Atheist Tuesday: Satan’s Subtle Suggestion

28 CommentsAtheist Tuesday

There’s the story told of Satan training his junior minions….

He asks them what they are going to tell human beings.

Minion #1 said, “I’ll tell them that there is no God.”

Satan thinks it’s worth a try, but doesn’t think many will be foolish enough to fall for that.

The second minion suggests: “I’ll tell them that there is no judgment.”

Satan thinks that’s better, but still doubts he’ll have much success, because people have an inbuilt sense of accountability, an understanding that actions have consequences. “Don’t any of you have any better ideas?” he scolds.

Minion #3 pipes up. “How about we tell them: ‘There’s no hurry?’”

Satan, that serpent of old, warmly congratulates him: “That is exactly the message that will be most widely believed and will do the most harm.”

Comments (28)

  1. Steve L.

    Reply

    Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2 b)

    The message is always the same! Any of us could die in an instant, at a time when we know not! And if “you” should die without salvation in Christ, “you will die in your sins.” (Jn. 8:24)

    Repent and believe the gospel today!

    • Donald "The Dog" Allen

      Reply

      This is a great post. Lots of people are procrastinators. They don’t want to think about death or where they are going when they die. Sudden Deaths Mondays have demonstrated that we all can go at any time. I pray that our pugnacious pernicious procrastinating pestilent petulant pals aka atheists take a few minutes this week and think about what if Christians were right.

      Atheists please don’t let Satan decieve you out of eternal life!

      • Nohm

        “I pray that our pugnacious pernicious procrastinating pestilent petulant pals aka atheists take a few minutes this week and think about what if Christians were right.”

        Absolutely… right after I think about what if the Scientologists are right, which is right after I think about what if the Muslims are right, which is broken into thinking about what if the Sunni Muslims are right, and what if the Shia Muslims are right, which comes right after I think about what if the Buddhists are right.

        So, it’s not procrastination; it’s because there are a lot of other religions to consider.

        I mean, you do all that also, right? You certainly wouldn’t ask for me to do something that you yourself would never do, right?

        Because that would be hypocritical.

  2. BathTub

    Reply

    There can’t be any rush, if there was Evangelists wouldn’t be shutting down their reaching out to the lost. They be stepping it up and trying to improve. Instead all we see if a renewed focus on preaching the Gospel to the saved. Much easier.

    • Laurie

      Reply

      all the evangelists I know are stepping it up. more and more people are out there sharing the gospel, more than I’ve seen in my lifetime.

      not sure what you mean by “a renewed focus on preaching the Gospel to the saved” but it is true that many who claim to be Christians are in fact deceived, so many evangelists do spend time sharing the true gospel with these people as well. Jesus said “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

      It would be a horrible thing for someone who “thinks” they are saved to hear those words from Jesus because they never repented and believed a false gospel.

      and as for it being “easier”, that is a joke, because those who “think” they are saved are harder to reach because they think they know it all already and pay no attention.

      I was a person who believed a false gospel and was deceived into thinking I was saved when I was not and I am so grateful that someone took the time to get me to examine myself as the Bible tells us to to make sure I was in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

      The question you have to ask yourself is “are YOU ready to meet God?” because you don’t know when you are going to die and when you do, if you have not repented and trusted the Savior, then it will be too late.

      • Whateverman

        not sure what you mean by “a renewed focus on preaching the Gospel to the saved” but it is true that many who claim to be Christians are in fact deceived, so many evangelists do spend time sharing the true gospel with these people as well.

        I’m not going to speak for Bathtub, but I think I know what he meant: most of the things evangelicals say assume the listener already believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ. It almost seems as if the evangelical is unable to put him or her self into the shoes of someone who doubts the veracity of the Bible.

        For example, when I ask a question, quoting Scripture at me is nearly meaningless; I do not believe Scripture is of divine origin, so I’m not going to see it as convincing OR convicting.

        If a YEC asks me a question about how earthly life came to the state it is today, if I quoted evolutionary theory at you, would he/she find it authoritative?

        Of course not.

        Yet that’s all evangelicals do.

      • Steve L.

        “If a YEC asks me a question about how earthly life came to the state it is today, if I quoted evolutionary theory at you, would he/she find it authoritative?”

        It doesn’t matter to you what others think!
        … you quote certain things because it’s “your opinion!”

        Please understand, (we) I see everything through a biblical lens!

      • perdita

        What WEM said, but also, most of this stuff seems to be geared toward reinforcing in-group/out-group biases. That’s how Steve’s post and Steve L and carl’s response (above) come across to me. Converts, while important, are really a secondary concern to maintaining group identity.

      • Nohm

        Hi Steve L.,

        I don’t think you’re understanding what’s being written. We understand that you see things through a biblical lens. What we’re saying is that doing that is problematic when trying to evangelize to someone who doesn’t see things through a biblical lens.

        You can completely disagree with that point, but I think it’s important that you understand it.

        What BathTub was basically saying is that evangelism seems to be only about supporting the beliefs of people who already believe, instead of changing the hearts and minds of either the non-believers or the people who believe in a “false Gospel”.

      • Beth Renee

        From what I have read on this blog BathTub is a critic of Christianity, evangelism, evangelists and most everything that falls under the banner of religion. BathTub used to be a fundamentalist Christian but he turned his back on God, Jesus, Christianity, Christians, believing friends and his Christian moma. Like a lot of exChristians, BathTub looks at us like we are the enemy. I think he feels frustrated that he wasted his time with Christianity and he is taking out his angst on us. Don’t be surprised that his comments are negative. He has a hardened heart and is making himself feel better. IMO.

      • perdita

        “BathTub used to be a fundamentalist Christian but he turned his back on God, Jesus, Christianity, Christians, believing friends and his Christian moma. Like a lot of exChristians, BathTub looks at us like we are the enemy … He has a hardened heart and is making himself feel better. IMO. “

        Yes, it’s much easier to ignore his points once you get through with marginalizing him. This is similar to what Donald did with the Jim’s-parent’s-basement comments.

      • Steve L.

        Nhome:
        The most important thing I can do when having dialog with you or any other non-believer, is to give out the word of God whenever possible!
        When the scripture speaks, there is nothing left to say (if you get my play on words).

      • Whateverman

        Don’t be surprised that his comments are negative. He has a hardened heart and is making himself feel better. IMO.

        Does this mean he has nothing valuable or truthful to say, Beth?

      • vintango2k

        I don’t pretend to read the ‘Tub’s mind, but I’d say that’s probably not the reason he’s here Beth, if its anything like my reason its to engage people in conversation and is an honest attempt at getting people to think. I had never engaged evangelists before nor had I met any in my day to day life, Catholics don’t tend to evangelize all that often so I didn’t have much past experience with this group but they fascinated me. I think non-believers stick around this blog because the opportunity to refute and engage people on topics for a chance to change minds is appealing. At least that’s how I see it, how do you see it?

      • Whateverman

        Steve L wrote (to me: Please understand, (we) I see everything through a biblical lens!

        I don’t understand why you’d think I (we) would be unaware of this 🙂

      • Nohm

        For the record, Vin, I don’t have any expectation of changing anyone’s mind here; I do it for the other reason you listed: to talk with people that don’t think like I do, because I know very few of these people in my life outside of the internet.

      • vintango2k

        So would exactly do you get from this Nohm? If you don’t change minds is it satisfaction of ego? Is it to keep you sharping mentally? Is it to learn more? I’ve learned quite a bit myself but there seem to only be a finite number of arguments evangelicals have mustered and there’s a refutation to just about every one of them I believe. I’ve had experiences in real life and in forum chatter where people, who are honest, and at least willing to reexamine their beliefs and ideas have come around in their thinking, and I find those moments rewarding. You’re taking enemies for all intents and purposes and turning them into friends.

      • Nohm

        Hi Vin,

        To answer your question, I’ll re-post my previous answer:

        “I do it for the other reason you listed: to talk with people that don’t think like I do.”

        For whatever reason, I’m fascinated by people that don’t think like I do. I enjoy the things that fascinate me in life, therefore I enjoy talking with them.

        That’s what I get out of it. Think of it as “a natural high”.

        I hope that explained it.

      • Nohm

        Hi Vin,

        In addition, “sharpening myself mentally” and “learning more” are also two good reasons why I do what I do.

        Plus, it’s also really good writing practice.

      • BathTub

        Beth is the very embodiment of the Christians here who like to make derogatory and condescending remarks and then immediately flees the conversation as not to have actually contribute anything of worth.

        And seems to have an obsession with me.

        Hi Beth!

  3. Schmader

    Reply

    Location: The bowels of Hell

    Minion#4: “Let’s create a lot of fantastic stories about how the universe began from something smaller than an atom and how apes gave birth to a mutated ape and that became humans and call it SCIENCE.”

    Satan: “Marvelous idea. We need a spokesperson.”

    Minion#4: I’ll contact Richard Dawkins. He owes us a favor.

    -chorus of evil laughter-

    • Nohm

      Reply

      Minion: “Let’s make sure that all True Believers say and write crazy stuff, so that no non-believer could ever take them seriously! We’ll have people bailing Christianity in droves, as the True Believers keep making caricatures of descriptions of scientific theories that make people think they have no idea what they’re talking about!”

      Satan: “That. Sounds. Awesome. But how would we go about doing that?”

      Minion: “I present to you, Satan, this picture of a crocoduck.”

      Satan: “Win!”

      • Donald "The Dog" Allen

        Nohm! You write just like my man Schmader! Hmmmmmm!

      • vintango2k

        Minion: “How about we encourage them to not investigate the nature of reality, you know… that thing that God created apparently… and how it works.”

        Satan: “Ignorant people are easier to control, I’m liking it.”

        Minion: “And then their ignorance will encourage dishonesty… even lying! Maybe even spreading more ignorance around! That’s a real win for us!”

        Satan: “I’m like it, what do you have planned?”

        Minion: “Behold! Here’s a diagram of Laminin…. for starters!”

        Satan: “Loving it! What’s next?”

        Minion: “We’re also planning on getting Creationists to say lines something like this…. ‘Let’s create a lot of fantastic stories about how the universe began from something smaller than an atom and how apes gave birth to a mutated ape and that became humans and call it SCIENCE.’”

        Satan: I love it, its a lie, and all liars will have their part in the lake of fire, of course! HA HA HA HA HA

      • Nohm

        “Nohm! You write just like my man Schmader! Hmmmmmm!”

        “just like”? Eh, I disagree.

    • BathTub

      Reply

      Another perfect example.

      Schmader, was your goal in writing that

      a)An attempt to reach out to the lost?
      b)An attempt to get fellow Christians to pat you on the back?

      or?

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