Bruce S Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 (edited) Interesting, I'm TOTALLY sure of the real, physical existance of Satan, but a new poll, by the respected Barna group seems to indicate that most Americans don't agree.... [quote]Six out of ten adults also contend that Satan does not exist but is merely a “symbol of evil.” Only one-quarter of all adults (24%) strongly reject the idea that the Devil is only symbolic.[/quote] [url="http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=160&Reference=A"]Link to entire poll[/url] So, other posters, let's dicuss Satan for a little while. Edited March 23, 2004 by Bruce S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulls Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 i used to be friends with him, but it turns out he didn't even like me and lied to me the whole time. now i have a new friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thicke Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 [quote name='mulls' date='Mar 23 2004, 07:30 AM'] i used to be friends with him, but it turns out he didn't even like me and lied to me the whole time. now i have a new friend. [/quote] That's cool...well put. I am totally there with you. But lately he's been nagging me to come hang out with him again. I wish he would just leave me alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XIX Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 The greatest trick Satan ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.SIGGA Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 These stats are no surprise because 2 Timothy 4 says it all would be this way sooner or later: [quote]3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, 2 will accumulate teachers 4 and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. [/quote] and Jude tells us how to deal with it: [quote]18 "In (the) last time there will be scoffers who will live according to their own godless desires." 19 These are the ones who cause divisions; they live on the natural plane, devoid of the Spirit. [b]20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 On those who waver, have mercy; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh. [/b][/quote] The other stats which are all pretty sad, like good intentions being a ticket to heaven, Jesus committing sins , and an unbelievable 55% of people who feel NO call to evangelize are all related to the no Satan stat. I don't know if this is the result of a false teaching or if Americans are just too lazy to believe that Satan is real, which would entitle them to live their Christianity, which is something our society rejects. I think a lot of Americans are going to be in for a rude awakening when they die, and thanks for this post because it has given me even more incentive to preach to my friends this afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermit Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 I agree totally XIX... I heard it said the other day, if God says, I am the Great I Am satan would respond I am the great am not If satan can convince us he does'nt exist, he has won the battle...No satan, no evil, no evil, no sin, no sin, no need for Gods mercy and the deception is complete... God Bless.............hermit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermit Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 [quote name='M.SIGGA' date='Mar 23 2004, 10:10 AM'] I don't know if this is the result of a false teaching or if Americans are just too lazy to believe that Satan is real, which would entitle them to live their Christianity, which is something our society rejects. I think a lot of Americans are going to be in for a rude awakening when they die, and thanks for this post because it has given me even more incentive to preach to my friends this afternoon. [/quote] One of my favorite ones that I hear so often today when people pray, Is they pray to the powers that be... I read once somewhere that God gave satan power over the earth for 1000yrs to try and destroy the Church, it may have been in the diary of St. Faustina, but I think of that every time I here that term the powers that be... I think we live in a feel good society that does'nt want to acknowledge the existance of satan and evil, and I agree this needs to be taught more... God Bless...........hermit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lounge Daddy Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 [font="Courier"]So what do you say to those who do not believe in Satan, or more often – do not believe in hell, because how could a loving God… blah blah I am sure you all have heard this line reason – how do you respond to those who do not believe in evil? I do know that this is the biggest lie - that there is no hell... [/font] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce S Posted March 23, 2004 Author Share Posted March 23, 2004 There HAS to be a Hell. I think [ and this is the Protestant coming out in me ] PURGATORY is HERE, the present, especially the terrible, horrid, overwhelming time I've live through these past two years. Fire and cleansing, while alive. Hell is where those who REJECT the purgatorial cleansings of life and remain in opposition to God and His will go, they CHOOSE it, they make a conciensious decison to ally with evil, embrace sin, and disregard the warnings .... If there is no hell, there cannot be a heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 Actually, Bruce, you're correct, in a sense, that purgatory is the here and now. However, for whatever purgatorial sufferings we reject or don't get the chance to undergo in this life, then if we die in God's friendship, we have to undergo them for a time after death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermit Posted March 23, 2004 Share Posted March 23, 2004 [quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Mar 23 2004, 10:41 AM'] [font="Courier"]So what do you say to those who do not believe in Satan, or more often – do not believe in hell, because how could a loving God… blah blah I am sure you all have heard this line reason – how do you respond to those who do not believe in evil? I do know that this is the biggest lie - that there is no hell... [/font] [/quote] I would love to hear somebody answer this question, as I have a friend that believes exactly along these lines.. The best answer that I have been able to give him is, that God does not create the evil that enters our lives, we do this ourselves thru our own free will, the choice God gives us to do Good or Evil.... God does not condemn us to hell we condemn ourselves.... His responce will be. well what about the bad things that happen to us that we have no control over..... My responce would be, These are sufferings that we unite with Christs suffering on the cross, either for our own sins or those in purgatory.... And as you can see this argument is going to be turned back around and go on...and on........and on God Bless..............hermit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lounge Daddy Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 (edited) [font="Courier"] I want to be clear on one thing, y'all: Did God create hell? Feel free to elaborate. Heeeeey, Hermit[/font] I have a similar friend She has the opinion “how can a kind and loving God send people to spend eternity… etc?” I have told my friend the same thing also - we have a choice. She used an example “would you as a loving parent, no matter what they did wrong, punish them so severely? Wouldn’t a perfect God not allow His children to burn etc etc” I tell her, as a good and loving parent I explain right and wrong to my children and explain the consequences of bad decisions. I cannot continue making these decisions FOR my children – but I can warn them that they may find themselves in a very bad situation of their own making through choices that they freely made. Also she plans to see The Passion next time she goes to see a movie, and I plan to use the conversation that follows to ask her what, exactly, Jesus suffered and died to save us from… hehe Edited March 24, 2004 by Lounge Daddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennC Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Hi Bruce Rather well put. Peace of Christ, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCrusader Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Bruce S, The Church has condemned the idea that the Earth is a time of Purgatory. It seems you are a in a group of non-Catholics, but just so you know that the Church rejects this claim. God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 [color=purple][b]I honestly don't believe thief’s a Satan, or a "devil" or anything of that nature. I don't believe that we need to create an icon to blame our faults on. It's in human nature to be deceiving and what not. Anything bad that we do is human nature. It's just an ability of more reserved people to balance that side and only show the good. I find no reason to blame fault, or evil on some intangible being. It's like he exists so a good Christian man (or woman) can point a finger and say "The devil made me do it." I also don't believe in a second hell. Earth, this existence is hell, and if you want to get to heaven, you'd sure as hell better behave, or you'll end up here again. Why relinquish all the pain and suffering of different kinds we experience on this earth and send us to one specific kind in hell. It's a favor, not a punishment. I believe you live, you die, and you live again if you didn't do it right. Just my two bits. Not asking anyone to agree.[/b][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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