The Devil Made Me Do It!

Time and time again from many from all walks of faith, will blame the devil for their own situations and problems.
- The devil made me look at that girl
- The devil made me lose my marriage
- The devil must be messing with Lisa since she didn't come to church this week.

You now have made the devil your God by you believing he has the power to control so many events in your life. Man is responsible for his actions, not the devil. I witness many times, many will speak on how the devil is at work because of all the bad things happening. Why does he gain said credit for mans own actions?

A man walks down the street, a pretty female crosses his path, she is wearing provocative clothing. Said male engages unto her in conversation and eventually does things he shouldn't be doing later that day. Later on, he blames the devil for putting her there in his path.

Why not Father put said woman in his path as a test?

reply to post by jhill76

The Epistle of James backs you up here.
Where does temptation normally come from?
"Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin..."
James ch1 vv14-15

Originally posted by jhill76
Time and time again from many from all walks of faith, will blame the devil for their own situations and problems.
- The devil made me look at that girl
- The devil made me lose my marriage
- The devil must be messing with Lisa since she didn't come to church this week.

How about this nasty one:

‘The Devil Made Me Do It’: Australian Nurse Gives Reason Why he Set 11 Elderly People on Fire

Dean, who yesterday pleaded guilty to 11 murders and eight counts of grievous bodily harm relating to the blaze, is a Christian who told police “it was Satan” telling him to do it.

Nothing more than people trying to excuse the bad parts of the Human condition, If they really believe it they belong in a mental ward.

If "the devil" was the one responsible for all of my poor decisions, I can only come to one logical conclusion. I am the devil.

On the other side of the coin, if God was responsible for all of my good ones...

I've always been of the opinion that giving credit to God for man's good deeds is just as wrong as giving the devil credit for man's bad ones. God made the stones. We fashioned them into houses, instead of just throwing them at each other. Well, some of us did, anyway...

reply to post by jhill76


I've covered this subject in several of my replies... "The Devil"... is nothing more then a Christian Scapegoat...

A mythological entity that has power to influence your thoughts and actions...

In other words, HE does not exist...

Even when Jesus was tempted by said demonic figure in the wilderness... it was not an actual person/entity... He was conquering his own fleshy desires...

Although I admit... It is frickin hilarious when anyone says "the devil made me do it"

The only reason ANYONE says such things... is because they don't have enough intelligence to read a book and figure out the meaning of "the devil"

reply to post by Akragon


true that.

Jesus even calls Peter the devil

"Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:23.

reply to post by resoe26


yup... And of course those same people who take the bible as God word, or as a completely literal work will completely over look that passage...

See... IF Jesus called peter the devil.... that means the entire church system is built on the devils back...

Makes ya wonder eh...

lol.

I personally do not believe in an external entity called "the Devil", who tempts and tortures. I do, however, believe in an internal "devil", the temptation and wrongdoing that is in all of us.

Have you not figured out yet that people just use that as an excuse? Usually secular people trying to get off on an insanity plea in a murder trial.

reply to post by adjensen


Hi Adj,

Do you think that this internal devil is represented by original sin? Is so, when Jesus was tempted by the devil, does that mean that Jesus was also born into original sin, and needed to fight his internal thoughts just as the rest of us do?

reply to post by windword


No, Jesus didn't have "original sin", but he could be tempted by the needs of the flesh, as someone who was fully human, as well as fully God.

reply to post by adjensen


Isn't temptation, even thinking about your neighbor's wive in that way, for example, a sin?

The devil doesn't exist, it's only a scapegoat for people who don't want to take responsibility for themselves.

What does exist is the ego. The devil is only a personification of the darker side of human nature.

reply to post by resoe26


That would imply that the church is a "synagogue of Satan", since Peter founded the church. Jesus called those who attended synagogues hypocrites.

Christians will never consider that though, why would they?

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1


Jesus also told the Pharisees that the were "sons" of Satan. Possibly meaning that their actions, what they created and gave birth too, what they lived and died for, were the thoughts of the darker side of their humanity.

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by adjensen

 

Isn't temptation, even thinking about your neighbor's wive in that way, for example, a sin?

I believe that you are confusing "coveting" with temptation.

there is just too many rules with christianity that I don't think ANYONE could seriously make it to heaven.

-conduct ANY of the 7 sins... your screwed (lust is a hard one...:lol
-but yes, just ASK for forgiveness and your all good to go. (mind cleared of it)

reply to post by resoe26


Technically theres only two rules dude...

Originally posted by adjensen
reply to post by windword

 

No, Jesus didn't have "original sin", but he could be tempted by the needs of the flesh, as someone who was fully human, as well as fully God.

or maybe Jesus did have original sin.... I mean, I never met the guy in person so I wouldn't know... but then again NONE OF US HAVE.
for all we know he could have been married to Mary of Magdalene or whatever.