Too Smart to Believe There is a Devil?

[Michie]

Background​

More than a half-century ago, St Pope Paul VI warned that “the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God” (6/29/1972). He went on to say,

This matter of the Devil and of the influence he can exert …is a very important chapter of Catholic doctrine which should be studied again, although it is given little attention today (11/15/1972).

It was probably William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist that brought Satan more into early 1970s conversations than St Pope Paul VI’s words (cf, Exorcism and Popular Culture):

I thought I was writing was a novel of faith in the popular dress of a thrilling and suspenseful detective story – in other words, a sermon that no one could possibly sleep through — and to this day I haven’t the faintest recollection of any intention to frighten the reader.
When I first heard, in 1949, of an actual case of demonic possession and an exorcism going on nearby while I was a junior at Georgetown University, I remember thinking, ‘Someday, somebody’s got to write about this, because if an investigation were to prove that possession is real, what a help it would be to the struggling faith of possibly millions, for if there were demons, I reasoned, then why not angels? Why not God?’ (William Peter Blatty, FoxNews.com, 10/28/11)

Though popular culture still seems to like a “good scare,” my impression is that notions of demonic influence are not taken very seriously. Many seem to fancy themselves as “too smart” for such a belief.

Civilization Before Jesus, With Jesus and After Jesus​

Continued below.

Too Smart to Believe There is a Devil? - Catholic Stand

Background More than a half-century ago, St Pope Paul VI warned that "the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God" (6/29/1972). He went on to say, This matter of the Devil and of the influence he can exert ...is a very important chapter of Catholic doctrine which should be studied again...

catholicstand.com

 

[com7fy8]

my impression is that notions of demonic influence are not taken very seriously.

In Ephesians 2:2 our Apostle Paul says there is >

"the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (in Ephesians 2:2).

This is Satan's evil spirit of selfishness. People in selfish stuff are sharing with Satan in their character!!

And it says his spirit "works". I see a connection > lusts can work very hard to drive someone to seek a pleasure which is a treasure for the person. A major preference for worldly people is pleasure. And there are plenty of different preferences for how to pleasure.

And there are various emotions which are reactions to not getting the pleasure we want . . . not getting what we *dictate* we must have. And those nasty and negative emotions of reaction can work very hard.

I mean, Satan's evil spirit has emotlons driving for pleasure, and controlling someone to be dirty and nasty about not getting the pleasure he or she demands. God did not put these emotions in His creation!!

So, while some number of people can be pretty busy claiming there is the devil or denying him, at the same time they can be even busy with giving in to Satanic drives for pleasure and his ways of reacting to not getting their own way.

They are not being all-loving, but caring mainly about their own selves and ones they use or try to use to get what they want.

But Jesus says,

"if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" in Matthew 5:46.

So, while people are mainly busy caring about what they want and about ones they hope to use, they are being worked-in to love selfishly.

But with Jesus, we have God working > gently, kindly, including in our feelings and thinking and emotions and our reacting >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

 

[mourningdove~]

Though popular culture still seems to like a “good scare,” my impression is that notions of demonic influence are not taken very seriously.

I would agree, that many still do seem not to take the 'notion' of demonic influence very seriously. But I do, and that is the big reason why I personally don't enjoy the 'celebrating' of Halloween.

But regardless what one might think, or what one might think of Tucker Carlson, or how one might disagree with his politics, or his personal style, check out this story!

And I have no problem believing the experience he has shared. Countless others thru the years have talked about demonic encounters they have had while asleep. And I've seen a profound change in Tucker Carlson over the past year. He has definitely been more openly focused on the spiritual aspects of life. I guess an experience like the one he had would make alot of us want to grow closer to God!

Tucker Carlson Describes Being ‘Mauled By A Demon!’ Mid-Sleep: ‘Left Claw Marks On My Sides’​

A video clip from an upcoming documentary called Christianities? features popular American journalist Tucker Carlson recalling the time he was attacked in his sleep by what can only be described as a demon.

Asked if believes “the presence of evil is kickstarting people to wonder about the good” side of spirituality, Carlson answered, “That’s what happened to me.”

Tucker explained he “had a direct experience” with evil when he was in bed one night.

“I got attacked while I was asleep with my wife and four dogs in the bed. Mauled, physically mauled… by a demon, or something unseen that left claw marks on my sides,” he stated.

“They’re still there, a year and a half ago,” Tucker said of the scratches. “I woke up and I couldn’t breathe, and I thought I was going to suffocate and I walked around outside. And, then I walked in and my wife and dogs had not woken up and they’re very light sleepers.”

He added, “Then, I had these terrible pains on my rib cage and my shoulder… I had four claw marks on either side, underneath my arms and on my left shoulder and they were bleeding. Actual claw marks, and I sleep on my side so I wasn’t clawing myself. I don’t have long nails and they didn’t fit my hands anyway.”

Despite not coming from a strong religious background, Tucker said he knew immediately that the attack was spiritual in nature.

After thinking he may have been dreaming, the journalist said he found blood on his sheets the following morning and realized the assault was real.

After the bizarre incident, Tucker said he was filled with “an intense desire to read the Bible” and did so for the next year and a half.

https://www.infowars.com/posts/tucker-carlson-describes-being-mauled-by-a-demon-mid-sleep-left-claw-marks-on-my-sides

 

[fide]

In Ephesians 2:2 our Apostle Paul says there is >

"the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (in Ephesians 2:2).

This is Satan's evil spirit of selfishness. People in selfish stuff are sharing with Satan in their character!!

And it says his spirit "works". I see a connection > lusts can work very hard to drive someone to seek a pleasure which is a treasure for the person. A major preference for worldly people is pleasure. And there are plenty of different preferences for how to pleasure.

And there are various emotions which are reactions to not getting the pleasure we want . . . not getting what we *dictate* we must have. And those nasty and negative emotions of reaction can work very hard.

I mean, Satan's evil spirit has emotlons driving for pleasure, and controlling someone to be dirty and nasty about not getting the pleasure he or she demands. God did not put these emotions in His creation!!

So, while some number of people can be pretty busy claiming there is the devil or denying him, at the same time they can be even busy with giving in to Satanic drives for pleasure and his ways of reacting to not getting their own way.

They are not being all-loving, but caring mainly about their own selves and ones they use or try to use to get what they want.

But Jesus says,

"if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" in Matthew 5:46.

So, while people are mainly busy caring about what they want and about ones they hope to use, they are being worked-in to love selfishly.

But with Jesus, we have God working > gently, kindly, including in our feelings and thinking and emotions and our reacting >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Yes, this is definitely a good insight. It reminds me of St. Bernard of Clairvaux's wonderful writing "On Loving God", summarized on the website of Wyoming Catholic College, Here: summary of Bernard's the Four Degrees of Love. This summary of Bernard's may help you expand your own insights. (He is one of so many gifts to the world entrusted to the Church.)

Thank you again.