Spiritual Blindness

[Ekklesian]

But he is also a master at exploiting the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. It's how he corrupted Adam and Eve.

 

[Ekklesian]

If you want more on 'how?', might I recommend The Screwtape Letters? It has been called by those with insight, 'the psychology of temptation,'...for these modern days, anyway.

 

[ALAYMAN]

How? Exacly how, does Satan blind the minds of them which believe not - through influence? is that what you are saying?

Yes, the influence of lies, lies that appeal to the sinful nature of the flesh (nature) of man. Just like a fisherman uses bait to lure his catch, the father of lies uses propaganda to entice those who are prone to give in to his lie(s). I remember reading an account in a book regarding the drug cartels who are now known to be largely responsible for the influx of the pills that are killing our country (opioids). As drug treatment/counseling facilities began popping up around the areas affected by opioid abuse the cartels actually targeted those locales with dealers, so that when the struggling addict came out of the session to cure them of their enslavement the dealer was right there preying on their vulnerabilities (in effort to keep their "business" in tact). The ideas that persist since that first lie in the garden ("your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods") are still very much used actively to ensnare humanity.

What does Mr Henry mean when he says that "he darkens the understandings of men and increases their prejudices and supports his interest by keeping them in the dark, blinding their minds with ignorance . . "

Is he saying that Satan doesn't actively do that but that, that is the result of what happens when his slaves, the multitudes of the world, pay hommage to him?

What y'all are saying (I think) is that it isn't necessary for the devil to be in multiple places at the same time to blind the minds of people the world over BECAUSE the lies that he has told in the past

Yes, this.

But that doesn't mean that he isn't still active in space and time.

and the great love that the multidudes have for him, will cause them not to believe - on their own; that he blinds them through influence not through personal action.

Is that right?
.

No, I'm not saying that people "love Satan" (at least not all people), but rather that they sometimes are willing participants (even in ignorance) to Satan's "worldly" plan.

 

[abcaines]

If you want more on 'how?', might I recommend The Screwtape Letters? It has been called by those with insight, 'the psychology of temptation,'...for these modern days, anyway.

The Screwtape Letters is an excellent treatise on human nature. Throughout the book, "wise" old Uncle Screwtape is counseling his young nephew, Wormwood, on how to use the human psyche to distract people, particularly believers from focusing on God.

(Spoiler alert... Wormwood ends up failing.)

The most "satanic" activity there is is human nature. All the pentagrams, rituals etc... don't matter to him. What matters is that we take our eyes off God. If it's done in a church or a witches coven, it doesn't matter. Our focus needs to be off of God and we must establish ourselves as sovereign. That is the essence of satanism.

 

[AverageJoe]

.
In this passage, was the apostle Paul intimating that Satan is omnipresent like Jehovah is, so that he could blind mutliple people at the same time

OR

was the apositle Paul saying that there are only a few non beleivers so few that Satan would be able to get to them all - one at a time?

.

Say what? Satan is in NO WAY omnipresent. He does however have millions of fallen angels and demons at his disposal to use as he sees fit. And, there are millions, if not billions of people who are following his leading.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Say what? Satan is in NO WAY omnipresent. He does however have millions of fallen angels and demons at his disposal to use as he sees fit. And, there are millions, if not billions of people who are following his leading.

Grace to You “Ephesians 6 says, Listen, when you realize the reality of the Christian life, you will realize that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness” – where? – “in the heavenlies.” Demons are really ruling this domain around us. From Babel on, Satan has run the nations of the world by his demon hosts, and God has allowed it, and God has kept control of it by the Holy Spirit who is the restrainer, but never the less, Satan is active."--John Macarthur

 

[aleshanee]

in his 1864 fictional tale “le joueur généreux” - (“the generous gambler”) - charles baudelairea... wrote - -

"my dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment praised, that the most compelling of the devil's tricks is to persuade you that he does not exist"....

that;s a translation into english.... what he actually wrote was in french... . but my point is that this phenomenon is still going on strong today... and in my view is evident to a point in this very thread..... .. most people in the world talk as if they understand evil... and even appear to be trying to avoid it..... .. but they don;t actually believe the person responsible for evil exists..... .they have been conditioned to believe there is no such person...or that the church simply made him up as a bogey man to scare children.... .. and second to that is being convinced that even if he is real he plays no part in the evil that goes on around them.... .


but in 1st peter 5 scripture says - "be sober ...be vigilant... for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about... seeing whom he may devour.... " .... and when asked by God where he had been in the book of job.. the devil said - "from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it..."... .his influence is out there and in peoples lives even if they never have an actual encounter with him.... without Christ none of us will ever see it.. and we would have no defenses against it...

 

[subllibrm]

Oh, the devil exists. No doubt about that.

 

[Gringo]

.
Spiritual Blindness.

On the one hand, I suspect pretty much the same idea that the ancient Greeks had; that the Incas had; that the Sumerians had; that the Hindus have; that the Muslims have; that the Christians have; that the Jews have; that the Mormons have:

That there is a designer

On the other hand I don't think we can know the specifics.

Perhaps the Muslims would say that I am spiritually blind because I don't believe in Allah and his Koran. Perhaps the Hindus would say that I am spiritually blind because I don't see the sacredness of cows or believe in 1,000 different gods. Perhaps the Mormons would say that I am spiritually blind because I don't accept the book of Mormon as "another gospel" and because I don't believe gold plates were buried in the New York countryside or that Jesus visited over here between his crucifixtion and accension.

And you'll say that I am spiritually blind because I don't believe in an all powerful god who "so loved" us that he created an evil being and a place for him (hell) but instead, unleashed him on the earth with his millions of helpers to go to and fro, seeking whom he may devour and to blind us and cause us not to believe and then, for us to be put in the place created for him because we don't believe - even though God isn't willing that any should perish and can do anything he so wills.

No. I don't believe that.

To any one religion, indeed, I am "spiritually blind". But I do suspect that we and the universe were and was designed (wonderfully so) and apart from that, I will not be adamant on spiritual ideas (as to the future and what will happen) whether they come from the Koran, the Bible, the Book of Morman or Viveka Cudamani of Sri Sankaracarya or any other "sacred" source.
.

 

[Ekklesian]

But I do suspect that we and the universe were and was designed

Why is that?

 

[ALAYMAN]

To any one religion, indeed, I am "spiritually blind". But I do suspect that we and the universe were and was designed (wonderfully so) and apart from that, I will not be adamant on spiritual ideas (as to the future and what will happen) whether they come from the Koran, the Bible, the Book of Morman or Viveka Cudamani of Sri Sankaracarya or any other "sacred" source.
.

It's America, and we're a bunch of Baptists (mostly) here, so it's a good thing to express your true belief Gringo. I wouldn't try to convince any man/woman against their will. I am a strong believer in individual soul liberty. That being said, Jesus wasn't as syncretistic and didn't leave such options...


He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

 

[Gringo]

Why is that?

.
I could go into a far more detailed and longer response but to get right to the point:

My elbows
My knees
My fingers

Yesterday, I was in the bathroom getting ready and I dropped something.

I BENT down and picked it up with ease . . .

I see a design there. My atheist friend once explained to me that it's like putting a golf ball on the green. It just lands where it does by chance and our bodies evolved by the same chance.

I don't agree with her.

 

[coverbd]

.
I could go into a far more detailed and longer response but to get right to the point:

My elbows
My knees
My fingers

Yesterday, I was in the bathroom getting ready and I dropped something.

I BENT down and picked it up with ease . . .

I see a design there. My atheist friend once explained to me that it's like putting a golf ball on the green. It just lands where it does by chance and our bodies evolved by the same chance.

I don't agree with her.

I don't either. From an engineering perspective you see "design intent"
by the Master Designer of the universe all through creation.