What is Satan and how does he influence my life?

Faithfulservant said:
So.. What if you're wrong and what we are saying is true? that there is a heaven and hell and there is a God who loves you and an enemy that hates you.
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I've always thought that "playing it safe" was the worst reason to believe in God.

If I'm wrong, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Faithfulservant said:
So dont leave... Stick around and learn some more.. ask any question you want.
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I'll still be around.

But I will be more judicious in choosing what I talk about in the future.
 
Well, as you said you had a desire to bash christians over their supersitious beliefs?

And then you got like what *thinks* karma and reincarnation and yadde yadde yah and it just seems funny, that we like to bash "superstitious beliefs" yet buy into a load of others.... *shrugs* it tickled
 
Alex P said:
Well, as you said you had a desire to bash christians over their supersitious beliefs?

And then you got like what *thinks* karma and reincarnation and yadde yadde yah and it just seems funny, that we like to bash "superstitious beliefs" yet buy into a load of others.... *shrugs* it tickled
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It tickles me that you think cause and effect (karma) is superstitious.

As for reincarnation, I've stated more than once in this forum that I have no idea what will happen when I die. But I am happy to restate my thoughts here for you.

Are there any other superstitious beliefs that I've bought into? I only ask because it sounds as if you assume to know what my beliefs are.
 
citizenzen said:
Are there any other superstitious beliefs that I've bought into? I only ask because it sounds as if you assume to know what my beliefs are.
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Alex_P is a wild guy. You don't have to take him seriously. He's just playing with you.:)
 
citizenzen said:
I've always thought that "playing it safe" was the worst reason to believe in God.

If I'm wrong, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
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well considering you just have to believe 3 things.

1 acknowledge you are a sinner

2 declare Him savior because Jesus died for your sins

3 ask Jesus into your heart to be Lord over your life.


Do these things and He does the rest. Thats all.

The thing about crossing bridge when you get to it, though..

If you dont want to serve Him in this life why would you want to serve Him after it? and seriously.. not to be a downer..but this is the period of grace and it does end and then all believers will be martyrs till His return. So you either live for Him now or you die for Him later. So its really not something you want to put off till you "cross that bridge" That bridge is a nasty one.

I have good intentions because I serve God and God told me to tell everyone the gospel message and I feel God really pressing on me like you need it. Ive learned to trust these instincts and I obey Him.

so to recap. God Loves You and that means something more than it just sounds because God IS Love.

:)
 
citizenzen said:
I've always thought that "playing it safe" was the worst reason to believe in God.
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I believe in God, and I still agree with this statement. I find the argument of "hedging one's bets" to be a degradation of faith.

It's treating God and faith like an insurance policy. It is disingenuous because it uses God for one's own benefit instead of giving oneself up for God out of sincere love for Him.

I worship God because I believe God deserves my worship by virtue of being God. I do not worship God because I'm after some reward or avoiding some punishment.

I don't know what happens in the afterlife and as much as we can believe anything we want, there is no way to prove any of it materially. I don't see why it should matter. Whether I reincarnate, or I go to heaven, or I simply cease to exist is irrelevant in terms of why I should and do worship God, because worship is not for self-centered reasons.

Serving God and others because we hope to gain something from it is just capitalism turned into religion. We invest now in hopes we get more later. To be bluntly honest, I think it cheapens faith and God.
 
Path

Just pointing this out from another thread you posted on . I think He was wanting answers from the

conventional/traditional/conservative/fundamentalist Christian

so he could make fun and probably because this is the "Christian" section..

I have to apologize you're long winded and I dont usually make it through your posts before I have to stop. They usually upset me in one fashion or another then I will start responding and run out of time.. There are a few posters like this so dont worry you arent the only one.. lol I have very short periods of time that I can get on here. Thats probably why you dont get very many responses from me.

See... I have to go :( blah
 
It is OK, FS. We all have our constraints, and as this is grounds for elaboration of many of my ideas that I hope to one day consolidate into something more stream-lined, and because writing is part of my profession, I don't try to be brief.

I hope that you know my intent is never to upset anyone, but I do not balk at stating my own experience and understanding of the truth as I know it.

I realize that Citizenzen may have posted in order to do this, but I do not think this means there is no chance for productive dialogue. Someone may chide about this or that belief, but it still provides an opportunity for reflection, dialogue within the Christian community, and growth for all of us as we learn from each other.

This is why I respond. Even if someone means to mock, I can still learn from them in some way. The choice is mine what to do with what I'm given.
 
Faithfulservant said:
There are a few posters like this so dont worry you arent the only one..
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I hope I'm not one of them.:)

I am fairly devoted to the tradition of Christianity and consider myself to be a keeper of the traditions of Christianity, but not in the same way as the fundamentalists. I believe that fundamentalists can indeed have genuine faith, but I don't agree with their representation of Christianity to outsiders as well as internally/domestically within their communities.

I have the cynical belief that many fundamentalists are intrinsically and subconsciously (but unintentionally) more concerned about socio-political alignment than real faith. Their language, words and vernacular are those of the common Christian, but their heart is in socio-political alignment.

You may have found that I have become more secular in my mindset but I would disagree that secular = "less faithful.":) Secularism is the clothing I wear, in much the same way that the notion of a "saviour," redemption, etc. dominate the words, language, expression and vernacular of a fundamentalist Christian. The fundamentalist Christian likes to chant slogans but can he express his faith without slogans? Can he truly speak from his heart without words like "saviour" and "redemption?" Can a fundamentalist Christian stop speaking religionese?

I don't want a guy who will just chant slogans at me day after day. I want someone who can speak and sing from the heart. I don't want to see religionese (not too much anyway).

I may appear to be more and more of an outsider but I still consider myself to be an insider. In becoming more secular I may have appeared more like them (the secular minded) and less like you, but I think I understand the outsiders better because I have made my thinking more compatible with them. It has also helped me to understand Jesus in a whole new way.

How can outsiders learn about Christianity if you don't understand their reality? That's my interest and concern.
 
path_of_one said:
I realize that Citizenzen may have posted in order to do this, but I do not think this means there is no chance for productive dialogue. Someone may chide about this or that belief, but it still provides an opportunity for reflection, dialogue within the Christian community, and growth for all of us as we learn from each other.

This is why I respond. Even if someone means to mock, I can still learn from them in some way. The choice is mine what to do with what I'm given.
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Citizenzen has been civil and respectful. His comments may be sarcastic and satirical, but if so, they should be left at that.

The New Testament is literature. What people post here is also literature. I treat both as an opportunity to understand myself, my life and God.

Every conversation is an opportunity to learn something. Every conversation has educational value. It may be that it is not us, but citizenzen who is here to teach and show the way (not explicitly, however -- I mean implicitly and intrinsically).:)

Let us not forget that we a human and we are people. citizenzen and his words are not objects. They have a soul. We are interacting with a living soul.
 
Faithfulservant said:
I think He was wanting answers from the conventional/traditional/conservative/fundamentalist Christian so he could make fun and probably because this is the "Christian" section..
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Wow. I'm here just to make fun of Christians?

FYI... I'm here to gain a better understanding of the human mind.

I've stated many times in this forum that there are many paths to enlightenment and have never implied that Christianity was not one of them.

I've tried to bring together the many faiths here by arguing that the divine force we call God, Allah, Prajna Paramita is the same force seen through different cultural lenses.

I have not spent my time maliciously poking Christians just to watch them squirm. If that's all you've gotten out of my posts, then I suggest that says more about you than it does me.
 
Faithfulservant said:
I dont usually make it through your posts before I have to stop. They usually upset me in one fashion or another then I will start responding and run out of time.. There are a few posters like this so dont worry you arent the only one.. lol
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Namaste FS,

While we are often at odds, I really appreciate your viewpoint and reminders. You assist in my growth and understanding. In my belief everyone is exactly where they need to be, and I can see you are truly in your element.
citizenzen said:
I've stated many times in this forum that there are many paths to enlightenment and have never implied that Christianity was not one of them.

I've tried to bring together the many faiths here by arguing that the divine force we call God, Allah, Prajna Paramita is the same force seen through different cultural lenses.

I have not spent my time maliciously poking Christians just to watch them squirm. If that's all you've gotten out of my posts, then I suggest that says more about you than it does me.
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Namaste cz,

It is all a matter of perspective. When one repeatedly feels like they are getting pushed into a corner or beat upon then another slight nudge just looks like more fo the same.

Couching our words though doesn't get the point across, it is a tough line to follow.

You, I believe it was you reminded me of two things earlier today...momma says if you can't say anything nice don't say anyting at all.

And THINK, before you speak, THINK, is True, Helpful, Inspirational, Necesary, and Kind, if not why say it. I've not been following that enough, but at the same time, how do you and continue honest conversation?

Back to the OP, Satan as a little critter influencing us doesn't exist imo. What the devil is our separation from G!d leaves a void and negativity fills it if we don't fill it otherwise. Yes the little angel and devil on our shoulders are great metaphors...but it is just our human ego self which likes to stay in control...we can't blame the cartoon characters or some fictitious horned red guy for our own foibles.

We'll never move forward should we decide to continue to blame. Got to give up the blame and forgive ourselves for our past indiscretions before moving forward is actually moving forward.
 
Saltmeister said:
Citizenzen has been civil and respectful. His comments may be sarcastic and satirical, but if so, they should be left at that.

The New Testament is literature. What people post here is also literature. I treat both as an opportunity to understand myself, my life and God.

Every conversation is an opportunity to learn something. Every conversation has educational value. It may be that it is not us, but citizenzen who is here to teach and show the way (not explicitly, however -- I mean implicitly and intrinsically).:)

Let us not forget that we a human and we are people. citizenzen and his words are not objects. They have a soul. We are interacting with a living soul.
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I was trying to say I could understand how FS came to that conclusion (see Wil's comment- I'd ditto that), but that even if citizenzen had such intentions (and not the ones he states), to me his intentions in starting the thread are irrelevant vis-a-vis my capacity to learn from him and have a fruitful conversation. I see everyone and everything as an opportunity for growth and learning on my journey, whether they think they are cooperating with it or not. :)

(But as FYI, I think citizenzen is not just trying to bash Christians.)
 
path_of_one said:
I was trying to say I could understand how FS came to that conclusion (see Wil's comment- I'd ditto that), but that even if citizenzen had such intentions (and not the ones he states), to me his intentions in starting the thread are irrelevant...
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Yeah. I see what you mean. My OP was totally immature and provocative. No wonder it put some people on the defensive. :rolleyes:

My opening post...

citizenzen said:
I'm going to be honest here. I am a Buddhist and a non-theist (if that's even a word). I make plenty of mistakes every day. I often choose to follow a course of action that is not wholesome. I am prone to selfishness, laziness and arrogance. All of these things I see as my shortcomings, my "faults", my responsibility to fix.

But lately, I've been reading (skimming) a lot of posts about Satan, and I wonder how would you describe his influence on your life and the lives of others?

What impact does Satan really have?
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I am just guessin', but I don't think it was the OP that got FS upset. I think it was some of the sarcastic comments. Personally, I find sarcasm funny and I laugh at myself all the time. I just finished watching Religulous and cracked up even at the things I believe in. But then, I never take my own ideas too seriously and I'm comfortable with that. My faith isn't about my ideas.

Many fundamentalist Christians I know feel "attacked" whenever someone approaches their beliefs with sarcasm or even just plain humor. They feel put down by others' skepticism of their rationality.

Having that background of knowing a lot of fundamentalists pretty well, I could understand where FS might be coming from and still understand that you weren't trying to be offensive as much as you were expressing your sincere reaction, which was couched in what I took to be exasperation, but maybe I was wrong. ;) Some people are just more sensitive to criticism of their beliefs than others.
 
Marsh said:
So let me get this straight, Mee: God's putting a physical being into a symbolic abyss?
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having the correct understanding of just what the bible really teaches, aids to our correct understanding


that abyss that the book of revelation speaks about is not a litral abyss, but it just means that satan will not be able to mislead anyone for 1000 years .
at the momment he is influencing people right left and centre .
as 1 JOHN 5;19 informs us.


people who think that litral people are going into a litral abyss
are influenced by false religious teachings, which in turn are influenced by the original great deciever satan the devil.



the God of the bible does not teach that people are going into a litral abyss

while Satan is in the abyss, all the earth will become a paradise



Satan the Devil is to be bound with a great chain by the angel having the key of the abyss and hurled into the abyss for a thousand years, after which he is to be loosed for a little while. (Re 20:1-3)

Since angels are not creatures of flesh and blood, this chain undoubtedly has reference to some binding force of which we have no knowledge.

 
path_of_one said:
Serving God and others because we hope to gain something from it is just capitalism turned into religion. We invest now in hopes we get more later. To be bluntly honest, I think it cheapens faith and God.
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GODS will for our day includes having the good news of the Kingdom declared in all the earth so that ‘all sorts of men may come to an accurate knowledge of truth.’ (1 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20)


and those who are involved in that great work love God with all their hearts .

and they want to do things inline with Gods purpose, and the making known about the KINGDOM, and its reigning king JESUS CHRIST is being made known matthew 24;14



And the great crowd that are working inline with Gods purpose all have their symbolic palm branches waving around revelation 7;9-10



And it is these ones that will survive the future GREAT TRIBULATION revelation 7;14



Yes God has a purpose, and it is to gather this GREAT CROWD togeather in unity and they are all doing the will of God .



and for mee i do not think it cheapens God , it shows that HE CAUSES TO BECOME



 
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