Is Satan on the Offensive or the Defensive?

by jgnat 21 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  jgnat

  This week's study article again lauds the great power and strength of the Devil. (WT March 1, 2003, study for April 13, 'Be Courageous and Strong', para 3-4. You know, roaring lion, bla, bla, struggling Christians, bla bla. This got me to thinking. Since Jesus' victorious resurrection, has the Devil been on the offensive or defensive?

  And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock will my church be based, and the doors of hell will not overcome it. Matthew 6:18 (BBE)

  A memorable sermon (from Christendom's churches) I remember it pointed out that doors are defensive, not offensive structures. Doors can't stalk us like roaring lions, can they? Doors sit still. The doors described above are being pounded on, intruded upon, and failing. Failing in the face of what offensive? Often Christians expect persection on every turn, blaming everything from burst bic pens to traffic tickets on the works of the devil. What do we have to fear from doors? Let's save the persection complex for the serious stuff.

  So I am polling you, dear readers, for your opinions. Since Jesus' victorious resurrection, has the Devil been on the offensive or defensive?
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  refiners fire

  ..."doors are defensive, not offensive structures. Doors can't stalk us like roaring lions, can they? Doors sit still. The doors described above are being pounded on, intruded upon,"...

  Interesting thought. The poor old Devil cant win anyway, no matter what he does. He owns 99 percent of the population but as Long as God has one faithfull man, God wins. Thats the way I see it.
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  Francois

  I think de debbil hab been locked up in utter darkness and there will be no short time of testing when he will be released. One night, in de dark, in de corner, in de back, a noise will go "Poof" and de debbil will be no more.

  So there. Thas' what I thinks about all the fables about the debbil.

  francois
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  rem

  Satan is a mythical character in a collection of ancient fiction.

  rem
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  jgnat

  Thank you, Refiners Fire and Francois, for honoring me with a reply. RF, I strongly believe the devil gets far too much air time. Ascribing him great strength makes cowards of us all. Francois, it is a happy man who has vanquished the boogey man.

  I often pondered why the devil is given credit for every bit of misfortune. After all good and bad happens to us all (Matthew 5:45). I have wondered why the lion roars if he has already been defeated. I was reminded of an analogy when I taught my son to play chess. As he got better, I played better. Soon, my boy was not winning as many as he used to. He would cry with frustration, but he always came back for more. Sometimes he would refuse to admit defeat to the bitter end. Even when he was one man down, he would madly exchange peices in a futile attempt to change the final outcome. In the process I was able to refine my end-game. A pawn and a rook was all I needed.

  Now the tables are turned, and he is the better player. I play when I am feeling especially brainy and confident. Nowadays if my son knows the game is a lost cause, he avoids further humiliation and hurriedly admits defeat. When I win these days, I don't bother telling him how I managed to weasel past his defenses. Us old folks need to retain some dignity.

  If this analogy holds, the roaring lion is a paper tiger. Not to be feared, but an annoyance to be batted away.

  I know that evil lurks in the hearts of some men, because I have encountered such evil, nose-to-nose. Evil ones deserve to be exposed, brought down, handed over for justice. But hey, if a carton of eggs drops in the parking lot, just chalk it up to "life" and move on. Reserve righteous anger for the obvious evils in this world.
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  jgnat

  rem, oops for not noticing. Your comment snuck in as I was composing a reply. I hope my comments provide some counterpoint for you as well. Do you think good and evil are myths as well?

  I do like to provide some alternative interpretations for studiers of God's Word. Especially the JW lurkers that may be getting bored with the WT weekly supply of pablum.
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  rem

  Evil (if you want to call it that) exists in humans because people look out for their best interests. Some people find that they are better off breaking the conventions of civilization to better themselves. There is nothing surprising or mysterious about this. Many people cheat to get ahead.

  Conventions of civilization vary in time and space, thus there is no one standard of 'good' and 'evil'. Back in Bible times it was supposedly fine and dandy to turn your virgin daughters over to rapists. Today in most civilizations around the world, this behavior would be described as 'evil'.

  I don't think you can describe natural events such as earthquakes or predation in animals as 'evil'. They just are.

  rem
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  rocketman

  Just had to mention Francois' "debbil" word....lol, good one! Goes well with deeminz, as Mr. Moe calls 'em.
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  jgnat

  Hitler was evil. How can genocide be glossed over as plain self-interest? That kind of hatred is at war with the human race and it's continuance. Biologically speaking, such acts are contrary to the greater good of maintaining the species.

  I also have a special hatred for child abusers. Even biologically speaking, such behavior is abberrant, because it damages the coming generation Children must take prescedence over our own self-interest.
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  A Paduan

  Evil is offensive - but also defensive for survival, or stasis.

  Some cultural groups believe that demons (evil) cannot rest until they have been offensive in some manner - not that the evil understands it to be offensive, but rather it is a means to a balance, because of an imbalance.

  paduan