The Many Disguises of Satan

Hansel Paul · #1 Jul 16, '12, 8:30 am

It would be easy if Satan came as he is often portrayed, with horns and a pitchfork. We would naturally flee this ugliness.

Alas, he often comes cloaked in beauty, in sheep’s clothing:

He claims to offer us freedom and autonomy from an unreasonable God and Church, liberation from rules and being “told what to do.”
He cloaks himself in the false righteousness of being “tolerant” and “not judging others.”
He exalts us by telling us we have finally come of age and can disregard the “hang-ups” and “repression” our ancestors had of sex and pleasure.
He flatters us by extolling our scientific knowledge and inflates us by equating it with wisdom and moral superiority over our “primitive” fore-bearers.
He reassures us by insisting we are merely the victims here, victims of biological urges, bad parenting, economic injustice, that we are not depraved, just deprived.
He humors us by making us laugh at sin, making light of it in comedian’s routines, sitcoms, music and otherwise turning sin into a form of entertainment.
He anesthetizes the pain of guilt and sin by sending us teachers who tickle our ears and assure us that what we know deep down to be wrong is actually fine, even virtuous.
He affirms us by insisting that whenever shortcomings in us have been called to our attention it is simply unfair since other people are surely worse, that self esteem is something owed to us and others who lessen it are unkind.
He sings to us the lullaby of presumption assuring us that consequences and judgment will not be our lot and, with this lullaby, we drift off into a moral sleep of indifference and false confidence.

But in the end, there is a wolf under the sheepskin. Satan is ugly. He enslaves, condemns, ridicules and ensnares. His “reassurances” bring pain and grief as the awful effects of sin unwind: hatred, fear, resentments, revenge, suffering, disease, addiction, bondage, strife, divorce, estrangement, war, insurrection, disloyalty, scorn, bitterness, depression, anxiety, depletion, poverty, loss and deep, deep sorrow.

Hansel Paul · #2 Jul 16, '12, 8:30 am

Beware, Satan has many disguises and he seldom presents as he really is. The movie The Passion of the Christ brilliantly presented Satan in the Garden. At first there was almost a strange beauty. But a closer look revealed increasingly hideous details: cold, fixed eyes, sharp and discolored nails, sickly pale skin, suddenly androgynous qualities, and a disgusting maggot crawling in and out of the nose. An audible moan came from the audience in the theater where I first saw it. Would that, beyond the movie, we could sense this revulsion and clarity as to the evil of Satan and his truest reality.

Jeanne S · #3 Jul 16, '12, 9:42 am

Excellent observations,I might add,another one of Satan's tricks is his ability to "Get us coming and going". He will lure us into sin,with the false premise that it's no big deal,then when our guilt and regret sets in,he will tell that we can't be forgiven.He wants to keep us in a dark place,because then we are with him and not God

feed me · #4 Jul 16, '12, 10:29 am

This is another trick, that all men/women should be aware of, that I will throw in. He will use women, or men and send them your way, make it look like a prayer has been answered by God when it hasn't(especially if you are looking for a soulmate), but is a trick to draw you to sin. Just dumpster dive a little with that person and you will see, that they aren't from God. So let me add a few more to this.

1. If you are a older man, over 18, Satan will use women under 18 - end result. Sex predator, offender, pedo.

2. Girl with boyfriend, husband even if by herself when you talk to her,- end result boyfriend beats you up or worse.

3. Girls in skimpy clothing are dileberatly in front of you.- end result lust, lust, and more lust. This one is a discernment, so be careful.

4. Maybe some married people could chim in on here and give some of the tactics that the demons use against marriage in this area.

englishredrose · #5 Jul 16, '12, 10:48 am

I recommend you "ScrewTape Letters by CS Lewis. Funny but very relevent about the disguises of Satan and his traps, eg that he loves it when Christian denominations are arguing against each other as I've seen often here. He loves it when he thinks he has got us into a pattern of routine prayer but forgotten the purpose of that prayer and just aim at getting through it etc.... all satans little traps. Funny but an important read!

SaintPatrick333 · #6 Jul 16, '12, 10:52 am

The worst thing he's doing is taking part in non catholic religions and leading people astray. Even amongst our protestant and non denominational brothers and sisters who believe they are following Christ. Yet they are taught to hate the Catholic Church by given false information and being led to believe that "we" are the apostates when it is "their" church that broke away from Christ so long ago. It's easy for satan to overpower us as individuals. No one man can stand alone against satan. Humans are weaker than angels (especially the fallen ones). Thank God we are never alone! But the worst thing satan has done is split Christendom into pieces. The Holy Spirit has made true of Christ's word and kept Catholicism whole and unblemished (in terms of the faith) yet our protestant allies do not have that protection from God and they continue to splinter off and fight with us and amongst each other over who is right, who is wrong, who is saved, when they are saved, who isn't saved and is damned to hell unless they come to "their" church, etc. Satan is hitting Christ where it hurts right now by turning His children against Him and His Church. Satan's waging a losing war but he's winning many battles and leading countless of our brothers and sisters to their demise. We must pray for ALL children of God to come home to His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!

feed me · #7 Jul 17, '12, 9:48 am

Let me go ahead and add another one to that list.

He will use you to say things that don't need to be said, or for other people to know.

JimR-OCDS · #8 Jul 17, '12, 10:01 am

Stay centered in Jesus Christ and you won't have to fear being divisive by Satan.

God's power is far greater than the devil, and He will protect you if you stay centered on Him.

Jim

fred conty · #9 Jul 17, '12, 4:38 pm

Jesus said he was the father of lies and here is one he uses all the time.

A TEMPTATION IS A SIN.

Jeanne S · #10 Jul 17, '12, 4:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by fred conty

Jesus said he was the father of lies and here is one he uses all the time.

A TEMPTATION IS A SIN.

Meaning only when one acts on the temptation ,there is sin.

fred conty · #11 Jul 17, '12, 5:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeanne S

Meaning only when one acts on the temptation ,there is sin.

Right, but he leaves that out to worry and disturb people.

I have a friend who was not catholic who said that anytime a bad thought enters the mind, then it is a sin. I explained to the person that it would be impossible then to ever be not in sin since we are constantly bombarded by bad thoughts of one kind or another.

A disagreement was expressed. So I referred them to their minister for his thoughts.