he couldn't be prevented from choosing not to do something.

I dont want to go with that. I tell you possobilitys.!
Your arguments against it are possibilitys too.

And if Satan can be prevented from time travel, can he not also be prevented from thwarting prophecy if he does not time travel?

To answer your question one must suppose: 1) That the prophecy has to be read like the writers of Left Behind read it.

2) That Satan is able to thwart prophecy. Every believer would cry: IMPOSSIBLE.

3) That Satan WANTS to thwart prophecy.

Thats only the worst problems. And we have to assume that he also wants to win a big military battle against Jesus.

THIS IS WHAT YOU DO NOT ACCEPT.
But it is really presumable.
No fight, no win. - And THIS YOU DO NOT ACCEPT EITHER.

HERE WE SHOULD BOTH ACCEPT A REASONABLE THEORY ABOUT WHAT SATANS PLANS ARE FOR AFTER HE WINS AGAINST JESUS.

IF WE DO NOT KNOW HIS GOAL, HOW AM I TO ANSWER IN WHAT WAY HE GOES FOR IT?

You say he should just do nothing - BUT THATS JUST AN OPINIO WITH MANY MANY FAULTS. WHY DO YOU ASK IF YOU ACCEPT ONLY YOUR OWN ANSWER?

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #212

And if Satan can be prevented from time travel, can he not also be prevented from thwarting prophecy if he does not time travel?

How? By being prevented from not doing something?

That Satan is able to thwart prophecy. Every believer would cry: IMPOSSIBLE.

Again, it doesn't matter what every believer----or any believer----would say.

Does everyone in the bible really mean every single being?

We're not talking about everyone in the Bible here:

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life...." (Revelation 13:8)

IF WE DO NOT KNOW HIS GOAL, HOW AM I TO ANSWER IN WHAT WAY HE GOES FOR IT?

If----as Christian theology says----he intends to "raise (his) throne above the stars of God", then we do know his goal, don't we?

People tend to store that SIGN/PASSWORD in their HEAD and most people tip it in with their RIGHT HAND.

If Christians use passwords, are they using the mark of the beast?

[William]

[Replying to William in post #202

what can we realistically point to in regards to the mark of the beast, which connects real events with the biblical description?

Thus far, nothing. There's no single, universal thing anyone must have in order to buy or sell.
___________________

What about a personal signature?

Does anyone have to wear their personal signature as a mark in their right hand or on their forehead?

Not literally. Do you think that should be taken literally?

Is everyone's personal signature the name of the beast or the number of the beast's name?

What does that mean to you? Do you interpret that literally?

Does anyone use a personal signature when they pay cash to buy produce at a farmer's market?

My point was that without a signature, one cannot access cash or use cash or any other form of payment in any marketplace.

The signature is really a modern form of placing ones mark on documentation which allows one to be a part of the local and world market-systems, allowing you to partake...

[The Nice Centurion]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #212

And if Satan can be prevented from time travel, can he not also be prevented from thwarting prophecy if he does not time travel?

How? By being prevented from not doing something?

Perhaps. If Jesus finds a way to FORCE HIS (SATANS) HAND.

That Satan is able to thwart prophecy. Every believer would cry: IMPOSSIBLE.

Again, it doesn't matter what every believer----or any believer----would say.

Believers keep belief in Satan and christian mythology alive. Without believers you would not know of mighty Satan, and we couldnt debate about him!
And how then would you spend your time?

Does everyone in the bible really mean every single being?

We're not talking about everyone in the Bible here:
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life...." (Revelation 13:8)

Forget a comma.there.
I meant: Does "everyone" in the bible,
really mean: every single being?

IF WE DO NOT KNOW HIS GOAL, HOW AM I TO ANSWER IN WHAT WAY HE GOES FOR IT?

If----as Christian theology says----he intends to "raise (his) throne above the stars of God", then we do know his goal, don't we?

I call Metapher! We need to know his plans more detailed!

And . . . you care not what believers think, but very much about what theology says? How odd!
Believers create theology!

People tend to store that SIGN/PASSWORD in their HEAD and most people tip it in with their RIGHT HAND.

If Christians use passwords, are they using the mark of the beast?

Could be. Is it that unreasonable as suspicion?

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to William in post #202

what can we realistically point to in regards to the mark of the beast, which connects real events with the biblical description?

Thus far, nothing. There's no single, universal thing anyone must have in order to buy or sell.
___________________

What about a personal signature?

Does anyone have to wear their personal signature as a mark in their right hand or on their forehead?

Not literally. Do you think that should be taken literally?

Is everyone's personal signature the name of the beast or the number of the beast's name?

What does that mean to you? Do you interpret that literally?

Does anyone use a personal signature when they pay cash to buy produce at a farmer's market?

My point was that without a signature, one cannot access cash or use cash or any other form of payment in any marketplace.

The signature is really a modern form of placing ones mark on documentation which allows one to be a part of the local and world market-systems, allowing you to partake...

If anything and everything can be interpreted that loosely as prophetic fulfillment, then prophecy is meaningless.

[The Nice Centurion]

If anything and everything can be interpreted that loosely as prophetic fulfillment, then prophecy is meaningless.

Erich von Daeniken proved in his early books that ancient people of course didnt have the words for many modern things.
For sure bible writers did not have PASSWORDS and would have called it Signature.

Further everyone knows how loosely scripture is possible to be interpreted but that makes it not meaningles, for your fiery pal wouldnt want to thwart something meaningless, I am sure!

[The Nice Centurion]

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?

Heres how you could have written your question to make sense and get constructive answers from more people and even from believers:

'Lets assume for the sake of argument that Satan, for some reason, is able and is also willing to thwart endtime prophecy!
If you were "Satan", what would you do----or not do----to thwart prophecy?,

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to The Nice Centurion in post #215

If Jesus finds a way to FORCE HIS (SATANS) HAND.

What way?

And if anyone has to "force" his hand, then he isn't acting on his own will and isn't responsible for what he does.

you care not what believers think, but very much about what theology says? How odd!
Believers create theology!

Believers don't just pull theology out of the air. They base it on religious text.

If Christians use passwords, are they using the mark of the beast?

Could be. Is it that unreasonable as suspicion?

Then who would Jesus rescue? If those who worship the beast take his mark as an act of worship, do Christians use passwords as an act of worshipping the beast?

Any Christians reading here care to comment on that?

[Athetotheist]

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?

Heres how you could have written your question to make sense and get constructive answers from more people and even from believers:

'Lets assume for the sake of argument that Satan, for some reason, is able and is also willing to thwart endtime prophecy!
If you were "Satan", what would you do----or not do----to thwart prophecy?,

I didn't have to frame my question that way, because I pointed out why he would and laid out how he could.