The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believing that their salvation is assured by simply professing belief and/or performing certain rituals. That righteousness is not required.
3) Deceive people into believing that they are righteous by virtue of having professed certain beliefs even if their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
it may be helpful if you would define 'the will of God'.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
Why are there 80 000 thousand sutras? Because there are 80 000 follies.
Satan will probably employ lots of different techniques..
Originally posted by robbie carrobie it may be helpful if you would define 'the will of God'.
Doesn't have to be any single conception of what that may be. What's relevant is devising strategies to keep people from following it whatever it may be.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?
1) is standard Christian belief, except for the "fault" part. Somehow Christians think that even though "sin" is unavoidable, it's still somehow your fault for choosing to sin - even though you cannot choose not to sin.
Ah, I see. You're intentionally making Christianity seem to come from Satan. At least that's how it seems.
Originally posted by AThousandYoung 1) is standard Christian belief, except for the "fault" part. Somehow Christians think that even though "sin" is unavoidable, it's still somehow your fault for choosing to sin - even though you cannot choose not to sin.
Ah, I see. You're intentionally making Christianity seem to come from Satan. At least that's how it seems.
I wouldn't put it that way. It's more that it's interesting how some of the teachings of Christianity are in line with strategies that Satan might employ to keep people from righteousness. It's also interesting to note that none of the teachings that I cited were advocated by Jesus and most go against what Jesus taught.
Noticed that you pointed out how incoherent #1 is. This is true of many of the beliefs of Christians.
Originally posted by ThinkOfOne The thread on Satan got me thinking about strategies Satan might employ in order to keep people from righteousness, i.e., following the will of God.
1) Deceive people into believing that it is futile to ever become righteous. That deviations from righteousness cannot be helped and are not the fault of the individual.
2) Deceive people into believin ...[text shortened]... their actions are decidedly unrighteous.
What strategies might you employ if you were Satan?