Satan's Last Gasp
Satan is losing the battle for people's minds. This is a clear trend, and it's been mounting for a long time. The basic reason is that evil has gotten a lot of competition. Are schizophrenics possessed by the Devil? Raise your hand if you say yes. A century ago, countless more people would have raised their hands than today, when we use "sick" in place of "evil" for many things, including psychosis. The more replacements we find for evil, the weaker Satan grows. After all, the Devil is the embodiment of absolute evil, the kind that admits no other explanation. His fortunes decline when valid explanations are at hand.
Besides psychosis, we attribute criminal behavior to a host of influences -- poverty, domestic abuse, peer pressure, social resentment -- that overshadow the simple word "evil." Centuries ago, the first word that would come to mind when a murder took place would be "sin," opening the door automatically to think about the great tempter and progenitor of sin, the serpent in the Garden. Today, if we fail to understand why sadistic violence occurs, we might fall back on a phrase like "pure evil," but even then we don't automatically insert Satan's name or make him the cause. We simply mean an evil that passes understanding -- for the time being. Understanding can grow, after all.
And it does grow. Leaving aside the dwindling number of fundamentalists who have made the Devil a core belief, fewer people see the hand of Satan at work around them. Abu Ghraib was a horrific example of human nature at its most depraved, but who did the media rush to for explanation? Psychologists, not preachers. If you take the most evil acts in the world, such as the Holocaust, you must run out of human explanations first before you resort to supernatural ones. These human explanations for evil include the following:
Hiding dark secrets.
Feeling ashamed and guilty.
Repressing feelings of deep anger and hostility.
Denying painful truths, such as past abuse.
Imitating the worst actions of one's peers to gain approval.
Hatred of authority.
A deeply rebellious streak that acts out as self-destruction.
Ungoverned impulses of sex and aggression.
Repression of the shadow side of the psyche.
Hatred of "the other."
A toxic cocktail of these all-too-human tendencies fueled Abu Ghraib, the Holocaust, and Islamic extremism. No supernatural agency needs to be ascribed. When anyone believes that Satan is a universal force, the enemy of God loosed upon creation, I ask a simple question. How much evil was there in the universe before human beings came along? If Satan is so cosmic, why did he wait billions of years to appear on the scene, until the day when the Old Testament was written? And what about cultures like the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and ancient Indian that had no concept of Satan?
The rational mind has no trouble discounting the bogeyman, so it's our irrational side that we must calm, with all its shadow fears and shameful impulses. Does Satan perch there, in the darkness we dare not confront? Religious believers haunted by a strong sense of sin may believe this, but look around at all the agnostics and atheists leading normal lives without the notion of absolute evil. They would seem to be the choicest prey for Satan, since they have no faith in God to protect them. But the Devil seems to keep his distance, and there's a simple reason why.
Satan is a projection of human fear, anger, and guilt. He used to be such a major projection that he dominated psychological life. In an age of faith, Satan held a monopoly on evil. Now our minds have expanded, light has been shone on every level of the psyche, and a great change occurred. Satan stopped being strong because we stopped needing him so much. We took responsibility for evil away from him, and although it's hard to face the fact that human evil trumps supernatural evil a hundred to one, the good news is that being human, it's something we can heal.
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Watch "The Nightline Face-off: Does Satan Exist?" March 26 on ABCNews.com and on "Nightline" at 11:35 m ET.
By
Deepak Chopra
|
March 24, 2009; 1:06 PM ET
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Posted by: israbend | April 2, 2009 10:05 PM
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Some people will not get over the fact that there is no god, and therefore, no evil. They think they need the antagonism to keep them going but fortunately, like Chopra says, we stopped needing him so much.
CARMEN,
Nice comment on Chopra, although I don’t think we can see much of him on a post. His books show more of what you are talking about, his personality and commitment, I bet being his student is an awesome experience.
But isn’t he a millionaire? If this is the case, he wouldn’t be a selfless servant. I don’t think there’s anything wrong though, it’s life.
Posted by: Bios | April 1, 2009 12:04 AM
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The Devil is real...I saw a picture of him.
He has a pointy hat, really expensive shoes,
lives in a castle with a lot of priceless
art and marble floors. He was making
all these Africans worship him by some kind
of voodoo using a dead body on a stick,
and he was trying to sucker them into
getting rid of their condoms, so he could
watch them suffer and die in front of their
children.
Posted by: atmanman | March 30, 2009 2:36 AM
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The children claim superior intelligence and pretend they know Satan and Satanism. Too many people think that being a Satanist, or promoter of evil, means following the rituals they have seen in the movies. And we use all kinds of excuses to pretend evil doesn’t exist and that Satan doesn’t exist or have any influence on people.
We like to think of God, Jesus, and Satan on the level of human beings. Even the delusional Darwinists don’t bring the evolutionary theory to the point of beings that are superior to humans and able to manipulate matter through thought or mentally influence other life forms. Instead we treat God, Jesus, and Satan as if they are jokes or just more fables like Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.
The Satanic influence is extremely strong. Our choice to re-label things to make things more acceptable by explaining evil away and with our pretense to having a modern man’s superior morality is adding to Satan’s influence, not taking away from it.
Posted by: josephthepoet | March 29, 2009 2:00 PM
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Well Thomas "The Hallucinator" Baum has met satan and apparently has had intimate conversations with him based on Thomas'last commentary.
And then there is the "Father, Forgive Them" passage "red-neck" Christians like Thomas "throw up" at us questioning, pew sitters.
So what really happened the weekend of the simple preacher man's crucifixion??
As per one historic Jesus exegete, JD Crossan from his book, Who is Jesus:
"My best historical reconstruction would be something like this. Jesus was arrested during the Passover festival, most likely in response to his action in the Temple. Those who were closest to him ran away for their own safety. I do not presume that there were any high-level confrontations between Caiaphas and Pilate and Herod Antipas either about Jesus or with Jesus. No doubt they would have agreed before the festival that fast action was to be taken against any disturbance and that a few examples by crucifixion might be especially useful at the outset.
And I doubt very much if Jewish police or Roman soldiers needed to go too far up the chain of command in handling a Galilean peasant like Jesus. It is hard for us to imagine the casual brutality with which Jesus was probably taken and executed. All those "last week" details in our gospels, as distinct from the brute facts just mentioned, are prophecy turned into history, rather than history remembered."
Bottom line: No one including P, M, M, L or J had any idea what the simple preacher man said during his crucifixion!!!!
So "Father Forgive Them" is simply more embellishment by Luke as it only appears in Luke 23:34 and some early manuscripts do not even have this sentence.
One added note:
Father Edward Schillebeeckx, the famous contemporary Catholic theologian, has a different take on hell. He reasons that the Singularity/God would not tolerate imperfection in his spiritual realm. Therefore, any soul dying in mortal sin will simply disappear since hell the imperfect state does not exist.
From his book, Church: The Human Story of God, Crossroad, 1993, (softcover)
Posted by: CCNL | March 28, 2009 2:02 PM
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In an age of faith, Satan held a monopoly on evil. Now our minds have expanded, light has been shone on every level of the psyche, and a great change occurred.
------------------------------------------
Another Kind of Addict - Do I need to use mouthwash everyday?
Posted by: Vipda | March 28, 2009 1:53 PM
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US-CONSCIENCE
You wrote, "I didnt say he died for everyone's sins, (He most definitely did non ) but He did die for the sins of everyone who will humble themselves and repent and put their faith for forgiveness in His atoning, propitious death on the cross."
So you think that God went thru all that He went thru for a parial redemption.
I do not believe in the 'good enough news' but in the "Good News".
On the cross, Jesus said, "Father forgive them", He did not say, 'Father forgive them that will repent and put their faith for salvation in Me", did He?
You then wrote, "By the way, I didnt call Him "Christ" ( Chosen one, Messiah ) I called Him 'Jesus Christ".
As I said, Christ is not Jesus's last name but is a title.
Then you wrote, "Your right in that it will be no tie. There is not somekind of battle going on between good and evil, between Satan and God ( that would be like a fight between the entire U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Airforce (God) vs. an earth worm (satan). Satan is by far superior to humans in intellect, power, cunning, and craftiness, but he is in now way within 100 million light years of his creator, the infinitely powerful and good God."
Actually, Jesus did His "Job", so to speak, and then left it in our laps, so to speak. Jesus did tell us that there was work to be done, did He not?
You do not seem to understand what a "tie" is, if absolutely every human that ever was, is or will be is not with God in His Kingdom than that would be a tie.
A tie is unacceptable, God wins Total Victory, satan loses.
As it says, "It is God's Will that All be Saved", maybe at the least we should pray for God's Will not what we want God's Will to be but what God's Will Is.
We are called to be Christ and to follow Jesus, not each other, that is what a "Christian" is suppose to be, is it not?
God chose me and I have said YES. See you and the rest of humanity in the Kingdom.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | March 28, 2009 11:44 AM
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power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely. The real terrorists wear suits. The more nukes the suits have the more terrorist and overbearing they become.
Posted by: rhusa | March 27, 2009 8:45 PM
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Mr Chopra, you mentioned that centurirs ago it was believed that schizophrenics were possesed by the Devil. I recall reading a book - probably written in 70 CE-
that a boy with history of seizures that would throw him down, grind his teeth with foam at his mouth, become rigid just like a typical attack of Grand Mal epilepsy.
The crowd and the main protagonist of the book believed that the boy was possesed by an unclean spirit.
Posted by: ThishowIseeit | March 27, 2009 8:41 PM
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Chopra is an idiot. Why is "hatred of authority" a bad thing? It is not - it is the essence of liberty. Windbags such as Chopra would like everyone to kowtow to their supposed superior knowledge, but it is not superior at all, it's only a technique of domination and control. And when they can't control, they sue. Sued anyone lately, Chopra? Cretin.
Posted by: RichardKefalos | March 27, 2009 7:00 PM
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Say what you will, but no one has proven to me that believing in a supernatural being is irrational. I agree that a rational mind may have no trouble discounting the existence of a g-d or gods, but any philosophy (read theoretical construct) is based on axioms that must exist a priori. The same is true for a philosophy of evil. The paradigm of evil incarnate, I imagine, will be with humanity until the end of things.
Posted by: UiMaine | March 27, 2009 6:51 PM
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In the immortal words of Verbal Kent, the greatest trick Satan ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist.
Posted by: pcpatterson | March 27, 2009 5:36 PM
---------
It's Verbal Kint, by the way, not Kent. Still, he's a fictitious character, so he's not really mortal nor immortal.
And in MY words, immortal or not, the greatest trick the monotheists (Jews, Christians and Muslims mostly) ever pulled was convincing the world that God and Satan ever existed.
Posted by: gce1356 | March 27, 2009 6:35 PM
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Satan, just like God, is just a creation of the human mind.
Before the monotheistic concept of "God" it was the polytheistic "Gods." That hasn't really changed; we've just assigned one the good role and the other the bad role.
Both--good and bad--are due to humans' inability to explain the natural realm and things that happen within it that seem random or unfair. And, of course, a lot of it is based on superstition and fear.
Posted by: gce1356 | March 27, 2009 6:27 PM
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People are responsible for doing evil deeds - not some 'Devil'..
We all have some Good & some Evil inside, except for some beings which have absolutely no conscience at all..
And not mentioning "Satan", didn't make him go away - it just made people become even more mean - look around you..
You don't get rid of something by not mentioning it - all you succeed is ignorance..
And when people act like the 'Devil' doesn't exist, even as a mythological figure, it just shows that all beliefs are crumbling..
Look around you - practically everyone is mean, with no morals & an "Atheist"..
The world is regressing and everything is manufactured so this planet regresses and everyone can being manipulated..
It is all thought-out very well though, I admit that, because this world economic crisis was to make people desperate and easily but heavily manipulated to the maximum..
Money and Economy are man-made things / they are not living creatures to wreck this world..
The Governments and big Industries are the 'Devil' which you've all seem to have "forgotten"..
Posted by: RobertVadney | March 27, 2009 6:00 PM
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Who exactly does Mr. Chopra contend tempted Jesus in the wilderness?
Why his "human nature" of course. Why do you people demand that God provide you a magic show?
Posted by: willandjansdad1 | March 27, 2009 5:45 PM
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In the immortal words of Verbal Kent, the greatest trick Satan ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist.
Who exactly does Mr. Chopra contend tempted Jesus in the wilderness?
Posted by: pcpatterson | March 27, 2009 5:36 PM
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i'm so glad that you have everything figured out chop. as bill cosby said as noah,rightttt.....
Posted by: 12thgenamerican | March 27, 2009 5:08 PM
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OK, your right, instead of saying " Each of you are guilty of cosmic treason ( sin ) and the only chance at redemption you have is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the only person who could and did die for your sins as a propitiation." I should have said " Each of you are guilty of cosmic treason ( sin ) and the only chance at redemption you have is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the only person who could and did die as a propitiation for all those who will repent and put their faith for salvation in Him."
T.P.M.B. said "Jesus, either died for everyone's sins, as you said, or He didn't, there is no middle ground here."
I didnt say he died for everyone's sins, (He most definitely did non ) but He did die for the sins of everyone who will humble themselves and repent and put their faith for forgiveness in His atoning, propitious death on the cross.
By the way, I didnt call Him "Christ" ( Chosen one, Messiah ) I called Him 'Jesus Christ"
Your right in that it will be no tie. There is not somekind of battle going on between good and evil, between Satan and God ( that would be like a fight between the entire U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Airforce (God) vs. an earth worm (satan). Satan is by far superior to humans in intellect, power, cunning, and craftiness, but he is in now way within 100 million light years of his creator, the infinitely powerful and good God.
Posted by: US-conscience | March 27, 2009 4:36 PM
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US-CONSCIENCE
You wrote, " Each of you are guilty of cosmic treason ( sin ) and the only chance at redemption you have is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the only person who could and did die for your sins as a propitiation."
You wrote that Jesus could and did die for our sins, do you believe that or not?
Jesus, either died for everyone's sins, as you said, or He didn't, there is no middle ground here.
By the way, Christ is not Jesus's last name, it is a title.
God's Plan is still unfolding and God's Plan is for Total Victory not some kind of tie, it is called "Good News" not 'good enought news'.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | March 27, 2009 3:41 PM
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Ah, the seeming brilliance of this campaign is staggering, if not blinding. It reminds me of the guy that used to show up on variety shows in the UK and U.S. back in the 60s, spinning plates at the end of metal rods. He would get a pair of plates going on their own, which would free him up to launch two more, then two more and so on, only requiring an occasional flick of the wrist to sustain the gyro effect. Satan works the same way. He gets a few folks "spinning" in accordance with his intentions, and then a few more, and a few more and - voila! - his job becomes ever more simple. And all the better if he can corral a few celebrities and opinion leaders and gurus and so on, who have the ability to gin up their own flock of spinners.
It all comes down to this - either Jesus is the Son of God and every knee shall bow and tongue confess this truth on the day of judgment, or He is not. If it's the former (which I believe) and you choose wrong, the penalty is clearly spelled out in the Word. If it's not true, then those who choose to believe will be none the worse for it, because our plight will be the same as yours.
So many dismiss faith and belief in Jesus as illogical fantasy and superstition and ignorance. But what if you're wrong? It seems that the truly rational choice is to believe and follow Him, just in case.
And for those who point to all the ulginess and evil and treachery committed in the name of religion, I hear you. Jesus Himself said that, when the day of judgment comes, many will say, in effect, Hey, wait a minute, didn't we cast out demons and perform miracles and so on in Your name? Jesus will say to them, Be gone, I never knew you. He knows His own. Are you one of them? Do you dare not at least consider the possibility that He is who He is? Just a thought.
Happy weekend.
JM
Posted by: JoeMcD | March 27, 2009 3:39 PM
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We on Earth have a strange preoccupation with evil. Not the everyday evil we see around us in our lives, but an evil we can’t see…a supernatural force that is so easy to blame when we don’t want to face our own failings. Some people actually believe in an all-encompassing force of evil that is so powerful it rivals the power of God.
Most of us have been taught that if we’re not good, or if we don’t practice the ‘right’ religion, God will send our sorry butts straight to hell, without much thought or consideration. Or, at a minimum, we’ll experience the fire of Purgatory until we’ve suffered enough to sufficiently atone for the minor sins we’ve committed before God will welcome us into Heaven. (I can still recall my fourth grade nun’s admonition to use every line on our writing tablet or face the fire of Purgatory for the wasted paper!) The threat of damnation is propagated by ill-informed…though probably well-meaning…people who want to believe that if someone wrongs us, hurts us or does despicable things on Earth, then off to a fiery punishment they’ll go, sent by a vengeful, righteous God.
It may be a soothing thought; that those who made us suffer will suffer themselves, but we have forgotten that there is a force more powerful than our own, with a much better command over right and wrong and a decidedly better perspective than we can ever have on Earth. These same people, who rant and rave that the punishment for wrongs on Earth should be swift and mighty, have forgotten perhaps the most fundamental belief they hold…justice is the domain of God. I am baffled when I hear people say that God knows us, loves us and understands our struggles, yet in the same breath say that God will turn around and punish us if the relationship gets a little bumpy.
Posted by: jqka | March 27, 2009 2:39 PM
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I would be curious to know what Dr. Chopra thinks about Dr. M. Scott Peck's second book, PEOPLE OF THE LIE. This book was written cautiously and judiciously, and was based on a long career in psychiatry. Actually, however, since PEOPLE OF THE LIE was published quite a few years ago, I suppose that it is possible that Dr. Peck has changed his views since then -- but let's find out whether he has or not. Perhaps a televised conversation between Drs. Chopra and Peck would be interesting.
Posted by: monica4 | March 27, 2009 1:44 PM
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Blogs1..your posting ignores the fact that the number of Iraqi civilians who have died because we invaded their country for no good reason is estimated to be 1.3 million..that puts us at the Pol Pot level of evil.
Evil ends when truth is told.
Posted by: goodcake4u | March 27, 2009 1:33 PM
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Satan does exist - I see him in the hypocrisy, intolerance, sanctimoniousness and evil wrought by so-called religious conservatives every day.
Posted by: bpai_99 | March 27, 2009 1:08 PM
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I am always amazed, yet somehow not surprised, to see how the "devil" can be placed into any person or situation, as befits the one who does the placing. I know that many a self-righteous religious person glees in "knowing" that un-believers (that is, anyone who does not believe exactly the same) will burn in hell or worse, be chopped up to pieces. I've read about the various Inquisition methods of tearing heretics apart in many innovative ways. Somehow, I see the "devil" in all of these thoughts and actions, not God. Instead, I see Jesus "desending into Hell", in order to regain control of that evil empire in the Name of God, thus intending to end forever this "satan culture", which "christians" of today still hold onto. Satan, the devil, hell, are all creations of human imagination, not included in God's Creation, which was all "Good" from the Beginning. "Original Sin" was and has been simply a person's attempt to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, when from the start God told Adam and Eve, "Hey guys, don't even go there because the knowledge of good and evil is reserve for Me, not you guys. Once you go there and think you know good and evil, you'll simply die and not have eternal life." remeber now, God created only GOOD. EVIL is something created by "man". That tells me, better be careful what I call good and evil! I take that as, I better delegate that judgement back to God, since He is the only One who knows about such stuff. Now, I am completely FREE to use that other TRUTH of God's Creation, LOVE, without being hampered by judgements of what's right and what's wrong. Just Love. All we need is Love, as John Lennon sang. So, for all you reading this who are gloating in your self-righteous knowledge that I am obviously evil, maybe even satan in disguise, lieing to you...well, I Love You !!!!
Posted by: schaeffz | March 27, 2009 12:54 PM
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Hmmm...you have more to fear from his/her cousin, the tooth fairy. And that second niece, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, certainly has a mean streak as well. Lastly, uncle Hercules is really an SOB if he has to wear a hat.
Posted by: ScottChallenger | March 27, 2009 12:48 PM
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Mr. Chopra, I think you misunderstand exactly what Christianity posits Satan to be. Humans are not the sieve through which his evil pours but rather the source of it. You view some Christians using Satan as an excuse not to face the negative impulses which have been with our species since the dawn of time, but that is NOT what Christian theology would dictate.
Satan is the father of all lies - and in that way evil comes from him - but he is powerless in a world that embraces God's will (God being the source of all that is good - to embrace His will is to choose good). Satan only aids Adam in his rationalization of choosing to reject God; the decision, the desire, and the guilt, lie with Adam and Eve (ie, humanity).
Free will is the source of all evil and also the source of love. "The devil made me do it" has never been an acceptable excuse.
Posted by: Cbailey21 | March 27, 2009 9:24 AM
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Human beings are born under the curse of sin and are depraved. We dont need Satan to be evil as we hate God just as much as Satan does unless God in is His grace grants someone repentance and faith. Satan, the father of lies, is also the father of men like Deepak, who with their smooth tongue and worldly wisdom steer the lost into a false sense of understanding and truth. God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in Righteousness. He will not be mocked. Examine you own conscience. Each of you are guilty of cosmic treason ( sin ) and the only chance at redemption you have is repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the only person who could and did die for your sins as a propitiation.
Posted by: US-conscience | March 27, 2009 8:53 AM
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Im baffled by the amount of people not willing to be receptive and open to positive progression.
I dont believe in a dualistic reality nor do I think that the universe runs from a dualistic pattern.
Meaning “God” vs. “Devil”it is really breaking down all levels of consciousness and labeling them so that our human minds can process it.
Putting them into different categories such as: lust, greed,anger, hate these are all very “primitive” lower energies and feelings also including mythic ideas such as a god or a devil.
Truly there are problems and disruptive energies in the world, the universe the other worlds but to call all evil forces the “work of Satan “ one must be a Christian to believe this because others that choose to look within and really ask questions and soul search.
One will find that divinity lies within each being,tree,rock,animal... all beings.
For what you don't find within you will never find because it is already there.
Light, dark, black white,good evil,god,satan,nirvana, smasara there are all opposites but they all groove together.
I don't need a definite answer and thats what organized religions teach and strive for, a definite answer to all the why's.
Sadly there are bad things that happen in the world and to all beings for the nature of life is suffering but it is all in our hands how we want to deal with this suffering.
If they must need a Satan to place the blame on the destructive energicitc patterns of the universe I guess they need it, they may not understand any other way.
Posted by: francesicadavis | March 27, 2009 12:28 AM
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Psychobabble, religious mumbojumbo. I don't worry about SATAN; I worry about people like Chopra. Are there any religious pundits that are rational?
Posted by: raymondw1 | March 27, 2009 12:15 AM
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I've the great fortune this year of being a student of Deepak Chopra, whom I think is one of the most genuine, brilliant thinkers of our time, and who has with his heart and soul a commitment to teaching people how to live more peaceful, happy lives by right thinking, action and by introducing us to the practice of and the myriad spiritual, physical and emotional benefits of meditation. He teaches people to embrace and accept the dark side of our human nature as part of our wholeness as a spiritual, human being as well as the good or God-like core that we all posses, and to learn to embrace and love all aspects of ourselves, even the untouchable parts. I am learning from Deepak that the more I can embrace all of the myriad, complex traits that comprise my and other's humanity, the less judmental I am about myself and others, and hence the more expansive and evolutionary I can think about the human condition in all of its complexities. Life is often very messy and it is not always a neat little package wrapped up in a fancy ribbon. When we can all learn to be responsible for and clean up our own messes in life and not either expect others to clean them up for us, or to blame them on forces outside of ourselves like Satan, or other human beings, only then, we can begin to live lives of greater integrity, authenticity and happiness, and start to create a friendlier world that is more supportive of human life rather than destructive of it and the planet. If we could all tap into Deepak's brand of spiritual technology to right our souls and to simply find ways to be happier within ourselves, wars amongst families, friends and nations could cease altogether. Ghandiesk? Maybe, and proudly so. Ghandi was a man not unlike Deepak that shared his same vision for a more humane world. Deepak is a selfless servant and Soul Doctor of humanity whom we are all very blessed and fortunate that he has dedicated so much of his time to be a spokesman for this better world vision. I love this man with all of my heart and thank him for his dedicated work!
Carmen Turner
Boston, Mass
Posted by: yogispud | March 26, 2009 9:29 PM
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"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
Satan is OUR enemy, the advancement of scientific knowledge has in no way eliminated the obvious presence of evil in this world. Just because we know the name of an affliction doesn't mean we know the reason behind it. Besides, scientific knowledge is fleeting. A hundred years from now scientists will be scoffing at our ignorance, thinking they know it all and yet, evil will still abound. It's the fallen world we live in.
In addition to the above observations, there are a lot of posts from people who really know nothing about the fundamental teachings of Christ and the Bible. I can empathize, I used to feel the same way.
Throughout the entire bible however, New Testament and Old, never once is it implied or accepted by God that Christians are not responsible for their own actions. Quite the contrary in EVERY way.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam's response to God's questioning of his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit was to blame Eve, and even God as Eve's maker (Gen. 3:12). Eve's response (Gen. 3:13) was to blame the serpent (i.e. Satan). Neither took responsibility, and this lack of acceptance of responsibility only exacerbated their initial sin of disobedience. This shirking of responsibility by blaming others IN NO way absolved them of the wrong they committed nor did it allow them to escape the judgment of God. This requirement of personal responsibility is made abundantly clear throughout the entire Bible again and again and again.
Anyone who thinks that Christians believe they can simply blame their bad behavior on the devil has not explored the reality of what Christianity really teaches. Likewise, any Christian who thinks or claims that they can blame another person, Satan, or God for their own bad behavior is a suspect Christian AT BEST.
"...the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:" (Romans 2:5-6)
Posted by: abcxyz8 | March 26, 2009 8:53 PM
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WILLANDJANSDAD1
You wrote, "Taking away Satan forces many believers do do the unthinkable...Take responsibility for their actions."
As I have said before, we are responsible for our actions, no matter what we believe.
satan is real but he cannot make anyone do anything and for anyone blaming satan for their actions is nothing but a cop out.
Knowing God's Name does not make one a Christian where it is important, in one's heart, there are some that are Christian, in their heart, that do not even believe in God.
God is not the egomaniac that some seem to think that He Is and knowing God's Name is not some kind of magic.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | March 26, 2009 12:47 PM
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"...fewer people see the hand of Satan at work around them." This makes his job much easier and his efforts much more successful. If you doubt this, just read the newspapers. Even the WaPo is a good source for evidence of Satan's rising success rate.
Posted by: DoTheRightThing | March 26, 2009 12:40 PM
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SCIENCELADY
You wrote, "I would be relieved if believers would stop thinking of atheists and agnostics as evil. We can, and do, lead caring, happy, and fulfilling lives."
Not all believers think this but sad to say it sure does seem that quite a few do.
As I have said before: God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof and It is important what one does and why one does it and what one knows.
God is not the egomaniac that some "believers" seem to think that He Is, by the way, God is not a He, a She or an It even tho God-Incarnate was a Male, I just use the male pronoun because it comes in handy.
God is a Being of Pure Love and as I have said, God looks at the person, not the label.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | March 26, 2009 12:35 PM
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This is extremely well written and expressed.
I put Satan in the category of "myth." Yet because so many unstable people have an irrational belief in Satan, I feel that one should not casually mention or mock him, for there is not telling who will hear you, or what they may do.
Posted by: DanielintheLionsDen | March 26, 2009 11:37 AM
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If there is an evil force in the universe...Let's call it EGO for lack of a better word.
Regardless of your views on God, Jesus, or the Easter Bunny, YOU are responsible for resisting the impulse of EGO. I resist EGO because I know in a world where EGO runs wild, we all suffer. AS a GROWNUP, I am responsible for resisting EGO. I don't need the Easter Bunny to tell me that. Using a logical process that either a) evolved over time as a survival mechanism or b) was implanted in me by Mom/Dad/my culture...You pick a or b...It's still YOUR responsibility to resist EGO.
From Charles Manson to Ted Haggard, unrestrained EGO drove behavior.
Posted by: willandjansdad1 | March 26, 2009 11:27 AM
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Hitler, Stalin, Prison guards...
Raised Christian
Pol Pot, Mao....
Raised Bhuddist
Religion or lack thereof wasn't responsible for the atrocities. Crusaders and Mohhamedens slaughtered with glee with God as an excuse.
Take responsibility for YOUR OWN actions. Be a REAL grownup.
Posted by: willandjansdad1 | March 26, 2009 10:50 AM
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I would be relieved if believers would stop thinking of atheists and agnostics as evil. We can, and do, lead caring, happy, and fulfilling lives.
Posted by: ScienceLady | March 26, 2009 10:32 AM
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Taking away Satan forces many believers do do the unthinkable...Take responsibility for their actions.
Posted by: willandjansdad1 | March 26, 2009 9:56 AM
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Deepak writes:
"but look around at all the agnostics and atheists leading normal lives without the notion of absolute evil."
Well Mr. Chopra let’s ask Madeline Murray O’hare how she feels about that. Oh that’s right we can’t ask her. The queen atheist herself, along with 2 of her adult, atheist children, disappeared. They were found buried and chopped in pieces.
“In January 2001, Waters informed the police that the O’Hairs were buried on a Texas ranch, and he subsequently led them to the bodies. When the police excavated there, they discovered that the O’Hairs’ bodies had been cut into dozens of pieces with a saw. The remains exhibited such extensive mutilation and successive decomposition that identification had to be made through dental records, by DNA testing and, in Madalyn O’Hair’s case, by her prosthetic hip.”
Naw nothing evil ever happens to atheists. Boy the boogeyman has you fooled there.
Posted by: jcw7766 | March 26, 2009 12:45 AM
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Found this at another site.. It about Says it all.
"(1) A National Socialist and captivating speaker named Hitler murdered about 18 million innocents.
(2) A Soviet Socialist and captivating speaker named Stalin murdered about 20 million innocents.
(3) A Maoist Communist Socialist and captivating speaker named Mao murdered about 30 million innocents.
(4) Another Maoist Communist Socialist and captivating speaker named Pol Pot murdered about 2 million innocents.
(5) Prison guards from the United States military put panties on the heads of several terrorist thugs, threatened them with dogs, and took their pictures."
Posted by: blogs1 | March 25, 2009 7:27 PM
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Thank you, Deepak Chopra. This is eloquent, insightful, and simply understandable.
Posted by: catgivens | March 25, 2009 2:35 PM
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DEEPAK CHOPRA
Not only is satan real but you seem to miss the point, satan is humanity's enemy.
Take care, be ready.
Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.
Posted by: ThomasBaum | March 25, 2009 2:33 PM
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If Satan were really gone, hucksters like Chopra would be banished. All Chopra does is pedal is "feel-good" junk to make a fortune off of fools.
Posted by: mmm1110 | March 25, 2009 2:10 PM
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"The rational mind has no trouble discounting the bogeyman"
And the rational mind has no trouble discounting gods either. All of them
as fictional as the scary bogeyman.
Posted by: colinnicholas | March 25, 2009 9:41 AM
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