The devil's greatest trick...

[Pseud]

...was convincing the world he didn't exist.

Where does this saying come from? Why was that such a great trick (from the devil's perspective)? What effect does it have on the world today? Anything else you can say about it?

Thanks

 

[seebs]

I'm pretty sure it's C. S. Lewis.

If people reject the concept of evil, there is no longer any reason for them to avoid it.

 

[Bonhoffer]

Because that would affect Free Will!

 

[Bonhoffer]

So Satan can affect free will but God cannot?

Both God and Satan can encourage someone to do what they want them to do. However it is ultimately that persons decision to actually do something.

This is why we should never except the 'Satan made me do it' plea as an excuse.

Satan may well have encouraged someone to do something wrong, but people have the freedom to choose whether or not to do it.

Similarily God may encourage someone to give to charity, however it is the persons choice to do it if they act upon it.

Neither God nor Satan can force anybody to do anything.

 

[EltronRangamma]

If both god and satan can influence a person at the same magnitude..then why is it the christian population is considerably less than the regular population? Is it because satan is better at convincing people than god?

This is a sweeping assumption. First, you got to define what you mean by "Christian" and "regular". Second, you have to account those who're nominal Christians (who call themselves Christian but do not live a Christian life and hadn't made a committment to Jesus Christ) and those who may not acknowledge their Christianity, perhaps even oblivious to it, but are still Christians (this is a an arguably heretical doctrine that CS Lewis purported).

In summation, we don't really know how many Christians there are and aren't.

 

[Pseud]

This thread is coming along nicely, thanks guys

That being said, and very well I might add, I have something else to ask

Does satan really have all these people fooled? Those who don't accept christ as their savior I mean(which there are far more in this category)

Interesting thought... Does he really need to have them fooled? Surely the liar is more concerned with turning Christians into non-christians, not turning non-christians into really bad non-christians ?

 

[jbarcher]

Why was that such a great trick (from the devil's perspective)? What effect does it have on the world today? Anything else you can say about it?

A pretty good way to multiply evil is to deny its existence.

And the devil does not neccessarily have to trick people using this one. He's got lots of other fun ways.