the ultimate false dichotomy.. something Good happens it was God.. something bad it was the devil...
it couldn't be anything else?
by cptkirk 13 Replies latest watchtower bible
the ultimate false dichotomy.. something Good happens it was God.. something bad it was the devil...
it couldn't be anything else?
Paul said "in regard to my weaknesses"
Hmmm........ do you think that Paul's problem was...
that he was impotent
2 Corinthians is composed of around 2-5 letters smashed together. It is sometimes pointless to try and understand its context.
This is a deep and interesting topic. But in the context of Satan doing things for God, note that even after the 1000-year reign of Christ, Satan is let loose to test the nations.
So it would seem there is a legal, moral or philosophical competition about certain things and if Satan is sent to carry out certain chaillenges, then it won't be questioned later.
My personal experience bears this out. Because at one point, Jehovah was trying to make a bet with Satan about how much pain I could stand. I was shocked to see Satan and Jehovah together on seemingly good terms. But that is similar to what happened with Job. Jehovah called Satan in on a bet and Satan was to carry out the test. It's my impression that if Satan didn't carry out some tests, then there might be some issues and challenges. But if Satan himself carries out the test, then he can't complain about the result.
But the COMPETITION between Jehovah and Satan and between Christ and Satan is evident elsewhere in the Bible. This was set up in Eden where to Jesus Christ God said: "I will put enmity between you [Jesus Christ} and the woman [Satan, his wife] and between your seed [angels following Jesus] and her seed [angels joining Satan's rebellion]." Thus Satan was not destroyed immediately, but a competition was set up. This was played out finally when the battle in heaven took place and Christ's angels and Satan's angels battled. Satan and 1/3 of the angels were cast down to the earth.
Thus it was to Satan that God said in Eden: "He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel." So that was set up in Eden, this legal and moral competition between God's standards and Satan's complaints against God. I was there, in spirit, when the battle of heaven took place before I became the Christ. What it was was a court case against Satan! The battle was thus a legal debate. For all of Satan's excuses, he was condemned because even if he was unhappy to the point of death, he could have just committed suicide, but instead he vengefully tried to hurt God and Christ by killing billions of humans. There was no legal or moral excuse for that except vindictiveness, so Satan was condemned.
PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH: Paul's weakness was one of the eyes. That is, a "roving eye." You can see someone staring at something and you know they are inappropriately thinking something. There used to be laws on some books that made it illegal for what they term "crotch gazing." Some gay men, curious about the sexual "package" of others would glance at or stare at the crotch of other men. I can't say exactly what Paul's issue was, but he being gay, likely had a problem with improper watching, which some call a "roving eye." In those times, young atheletes exercised in the nude. So maybe Paul was caught going to the gymnasium to watch the nude young men. This was something observed by those in the congregation who knew what was going on, but they ignored it. Now Paul wasn't doing anything, of course, but he was looking!
Now looking at naked men and curiosity about other men's sexuality is a common factor for gay men. That's why they hang out around bathrooms or showers out of their desire and sexual curiosity of other men.
So Paul, though wanting to do good, his flesh couldn't resist improper gazing. This became like an "angel of Satan" because Satan could exploit this weakness. Paul asked it to be removed but God did not remove it, which was a factor to keep him humble.
Now Jehovah likes to gamble, but he also knows how to win. Case in point in my case, Satan got into trouble by being excessively beautiful. His problem was with vanity. So the person chosen as the physical body of Christ at the second coming, which is me, was a person not beautiful. So it almost removes that possibility of any kind of a challenge in that area.
It's sort of like so many men in ancient times were caught up and influenced by women, like Solomon was influenced by his many wives, or Samson got caught up because of his relationship with Delilah, or even King David with Bathsheba. So to avoid that happening with the Christ at the sescond coming -- or the first for that matter -- these men are gay (i.e. "eunuchs"). So you could be the most beautiful and influencial woman in the whole world, but all your charms won't have much of an effect on a gay man besides annoying him. That's why, like at the Academy Awards when I see these incredibly gorgeous women dressed in these beautiful gowns -- basically, I'm looking at the gown! (ROFL! I'm not kidding!)
Same with white supremacy. Satan's greatest tool against mankind is exploiting white men and Nazism. "Gog of Magog" represents Nazism, which Satan will exploit when he is let loose after the 1000-year rule. It is a very hard thing to resist being told you are superior to other types of men. So to avoid that potential temptation, Christ at the second coming is black. If you're black, it is very difficult to be a racist against your own race or any others.
So the human element and imperfection becomes a factor. If someone is black, gay and unattractive, they are not likely to become a Nazi, be seduced by some beautiful woman, or develop excessive vanity.
But I understand the temptation! When I was growing up I was awkward physically. I was the last person chosen for the baseball team, even though I wasn't really chosen, I was just the last person left. So I grew up feeling ugly and awkward. I didn't spend much time looking in the mirror. But then, once I started dressing up in drag and it was clear I had a striking resemblance to Diana Ross, then I became a local celebrity! Suddenly, people liked me and wanted to be around me! So I experienced for the first time acceptance. I still wasn't that pretty but men who would otherwise pass me by suddenly were available to me because of my celebrity status. It is exactly the same thing with someone rich. Somehow, if you're rich, people don't really see the physical man; you're still someone people genuflect to and accept. So it can be tempting to get a big ego if you're beautiful or talented or both.
So in Satan's case, who was extremely beautiful, he wants to blame God for his course and downfall because of that beauty. Now is that valid? Well, it coudl be argued that's the csse, if even marginally. So that's why at Satan's trial, the issue wasn't the issue of fate or contributing circumstances to Satan's rebellion, but the fact that there could be no excuse, regardless of what is going on with you personally, that you have a right to kill someone else out of your unhappiness. You know, you're unhappy, you want to relieve that unhappiness by putting a bullet in your brain, but then you decide to go kill off lots of other people. No way!
At any rate, that is not the ultimate criteria for Satan's final death. Death of Satan is a non-issue because God decided that ALL his creatures would die, simply on the basis of a temporary life. Like a plant or an animal is born, grows up, has beautiful moments and then withers and dies out. So if you kill EVERYBODY just on that general principal that the first life given is temporary, then Satanis no different than Christ who dies like every other angel or human. The KEY to eternal life, though, has not to do with who dies, but who gets resurrected! So it is not about who ends up dying, but who ends up remaining dead.
So for those who have issues with God. Some who think he's cruel and unfair and whatever. For those, God has the message they can understand, which is if you insist: MIGHT MAKES RIGHT. That is, legally, life is a gift and God is not under obligation to extend any life. He is the creator of the universe and he has a right to run it the way he wishes. It's HIS WAY, OR THE HIGHWAY!
So in the very end, God has given me the entire universe of angels and mankind. So those whom will live forever will be people that I like and enjoy. It will be all about ME. People with bad attitudes and issues are not going to get resurrected to spoil it for others. It is just that simple.
In the meantime, because of the temporary imperfect flesh, certain rules are suspected. Case in point, those of the elect who are chosen for certain positions no longer become under law and so they can no longer be tempted by physical things. That is, no longer being under law, there is no law against anything, including fornication or homosexuality. So at some point I was commanded to go out and have sex with other men, something I had faught decades to get over. But I did that for the sake of other elect who had to do this same thing. It's like being an undercover drug agent where you pretend to use and buy and sell drugs to get a drug bust. But the courts don't charge you because you are one of their agents working for the law. So we're not sinning for our own pleasure, but to complicate things for the opposition and to eliminate their interference. How can Satan work at tempting you to sin if you can't sin? How can Satan tempt you to commit fornication if fornication is now not a sin? He can't. Obviously, this will only be temporary, but for now that's how the WAR is being played out between God and Satan.
So when it comes to God, Satan is a total loser! He can't help but to lose because God has all the aces in the hole!
End the end. God WINS! Some are happy with that. Some not. Those not, will be excused from being present.