Can the forum's christians see the demons in other people?

[Darkstar]

God, being omniscient, knows whether John B would have accepted salvation in the absence of the demon, and can dismiss the demon based on that knowledge, or just save the man in the end despite the lack of an overt confession of faith.

God, being omniscient, knows whether John B Adam and Eve would have accepted salvation in the absence of the demon devil, and can dismiss the demon based on that knowledge, or just save ruin them man in the end despite the lack of an overt confession of lack of faith.

Funny how these things work, huh? Then again, we only need salvation because god let Satan decieve the naive and impressionable minds of Adam and Eve. By the way, wouldn't it be against god's nature to let someone go to heaven without their accepting Jesus (thus making it impossible)?

[John V]

God, being omniscient, knows whether John B Adam and Eve would have accepted salvation in the absence of the demon devil, and can dismiss the demon based on that knowledge, or just save ruin them man in the end despite the lack of an overt confession of lack of faith.

Sure. What's your point?

Funny how these things work, huh?

Yes - you argue above that Satan wasn't necessary for God's plan re: mankind, which indicates there are other purposes for Satan, going against your previous position. Quite funny.

Then again, we only need salvation because god let Satan decieve the naive and impressionable minds of Adam and Eve.

Er, how do you know that they wouldn't have eventually disobeyed God even without Satan's influence?

By the way, wouldn't it be against god's nature to let someone go to heaven without their accepting Jesus (thus making it impossible)?

The OT faithful didn't know Jesus, but I'd say they're saved, so - no.

[Minimalist]

A possessed person would not be in a position to defend himself by saying "the devil made me do it," so Drich's comment is not incompatible with demon possession.

While I don't doubt that demons have influences on people, Biblically it seems that actual possession is very rare. Almost all cases occurred during Jesus' ministry, which makes sense in a couple of ways: Satan may have been challenging Jesus, or God may have allowed demons to do things generally not allowed in order for Jesus to display his power and authority to the people.

That is one fucked-up god you have concocted for yourself.

[Darkstar]

[John V]

That god doesn't give people the benefit of the doubt.

There is no doubt with omniscience.

Only if you assume that god wasn't okay with letting Satan lead mankind away from him. Nothing is 'necessary' to an omnipotent being. Why did he create Eve from Adam's rib? For metaphorical reasons?

Seems likely.

Should I start quoting Revelation about just what god 'lets' Satan do?

If you thought it would do any good you would have started by now.

Eventually as in infinite time?Some theists here have supposed that Adam and Eve were in the garden for millenia before the fall. It seems like they had no desire at all to eat the fruit until Satan both removed the threat of death, and added the benefit of knowledge. (Although god inflicted mortality upon them afterwards, but Satan is not imniscent, and he had tricky wordy that could be interpreted in other ways).

Some theists can suppose whatever they want. We can't tell from the Bible, and you can't know what they would have done in the absence of Satan.

[Welsh cake]

Why would extraterrestrial beings or beings of unknown origin or state want to hijack a human being's neural processes in the brain, just to control motor coordination commands?

Why not just fuck up things without all that possession of silly fragile unstable people who will get in the way and be unreliable? People are often useless, even when you want them to screw something up, they still manage to fail and "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory".

You have to admit Christians: This is childish nonsense.

[John V]

It looks like a sort of pseudo-heaven used to hold those who would be saved until they had the opportunity to accept Jesus. It does not mean that someone can be saved without accepting Jesus.

If you're going past this life, then yes, all the saved will obviously accept Jesus. I don't see the relevance for purposes of this discussion.

[Dee Dee Ramone]

I don't want to be saved. Eternal life sucks.

[Darkstar]

[John V]