Posted by Cygnus [Cygnus] on November 01, 1999 at 14:53:06 {2gTL9dbN6kRsyhp1gUYkL4bdfUTIaI}:
In Reply to: **Apostates violate rules posted by Cheeky on November 01, 1999 at 11:12:38:
When I see comments such as this one, I can't help but subsitute the conversation that took place with Eve.
Sure, go right ahead. That doesn't bother or offend me in the least, because after all, the snake was right. And that is why some people adhere to "satanist" principles such as:
I. Satan represents indulgence, instead of abstinence!
Humans are by nature selfish beings. IMO, it is against our nature to withhold ourselves from what we want. However, I'm not saying abstinence from certain things is altogether a bad thing at times (for spiritual reasons or otherwise), and neither am I saying people should simply throw caution to the wind and experience all of their inner desires. But exactly what right did God have to prevent his creation (ostensibly inheriting "free will") from exercising their (God-given?) ability to choose? And after all, he didn't prevent it, which is evidence, to my mind, that the Genesis story indicates strongly that God knew his creation would "sin" in the first place. I am not convinced that the concept of "original sin" as many Christians understand it exists in the Hebrew scriptures.
II. Satan represents vital existence, instead of spiritual pipe dreams!
"Vital existence" means, to me, living for the present, and planning for a reliable future without burning one's self out in the process. Spiritual pipe dreams are, for instance, the belief that one will live "forever" in paradisaic conditions.
III. Satan represents undefiled wisdom, instead of hypocritical self-deceit!
Undefiled wisdom can be obtained by serious research and unabated attempts to comprehend issues and positions without prejudice. It is manifested by a discarding of extreme fundamentalism towards one end of a spectrum, discounting others' opinions, ideas, thoughts and feelings. Hypocritical self-deceit is manifest in words of your own. You are practicing self-delusion when you force yourself into viewing matters as black-and-white, Jehovah "good" (or, should I say, your particular version of Jehovah), no Jehovah "bad." Your post was pretty much a good example of what I was talking about. As follows:
I know when you guys make statements like this about celebrating Halloween, that you have indeed plunged into spiritual darkness... I can see that it isn't the Jehovah's Witnessess that you left behind, but Jehovah himself. The bible is clear about not doing any type of worship to anybody else...
Your concept of spiritual darkness is different than mine. What makes your version of spirituality better than my own?