What The Devil Were They Thinking?

[mibn2cweus]

. . . or were they?

I have on several occasions encountered the suggestion by believers that my disbelief is down to having been deceived by the devil.

Playing devil's advocate for the moment - for those who claim the existence of 'the great deceiver', how is it any more likely that they aren't the ones who are its victim . . . or not indeed the devil him/herself?

As for perhaps the most noteworthy deception of all, who the devil would be the one to promise eternal life in exchange for believing that he is 'the one true god', worshipping and praying to him, doing his bidding and spreading 'his word'?

For those who believe in the existence of 'the great deceiver', it might just be a good idea to first take a long hard look in the mirror before proclaiming to the world that such a thing actually exists. I know I would . . . bwa ha ha hah!

[Old_Geezer]

If they know of and acknowledge the devil aren't they in a better position to avoid deception than someone who denies the devil ? Were there no devils then they couldn't be being deceived by one.

[naomi24]

Perhaps the Cathars had it right all along with their concept of two gods, the first the evil creator god of the Old Testament – the second the good god of the New Testament, the creator of the spiritual.

[mibn2cweus]

Better to know what you don't then to not know what you do.

[naomi24]

//If they know of and acknowledge the devil aren't they in a better position to avoid deception than someone who denies the devil ? //

Not if they don't know the true identity of the devil.

[Old_Geezer]

But they'd be on the lookout for deception. Especially from unbelievers doing the devil's bidding.

[naomi24]

//But they'd be on the lookout for deception. //

But if they believe, wrongly, that deception emanates from a source other than the true source, how would they spot it? They’d be hoodwinked.

[mibn2cweus]

You're much more likely to be deluded when delusion is what you seek.

[naomi24]

If people were that smart at spotting tricksters, con men would be out of business.

[beso]

[Theland]

The scriptures are the safeguard against deception.

[naomi24]

^The Cathars thought similarly - but concluded differently.

[Theland]

A quick look on Wiki shows the Cathars did not follow the scriptures but put their own slant on them like all Gnostics.

[Old_Geezer]

If one is much more likely to be deluded when delusion is what one seeks then we'd better stop allowing these spam report threads to this site.

[Khandro]

Take a look at Lord Shiva, according to Hinduism Shiva is one of the three supreme gods found in Hindu mythology. He is known as the destroyer while the other gods are the creator (Brahma) and the preserver (Vishnu). While the other gods are responsible for the creation and perseverance of the earth, Shiva must destroy it in order to recreate it.
A metaphor maybe, but one I understand completely.

[Theland]

And they drink cow urine.
Nuff said.